AFTER TEN YEARS, the wait is finally over.
So now that Ireland have finally qualified for Euro 2012, it’ll be interesting to see whether fans can match the sheer passion they showed in previous tournaments.
The cost of travelling to follow the team has been estimated at being between €1500-2000 at a minimum.
Will fans be put off by these exorbitant figures? It’s unlikely.
They showed admirable commitment to the side by following them in large numbers all the way to Korea and Japan in 2002.
Moreover, anyone who argues that the strong numbers travelling will not be repeated on this occasion, as they took place during the Celtic Tiger era, is ignoring the fact that during our previous three tournaments – in 1988, 1990 and to a lesser degree 1994 – the country was far from financially healthy.
However, times are arguably tougher than ever at the moment.
Therefore, the prospect of an overwhelming contingent of Irish supporters congregating in Poland and Ukraine next summer is by no means a foregone conclusion.
So with all this in mind, we’re asking will you be travelling to Poland and Ukraine next summer?
Poll Results:
Read: Award-winning Irish sports writer Kimmage to leave Sunday Times>
Open thread: who would you have in your 23-man Ireland squad?>
I find it hard enough to watch them on tv, never-mind travelling to the Ukraine to watch them sweat blood trying to get a 0-0 vs Portugal or the like.
Whatever the group, the results will be 1-1, 0-0, 0-1.
It’ll be like pulling teeth.
They’ll arrive home like heroes.
580,000 will come out to college green.
Ireland.
“Celebrating failure and misery since 1798″
BBQ to watch matches in your place then? Maybe not, don’t want to celebrate this misery you speak of!
580,000 at collage green n 580,00 in poland n ukraine m8…jumpthecat your country needs you now!!!! Ole ole ole ole
Very negative poll. “No as I have no funds” is just begging for some moaning. Whats wrong with simple Yes/No, and let people comment on reasons etc?
There seems to be missing simple “no, because I have no interest in match”…
Agreed.
Hi Danny,
If it comes across as overly negative, it’s only because people would have more reasons for not going than going.
I also think it’s interesting to get a breakdown of the reasons people are/aren’t going, rather than just the basic yes/no format.
The ‘I have no interest’ option is covered by ‘other’ .
Can’t afford it :-( Carry out and home I’m afraid..
10 euro in the credit union every week will get ya there m8…24 since we last hit the euro’s…if i dont go to this one i b 67 the next time we might qualify….hehe ole ole ole ole
Wont get off work. Down the local for me.
I hope so!!! Ireland away games are an unbelievable experience, the games are almost secondary to the craic!! Doubt the hooliganism will be a problem tbh, Id say the security will be fairly tight. tickets might be a different story!!! Hoping the downturn is good for something and lessens the demand for the fai allocation, but i doubt it :-(
Although, it would be nice to see a bit of sunshine and feel summer weather on ones skin as there is a 99% chance we will have a 7th bad summer (in a row)
No, don’t like their negative play. Although the Italians do know how to win a competition with negative play, so Trap could do it. The only thing we are truly missing is a world class striker, world class I said. — I still can’t watch negative play, even if they got to the final I could not watch it for 90 minutes.
Watched Ross Kemp on gangs last night coincidentally. He was in Poland to report on the Neo-Nazi hooligans. They were that bad that one match had to be stopped for a few mins, whereby the manager walked down to the stand where they were and asked them to stop.
It’s a NO from me.
That’s a few years old now
I’ll be going for the three group games. Will scrimp and save to make sure I have the funds.
Really looking forward to it – I am 99% sure the people moaning about the style of play wouldn’t have gone anyway. Real Irish fans travel with the team through good times and bad times, good football and bad football.
me n the lads go to europe evrey year for fathers day weekend…eindoven, prauge, franckfurt, bratislava n we want warsaw not donetsk please… we’d rather b nearer berlin then uzbekistan!!!… lmao… i see ya there m8..ps…hope we draw engerland!!!
Hopefully I’ll be teaching English in the Czech Republic, making that lovely lovely Eastern European cash money to fund trips over the border for the games!
One game possibly if it’s in Poland. Time off and funds won’t allow anything else
I hate how rugby has taken over a the dominant game in this country. I’m only 28 and I have seen a drastic change in peoples views in sport over the years. Just because our soccer team is sub par at best, doesn’t detract from the fact that they are our national team. I will try my best to make it!! Come you boys in green!!!
It will b our 1st euros in 24 yrs and only our second major finals since USA 94 so would love to go to at least one game and spend a few days there. Barring a lotto win or some other unexpected windfall, won’t b savouring much more…sadly.
Going to do everything in my power so that the funds allow it. And to all the Trap haters: We didn’t need you during the campaign, and we don’t need you at the finals moaning about anything you can think of.
I think it’s hilarious very one jumping on the band wagon these past few days . Trapattoni was getting the sack if they didn’t win and now everyone thinks he is a legend!
get ya facts straight ms…he is a fukin legend!!!!
Yeah. Looking for work
No. I have no interest.