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Just when we were ready to straddle success like the cowboys we know we are, along come the Croatian team and steal our horse. Nobody saw it coming except perhaps the RTE panel. The football troika of Giles, Dunphy and Brady once again were not shying away from the harsh realities of Irish football .

We are a tiny nation, with only a handful of top quality players. Granted, when it comes to literature, music, and the Arts in general we deliver better than most bigger countries but football? You need a cast of thousands just to come up with 11 truly top class players. Those 11 players also need to be playing at the highest club level. That's why Lichtenstein don't qualify for tournaments.

However all is not lost. We all know that there is something that an Irish team can call upon to raise their game. It's partly the same thing that motivates 30,000 supporters to travel to Poland to cheer on their team.
It is of course the spirit of the Irish. Our ability to fight to the finish and play with a belief and fervour normally reserved for far more powerful and talented teams has often stood to us. Why not this time?
I think it could still happen. My advice to Spain and Italy? Watch your behinds.

England began with a competent performance against a tentative French side. I have to say that Rooney, on the bench, looks so much less aggressive and threatening, with hair, but is he losing it again ?
Apart from that they looked respectable rather than great and while they may make it out of the group, I can't see them making it into the history books. Fair play to the new manager though for turning them into what looks like a relatively disciplined bunch.

It was with mixed feelings I drew Italy in the Applegreen office sweepstake. I'm a huge fan of the Italian style of football. A firm believer in getting your defence right first then seeing about scoring.
The only problem is they are in the same group as Ireland.. I saw them play earlier on Sunday and was well impressed. My prediction is that Ireland could well surprise Spain and draw with Italy. One feels that some kind of reaction to Sundays poor and lifeless performance must and will come on Thursday. I hope Italy and Ireland can go through to the next round. Meanwhile here is a link to one of my favourite food blogs and a great recipe for Pizza. Make it on Thursday sit down and enjoy Ireland's fight back. Stranger things have happened.