Peter AndersonIt was a great weekend of sport with the Euros continuing and Rory McIlroy looking to get back on the major winners' podium after a 7 year absence. 

First up was Friday night's Scotland v England game and after much hype it turned out to be a damp squib. With 82 mins on the clock the ITV commentator said ,"this is edge of the seat stuff". What fucking game was he watching? England were awful, devoid of ideas and the inevitable 0-0 ensued.

When England's forwards and midfielders play for their clubs, they play much better. To see them with fewer passing options available to them, leads you with the conclusion that they either lack motivation or that the manager is crap. I tend to lean towards the latter. If Klopp, Pep or Tuchel were in charge of this England team they would be a top team. They have the players.

Saturday threw up some minor shocks. Spain drew with Poland, a game they were expected to win, leaving qualification resting on them beating Slovakia. France drew with Hungary, with Griezmann's late equaliser sparing blushes and Germany hammered Portugal 4-2 in the championship's most entertaining game. I don't think the French have as much to worry about as the English. Hungary were at home with a raucous support and, while only drawing the game, Les Blues played very well. Germany seem to have thrown their hat into the ring after being comprehensively outplayed by France. After Ronaldo's opener for the Portuguese, it was all Germany. My German mate pointed out that they usually get stronger as the tournament progresses.

Sunday provided more thrills as the plucky Welsh lost to a highly impressive Italian side. The Italians are the new dark horses of this competition, it will be interesting to see how they do against stronger opposition. The Welsh qualified from the group in second place and will provide a potential banana skin in the knock outs. The Netherlands also qualified as group winners in a game I didn't see and I expect their neighbours, Belgium, to join them from Group B.

And so to wee Rory. I'm not a big fan of the golf, but I started watching the majors years ago when Darren Clark was in his prime and have continued with Rory. He is desperate to get back to winning majors. It seemed so easy when he was young, not anymore. Despite starting the final round of the U.S. Open just 2 shots off the lead, a bogey and double bogey at 11 and 12 ended his charge. At least he was in with a shout after so many years of finishing way down the pack or missing cuts. What a good weekend of sport. Now I'm looking forward to the next one, the Euro's Round of 16 starts on Saturday alongside the Tour de France. Bring it on.

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

Balls & Bikes

Peter AndersonIt was a great weekend of sport with the Euros continuing and Rory McIlroy looking to get back on the major winners' podium after a 7 year absence. 

First up was Friday night's Scotland v England game and after much hype it turned out to be a damp squib. With 82 mins on the clock the ITV commentator said ,"this is edge of the seat stuff". What fucking game was he watching? England were awful, devoid of ideas and the inevitable 0-0 ensued.

When England's forwards and midfielders play for their clubs, they play much better. To see them with fewer passing options available to them, leads you with the conclusion that they either lack motivation or that the manager is crap. I tend to lean towards the latter. If Klopp, Pep or Tuchel were in charge of this England team they would be a top team. They have the players.

Saturday threw up some minor shocks. Spain drew with Poland, a game they were expected to win, leaving qualification resting on them beating Slovakia. France drew with Hungary, with Griezmann's late equaliser sparing blushes and Germany hammered Portugal 4-2 in the championship's most entertaining game. I don't think the French have as much to worry about as the English. Hungary were at home with a raucous support and, while only drawing the game, Les Blues played very well. Germany seem to have thrown their hat into the ring after being comprehensively outplayed by France. After Ronaldo's opener for the Portuguese, it was all Germany. My German mate pointed out that they usually get stronger as the tournament progresses.

Sunday provided more thrills as the plucky Welsh lost to a highly impressive Italian side. The Italians are the new dark horses of this competition, it will be interesting to see how they do against stronger opposition. The Welsh qualified from the group in second place and will provide a potential banana skin in the knock outs. The Netherlands also qualified as group winners in a game I didn't see and I expect their neighbours, Belgium, to join them from Group B.

And so to wee Rory. I'm not a big fan of the golf, but I started watching the majors years ago when Darren Clark was in his prime and have continued with Rory. He is desperate to get back to winning majors. It seemed so easy when he was young, not anymore. Despite starting the final round of the U.S. Open just 2 shots off the lead, a bogey and double bogey at 11 and 12 ended his charge. At least he was in with a shout after so many years of finishing way down the pack or missing cuts. What a good weekend of sport. Now I'm looking forward to the next one, the Euro's Round of 16 starts on Saturday alongside the Tour de France. Bring it on.

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

17 comments:

  1. Was delighted by Scotland's achievement of that valuable point at Wembley and Wales's advancement to the knockout stages

    Will be rooting for Poland in their final group match as one of our own, Mateusz Klich (Leeds United in case you didn't know), is starring for them.

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    1. I'll root for Poland because of the price of the Bourbon - three glasses of Wild Turkey in Krakow for the price of one Jack D in Dublin. I thought I was in Heaven with no preachers

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  2. Barry
    Scotland deserved their point and have put huge pressure on Southgate.
    AM
    The price of everything in Dublin now is scandalous!

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    1. haven't drank in it in a while but should put that right in the not too distant future!

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    2. Peter - the England-Germany one has the making of a good game. Neither side are setting the tournament alight but man for man the English have the better side on paper

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    3. AM
      What are the odds that England lose on pens? I can't see England winning it, it's a mental thing for them vs Germany.

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    4. Peter - always a possibility. My two sisters were here today and while hoping Germany win they both thought England were the better side. That defence is pretty solid, maybe even the best defence in the tournament, better than the defences Italy and France have overcome thus far and much better than the Germans have been frustrated by. Thus far it is the forward line who have failed to fire in the way that it would need to if they are to progress.
      My own view - England will beat the Germans.

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  3. Rory lost his mojo when he got married. It happens to a lot of sports stars. When they are young and hungry with no ties and with an edge to their game they win loads.....Then they fall in love.

    England, I hope they get hammered tonight and Scotland win their match by a better score line and finish above them....

    Southgate, a few yrs ago he looked sharp in his waist coat. Today he he wears a cross between a jacket and tshirt (think it's call a snackle <---something like that) and he thinks he is Frank Sinatra...Basically if its not broke don't fix it Gareth...

    As for Grealish and Kalvin Phillips I hope they have crap games. Both could have played for the island. Same as Danny O' Shaunnessy for Finland, I'm not impressed by him either, he could have wore the Green....

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    1. You have forgotten Declan Rice, Frankie.

      Also Harry Kane's grandparents hailed from Connemara.

      Lose an Irishman, huh!

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    2. England and Czech Rep have already qualified for knock out stages by virtue of last night's results.

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  4. Scotland are out but at least they had one positive result in Billy Gilmour testing positive!

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    1. Croatia came good at the wrong time for Scotland.

      England were again pedestrian. They are just not a side that causes me to think they will burst into life at any moment, like France, Germany, Italy, Holland. Now the English sporting commentariat are making much of the fact that it is the first time since 66 that the side have got out of the opening stage without conceding a goal. It has not yet been seriously tested although it does look firm. Saka was by far their best player last night.

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  5. World cup finalists Croatia in the cold light of day putting away my saltire and packing up my kilt it was a big ask, a task that was beyond plucky Scotland. Those of us from Caledonia and many of our celtic cousins lived in hope only to see that flame extinguished rather early on, even when McGregor equalised I still felt the writing was on the wall. As for our neighbours down south I'm afraid they lack imagination invention and will take a hiding from one of the "big" teams Spain, France, Germany,etc even Portugal are going about their business quietly I'm afraid it's curtains for England in the next round unless there's a miracle of biblical proportions bestowed upon the England camp. For what it's worth I find it hard to look beyond France with Benzema Mpappe Giroud and others they look a formidable force. Anyway Quillers that's my two cents worth. Good luck to whoever you decide to cheer on (assuming we can say au revior to Angleterre) Vive La France

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    1. Gary

      So disappointed for Scotland.

      There is much hope for the future but you desperately need (as do both NI and ROI) a proven goalscorer or two at the elite club level (Premiership, La Liga etc) in your squad.

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    2. Gary - they will not be remembered for the defeat to Croatia but for the gritty performance they put up against England.

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  6. This is why many Irish people will be supporting Italy in the Euro finals......

    It's not just about oppression or the famine/genocide
    Not just Mr Cromwell, sure we'll let all that stuff slide......

    Not the youthful squaddies killing protesters at will
    it's not just about the Black and Tans nor the 'shoot to kill'.....


    Not just about the hunger strikes, it's not about evictions
    It's not about framing random Irish folk just to get a quick conviction.....


    Not just no more ' no blacks or Irish' signs no more can they be seen....
    Sure don't blacks and Irish make up half the English team.....

    No it's the lads with lazers and National Front tattoos
    Who hear another countrys anthem and proceed to boo

    Your team get down on bended knee and you show them no respect
    Why other nations don't support you. What did you expect?

    So when we hear the tired refrain of 'Footballs coming home'...
    Don't take offence is some of us hope...

    Football is going to Rome....


    (I transcribed a video...I don't own the poem)...

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  7. As they say in Rome......Veni, vidi, vici

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