The F.A. will be counting the cash a week on Wednesday with England hosting Nigeria at Wembley, but before they are away in a Euro 2012 qualifier away to Wales.

Now going on previous results/form of both national teams England *should* walk this one…

Additionally we have the sideshow of the newly anointed Gareth Bale, currently on form. But as you know one man does not make a team.

Before we get to the next Euro competition though I want to remind you about England and their journey in a previous Euro Championship which didn’t go that well…

Ok that’s an understatement. It was in fact an unmitigated disaster.
England went out in the group stage after they played and lost all three games, scoring only two goals and conceding 7 in the process.

My friends in Ireland will remember the first group game well and will not need reminding. For the rest of you though it was when Ray Houghton nodded one in with the only goal of the game.

- As recreated a few years later by Baddiel & Skinner on Phoenix from the flames:

After this the Republic of Ireland drew with the Soviet Union and then narrowly lost to the Netherlands, the eventual winners. It wasn’t enough for them to go through and along with England (but above them in the table !) they went home.

» Via dermothardy.com: A detailed look at Ireland’s progress for Euro ’88.

» Article in the Guardian: On Second Thoughts: England at Euro 88.

In the above article Rob Smyth argues that it wasn’t just a poor performance that was to blame for their results, but some ill-fortune that fell upon the England team.

I myself believe non of it and can pinpoint exactly where it all went tits up. It was even before a ball was kicked and all because of these three:

For those of you of a younger age who never experienced this particular dark part of our musical history: They are Stock, Aitken and Waterman, or S.A.W. as they were also known, and from the mid-later 80′s they were responsible for production line, mass marketed bland music.
In fact listening to today’s music with the Beibers and Jonas and that type, it’s like they never went away.

So because they were the thing at the time and could pretty much guarantee a chart hit* with whatever they were given, (a soap star, a struggling band – or something the manufactured themselves, such as a tea boy) the clueless suits at the F.A chose them.
*For the record: It reached Number 67)

So then shudder at this production that nearly stopped all decent football and music:

[See post to listen to audio] » England Football Team (1988) – All The Way [See post to listen to audio] » England Team (1988) – All The Way (Extra Time Mix) [See post to listen to audio] » Eng Team (’88) – All The Way (On Yer Head Dub)

Oh and joy of joys… here’s the video as well:

The Republic of Ireland play a World Cup Qualifier at home against Georgia in a few hours. You may remember the away match which had to be played in a neutral country because Russia were invading at the time.
In that game the Republic pulled off an excellent result, winning it 2-0. They are currently in 2nd place in their group and if they get another win tonight will be on equal points with Italy, who lead the table.

- With thanks to (the now famous) Fredorrarci from Sport Is A TV Show for his input into every Footie&Music&theRepofIreland. Today’s excellent selection is taken from suggestions by him, which involves a bit of storytelling…

THE TIME !

Oh crap… I’ll try to shorten it.

In 1988 the Republic of Ireland qualified for the European Championship finals, which were being held in West Germany that year. This was the first international tournament that they had qualified for and this was the first time most Irish footie fans had stepped on foreign soil to support their team.

The well know Irish folk singer Christy Moore sings/tells us of a story about “Joxer”, who goes over there and… well as the clock is ticking I’m going to c&p from Wikipedia here:

Joxer Goes To Stuttgart is a song by Irish folk singer Christy Moore. It is about a fan, named Joxer, who travels to the Irish football team’s first major international tournament, Euro 1988, in West Germany. It is sung to the tune of the Match of the Day theme music…

The song is as much a comical social commentary on Ireland in the late 1980s as it is a celebration of the Irish team beating England at a major footballing tournament. The main focus of the song is the game that took place in Stuttgart’s Neckarstadion against England on 12 June – a game which Ireland won by a 1-0 score-line, thanks to a sixth-minute goal from Ray Houghton. However, the song also documents the lives of those following the team and the impact of the tournament, and especially the England match, on Irish society during the period prior to the economic boom of the 1990s and development of the Celtic Tiger – a time when the country was largely unprosperous, religiously devout and somewhat insular in out-look. For large numbers of the followers, many of whom would have been what was perceived as working class, the adventure was a totally new experience and their first time abroad. Virtually all would have been illiterate in the languages of continental Europe.

[See post to listen to audio]
» Christy Moore – Joxer Goes To Stuttgart (Live at The Point, Dublin)

- Clicky for the lyrics/full story

In the tournament they P3 W1 D1 L1 and finished 5th in the group stages, but still it was a memorable one for being the first and for the above mentioned Houghton goal.
» Match report here. Sadly there is no video to be found.

…But I did find the black & white photo (as seen below) of the goal here.

Fredorrarci suggested another excellent song, covered by Christy Moore which I wish I knew of it earlier. But now it is discovered it will be added with the other one as the annual Crimbo posting.

It is from an appearance on the Late Late Show and Christy performs a version of Fairytale Of New York.

Video here:

[See post to listen to audio]
» Christy Moore – Fairytale of New York (Live on The Late Late Show)

*looks at clock*

Well I actually managed to get this done with still a couple of hours to spare. And even though I tried to shorten it I didn’t in the end.

I never thought that I would hear a footie/Crimbo carol version of “We Three Kings”, but I was wrong.

Didn’t think somebody would destroy “Jingle Bells” in such a way. Not to mention the assault on “Come All Ye Faithful”.

- Or even find a footie&musical version of “Hallelujah” done months and months before a TV reality show made the song famous again.

So therefore it came as no surprise to me to find a Voetbal en muziek version of Auld Lang Syne…

This Dutch version of that familiar Scotia tune was done for the Euro 1988 Finals and features the Netherlands team with players such as that very successful (natch) Ruud Gullit.

It was performed by André Hazes, now sadly departed.

It is said that many Dutch football players can’t sing the Dutch national anthem, but can sing the entire text of this song.

[See post to listen to audio] » André Hazes (featuring the 1988 Holland team) – Wij houden van Oranje

» Wikipedia has the lyrics. In Dutch and a translated English version.

In 2006 a Dutch rapper… named Ali B did a cover of the song which included Andre’s vocals.

- -

So we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

See all of you next year.