Football and Music

Doin' it fer the kids

The next two World Cup Qualifiers are crucial ones for some teams. By the summer of next year we may or may not see Argentina and Portugal. We most probably will not see Maradona (who is actually promising threatening to quit anyway) and Carlos Queiroz this time next week even if they somehow scrape through.

In Group 8 there is still a chance for the Republic of Ireland to automatically qualify, but they will have to beat Italy at home on Saturday to do that.

At the moment the Italians are top of the group, 4 points ahead of Ireland – who are 5 ahead of third placed Bulgaria. A win would obviously secure it. A runners up spot will put them into a lottery.

– A lottery which now, because of a whim by Sepp Blatter, has a seeding.
From the Irish Times:

Republic of Ireland full-back Kevin Kilbane has hit out at the decision to seed the World Cup play-offs. The 32-year-old could win his 99th cap against Italy on Saturday evening as the Irish attempt to overhaul the reigning champions at the top of Group Eight with just two games to play.

However, with the Italians enjoying a four-point lead as they head for Dublin, the chances are that Giovanni Trapattoni’s men will have to settle for a place in the runners-up lottery, provided they do not allow third-placed Bulgaria to close a five-point gap on them.

FIFA’s decision to seed the draw, which was announced last week, means Ireland would come up against one of the stronger sides left in the competition, and that has come as a major blow.

Sending positive thoughts to them for Saturday’s game which hey, you can actually watch on TV.
Wonder if anybody will tune in to watch this…? Yeah maybe one or two…

Sending positive tunes as well with the official song for the 2002 World Cup.

Not included in that above photo some of you will keenly remember (Ugh !) was a certain person who (what is known as doing a Sarah Palin now) quit the team right before the tournament began.

Actually is he still at Ipsw….? Just checking.

This World Cup was their reappearance after their fantastic time in the USA in ’94, then hitting a low by not qualifying for France ’98. And despite losing a midfield general Ireland still did well…not 1994 Quarter Finals standard… but still they got to the knockout stages and were only beaten by Spain after extra time and pens.

» Relieve all those moments and remind yourself of that time with the Beeb’s World Cup 2002 page.

For the song the FAI asked Dave Couse, who was the singer of the (difficult to Google) band A House, to re-record one of their songs: Here Come The Good Times.

Before hitting the studio (along with guest appearances from Mick McCarthy, Aslan’s Christy Dignam, Dustin The Turkey and some boy band members), listeners to Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy Show were asked to phone and text in to suggest some new football-related lyrics for Couse to record.

One of those lines in the song goes;   "...With Keane to lead us there is nothing to fear..."

» Irish World Cup Squad – Here Come The Good Times

… and of course the original, which was released as a 2 part CD single collection and included cover versions of songs done by T-Rex, The Damned and err…Donna Summer…