deez0r Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Northern Ireland Euro 2016 So for the first time in my lifetime we have qualified for a major tournament. No one expects us to be doing much at the tournament but I think everyone going is going for the experience and any points we pick up are a bonus. Group https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2016_qualifying_Group_F Very tough group with one of the tournament favourites in Germany being the big favourites. Poland have Lewandowski so will be a massive challenge. Ukraine I believe is our best opportunity for points. If we can nick even 3rd place and get through it would be a great result for us. Squad announcement takes place on 28th May, the day after the Belarus game. Games Key Players Kyle Lafferty - Our main threat going forward. A bit like David Healy in the fact that he hasn't got much game time throughout the season but when he puts on the Northern Ireland shirt he transforms. Must stay fit for us. Steve Davis - Our best player by a streak. Will be looking to him to create for us and hopefully keep the form up from the end of the season that he had with Southampton. Jonny Evans - Niggling injuries have hampered him all season but along with McAuley at the back we will have a strong centre half pairing. Must play well for us to have a chance. I am travelling across on 9th June. Staying until end of our group stage. Have managed to get tickets for the Ukraine and Germany games, unfortunately none for the Poland game. Anyone else getting across? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccyScott Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 I'm very much getting behind NI as my granddad was a proud Northern Irishman and I remember him taking me to many of games when I was younger. Hopefully the squad can make him proud, but I'm confident if Will Grigg bangs them in like he has all season for Wigan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartwork Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 This tournament is a great window of opportunity for Welsh and Northern Irish players that have been plodding away in the Championship/League One to promote themselves to top flight teams across Europe. Get through the group stage and play well enough, you might just get scouts looking at you. Grigg's one of those with a decent chance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deez0r Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 I'm very much getting behind NI as my granddad was a proud Northern Irishman and I remember him taking me to many of games when I was younger. Hopefully the squad can make him proud, but I'm confident if Will Grigg bangs them in like he has all season for Wigan Grigg hasn't been given much chances so far (mainly due to Lafferty's form) but hopefully see him get a chance in the 2 friendlies coming up. Bang in form for Wigan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deez0r Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 This tournament is a great window of opportunity for Welsh and Northern Irish players that have been plodding away in the Championship/League One to promote themselves to top flight teams across Europe. Get through the group stage and play well enough, you might just get scouts looking at you. Grigg's one of those with a decent chance. Completely agree, would only work well for both teams also, the higher the level players are playing at then the better our national team becomes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnhughthom Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 This tournament is a great window of opportunity for Welsh and Northern Irish players that have been plodding away in the Championship/League One to promote themselves to top flight teams across Europe. Get through the group stage and play well enough, you might just get scouts looking at you. Grigg's one of those with a decent chance. I've been thinking that myself, players like Norwood and Dallas could certainly get themselves noticed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1981 Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 What chance of Jamie Ward making the cut for the final 23? Big fan of his when we had him at Chesterfield way back when. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnhughthom Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 I'd be surprised if he missed out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudagar Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Yea Ward should make it no problem. I'd be happy to see him start too. Where is everyone based? I'm in Nice, which I think is where a lot of the GAWA will be. Tickets to all the group games too. Absolutely buzzing for this! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1981 Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 What chance of Jamie Ward making the cut for the final 23? Big fan of his when we had him at Chesterfield way back when. I'd be surprised if he missed out. Good stuff Remember going to your random friendly against Qatar in Crewe at the end of last season, think he played then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batch Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Grigg hasn't been given much chances so far (mainly due to Lafferty's form) but hopefully see him get a chance in the 2 friendlies coming up. Bang in form for Wigan. Would be madness if he didnt go and the likes of Washington went imho - from a distant view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deez0r Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Think he is on the plane, whether he gets many starts is another question Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnhughthom Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Will Grigg needs to get some game time, if only to allow Northern Ireland fans to steal the Wigan song. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deez0r Posted May 28, 2016 Author Share Posted May 28, 2016 Grigg confirmed in the squad. Got a goal last night against Belarus. Solid performance and no real surprises in the confirmed squad. Roll on France! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deez0r Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Currently in Charles De Gaulle waiting for my flight down to Nice. Quite a nice atmosphere in France and a lot of areas set up for Euro 2016 including information and help. #GAWA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deez0r Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 So just returned from my trip yesterday, got to all 3 games in the end. First game our tactics were completely wrong, far too defensive and had nothing going forward and this was against a Poland side who didn't look overly impressive against us. Ukraine game was much better, pressed much further up the pitch and started to create chances. Jamie Ward was MOTM by a mile for me although McAuley got it due to the goal. Germany game pretty much went as expected, they battered us although we didn't help ourselves. If we had someone just sitting on Ozil we could have cut out have the chances but instead we seemed to be marking zonally. McGovern an absolutely hero, I am sure teams will be lining up for him now. Good draw for the next round, should be a good game. GAWA! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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