‘You’ll rarely beat the Irish’ as fans adjust to losses

Irish fans need subtitles at this stage, as their voices have disappeared along with Ireland’s hopes.

It’s like dealing with a silent movie star, trying to chat to an Irish fan two games in. There’s nothing left in the tank. Not even a sound. It was probably for the best, though, as most fans didn’t feel much like vocalising their disappointment in the direct aftermath of the game.

Given an hour though, and downtown Gdansk began to pick up again. Soon chants of “The group is upside down” and “We’ll never beat the spanish” were ringing around the bars.

The modestly hopeful “You’ll never beat the Irish” had been replaced by the boisterously confident “You’ll rarely beat the Irish”. The last part of a Paddy to fail is the humour.

We are following the Polish now, so the least they can do is go on and win it for us.

Austin Kenny from Dublin was travelling to the Spanish game with his girlfriend. With no tickets, all they had was a parasol and a beer to raise the mood. Certainly what unfolded on the television was not helping.

“I’m telling you, I’m glad I didn’t pay that €250 for a ticket now. I wouldn’t pay a fiver to watch that. Typical, it fecking rains for the game and we get the shit kicked out of us. At least the Spanish are good craic and didn’t rub it in,” he said.

Even in his slightly inebriated state, Austin reckoned he could have done a better job than a certain player that got a run-out last night.

“I mean they bring on Fabregas, we bring on Paul Green. Paul bloody Green. No offence to the lad but he doesn’t even have a club. I’d beat Paul Green on my own.

“OK, maybe not right now, I’ve had a few beers like. But give us a shout tomorrow, I’ll have a pint of water in me and I’d run rings around him.”

A bold claim, and one not supported by his girlfriend Anne Marie, who just rolled her eyes. She must have heard that one before.

Poor old Paul Green. He seemed to be getting in the neck after the game. Most fans hadn’t heard Roy Keane’s dig.

Richard Murphy from Charlestown in Mayo also felt Paul Green was a substitution too far.

“Ah, Trap should go after that. Seven goals in two games is just a hammering. Cox should have never played, Robbie is over the hill. Don’t start me on Paul Green. Walk into the pub here and you’ll find a lad as good as him,” he said.

Ryan Duddy from Galway was looking as deflated as a discarded tricolour hammer. That could have been from the result more than booze, but he was offering his analysis from the bottom of a pint glass. “Early goals have killed us in this tournament which is a pity because we normally don’t leak goals. But we don’t try to play football or pass it. Just hoof it up and chase it. We’re better than that.”

The thing about football and fans is context. Sure, Xavi made more passes than the entire Irish team put together, but we drank more pints than the entire Spanish nation put together. It’s back to Poznan for a sing-song for Roy. Imagine what it would be like if we could actually win a game.