Are Irish supporters’ expectations unrealistic?

Yes, says

Personally I blame Sky Sports. Not deliberately their fault, obviously, but the sheer relentlessness of their output has helped warp the Irish public’s expectations of the national team.

Think about it. For nine months of the year we feast on the action across the water. Outrageously acrobatic bicycle kicks from Robin Van Persie. Outrageous long-range goals from Steven Gerrard. Outrageous carry-on from John Terry, Luis Suarez or whoever the latest winner of the Overpaid Gobdaw of the Week is. While it scarcely needs to be stressed that much of the weekly diet from the Premier League is hyper-hyped dross, lack of excitement is rarely a criticism that can be aimed at it.