Who would have thought it? Northern Ireland's national soccer team has gone ahead of that of the Republic's in the FIFA rankings announced today After beating Latvia in their most recent Euro 2008 qualifier, Northern Ireland have risen 13 places to 45 while the Republic slip to 49.
It is Northern Ireland's highest ranking since 1995 and the Republic's lowest for eight years. Steve Staunton's Republic suffered a 5-2 defeat in Cyprus before holding the Czech Republic to a draw at home. Under Sanchez, Northern Ireland have risen from 124th place in the rankings.
My commiserations to the Republic - but don't worry guys, you are still ahead of Wales!
Ah, but on the other hand, it's just soccer, so who cares!
Posted by: The Phantom | October 18, 2006 at 01:25 PM
Phantom,
Me least of all, I'm not that bothered (!) but being a newsworthy site ATW brings you the news as it happens!
Posted by: David Vance | October 18, 2006 at 01:29 PM
ATW brings you the news as it happens!
How did Celtic get on last night?
Posted by: Henry94 | October 18, 2006 at 01:43 PM
For a second there I was about to look out the window for the Tanks, but then I read the rest of the post.
Fair Deuce to em. Well deserved.
Im not a Stevie fan, nothing personal, he just aint got the experience for the job.
Posted by: kloot | October 18, 2006 at 02:53 PM
Just think....together we could be 94th !!!!
Posted by: George | October 18, 2006 at 03:05 PM
being a newsworthy site ATW brings you the news as it happens!
alsong as it doesnt reflect bad on conservatives worldwide. afterall who remembers the armeni.... i mean the congressional groomers. or the detainee bill 2006 (HR6166).
Posted by: daytripper | October 18, 2006 at 03:46 PM
Hilarious! Daytripper.
Posted by: David Vance | October 18, 2006 at 04:25 PM
As a Norn Iron fan all I can say is...YYYEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!! Ahem.
Seriously though we have half the population to chose from and we've been in better form than the Republic for a good while. Well done Lawrie and the boys.
Posted by: SBK | October 18, 2006 at 04:28 PM
Credit where credit is due - the NI team have been in much better form than the ROI team of late. Well done to the NI team.
Posted by: Armaghlite | October 18, 2006 at 04:53 PM
Well done us! :o)
It is very strange supporting the NI team over the years. We do really well at teams that should walk all over us and get completely trounced by teams that should cause us no problems.
Posted by: aileen | October 18, 2006 at 07:12 PM
Yes
Fair play to NI - at the moment, they do deserve to be ahead of NI.
I think that the Republic have some good young players coming through but they need to bring in a more experienced manager than Staunton. In hindsight, his appointment has been a mistake.
Unfortunnately for NI, I think after the Euro 2008 qualifiers, Sanchez will be rewarded with a low premiership or good championship job and he'll be off.
Posted by: Billy | October 18, 2006 at 08:38 PM
i miss hearing the crowds at windsor our my back window. especially the "away in a manger/healey" chant. hilarious.
im homesick for the first time in eons.
Posted by: daytripper | October 18, 2006 at 09:05 PM
>>alsong as it doesnt reflect bad on conservatives worldwide. afterall who remembers the armeni.... i mean the congressional groomers. or the detainee bill 2006<<
Or the President of Iraq - the great white hope himself - saying the US should get out and SYRIA and IRAN should come in to help security, and the US report by Baker saying more or less the same and calling for large troop withdrawals, or the Israeli President charged with being a multiple rapist (just imagine the great fun we all would have had with that one if he had only been a Pally!)
All The News That Fits a right-wing agenda.
Posted by: Cunningham | October 18, 2006 at 10:00 PM
i was going to post a link to that baker report. oh the sheer volume of news being actively avoided, its enough to make you weep.
either the grand plan is doomed to fail very soon, or its all going to go tits up in a fit of presidential fury. the coming month will be intersting, as will the 2008 race for the hotseat.
expect a karl rove special in the coming weeks. which might be the conviction and sentencing of saddam (due to occur 2 days before the mid-terms) or some sort of confrontation with iran.
Posted by: daytripper | October 18, 2006 at 10:33 PM
a lot of folk seem to be banging on (on other boards) about Eire having young players coming through. It seems to me that NI have a good number in the works too. A lot of southerners are using weasel words or trying to outright cut us down (again on other boards) with talk about it being transient or my personal favourite i.e. Northern Ireland isn't a proper country. Norn Iron earned their new position fair and square, tough if you don't like it. FYI your goal scorer in the game against the Czech Republic was born in Preston and speaks with an English accent. David Healy is Norn Iron born and bred.
Posted by: SBK | October 18, 2006 at 10:41 PM
No, I'm not responding to news of football. That'll be the day :)
It's just that I happened to notice the blog in the right-hand column, and thought of names and the importance they have in this island.
Consider this: were it not for political correctness, that headline would fit in three lines, rather than five:
EIRE
OVERTAKEN
BY NI
Ah, how simple life could be, if only we ...
Posted by: Fanny | October 18, 2006 at 10:51 PM
SBK - thanks for getting us back OT but can you please tone down your ****ing language a tad please.
I do have to point out though that on this thread I haven't seen that anyone has actually tried to cut us down. On the contrary Kloot who is from the ROI has been gracious. I don't know if Armaghite supports the NI team or not, but either way, he too, has been positive. as has Billy. [I haven't been able to label you yet Billy ;o) ]
Posted by: aileen | October 18, 2006 at 10:53 PM
Fanny
Don't stir the Eire Pot FGS!
What about ROI taken over by NI! ?
Posted by: aileen | October 18, 2006 at 10:55 PM
SBK,
I appreciate your spirit but I'm removing the obscenity. Please do not swear on ATW.
Posted by: David Vance | October 18, 2006 at 10:58 PM
AH! Rejoice!!
"Just think....together we could be 94th !!!!!" - George
Big LOL to ya on that one!
MWUAHAHAHAHA.
Posted by: Will_B | October 18, 2006 at 11:04 PM
Aileen
its other boards where people are being less than gracious about NI's improved fortunes.
Sorry about the swearing, I'm just over stimulated today and I've got a bit too exuberant.
Posted by: SBK | October 18, 2006 at 11:09 PM
SBK
They may not hear you from here ;o) (but I don't doubt that you will hav told them directly as well)
My motivation wasn't so much to challange you as to acknowledge the graciousness.
Re the language. I am obviously in school marm mode. Just imagine me peering at you over my specs ;o)
Posted by: aileen | October 18, 2006 at 11:14 PM
aileen
I myself am not offended by "bad language" but I also know you have to pick your audience. I'll keep the swearing for the pub in future ;-)
p.s. also too much swearing and people focus on that rather than your actual comment
Posted by: SBK | October 18, 2006 at 11:23 PM
.....or the Israeli President charged with being a multiple rapist (just imagine the great fun we all would have had with that one if he had only been a Pally!)
Cunningham
The pally wouldn't have been charged, or even have his activities mentioned by anyone in the MSM. Didn't Arafat have a few immoral moments behind the iron curtain?
This shows the fundamental difference between Israel and the arabs - in Israel, nobody, not even their president, is above the law. Not a lot of lefties know that.
Posted by: Allan@Aberdeen | October 18, 2006 at 11:24 PM
Allan... I take it you posted in the wrong thread?
Posted by: Will_B | October 18, 2006 at 11:27 PM