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<\/a><\/p>\nAs luck would have it, it\u2019s Holland up next in a game that will effectively decide our destiny. A loss will see a very quick end to this blog, so it\u2019s imperative that doesn\u2019t happen. A draw will be fine to try and secure that 2nd<\/sup> spot, but a win would be perfect. The squad has a few injuries but it\u2019s a few weeks until the squad needs to be announced.<\/p>\n I need to add some firepower to that squad, undoubtedly. David Connolly anyone?<\/p>\n I doubt England will call you Clinton, so you can have a call up too.<\/p>\n Steve Finnan is on loan at Oldham. Is that a problem? Beggars can\u2019t be choosers I suppose.<\/p>\n Marlon King is not Irish\u2026is he?<\/p>\n Well, he is now. What a side.<\/p>\n Can this team beat the Dutch?<\/p>\n The two Keane\u2019s, Harte, Duff & Given are good enough. The rest\u2026I\u2019m not so sure about.<\/p>\n For those wondering, and nobody is, Steve Carr is out for 4 months.<\/p>\n The Dutch line-up includes the lesser spotted Winston Bogarde.<\/p>\n Clinton nails his colours to the Irish mast.<\/p>\n That couldn\u2019t have gone any better, though I\u2019m surprised they let an Englishman referee this<\/p>\n Sensational performance though!<\/p>\n The Dutch are all but out…Portugal won 4-0 in Andorra.<\/p>\n It\u2019s going to come down to goal difference for who wins the group. Portugal go to Cyrpus and host Estonia though so I don\u2019t like our chances.<\/p>\n Bloody hell, a mad 4 minutes in Cyprus.<\/p>\n But that keeps us interested in winning the group \u2013 the Dutch are eliminated by this result.<\/p>\n In less good news, Connolly and Quinn are ruled out on the eve of the game, so it\u2019s Marlon King up front with Morrison with Robbie Keane in the hole. Cyprus must be bricking it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s going well at the break.<\/p>\n Ahead of the Portuguese by 1 goal\u2026we\u2019ll need more.<\/p>\n We actually can\u2019t manage more than 3 but before I can worry\u2026<\/p>\n Estomania! We\u2019re through as group winners!<\/p>\n Yeah!<\/p>\n I won\u2019t go into masses of detail about the many friendlies between now and the finals, but we had Hungary to face in our last game of 2001. Robbie Keane was out injured but it didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the World Cup group is drawn and I\u2019m not overly upset by it.<\/p>\n Got to be half a chance of getting through that I\u2019d say.<\/p>\n The Irish FA have pulled out precisely no stops to get us ready for the tournament, with low key friendlies with the Swiss and Slovenia hastily arranged. Gareth Whalley earns a call up to the squad, not only because of his humorous name but he\u2019s earned a move to Chelsea.<\/p>\n The boy only plays 20 mins but gets a goal and an assist against a very poor Swiss outfit.<\/p>\n Robbie Keane picks up an injury before the next friendly but it matters not.<\/p>\n Whalley climbs off the bench to make it 2 in 2 and give me a bit of a selection headache.<\/p>\n Our form has been sensational, albeit against very average opposition (and Holland!) so picking just 23 players to take is going to be tough.<\/p>\n I\u2019m asked to vote in World Player of the year\u2026<\/p>\n Crespo has pretty much a goal a game for Lazio so he gets my vote.<\/p>\n Squad naming day arrives and it\u2019s actually really hard to get it down to 23. I\u2019ve grown to love this collection of misfits. Here\u2019s what I settle on:<\/p>\n Plus Niall Quinn, who is the one player out of dimensions.<\/p>\n Roy Keane\u2019s bruised a shin. That\u2019ll keep him out for 10 days, which is disgusting really. Roy Keane doesn\u2019t strike me as a man who would be too worried about a bruised shin.<\/p>\n Russia beat Cameroon in the opening game of our group, just 1-0 though which makes me think this group is going to be very tight.<\/p>\n It\u2019s effectively an away match but this is the team:<\/p>\n I needn\u2019t have worried\u2026<\/p>\n Not only do we win but Clintypoos makes an early grab for the golden boot. Scenes in Seoul.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t see this coming though:<\/p>\n It means the Cameroon match is massive, or all 4 teams could be on 3 points if we don\u2019t perform. Same side, angry Keano is still nursing that shin. Is this what Mick McCarthy had to put up with?<\/p>\n Lethal! Connolly helps himself to a couple and Quinn climbs off the bench to seal the win late on.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not quite through, there\u2019s still a chance three teams will get 6 points but we\u2019re in a great position.<\/p>\n Time for the Russia game then, Clinty has hurt his elbow so he\u2019s out for Quinn. Angry Keano is back for Whalley who hasn\u2019t been as good as a starter.<\/p>\n Uh-oh!<\/p>\n Fortunately Cameroon beat South Korea and there\u2019s no weird tie break system, but Russia top the group on head to head. That could cost us.<\/p>\n Maybe a stroke of luck that Sweden beat Argentina to top their group.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not easy but it could have been far worse.<\/p>\n It could be A LOT worse!<\/p>\n The holders are out! And it means if we get through it\u2019s Croatia not France. Subbing Barthez for extra time was a bold move.<\/p>\n Clinton still has a sore elbow \u2013 what kind of useless tosser misses a World Cup knockout game with a sore elbow? Anyway, we\u2019ll just have to see how we get on. King starts ahead of Quinn who is older than time.<\/p>\n The Sweden side is full of CM legends.<\/p>\n But they don\u2019t have Marlon King\u2026<\/p>\n Mind you, he\u2019s probably more Swedish than he is Irish.<\/p>\n Duff\u2019s done his hamstring which I dare say ends his tournament.<\/p>\n Costa Rica take out Portugal and our side of the draw is hilarious!<\/p>\n Bit imbalanced top half vs bottom half really but whatever. It\u2019s an opportunity.<\/p>\n CLINTON!<\/p>\n White hot quarter finals elsewhere.<\/p>\n So it\u2019s come to this, a repeat of the 1994 World Cup final and Ireland vs Denmark. Ian Harte has twisted an ankle in training. I\u2019m gutted for him. Damien Delaney starts in his place, still no Duff but Whalley is the man.<\/p>\n Denmark also stuffed with legends.<\/p>\n How\u2019s that shin, Roy?<\/p>\n Knocked out of the World Cup by cloggers from Bolton and Everton. Disaster. Roy Keane lets everybody down with a two footed lunge after the goal.<\/p>\n Italy edge out Brazil 1-0, which means it\u2019s an all European final but also means I have to go through the indignity of a third place playoff against an angry Brazil side.<\/p>\n The Brazil side is solid.<\/p>\n I have to play Rory Delap in midfield because of Keane\u2019s ban, but also Holland is out injured along with Duff, so a midfield 3 of Delap, Whalley and Kinsella has to try and stop Brazil. Good luck.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t say I\u2019m surprised!<\/p>\n Italy win the final with the last kick of the game.<\/p>\n Clinton almost won the golden boot, which would have been something.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s no place for any of my heroes in the Dream Team.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n