Northern Ireland v Czech Republic

So successful was Michael’s shrewd coaching that

in the autumn of 2015 we faced the possibility of

qualifying for the Euros with two games in hand.

However, it was never a foregone conclusion. Our

visitors with three games to go, the Hungarians,

were no pushovers. They too fancied their chances

of qualifying.

I have a personal story about this game. I went to

the match with my mate Charlie. Afterwards our

wives met us at the railway station with long faces.

The latest score they had heard was that Hungary

were a goal up and Northern Ireland were reduced

to 10 men.

“Too bad lads,” they said. “You didn’t win the cup, so

we’ll have a cup of tea to drown your sorrows.”

“Didn’t you hear?” we replied. “Lafferty equalised

with the last kick. It means that we have another

cup final next month. We will make no mistake

then.”

The rest is history. The following month a Greek

team high on ability, but low on morale because

they were not in with a shout, came to Windsor and

were swept aside by the green avalanche hungry

for success.

Our visitors tonight are definitely in with a shout

and unquestionably no pushovers. They gave us a

torrid time in Prague and we were happy to come

away with a point.

What is more, for us old timers, the appearance of

the Czechs reminds us of exciting clashes in the

past. I have vivid memories of the Czech team who

came in the spring of 2001 with man mountain Jan

Koller leading their attack and with arguably the

best player in Europe, team captain Pavel Nedved,

as playmaker.

We had high hopes of winning, especially since

a young newcomer from Killyleagh called David

Healy was showing promise as a goalscorer (does

anyone know whatever became of him?)

However, in the drizzle of that dreary Belfast

afternoon the amazing Nedved bossed the midfield

and scored the only goal of the game himself.

For really old old timers (like me) another memory

springs to mind whenever a Czech team takes the

field against Northern Ireland. The game was in the

World Cup Finals against Czechoslovakia in Malmo

on 17 June, 1958.

The Czechs were formidable opponents, whose

midfield boasted Masopust and Bubernik, rated

among the best in Europe. It was a real win or bust

game, a play-off between two teams who had

finished the group stage on equal points.

After 90 minutes the score was 1-1 and the game

went into extra time. As they waited for the game to

restart Billy Bingham suggested to captain Danny

Blanchflower that the team should get off the turf

where they were lying exhausted and start doing

exercises and stretches to make their opponents

think that they were less tired than they actually

were.

The rest is history. A Peter McParland goal put

Northern Ireland into the quarter-finals.

So again we face the wizards from central Europe

in a crunch game which both teams need to win.

This is the kind of match we fans love to be part of.

Bring it on!

Words:

Cunningham Peacock