REALLY, IT’S BEEN a tournament of two halves.
For those of us who have stayed on at Euro 2012 since Ireland went home, it almost feels a completely different competition. A new event even.
That particularly struck on a recent return to Gdansk — and the very fact I’m phrasing it like that despite the fact there were only a few days between the trips illustrates the sense of dislocation in both time and place.
Given that Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad had been based so close to the Baltic city, in Gdynia, Gdansk had been my own base for the first two weeks of the tournament. As soon as Ireland got eliminated, though, I was on my way to Warsaw.
That change in location itself further lent the feel of a new tournament. But it really felt displacing when I first had to make a return to Gdansk for the Germany-Greece quarter-final.
For a start, this was only the second game I had attended that didn’t involve Ireland, having covered Portugal-Czech Republic the night before (and, as the particularly cynical might say, it was also the first game that actually involved two teams competing).
For the initial group stages, I had requested accreditation for three games in Group A, too, but the distances involved and the sheer intensity of the Irish beat meant I had to cancel them. Attending games in Ukraine, meanwhile, was a write-off.
To illustrate that, I will only switch countries for the first time on Friday, with my trip to the final involving a stop-over in Minsk.
Indeed, the distances involved meant that, on my initial return to Gdansk, I was only there for a matter of hours. Having got a six-hour train in from Warsaw to arrive about three hours before the quarter, I was then kindly offered a lift back straight after it finished by former Sunday Tribune contributor Gabriele Marcotti. We got back to Warsaw at 6am.
It was only when one of the English papers I work for — in the anticipation that their team would face Germany in the semi-finals — despatched me back to Gdansk to visit the DFB camp on Monday and Tuesday that it really struck, though.
For one, this was the first time I had visited another team’s base other than Ireland’s. And, in truth, the difference couldn’t have been starker.
Supersize me?
Whereas Ireland perfectly acceptably used a sparse enough sports complex with homemade rolls put on for guests, the Germans had a purpose-built complex with a free McCafe as you enter and a Mercedes car that could actually be won beside the press conference podium.
One was minimalist, the other dripped money.
Later that night, I went for a walk around Gdansk old town with the only other two Irish writers that had stayed on — Daniel McDonnell of the Irish Independent and Emmet Malone of the Irish Times. When we had made the same walk just a week before, the streets had been absolutely packed and there was a proper sense of vibrancy.
Now, they were empty. Only a few signs indicating the directions to a stadium that won’t feature any more Euro 2012 games suggested there had been a tournament here at all. Amazing how quick the football world moves on, how past venues are simply forgotten.
That moment to actually reflect, however, also illustrated a key difference. Because, whereas the coverage of the Irish team was absolutely intense, their elimination has allowed us to bask in the tournament a little more.
Obviously, we’re not complaining here.
Indeed, it is an absolute privilege to attend these competitions in the first place and covering your country at one of them is undeniably a career ambition for all of us. But it would be wrong to say there hadn’t been discussions over whether it’s a more enjoyable tournament when Ireland don’t qualify.
Spanish sports TV presenter Sara Carbonero stands on the pitch prior to the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group C match between Spain and Italy in Gdansk. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)
In 2008, for example, I attended a match almost every day. I got to seven of the eight venues and saw almost every team. Here, the group stages were consumed by Ireland. Many of the other games were watched — or not — while trying to send off the latest dispatches from the Irish team. There was always something happening.
Of course, there’s also the fact that there are simply less games now. And that does provide the opportunity to do one of the most interesting things at these events: people watch.
A buzz rippled around the Warsaw media centre the other day, for example, when it became known that Arrigo Sacchi was here to attend Poland-Czech Republic. And, the night before, I’d had the somewhat startling moment to sit down to a steak only to then see a World Cup winner walk: Christian Karembeu. Sadly, he didn’t have his now ex-wife with him.
On that note, there’s one aspect that links Ireland’s presence and absence. Iker Casillas’s girlfriend, Saara Carbonero did, of course, attend the Ireland-Spain match. And it’s incredible how senior journalists who wouldn’t blink at the prospect of Pele walking by queued up to get their picture taken with her.
Otherwise, for all the debates at home, there’s no denying that Ireland’s elimination has made the streets so much emptier. Throughout all of the first round, though, the Polish fans spoke of their awe of the attitude of the Irish fans. And they seem to have adopted some of it.
In both non-Irish games I’ve been to so far, the scores of Polish fans have loudly sung for their own country regardless of who was on the pitch.
At the very least, they’re attempting to make this fractured tournament — from an Irish perspective — one full festival.
Yawwwwwwwn enjoy the people watching Miguel just wish i could get the 3 minutes i wasted reading this.
So why did you waste a further 30 seconds of your precious time bothering to comment?
Can i get the 10 seconds back i wasted reading your comment?
Yeah I guess 10 seconds feels like ten hours when someone has their hand up your ass Bosco.
That was to Richard
Ole Ole Ole Ole…..Ole Ole!
What does the spanish journalists breasts have to do with the atmosphere in the city. Sexist and gratuitous much!!!
Other teams should hire the Irish fans if they want to have some craic
They might want our fans ,,, Because they definitely wouldn’t take our footballers !!!!!!!
Nice article. Interesting read.
Miguel, the further 30 seconds were to show my dissatisfaction with your boring article! I thought i had made that pretty clear.nnHopefully this will only encourage you to write some more interesting pieces on future, as some of your articles are ok!nnIf you dont want readers to make comments, remove the option to post a comment.nn@Patrick Slattery: have you always been the teachers pet ;-)
Richard, maybe you didn’t understand the article seeing as it has good grammar, punctuation and spelling. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnNNNNNnnNNNNnnNNNNnnNNnnNnnnNNNNNNnnnn
@Richard Crompton: Comments are usually fair, as is criticism. Those comments, however, that complain about “time being wasted” with the article, only to then waste more of their own time on it are ludicrous. And I’m certainly not going to take advice on “writing” from someone with a grasp of spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax that can barely be described as ‘rudimentary’.
Ole Ole Ole Ole…..Ole Ole
@Miguel
“it almost feels a completely different competition. A new event even.”
“Otherwise, for all the debates at home, there’s denying that Ireland’s elimination”
“further lent the feel of a new tournament.”
“and, as the particularly might say, ”
“One was minimalist, other dripped money.”
Just a few examples which demonstrate your poor grasp of grammar, vocabulary and English Miguel.
With all due respect Miguel, your grasp of grammar, punctuation and syntax can only barely be described as ‘rudimentary’ Your grammar and sentence structure shows a very rudimentary understanding of English Miguel. Some of your sentences are too short, there is no flow to them and you need to learn how to use commas correctly. A sentence that doesn’t flow seems abrupt. Your paragraphs are too full of short sentences. They have no connectivity. It doesn’t make you want to read more. It’s tedious to read…Get the idea? A sentence that does flow is fluid and graceful, with long descriptive sentences flowing into each other. Try to work on having more parallelism also so your articles have a more balanced feel to them, writing that matches nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, or just a sentence where you use the same past or present tense throughout the sentence.
@ Paula: you highlight style issues, nothing to do with correct grammar, punctuation, spelling or syntax. And style is entirely subjective. You mightn’t like it. It seems some others do.
And you basically picked a few typos, Paula. Typos! It was written on a train and had to be sent before an internet connection went… as such, the piece could only be scanned. That’s what happens when you cover tournaments like this. They’re fixed now.
With the greatest of respect Paul, a few typos that slip into a piece aside, I’d wager I know an awful lot more about correct English writing than you do.
You would lose that particular wager Miguel, keep your money in your pocket ;)
Judging from your rather elementary analysis of what constitutes style or writing, I doubt it. I’ll return the wink: ;-)
What do you do or a living Paula?
*for
Still not emigrated Paula? I mean it must be just grinding u down staying in this country. Offer to pay your flights still stands. Syria is nice this time of year
Paula, “very rudimentary” is oxymoronic. You can’t have extreme gradations of “rudimentary”. By it’s nature it’s basic. It’s like saying “over exaggerate” or “extra medium”.
Also, at the end of your first sentence, in which you criticised a lack of punctuation, you left out a full-stop. I suppose it’s nice that you are working some irony into your critique, but given the dour nature of the rest of your post, your humour seems out of place. This is despite the fact that you doubled-up on it by omitting the comma in your second sentence, unless of course you were addressing someone called “English Miguel”.
A semi-colon wouldn’t have gone amiss in that last epic sentence. As it is, it looks like you just allowed one thought to run into another without any of your beloved connectivity.
Chuck, you are what people of inferior intelligence (such as Paula) would call a legend.
Whats the point of this article? Going back to a city after the fans of any match, tournament, or festival have left is going to be different and empty…what did you expect, their ghosts to be still falling around drunk? Were you paid for this Miguel?
When someone is sent to cover a tournament like this, part of the ‘deal’ is to provide ‘letters’ home to recount their experiences… That’s the “point” Paula. It’s not hard to grasp.
Admit it, Miguel. It was a pretty boring article, hence the inclusion of the tasty pic of Sara Carbonaro to spice it up a little :)
Haha… well, there are other reasons for that too Phil! Had the privilege of seeing her in person. She inspired a few reactions from hacks!
I’m sure you can admit it wasn’t your best piece Miguel. We all have an off day but the comments made by Richard were pointless. It is extremely easy to be critical of someone else’s work but then again isn’t that what journalists do an awful lot; criticise. Maybe it’s good to have a forum where journalists can in turn be judged, as long as it is done in a constructive manner. nnI don’t know what to think. All I know is that I put everything I have in my Betfair account on Spain to win the tournament in an attempt to recoup some of my massive expenditure in Poland. nnBad idea? nnI hope not.
As I say, it was – out of necessity – written on a train. To be fair, a journalist’s job isn’t to criticise. It is to reflect and report. Some just make criticism their calling card, ha.
The point was the city wasn’t meant to be empty as there was in fact another match there. German and Greek supporters were obviously too busy bickering about the euro to have some crack in the town square and on the beach like we did
The boobs had an article?
Miguel – your persistent arguing and defensive behavior with comment trolls shows a total lack of professionalism and gives you no credibility. If you can’t handle anonymous rude comments then why do you write for a blog?
Who are you a troll, you troll?
Exactly what I thought. Ignore them Miguel, you come across better that way
@Miguel
“it almost feels a completely different competition. A new event even.”
“Otherwise, for all the debates at home, there’s denying that Ireland’s elimination”
“further lent the feel of a new tournament.”
“and, as the particularly might say, ”
“One was minimalist, other dripped money.”
Just a few examples which demonstrate your poor grasp of grammar, vocabulary and English Miguel.
With all due respect Miguel, your grasp of grammar, punctuation and syntax can only barely be described as ‘rudimentary’ Your grammar and sentence structure shows a very rudimentary understanding of English Miguel. Some of your sentences are too short, there is no flow to them and you need to learn how to use commas correctly. A sentence that doesn’t flow seems abrupt. Your paragraphs are too full of short sentences. They have no connectivity. It doesn’t make you want to read more. It’s tedious to read…Get the idea? A sentence that does flow is fluid and graceful, with long descriptive sentences flowing into each other. Try to work on having more parallelism also so your articles have a more balanced feel to them, writing that matches nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, or just a sentence where you use the same past or present tense throughout the sentence.
Hardly the musings of a ‘troll’ His style of writing is crap, end of story.
Not the musings of a troll Paula. More the musings of a c*nt.
They should just let you write these articles ON future Richard. You’re opinions and perfectly formed sentences are riveting.
Oh and just one last thing Miguel and then I will leave it. The reason that nn keeps appearing in my responses, is because I usually like to use paragraphs. The journal does not allow it, and instead bunches it together with nnn there instead.nnThanks Miguel, all my love :-) x
I enjoyed it Miguel. I was one of those loving life in gdansk and Poznan only ten days or so ago. I was very interested in hearing about how things have moved on. I’m glad I’m not as miserable as Paula or Bosco. I suppose miserable bitter gits help the rest of us appreciate our ability to enjoy life. Big thanks to all of you
Haha. Much appreciated Jake. Despite the results, did you enjoy the experience?
@manuel. Meooooooww kitty likes to scratch, saucer of milk please :-) ha han
Miguel, I thought it was a good article, not a great article! As for all the muppets commenting on your spelling, style etc…..well they are muppets!
That was only Paula to be fair, David… renowned for her “helpful” comments. Cheers.
Any soccer happening over there?
Miguel,
I know what your getting at in the article. We went to Warsaw the night before the Portugal and Czech republic game and there was no atmosphere like that the night before the Irish games. Speaking with taxi drivers and locals they seemed to think the euros didn’t make to much difference to the city economically unlike those in Poznan I guess.
They were so complimentary to the Irish it became embarrassing really.
Roll on Brazil and feck the begrudgers!!
It was brilliant. Such a good natured marathon sing song party comes along once in a lifetime. Results weren’t too much of a surprise. The Irish team deserved the support they got too in my humble opinion. They’ll remember the Spain game for the fans more than their hammering hopefully!