DAY ONE IN the big tournament house.
Ireland’s European Championship hopefuls were afforded a warm welcome on their arrival to Poland.
Having arrived in the early hours, Giovanni Trapattoni granted the squad the morning off before they attended a civic reception on the town of Sopot. The Boys in Green then held an open training session at the Municipal Stadium in Gdynia.
Giovanni Trapattoni has just completed his evening press conference (we’ll have a report from Miguel Delaney soon) but here’s how the players got on earlier.
Robbie Keane signs autographs after a civic reception
Glenn Whelan, Paul McShane and Richard Dunne share a joke
John O'Shea meets the local fans
Robbie Keane signs his name on a display board after a civic reception for the Republic of Ireland team in Sopot Town Square
The Municipal Stadium
The Ireland team are welcomed to Gdynia
Ireland kit-man Dick Redmond and cheerleaders lead the team out
Dick Redmond does his thing
The Ireland players begin their warm up
FAI chief John Delaney with the Mayor of Gdynia Wojciech Szczurek
A paraglider flies over the stadium
Balloons = big tournament
Jon Walters is put through his paces
Trap meets his public
Cheerleaders perform in the Municipal Stadium, Gdynia
Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni signs autographs for fans
Will the cheerleaders be a permanent fixture throughout the tournament? I hope so :D
Wow! good on ya Gdynia
City president welcomed Irish team and they received some local gifts like bottles of saline water (hope this is right translation lol) and they joked – relax this is not vodka :-)
http://youtu.be/geFlgUccJDk
Also more pictures here:
http://www.sport.pl/euro2012/5,127118,11872207,Euro_2012__Powitanie_Irlandczykow_w_Sopocie___Co_jest.html?i=0