The Economics of Sport
  • Sports Economics
  • About
  • Workshop
  • Selected Publications
  • Book Reviews
  • A Primer on Gaelic Games
  • Upcoming Events
  • Media
  • Education
  • Resources & Links
  • Data

​Playing The Percentages

19/10/2015

 
By Sean O'Connor - Sean is a research assistance in the Department of Economics at University College Cork.
 
After the disappointing result against Poland, which ensured Martin O’Neill’s team would have to contest a play-off to secure a spot in France come next summer, pundit Eamon Dunphy provided some interesting analysis. 

Dunphy stated how ‘after last week, when we really put on a bit of a performance against a strong German team....It was back to the bad stuff’. When it was put to him that had Richard Keogh’s header went in Martin O’Neill style of play would of been vindicated, he added ‘You see it in the lower levels in England, you see it in the Phoenix Park; guys are desperate and they start lumping balls forward, the defender makes a mistake and you get a half chance. International football requires more sophistication.’’ 

I’m sure many would agree with Dunphy, in the sense that playing a long ball game is not only ineffective, but also not particularly easy on the eye. However, if we were to measure different styles of football under the guise of national comparative advantage, Ireland would surely top the table.  

Ask any Irish fan of memorable results which stick in their memory and I’m positive you’ll hear tales of Euro 88, Italia 90 or Japan and Korea 02. Unfortunately, while shock results don’t occur too often for our national football team, when they do, a common formula seems to occur.

12 June 1988 – European Championship Finals: Ireland 1-0 England
Long ball from defence resulting in an eventual Houghton goal

15 June 1988  - European Championship Finals: Ireland 1-1 Soviet Union
Long throw into USSR box results in Whelan volley

26 April 1989 – World Cup Qualifier: Ireland 1-0 Spain
Long ball by Bonner, flick by Cascarino, cross by Houghton results in Miguel OG

14 November 1990 – European Championship Qualifier: Ireland 1-1 England
Long ball by Staunton results in Cascarino header

11 June 1990 – World Cup Finals: Ireland 1-1 England
Long ball by Bonner eventually leads to Sheedy equaliser

21 June 1990 – World Cup Finals: Ireland 1-1 Netherlands
Long ball eventually leads to Quinn goal

18 June 1994 – World Cup Finals: Ireland 1-0 Italy
Long ball eventually drops to Houghton who scores

5 June 2002 – World Cup Finals: Ireland 1-1 Germany
Long ball by Kinsella, Quinn flick on, Robbie Keane goal

1 April 2009 – World Cup Qualifier: Italy 1-1 Ireland
Long ball from defence, Folan flick on, Keane goal

8 October 2015 – European Championship Qualifier: Ireland 1-0 Germany
Long ball from Randolph leads to Long goal

It would appear that the vast majority of memorable Irish results over the last thirty years have been thanks to a more direct style of football. Obviously there are certain outliers, most notably the home and away results against the Netherlands in the qualifying campaign for Japan and Korea. However, the next time you hear someone complain about an Irish player booting a ball towards the opposition goal, think of all the remarkable Irish footballing moments of the past that may not have occurred if we had not.  

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    About

    This website was founded in July 2013.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    American Football
    Athletics
    Baseball
    Basketball
    Behavioural Economics
    Boxing
    Broadcasting
    Competitive Balance
    Cricket
    Cycling
    Darts
    David Butler
    Declan Jordan
    Drugs
    Ed Valentine
    Epl
    Esports
    Expenditure
    F1
    Fifa World Cup
    Finances
    Funding
    Gaa
    Gaelic Games
    Gambling
    Game Theory
    Gary Burns
    Geography
    Golf
    Greyhound Racing
    Guest Posts
    Horse Racing
    Impact Studies
    John Considine
    John Eakins
    League Of Ireland
    Location
    Media
    Mls
    Mma
    Olympics
    Participation
    Paul O'Sullivan
    Premier League
    Regulation
    Research
    Robbie Butler
    Rugby
    Simpsonomics
    Snooker
    Soccer
    Spatial Analysis
    Sporting Bodies
    Stephen Brosnan
    Swimming
    Taxation
    Teaching
    Technology
    Tennis
    Transfers
    Uefa
    Ufc
    World Cup
    Wwe

Related

The website is not formally affiliated to any institution and all of the entries represent the personal views and opinions of an individual contributor. The website operates on a not-for-profit basis. For this reason we decline all advertisement opportunities. 

Contact

To contact us email sportseconomics2013@gmail.com or find us on Twitter @SportEcon.