Well Croatia fans, after a campaign which saw us start off smoking hot but end in mediocrity; where manager Niko Kovač was canned and Croatia were on the brink of a playoff. We get to kick our feet up this weekend in comfort knowing that Croatia will in fact be in the 24-team Euro 2016 draw, which takes place December 12th.
But we’re all sports fan here. And even though Croatia doesn’t have a meaningful match this international break (they play Russia in a friendly on Tuesday), as responsible sports fans, I know you will all be following the out of town scoreboard during the 2-leg playoffs this weekend.
But who do you want to go through?
Here’s my picks.
Norway and Hungary were the lone game on Thursday and boy did Norway lay a huge goose egg. Hungary defeated Norway 1-0 in Oslo. Now the Hungarians will have the whole country behind them when they play the return leg in Budapest on Sunday. Hungary have not played in a major tournament since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Norway is a boring team in my opinion; with no star power. And even though you could say the same about Hungary, hey, why not? Let’s see some new blood. I’m rootin’ for Croatia’s neighbors to the north.
Sweden v. Denmark. This one’s simple for me. Zlatan. Zlatan. Zlatan. PSG and Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 36 years old. He’s one of the best players in the world but has always gotten the short end of the stick with Sweden. Zlatan missed the 2014 World Cup when Cristiano Ronaldo took the deciding playoff tie into his own hands for Portugal. Sweden didn’t make it out of group stage at Euro 2012 and didn’t qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Let’s see some crazy Zlatan magic one last time in France!
Ireland v. Bosna i Herzegovina. Some people on the site may crucify me for this, but give me some Irish love this summer in France. BiH disappointed me at the 2014 World Cup and couldn’t get out of a group which housed Iran and Nigeria. And if Croatia gets grouped with Ireland again in 2016 (they danced at Euro 2012), know that the streets of France will be flowing with song and booze from both sides. For whatever reason, win, lose or draw, the Croatians and Irish get along with each other just great.
Ukraine v. Slovenia. I couldn’t be less excited about this playoff. Two boring teams. One will go. One will stay home. I wouldn’t be surprised if both matches ended 0-0. I don’t care. Flip a coin.
What say you?
Ireland 2, turkey-lite 0
McHrvats around the world will be cheering for Ireland. Let’s get another meaningful Ireland-Croatia game in the works.
Correct however no need to apologise, no one will get offended by you not showing your support to BIH
Sorry to all the folks in Herceg-Bosno but especially being from literally the opposite side of the Balkans, BiH is just another country to me. No rooting interest in them, don’t have friends from there. I’d probably cheer for a Slovakia over BiH.
No, I didn’t say I was cheering for a terrorist attack. I am saying that I am curious to see what is going to take place at the Euros. The event is a prime target so the question is what will happen in France. I will be in France and am curious to see what will happen.
@germogens revenge
I like your posts
You summed up BIH and why no Croat should root for them, regardless of their opponent.
If you ask me, the Muslims were the winners of the war, getting a country from nothing.
Personally, I dislike watching BIH as much as I do Serbia.
Again, great posts
I remember a negro in a country club blazer claiming superiority over Croats b/c he was an English nigger. Can you imagine?
Don’t worry about the U.S. team, they’re a bunch of niggers and spics united by dirt.
Tudjman je bio tudji covjek. So far the “green” teams are doing well Hungary and Ireland. Euro 2016 should be moved from France due to the terrorist incident and moved to England or Switzerland.
Ya see what happens when ya let ’em in!!!
he is a troll, nothing but a troll
“Can’t wait for the Euros to see what they will try to do.”
So you will be cheering for a terrorist attack at the Euros. Classy as always Ziva. Yeah mate, you aren’t even remotely a troll (rollseyes)
@Ziva
That is point. I did not expect them to cheer for us so why would Ante even apologize for picking Ireland. I know the history very well and as Slavonac pointed out any Croat would not say he is BIH. I don’t get annoyed at all. I don’t care about them.
…..If as originally voted for and democracy was allowed to take root that would be one thing, but its plain to know that serbs hold half the republic hostage today so how is that any kind of bih? pfff, Also since the serbs decided to try to cleanse and take the entire republic just for themselves, that automatically disqualifies them (red card) from holding any major office office or even in their dreams ever declaring independence or in their wildest dreams attaching to mother pashaluk smederevo/dar al jihad. On the contrary the same principles that took place in kosovo should apply here as well because the exact same situation and serb actions, secondly, the muslims disqualified themselves (red card) when they turned on the Croats with the very weapons that we gave them to fight the serbs, the muslims then even continued fighting each other, like I said peons. Therefore this is an automatic red card disqualification also because they’re peons who are unfit to even hold a weapon let alone tell anyone what to do or govern. They can go to istanbul or the pashaluk of smederevo also, or kosovo. It’s common sense and an easy math, the equation leaves the Croats and Croatia as the only historical tied and justified nation to own and govern the so-called bih. We are the only ones capable and who have the natural inclination for progress and civilization to rightfully assume law, order and rightfully attach it to the Croatia. Just like the early middle ages. It’s such a simple math a child could figure it out, but we know the blithering un and eu can’t, because there inept as we see in the news even today, the ugly side of democracy.
So again, how could anyone with any grey matter between their ears root for a monstrosity and joke that is called bih? You would truthfully in effect then be rooting for the serb cleansed and occupied part also. Besides, they have one ugly and stupid made up meaningless flag also, a good design for kitchen cloths to wipe up spills and gravy drippings.
Looks like Pittsburgh Pirates fan Jihadi John was killed in a US drone strike in Syria.
Clinton didn’t fuck up, that was all part of the plan. Croatians should’ve told that Southern Baptist heretic douche bag to shut the fuck up and Tudjman the jocksniffer should’ve been assassinated.
For me Ante Paradzik was the man Croatians needed at that time.
Anyone rooting for bih should get their head examined, it’s not a country or people, most of it was Croatian for centuries, there were no migrating bosniak tribes in the middle ages, serbs control half after their genocidal cleansing campaigns against everyone, now 20 years later mulims want to lord over the rest, bosnian muslims are stupid fool peons and should be deported to turkey and the serbs to their pashaluk of smederevo, neither one of them represent anything. Clinton fucked up when he told us to stop after storm because we would freed the whole area in a week, Banja Luka would be flying the Croatian flag. The team should rightully be renamed “the national team of sarajevo”, it’s much more accurate and true. The bih team is a concocted mirage and no serbs root for them in their half. The teams logo should be a question mark (?) over a soccer ball. Bih should be squeezed until the serbs and muslims are all living in sarajevo, preferably at the zoo, then we’ll take rest,
Those muslims live in our historical homeland and they’re gonna cheer against us, disgusting behaviour by those muslim dogs. Now if Croatians cheer against those muslim dogs, I don’t see a problem with that at all, I mean they are filthy unwashed infidels.
Shane Long should be back for the return leg in Ireland, and from what I saw in this match that should be enough to see Ireland go through!
Can’t wait for the Euros to see what they will try to do.
paris under attack by those dirty muslims…just needs drop a bomb all over the middle east and just kill them all
@Hvar……….where you expecting them to cheer for us? I never understood why people got annoyed with the mujos cheering against Cro. We cheer against them. Shit, with the way our mental midgets found a way to lose in that game, I’m sure the mujos enjoyed it. Who cares, they have no sporting history. I think their greatest success is their U16s winning Eurobasket.
ESPN2 was trying ground level and behind the goal cameras to televise the Bosnia – Ireland game due to thick fog. At times, it was confusing watching the play.
1-1 Dzeko equalized for Bosnia with a few minutes left. Return leg in Ireland on Monday.
Going to watch Brazil – Argentina South American World Cup qualifier later today.
I’m sure you say that to Slovenci all the time..
Alpine Serbs = slovenci
Remember when we lost to Turkey, all of those muslims were cheering for Turkey and against us. Saw with my own eyes in Mostar.
Go Ireland.
and then just totally redeemed themselves!
bosnia just lost in the fog hehe
Calling anyone a Serb or an Alpine Serb is pretty harsh.
They’re Muslims more than anything which is insulting enough.
I wanted them and the Irish at France but unfortunately that’s not happening.
Kvartuc said: “Ireland v. Bosna i Herzegovina. Some people on the site may crucify me for this, but give me some Irish love this summer in France…”
dude, you chose the right team man, “crucify you”?????
BiH are primarily Muslims…and the only ones that get offended when anyone says that is them. I have never met a Serb or Croat from BiH that identify themselves as a Bosanac.
the Rep of Ireland are our Catholic brothers and I support them 100% over any Muslim nation.
Herceg-Bosna ia Croatian Land!! Common the boys in green!!
hope the Alpine srbi and Muslimani go down and it would be nice to see Ibra get one more shot on a big stage
couldn’t agree more with you AK, the Irish are excellent, they were great in Poland in 2012, lots of fun.
btw., keep up the great work with your writing, really been enjoying your recent articles!
As long as the balije & alpine Serbs lose I’m happy!
Go Irish!! Bosnia back to Turkey!!!!
Sweden-Denmark
I’d love to see Ibra go through… maybe this will be his last chance to prove himself on a major tournament. He’ll be too old during the next WC.
Bosnia-Ireland.. I like them both… with a preference for the boys in green. Sad to know already that one of them won’t be in France.
Ukraine-Slovenia. I am all for the Ukrainians.
Norway-Hungary. Norway didn’t deserve to lose yesterday but that’s footie. Hungary look really mediocre and untalented, so I hope Norway can turn this around in the second leg.
Swe v den
Letters remaining are den mark ?!?!
ireland prolly deserve to go thru more than bosnia do .. they did plau better against better opposition in the groups didnt they? i mean they beat germany for one thing iirc
Did Norway reallu lose at home to hungart? hahaha
funny fucklets
oh well.. tbh we would have been fine in the playoffs anyway if we got hungary..
but how can u support zlatan? i mostly am going for denmark out of all those countries.. imo zlatan is a bit of a shit so i like to see him loose
Ireland and Croatia.
Two homogenous, Catholic countries forged through war and hardship.
Not to mention a ton of Croatian-Irish Americans who have done well in the states.
McHale,Kucinich,the guy that won “The Apprentice” etc.
I will be watching Ireland – BiH.
I hope Ireland and Slovenia go through! You don’t have to be scared to say the reason the Croats and the Irish get along, we’re both majority Catholic countries, Croats have always had issues with filthy schismatic Serbs and the Irish likewise with the filthy protestant English, we understand each other.