Our Wee Country

I've had a chance to think about this since Thursday evening. Shelbourne deserved it. The damage was done in the first game. The sending off and the penalty miss were just too much to come back from. And I certainly got the impression, despite indications the contrary, that Linfield knew they were beat, and were simply going through the motions.

So, where does this leave Irish League clubs in Europe. Elements within the media, who previously used the repeated failure of Irish League clubs to progress into the business ends of European Competitions as a stick to beat the League with, are now using last season's success by Larne as a stick to beat the League, declaring it a one off, and now confidently predicting it'll never happen again. If only we had summer football they howl, then we'd show them.

I don't think that stacks up. I think Irish League clubs are hampered in Europe, but not for that reason. The move to summer football won't, for example, make all those red cards that Irish League teams collect like badges of honour, go away. The thing which will do that, is making the refereeing stricter in the League. Nothing moderates behaviour like consequences. And the last time I checked, there's no actual cost, or requirement to move the league for this to be applied. It could start today.

The other thing, which has been studiously avoided in all the soul searching, but what has been brought into sharper focus because it was "Shelbourne", is bluntly the teams in the southern league are better resourced. Linfield, Larne and seemingly Coleraine, can't compete financially. Will that change? Who knows. Some mad millionaire, who lived in The Village and who has Linfield pumping through their heart, decides to throw some cash at the team, and all bets are off. Fortunately, it's unlikely.

As for David Healy? It's a safe prediction to say he's fewer days ahead as Linfield manager, than he's had. I think not qualifying for a European group stage is something that niggles. It ain't happening with Linfield. So I can see him moving, not to Scotland, but somewhere else. When Lynch gets sacked as the manager of the team from the midden city, would Healy consider it?

If we can score early on Thursday we can make a good go of it I think. As I said the chanting was at both games last month but only Linfield were punished. This may be because Linfield have previous sanctions but as far as I know Shelbourne didn't receive any warnings or anything like that

Exactly the point I was making.

Matthew Fitzpatrick dismissed as the Shelbourne supporters shout in unison "orange bastards" at him.

If we play like we did against Zalgiris we have a chance. If we play like we did against Vikingur we do not