If you had to guess the most sustainable, greenest stadium in the world, you might
understandably assume it was one of the new ones, one of those towering behemoths built for a
recent World Cup or Olympics. After all, environmental concerns are certainly a bigger part of
planning a new stadium now than they were, say, 30 years ago.
"Low lie the Fields of Athenry, Where once we watched the small free birds fly!!!"
This Saturday at 8pm, I'll will be glued to the box with the rest of The Emerald Isle to watch
the darlings of the nation again defy the odds against greater foes to reach the final of the
greatest show on Earth.
The Republic of Ireland national football team will have to beat France in order to participate
in the 2010 World Cup South Africa. This was decided in Zurich this afternoon (Monday) in a
controversial seeded draw.
The two sides (Ireland and France) last met in the 2006 World Cup qualifying stages sharing a
0-0 draw in Paris; a Thierry Henry goal was the difference between the two sides in Ireland.
Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is refusing to rest on his laurels as he plots France's
World Cup downfall.
The 70-year-old Italian will lead Ireland into play-off battle with the 1998 winners, refusing to
look back on all the success his distinguished career has brought him to date and concentrating
only on what lies ahead.
Ireland take on Bulgaria in a World Cup 2010 qualifier on
Saturday at Croke Park, Dublin in a game that could have a massive bearing on whether the "Boys in
Green" can get to South Africa.
Bulgaria will always occupy a prominent place in Ireland's football history because of the
historic events of 1987.
Although there will be no Irish Team competing at this Summers World
Cup Finals in South Africa, there will be one man who will keep
Irish flags flying in this years Finals.
