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In Praise of Donkeys – A Rant

Peter Goulding

Wednesday, September 10th, 2003

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 I thought that it was very rude,
The day that Kev Kilbane got booed.
He may not have Duff’s speed or grace,
Nor is he quite as fair of face,
But one thing cannot be denied –
When wearing green, he’s always tried.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Gary Breen gets fierce abuse
From those who say that he’s no use.
Positionally, he’s quite suspect,
In terms of speed, he’s often wrecked.
But in the cauldron of Japan,
Bould Gary was your only man.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 And Doherty and Connolly
Are criticised most constantly.
Beside the likes of Keane and Duff,
Perhaps they are not good enough,
But they would beg and swallow dirt
To pull on Ireland’s famous shirt.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Your game can sometimes fall apart,
As in Japan with Ian Harte,
Who got the most enormous flak
For his mistakes while at left back.
A lesser man might walk away,
But Ian always wants to play.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Its fashionable today to jeer
The likes of Jason McAteer.
Such a pre-pubescent boy
For daring to provoke our Roy.
But Jason, thank you very much
For those two goals against the Dutch.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Damien Duff and Robbie Keane
Are rightly heroes of the green.
They have the talent and the skill
To turn a football game at will.
But should we really damn the rest,
Who try as hard, but aren’t as blessed.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 There are players who don’t take the mickey,
Act the goat, or pull a sickie.
Forgive the pun, but always keen
To join the squad and wear the green,
And walk through hell and swallow crap
To gain an international cap.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 And then there’s others I won’t name,
Who play the club or country game,
For whom an international match
Intrudes upon their league club’s patch.
And these true “heroes” of our nation
Receive our strongest adulation.

© Peter Gouding 11th September 2003

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/in-praise-of-donkeys-a-rant/