|

Redemption Song

Peter Goulding

Friday, October 13th, 2006

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The Czech match seemed dauntin’,
We hadn’t a hope.
The form they were flauntin’
Meant we couldn’t cope.
But fair play to Staunton,
Instilling some pride,
And showed the whole world that
We’re not a bad side.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 The injured were moaning
They couldn’t compete.
Much texting and phoning,
Escaping the heat.
Why are we condoning
McGeady and chums?
How many will recover
When Saturday comes?

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 We had no O’Brien,
No Given or Dunne.
The nation was cryin’
For the prodigal son.
So in he came flyin’
And helped stem the tide.
Lee Carsley was magic
And transformed the side.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 The headlines were written
That Stan’s reign was dead.
In Ireland and Britain,
They looked for his head,
But he wasn’t for quittin’,
His mind was applied
And confounded the critics
Who’d blasted his side.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Jan Koller kept lurking,
His bald head held sway.
But McShane wasn’t shirking
And kept him at bay.
He never stopped working,
Took it all in his stride,
Staked a claim for the future
In Steve Staunton’s side.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 One worthy of mention
Was Kevin Kilbane,
Who’d caused much dissention
From every fan.
But he was no abstention,
And bravely he tried,
And scored a great goal to
Give heart to the side.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 The crowd showed great patience,
And loudly they roared,
And what celebrations
When Zinedine scored!
The fans’ trepidations
Were all swept aside.
Oh the Czechs found the hard way
We’re not a bad side.

© Peter Goulding 13th October 2006

Notes

Ireland 1 Czech Republic 1 – With 14 withdrawals from the squad, including several who must have got injured on the plane back from Cyprus, many expected a drubbing by Rosicki and friends. But we earned a well-deserved 1-1 draw, with Carsley, Kilbane and debutant McShane putting in sterling performances.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/redemption-song/