Walters happy for Ireland to win anyhow against Spain
June 14th, 2012 - 8:58 pm ICT by IANSGdansk, June 14 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Ireland striker Jon Walters does not care if his team wins ugly against Spain at Euro 2012 Thursday night, just as long as they win, he has suggested.
Ireland will pull off a shock victory against the reigning world champions to stand a realistic chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals after a 1-3 defeat to Croatia in the their opening match Sunday.
“In certain games you’re not always going to play attractive football,” the Stoke City striker said in comments on the UEFA website.
“You go out there to get the result, and in a couple of years’ time it’s not how well you play; you look back at results and that’s all that matters.”
Walters likened the game to the Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona, when the Londoners beat the reigning champions on the way to snatching an unlikely first European title.
“You’re going out there against 11 men, it’s not 11 superheroes,” Walters said.
“You look at games going on in the season. People said Barcelona were unbeatable in Europe, and Chelsea went and beat them.”
After the Spain game, Giovanni Trappatoni’s Ireland team face a second daunting task when they play Italy Monday.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
sr/dg
- Euro 2012: Torres on song as Spain knock out Ireland - Jun 15, 2012
- Euro 2012: Spain wary of Irish fighting spirit, says Xabi Alonso - Jun 14, 2012
- Set pieces crucial to beating England: Shevchenko - Jun 16, 2012
- State of pitch lamentable: Del Bosque (Lead) - Jun 11, 2012
- Spain always play the same way: Italy coach - Jun 10, 2012
- Chelsea get tricky draw; Madrid, City in group of death - Aug 31, 2012
- Euro 2012: Italy won't cramp Croatia's attacking style, says Bilic - Jun 14, 2012
- Euro 2012: Cassano and Balotelli send Italy to quarters - Jun 19, 2012
- Zenit signs young striker from Montenegro - Jun 06, 2012
- Ireland playing for pride: Dunne - Jun 18, 2012
- Fabregas grabs 1-1 draw for Spain against Italy - Jun 11, 2012
- Euro 2012: Mandzukic strike help Croatia draw 1-1 with Italy - Jun 15, 2012
- Russia feared at Euro 2012: Pavlyuchenko - Jun 08, 2012
- Olympic volleyball: Russia defeat Bulgaria to reach final - Aug 10, 2012
- I'm no Xavi yet: Modric - Jun 18, 2012
Tags: champions league, chelsea, daunting task, dg, euro 2012, gdansk, giovanni trappatoni, ireland team, june 14, londoners, match, quarter finals, realistic chance, ria novosti, striker, superheroes, team face, thursday night, uefa, world champions