Northern Ireland v Greece (02/06/2022)

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

I extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of Greece to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park for this League C Group 2 game in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League competition.

And a warm welcome to all our fans and a big thank you to everyone who also attended the senior women’s team’s match against England in April and made it the biggest crowd ever for a senior women’s international in Northern Ireland. Today’s game sees Northern Ireland, top seeds in their group, start their third UEFA Nations League campaign with a home game against second seeds Greece and they will finish the group stage with an away match in Greece in late September. As usual there is a sense of hope and anticipation at the start of a new campaign. With the club season now over, today’s game is a much needed return to international football after the last home game against Hungary in March. Club allegiances will inevitably create interest in Liverpool player Kostas Tsimikas who has enjoyed FA Cup and Carabou Cup success this year. Northern Ireland and Greece last met , of course, in Belfast in the autumn of 2015 when goals from Steven Davis (two) and Josh Magennis secured a famous 3-1 victory to send Michael O’Neill’s team to Euro 2016. That result sparked unforgettable scenes of celebration and let us hope that augurs well for this campaign. The Greeks will no doubt ref lect on their success in the UEFA Euro 2004 final which they won 1-0 against a Portugal side that included Ronaldo and Figo.

Alexander the Great said “for the courageous nothing is unattainable” and I am sure that the courage in our team will hold us in good stead. I would like to record my thanks to Conor McLaughlin who announced his retirement from professional football in April following a long battle against persistent injuries. He was certainly a player who never let Northern Ireland down. He had the courage to give all that he had and more for us. Hopefully the team’s training camp in England in May will have given the squad further opportunities to bond and to prepare for a busy few weeks of international football this month. I trust that the Green and White Army will be in fine voice spurring the team on as usual . For those of you travelling to one or both of the games away to Cyprus and Kosovo this month, I thank you for your dedicated support and I hope that you have a safe and enjoyable trip. Enjoy the match tonight . CONRAD KIRKWOOD PRESIDENT IRISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIAT ION

IRISHFA.COM

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