Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Israel's £500 thermal shopping spree
Northern Ireland’s World Cup hopes are in ruins this morning after their secret weapon was nullified by an Israeli shopping spree for thermal underwear.
Manager Michael O’Neill was convinced plunging temperatures in freezing Belfast would come as such a shock to the system to Israel’s players that his side would catch them cold in their qualifier at Windsor Park.
His theory looked well founded when Israel’s squad left behind clear blue skies and near-80 degree heat in Tel Aviv, after their 3-3 draw with Portugal, and touched down on Monday in sub-zero temperatures made to feel even colder by bitter gale-force winds.
But the cunning plan began to unravel when Israel coach Eli Guttman saw his players shiver their way through training at Windsor hours later and heeded their call for an antidote to the Arctic conditions.
The wily Guttman despatched his kit man into Belfast city centre the following morning, armed with £500 and under orders to buy enough knitwear and thermal accessories to ward off the cold.
With snow cleared from the pitch but a chill still in the air, Israel’s players duly took to the pitch, sporting blue woollen tights under their shorts, thermal vests beneath their shirts and the obligatory gloves.
After a sluggish start, they warmed to their task and scored two late goals to wrap up a 2-0 win and effectively end Northern Ireland’s faint hopes of figuring in next year’s finals in Brazil.
Manager Michael O’Neill was convinced plunging temperatures in freezing Belfast would come as such a shock to the system to Israel’s players that his side would catch them cold in their qualifier at Windsor Park.
His theory looked well founded when Israel’s squad left behind clear blue skies and near-80 degree heat in Tel Aviv, after their 3-3 draw with Portugal, and touched down on Monday in sub-zero temperatures made to feel even colder by bitter gale-force winds.
But the cunning plan began to unravel when Israel coach Eli Guttman saw his players shiver their way through training at Windsor hours later and heeded their call for an antidote to the Arctic conditions.
The wily Guttman despatched his kit man into Belfast city centre the following morning, armed with £500 and under orders to buy enough knitwear and thermal accessories to ward off the cold.
With snow cleared from the pitch but a chill still in the air, Israel’s players duly took to the pitch, sporting blue woollen tights under their shorts, thermal vests beneath their shirts and the obligatory gloves.
After a sluggish start, they warmed to their task and scored two late goals to wrap up a 2-0 win and effectively end Northern Ireland’s faint hopes of figuring in next year’s finals in Brazil.
