Another great, in person, adventure with the Ireland National Football Team.
Ireland National football team came to Warsaw one day before they match against the Polish National team for the Euro 2016. The team didn't walk through the airport. From the airplane, they went straight to the bus, which took them to the hotel. I prepared photos and a A4 picture with the Ireland logo on it and reached the hotel at 3.
The security didn’t allow us to stand inside the hotel, so we’ve been standing outside. When the bus arrived, the football players just walked through the gate. We were standing on the other side of the fence. Only Robbie Keane stopped and signed the autographs. The team walked in through the back door. I ran to the front door where there was less security and went inside the hotel. There were tons of Irish people waiting to get a picture with the players. I didn’t get anyones autograph as there was too many people. The team’s rooms where on the first floor. They took the elevator. I had to sit at the hotel’s bar or else the security would kick me out. I made couple of Irish friends there. They told me that the team will have training at 6 PM. I took the dinner in a restaurant and came back to the hotel at 6. This time people could stay in the hotel because it wasn't that crowded. The players went down the stairs and straight to the bus. A couple of players stopped and gave autographs before entering the bus. They went for a training in the Warsaw National Stadium. At around 8 PM, the team came back to the hotel. More players stopped, as they weren’t in rush for anything. On that day i got 10 autographs. I asked the staffs if the team is going for any walk in the park. They said they will have a walk at 11 the next day.
The next day I came again to their hotel at 10. I’ve been waiting in the lobby until the team will come down. With a couple of other autograph collectors, we decided to go to the park where the team was also planing to be. We asked the bus driver where will the team go. He told us that the park is not so far from the hotel. When the team came down, I asked Robbie Keane again for some autographs. Last time he signed 1 out of 4 of my photos. This time again, he signed only one. I asked if he could sign the rest of the pictures, but his answer was “Only one signature for each person.” Later, I also got Jonh O Shea’s autograph.
When the bus went, we took a taxi and followed the bus. There were at least 4 other autograph collectors following the bus. The bus was speeding a lot, and making very sharp turns (I’m guessing to get the cars loose their track.) The bus ended up in Łazienki Park, the home of Chopin. It was a different park than the bus driver told us about. Well, he lied to us.... The players went out of the bus and just walked through the crowds of tourists in the park. I followed them and ask them for autographs. Unfortunately, there was a security telling us to leave them alone. Some players did sign even tho the security told them not to. I was aiming a lot for Roy Keane as he is one of my biggest idols. He didn’t give autographs to anyone during his time in Warsaw. I heard from others that he never signs autgraphs. He is known as being a dickhead. When I came and asked him if I can get an autograph from him, he said no. I told him that I only want one autograph. Then he said he will only sign everything. He signed 2 pictures for me. He asked if it’s my job asking for autographs and why don’t I go to school. I told him I’m an Asian living in Poland speaking in English. Of course I go to school. He wished me luck and he took a selfie with me. It is my favorite selfie from all the footballers. After that walk in the park, the team went back to the hotel and I went home.
In those 2 days I got 17 autographs in total. Later that day, Poland won with Ireland 2-1, letting Poland qualify for Euro while Ireland had to play playoffs. In the A4, i got autographs from: Shane Long, Paul McShane, Glenn Whelan, Robbie Keane, David Mc Goldrick, James McClean and one unidenfied.
Via: IP
Waited time: 2 days (7 hours)
Received: 10.10
Autographs 17
Dedication: No