The jury’s still out.
Back in 2017, the Boys In Green went against 23 years of tradition and donned a New Balance jersey instead of a classic Umbro one, for the first time in over two decades.
The latest instalment of the FAI’s deal with New Balance — 11 months later — will feature a primarily white top, with a thick green stripe going vertically down the arm.
The jersey also features a green raised collar around the neck and green shorts.
Crafted with precision. Worn with pride. #NBFootball #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/ANwQpJCQ1I
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) July 25, 2018
The FAI took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to unveil the new kit, pairing it with the caption ‘Crafted with precision. Worn with pride.’
This seems to have irked supporters, as a number of social media users took to the platform to express their disdain at the new design.
Awful…yet again…ffs
— Paddy Gunning (@paddy_gunning) July 25, 2018
How many other national sides have a sponsor on their jersey?
— Martin Gormley* (@1sttimedad) July 25, 2018
Sort the badge out! Go back to the traditional shamrocks
— ATB (@AnthonyBraniff) July 25, 2018
This isn’t the first time an Ireland jersey has received some bad press. The last kit didn’t go down a treat, which was to be expected given the new change in designer and vastly different appearance to the one previous.
Deemed ‘underwhelming’, the new kit was hardly going to do well against New Balance kits of the past; Liverpool, Stoke and Celtic. Perhaps expectations got the better of them.
However, who can remember when Umbro got it so right back in 2016. Those horizontal stripes.
Ah, simpler times.
The new jersey is on sale in-store and online from Thursday morning at Intersport Elverys.
Come on you boys in white with green arm stripes.
