Republic Of Ireland vs Moldova Match Thread

prodsc

prodsc wrote: »

How far away is The Emirates?

Ive been to as much LOI games as i have to Arsenal games but to be honest i shouldnt have to justify myself to small minded idiots in any case.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

John Delaney pays himself 3 times more then what the LOI champions get. The 5m he received was happenstance and due to the fact that an injustice was done to the Irish soccer team. This man is a cancer on Irish sport.

And this constant nonsense spouted about supporting your 'local' league of ireland team is pathetic. Normally spouted by Dubs who are within touching distance of their local ground. My local LOI team is 30 miles away.

Why is it nonsense and pathetic much easier to hop on a plane in Belfast, Shannon or Cork airport is it?

A decent domestic league lays the foundation for a solid consistent national team.
Otherwise it is built on sand and will fall depending on when the tide comes in.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

The players are an extremely limited bunch of players Martin O'Neill is doing the best with what he has got.
It is the players who are hoofing the ball when under pressure not MON.
Change the manager and there will be no difference.

And as i have said, Northern Ireland and Iceland aren't exactly littered with the worlds best players and yet here you have Iceland sitting top of a group containing Ukraine, Croatia, Finland and Turkey

Rekop dog

Also Iceland and Northern Ireland are consistently two of the most horribly negative sides around. Iceland had 31% of possession to Turkey's 69%, they had 141 passes to Turkeys 553. People praising them are criticizing O Neill in the same breath for taking the same pragmatic approach.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Why is it nonsense and pathetic much easier to hop on a plane in Belfast, Shannon or Cork airport is it?

A decent domestic league lays the foundation for a solid consistent national team.
Otherwise it is built on sand and will fall depending on when the tide comes in.

Perhaps the great leader Delaney should reward them a bit better so instead of keeping all the money for himself. There is loads of talent in the LOI no doubt.

I support Arsenal and have no shame in admitting that but ive been to as much LOI games as i have previously explained. I just dont affiiliate myself with any particular one is that ok with you? Besides it is hard to go to everything when i attend GAA games primarily.

niallo27

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Why is it nonsense and pathetic much easier to hop on a plane in Belfast, Shannon or Cork airport is it?

A decent domestic league lays the foundation for a solid consistent national team.
Otherwise it is built on sand and will fall depending on when the tide comes in.

That's not true though our best players always went to England. Back in the 90s our league was **** but the national team was excellent.

fullstop

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

It is up to the Irish people to support Irish soccer.
Delaney cannot force them to go.
If people would rather spend hundreds of euro spend hours travelling to see teams some Irish people refer to as 'we' - man united, liverpool, Arsenal, chelsea, Celtic, Man City, Everton etc Delaney will be always pissing against the wind.

In fairness to Delaney he is a good political operator. He got the 5m from Blatter for the FAI coffers remember?

If people in Irish soccer want change they should instigate it both at a political level in the FAI, and in a practical sense by supporting domestic football.

Go out and support the "difficult child"?

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2014/1001/649276-delaney-defends-handling-of-league-of-ireland/

When you have the supposed head of the game in the country talking like this about the national league, paying himself many multiples of what the league champions make in prize money, fining any club who dare question the FAI, whose fans set off flares etc, no investment in the league, clubs or facilities, how can the game ever be expected to progress in this country?

But sure it's grand cause he'll get pissed with the fans and sing a few rebel songs :rolleyes:

Rekop dog

Rekop dog wrote: »

Also Iceland and Northern Ireland are consistently two of the most horribly negative sides around. Iceland had 31% of possession to Turkey's 69%, they had 141 passes to Turkeys 553. People praising them are criticizing O Neill in the same breath for taking the same pragmatic approach.

They won 3-0 so are obviously doing something that we are not doing. Im not saying copy their model but it begs the question that if a small country can achieve so much with so little then what the hell are we at ?

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

And as i have said, Northern Ireland and Iceland aren't exactly littered with the worlds best players and yet here you have Iceland sitting top of a group containing Ukraine, Croatia, Finland and Turkey

There are always anomaly's.
But maybe Iceland are a better team then Ireland?
And dare I say it the players NI have are much of muchness compared to the ROI team as a whole.
In other words an all-ireland team would be a team of sloggers with good application but very little quality.

Also they defend defend defend

Rekop dog

Deleted User wrote: »

They won 3-0 so are obviously doing something that we are not doing. Im not saying copy their model but it begs the question that if a small country can achieve so much with so little then what the hell are we at ?

Long balls and set pieces.

If we want to be more like them we need to play even less possession football than we currently do, because our average passing and possession stats are far higher than themselves and the north over the campaign. So basically knock everything long, and soak up the pressure all game but never lose ultra defensive shape. It can be effective but dire to watch.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

There are always anomaly's.
But maybe Iceland are a better team then Ireland?
And dare I say it the players NI have are much of muchness compared to the ROI team as a whole.
In other words an all-ireland team would be a team of sloggers with good application but very little quality.

Also they defend defend defend

They also score though which is the only currency that really counts

If me and all the other fans who like Premier league soccer so much are leaving Irish soccer short of funding then why is John Delaney paying himself such extortionate money? Where is it coming out of?

Rekop dog

Rekop dog wrote: »

Long balls and set pieces.

If we want to be more like them we need to play even less possession football than we currently do, because our average passing and possession stats are far higher than themselves and the north over the campaign. So basically knock everything long, and soak up the pressure all game but never lose ultra defensive shape. It can be effective but dire to watch.

Ah we are hardly the harlem globetrotters ourselves now. the object of the game is to put the ball in the net.

gormdubhgorm

fullstop wrote: »

Go out and support the "difficult child"?

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2014/1001/649276-delaney-defends-handling-of-league-of-ireland/

When you have the supposed head of the game in the country talking like this about the national league, paying himself many multiples of what the league champions make in prize money, fining any club who dare question the FAI, whose fans set off flares etc, no investment in the league, clubs or facilities, how can the game ever be expected to progress in this country?

But sure it's grand cause he'll get pissed with the fans and sing a few rebel songs :rolleyes:

He has to put the money into the national team because it is the only thing the premier league Irish supporters take notice of so that is the most place he can make money.
It is a vicious circle.
How can the game ever be expected to progress in this country where the soccer 'fans' support a foreign domestic league.
Funding the wages of Kane, Morata, Sturridge etc

That is all money lost to Irish soccer.
He is correct in saying it is a difficult child he was just been honest.
It is a major problem.
A cultural one at this stage.

Corholio

niallo27 wrote: »

That's not true though our best players always went to England. Back in the 90s our league was **** but the national team was excellent.

Yes, and that was the sand part in his analogy. The tide has been coming in the past decade when we start running out of the very odd quality homegrown players who went abroad young and when the foreign declaration jackpot we had in the 90's also ended.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

They also score though which is the only currency that really counts

If me and all the other fans who like Premier league soccer so much are leaving Irish soccer short of funding then why is John Delaney paying himself such extortionate money? Where is it coming out of?

I assume the FAI publish thier accounts you can look at those if you are really intrested.

But basically Irish soccer fans going to England to watch soccer are killing Irish soccer.
Each pound spend over there is another hoofed ball in the future and more less investment in LOI infrastructure.
Basically Irish premier league 'supporters' are destroying thier own national team.
Then have the neck to moan about it! :rolleyes:

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

He has to put the money into the national team because it is the only thing the premier league Irish supporters take notice of so that is the most place he can make money.
It is a vicious circle.
How can the game ever be expected to progress in this country where the soccer 'fans' support a foreign domestic league.
Funding the wages of Kane, Morata, Sturridge etc

That is all money lost to Irish soccer.
He is correct in saying it is a difficult child he was just been honest.
It is a major problem.
A cultural one at this stage.

Its too easy to blame it on supporters defecting to support foreign clubs. In Ireland, soccer competes with GAA and rugby and i would hazard a guess that there is less wannabe Mourinhos involved in GAA then there is in the soccer.

Underage soccer is full of Daryl Murphy type players in Ireland who are technically very poor. Its played on mucky winter pitches and is results driven. it doesnt matter what backwater you represent, you could end up with an egotistical d1ckhead roaring at you from the sideline. Im not saying this doesnt go on in other sports but it to a lesser degree.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I assume the FAI publish thier accounts you can look at those if you are really intrested.

But basically Irish soccer fans going to England to watch soccer are killing Irish soccer.
Each pound spend over there is another hoofed ball in the future and more less investment in LOI infrastructure.
Basically Irish premier league 'supporters' are destroying thier own national team.
Then have the neck to moan about it! :rolleyes:

I do enough for Irish sport in terms of attending matches. i havent deep pockets. If they do get deeper ill certainly try attend an LOI game here and there for sure.

A proportion of blame could be held to schools too who had this 'no to foreign games' attitude down this neck of the woods and was all GAA based whether you liked it or not.

Another point you will make, If you have a choice of dating a stunner or a munter then you will date the stunner. Its human nature. It sounds shallow but our eyes are drawn by aestheticism and beauty. Not that the Premier league has the same lustre as it used have.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

Its too easy to blame it on supporters defecting to support foreign clubs. In Ireland, soccer competes with GAA and rugby and i would hazard a guess that there is less wannabe Mourinhos involved in GAA then there is in the soccer.

Underage soccer is full of Daryl Murphy type players in Ireland who are technically very poor. Its played on mucky winter pitches and is results driven. it doesnt matter what backwater you represent, you could end up with an egotistical d1ckhead roaring at you from the sideline. Im not saying this doesnt go on in other sports but it to a lesser degree.

Why is it too easy that is the nub of the issue -

More people go to domestic league

= More money for clubs

= Better coaches

= Better facilities

= Improvement of the standard of the national team.

Also less players 'lost' to the game because they have not 'made it' in England.

I think it is a bit rich to say that Delaney does not care about Irish football when most Irish national team 'supporters' don't give a f**k about Irish domestic football.

I am sure Delaney could earn much more money for himself elsewhere and have less hassle for it as well.

pjohnson

Lol supporting premier league is damaging the national team. I love these match threads. Far more craic than the non-national match threads.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

I do enough for Irish sport in terms of attending matches. i havent deep pockets. If they do get deeper ill certainly try attend an LOI game here and there for sure.

A proportion of blame could be held to schools too who had this 'no to foreign games' attitude down this neck of the woods and was all GAA based whether you liked it or not.

Another point you will make, If you have a choice of dating a stunner or a munter then you will date the stunner. Its human nature. It sounds shallow but our eyes are drawn by aestheticism and beauty. Not that the Premier league has the same lustre as it used have.

West Brom v Stoke
and
Burnley v Huddersfield

sets the pulse rating alright...

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

West Brom v Stoke
and
Burnley v Huddersfield

sets the pulse rating alright...

Ha ha it doesnt to be fair but in fairness very few Irish support these teams. I suppose it boils down to Irish soccer fighting for spoils with GAA and rugby while in the UK and many other places it is the main game. Many irish follow many sports whereas i would say there is mutual exclusion in the UK in terms of the rugby supporters and football supporters.

Look at Scotland for example. What is behind their decline? the old firm have always dominated and they produced some unbelievable talent up to perhaps the last twenty years regardless. Do the likes of Aberdeen suffer from fans travelling south to watch Arsenal or Man United? or is it just because the whole scottish setup need to get their house in order?

Irish Amateur boxing for example is a minority sport but still is able to produce top competitors.. or rowing too? Too too easy to say the absence of supporters is affecting revenue which could be pumped into the sport.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

Ha ha it doesnt to be fair but in fairness very few Irish support these teams. I suppose it boils down to Irish soccer fighting for spoils with GAA and rugby while in the UK and many other places it is the main game. Many irish follow many sports whereas i would say there is mutual exclusion in the UK in terms of the rugby supporters and football supporters.

Look at Scotland for example. What is behind their decline? the old firm have always dominated and they produced some unbelievable talent up to perhaps the last twenty years regardless. Do the likes of Aberdeen suffer from fans travelling south to watch Arsenal or Man United? or is it just because the whole scottish setup need to get their house in order?

Irish Amateur boxing for example is a minority sport but still is able to produce top competitors.. or rowing too? Too too easy to say the absence of supporters is affecting revenue which could be pumped into the sport.

Of course it has to have an effect.
It is a denial thing otherwise.
Back in 2015 121,000 ROI fans attended premier league games
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34197370

No matter how you slice that up that is some chunk of money gone from Irish soccer players/coaches pockets to English soccer players/coaches.

To say it does not make any difference is head in the sand stuff.
The Scottish league struggles because there is only two teams historically and one now shot themselves in the foot.

Irish amateur boxing and rowing the simple answer is good coaches.
Centre of excellence's or whatever they brand it now is the football equivalent.
Money is put into coaches.
Also I think there is less infrastructure needs for boxing and rowing compared to a soccer club?
It would eat up less money.

Also if you think of the 121,000 people as a percentage of the population of the ROI compared to the much larger countres listed in the article it is frightening .

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34197370

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Of course it has to have an effect.
It is a denial thing otherwise.
Back in 2015 122,000 ROI fans attended premier league games
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34197370

No matter how you slice that up that is some chunk of money gone from Irish soccer players/coaches pockets to English soccer players/coaches.

To say it does not make any difference is head in the sand stuff.
The Scottish league struggles because there is only two teams historically and one now shot themselves in the foot.

Irish amateur boxing and rowing the simple answer is good coaches.
Centre of excellence's or whatever they brand it now is the football equivalent.
Money is put into coaches.
Also I think there is less infrastructure needs for boxing and rowing compared to a soccer club?
It would eat up less money.

But how do you explain the icelandic league, the northern ireland league, the welsh league being relatively poor and yet their national teams are doing very well? Ireland failed to qualify for a world cup up to 1990 despite having players that won major trophies with Leeds, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United on their team. i would doubt many were pushed by the standard of the LOI around that time when we had the likes of Liam Brady and John Giles in the ranks.

My own personal view is that Soccer needs perhaps to be more prominent at schools level. Perhaps league of ireland clubs could sponsor primary school competitions and engage the youngsters? growing up, the LOI was never marketed in the same way as other leagues and therefore it goes to the back of your mind. its like any marketing exercise really

yes your right it is considerable money being spent abroad and perhaps it does have impact but its not the whole problem. Stephen Hunt believes the standard of irish player coming through the ranks is on a better technical level then from his time so perhaps the coaching has improved.

i can accept Ireland being defensive in Serbia and Austria but jesus against 112th in the world?

Here is another other reason why the league of ireland isnt succeeding on the level it should and cant blame anyone else. The people who run the clubs cant agree on anything. Contrast that to the Premier League clubs who have stuck together on every major development since 1992.

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/richie-sadliers-story-on-meeting-with-league-of-ireland-clubs-will-make-you-despair-97932

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Why is it too easy that is the nub of the issue -

More people go to domestic league

= More money for clubs

= Better coaches

= Better facilities

= Improvement of the standard of the national team.

Also less players 'lost' to the game because they have not 'made it' in England.

I think it is a bit rich to say that Delaney does not care about Irish football when most Irish national team 'supporters' don't give a f**k about Irish domestic football.

I am sure Delaney could earn much more money for himself elsewhere and have less hassle for it as well.

Why doesnt he so if he is so great?

Ferris_Bueller

Jesus that was a frustrating game, played fairly well in the first half but we were very poor in the second half. 2-0 at home to Moldova after 20 mins, we should be hitting them for 4 or 5 at that stage and bossing the game. Game was very boring in the second half and it almost felt more like a friendly.

Pros: O'Dowda looked very promising, his best appearance in an Ireland shirt. Murphy getting two goals, would be starting him on Monday if I was MON, second goal was a peach of a header and a lovely goal with a great pass and cross in the build up. In the first half it looked like we went out with an emphasise to attack and it worked, we had options going forward and created chances. Hoolahan, Ward, Meyler & Randolph were all decent I thought. Good to see Maguire get such a big cheer when he came on too, reminded me of McCleans debut. A win is a win and other results tonight have generally gone in our favour.

Cons: Shane Long. I don't want to be overly critical of the lad as he has been a very good player for us and always puts in 100%, but he was terrible tonight, he missed so many chances and does not look like he will score if he was playing for 900 minutes never mind 90, he has arguably played himself out of the team. Martin O'Neil, okay credit to him for picking a more attacking team but after about 35 mins we reverted back to how we normally play and in the second half we looked completely blunt, the game was CRYING out for a substitution and was the ideal chance to try out players like Maguire, Hogan, Hourihane but he left the subs too late and brought on McGeady & Arter, was very frustrated at this point of the game.

At the end of the day we got the 3 points and it is all to play for on Monday, if we get to a playoff or qualify for the world cup nobody will look back tonight as a big deal, but if we are to lose to Wales on Monday I can see people turning on MON in the way they did with Trap in his last campaign.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

But how do you explain the icelandic league, the northern ireland league, the welsh league being relatively poor and yet their national teams are doing very well? Ireland failed to qualify for a world cup up to 1990 despite having players that won major trophies with Leeds, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United on their team. i would doubt many were pushed by the standard of the LOI around that time when we had the likes of Liam Brady and John Giles in the ranks.

My own personal view is that Soccer needs perhaps to be more prominent at schools level. Perhaps league of ireland clubs could sponsor primary school competitions and engage the youngsters? growing up, the LOI was never marketed in the same way as other leagues and therefore it goes to the back of your mind. its like any marketing exercise really

yes your right it is considerable money being spent abroad and perhaps it does have impact but its not the whole problem. Stephen Hunt believes the standard of irish player coming through the ranks is on a better technical level then from his time so perhaps the coaching has improved.

i can accept Ireland being defensive in Serbia and Austria but jesus against 112th in the world?

Iceland = facilities infrastructure
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/06/03/euro-2016-the-story-of-icelands-unlikely-footballing-revolution/

Northern Ireland are an anomaly who got lucky with a very structured very defensive minded coach. The best of whose players already played for a very structured defensive coach with West Brom which was thier backbone.

Wales have been developing thier national team since Tosack blooded a whole lot of youngsters and stuck with them as they had no choice

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34507148

It took a long wait and some of them turned out be very special players.

But if there is no foundation of a decent domestic league there is always a danger of such success being the exception rather then the norm.

As for the marketing young kids need to identify with the players and a club in Irealnd but is very hard to do when 'The bright lights of the Premier league' are shining and LOI clubs have a huge turnover of players.

Oh and prior to Charlton's time the FAI were ramshackled afterwards slightly less. Before that Giles tried to get it more professional but was only tipping the surface.
The Irish players in England did not take it serious example Steve Highway did f all for Ireland but was great for liverpool.

Plus on the whole the people that run soccer in ireland would not have the same level of education and expertise as the GAA and Rugby crowds.

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

Why doesnt he so if he is so great?

Steeped in the game.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Steeped in the game.

Like fúck he is. Steeped in money and power. Unless a big scandal happens he is there for as long as he wants and what will follow will be probably someone he handpicks

Lyle Lanley

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Another point you will make, If you have a choice of dating a stunner or a munter then you will date the stunner. Its human nature. It sounds shallow but our eyes are drawn by aestheticism and beauty. Not that the Premier league has the same lustre as it used have.

If you're comparing supporting Arsenal to dating a stunner I do not want to see your bird.

Lyle Lanley

Lyle Lanley wrote: »

If you're comparing supporting Arsenal to dating a stunner I do not want to see your bird.

Arsenal would be a terrible comparison to a stunner for a long time now i grant you.

In general though, English football has always marketed itself unlike the League of ireland. Blaming the lack of bums on seats at LOI grounds is simply laziness on the part of the LOI clubs and supporters and using another analogy they are like the town drunk who is lamenting the fact that all their exs went off and married other men. Its painful to listen to their constant wallow.

Fact is they never got out and the ground and spread the gospel to the youngsters and allowed GAA, rugby and other leagues to steal a march on them. Richie Sadlier said as much in his article referring to his time as Pats chairman.

sonic85

Overall that was a very poor game I thought. Started well and got a couple of really well worked goals - especially the second. That ball from Wes to Ward was lovely. I didn't think we looked particularly good in the first half if I'm honest. We really seemed to lack width on the right - Christie was a bit isolated and had to try do a lot by himself going forward because most of the time there seemed to be nobody in front of him.

The second half was dire really. I don't know what was going on but there was no desire to get forward at all. There were a fair few times we had all 11 back in our own half and it just seemed like we were content to see out the game at 2-0.

Moldova had an awful lot of possession and could well have had a goal or two - Randolph in particular did well to tip over that strike in the first half. We looked very ordinary against the worst team in the group but a win is a win. Hard to see anything other than a draw on Monday I think. Were just not gonna score goals.

Great to see Maguire get a run and he had a few nice touches. Don't know if he'll be able to score too many though in the future because we just don't create anything. He was one of the smallest lads on the field when he came on but balls were still being lumped down the field towards him.

Atmosphere wasn't great in the ground either tonight. Very muted. You know it's not a great game when large parts of the crowd were resorting to turning on the lights on their phones and waving them around for entertainment.

Anyway - roll on Monday

nice_guy80

there are LOI teams that pass the ball better than the Ireland team

I genuinely don't know what happens when they pull on the green shirt and cross the white line

alta stare

nice_guy80 wrote: »

there are LOI teams that pass the ball better than the Ireland team

I genuinely don't know what happens when they pull on the green shirt and cross the white line

Ill be attending a game later on where both teams will attack more than any Ireland team has in the last while.......my son has an under 15 schoolboy league game.

That group was there for us to take in a comfortable manner and as per usual we **** it up. Poor up front and a goalkeeper who loves hoofing it, the enjoyment of watching Ireland play is gone for me. Usually id be all up for a game like Mondays but now im indifferent.....sad times.

SomethingElse

nice_guy80 wrote: »

there are LOI teams that pass the ball better than the Ireland team

I genuinely don't know what happens when they pull on the green shirt and cross the white line

LOI teams play against other LOI teams. It's very easy to look good in those games. Put them up against Borussia Dortmund and watch them pass the ball

alta stare

SomethingElse wrote: »

LOI teams play against other LOI teams. It's very easy to look good in those games. Put them up against Borussia Dortmund and watch them pass the ball

Explain Ireland then against inferior teams like Moldova? Fair enough being defensive against lets say Germany, Spain etc but Moldova

ThunbergsAreGo

alta stare wrote: »

Ill be attending a game later on where both teams will attack more than any Ireland team has in the last while.......my son has an under 15 schoolboy league game.

That group was there for us to take in a comfortable manner and as per usual we **** it up. Poor up front and a goalkeeper who loves hoofing it, the enjoyment of watching Ireland play is gone for me. Usually id be all up for a game like Mondays but now im indifferent.....sad times.

Three teams in the group have better players then us

alta stare

naughtb4 wrote: »

Three teams in the group have better players then us

Better players? Maybe one or two but i would say as a collective im not so sure they are any better. which is the most important thing to have? Individuals or a coherant solid team?

On Monday we will see two average teams play it out for second place which should not be the case. We were in a great position to win this group over as you put it "better players". If they were so much better how did we put ourselves in such a good position and how are we still only two behind Serbia and 1 behind Wales? We messed up ourselves, the so called better players did not force us into this position our approach in the last few games did.

bucketybuck

nice_guy80 wrote: »

there are LOI teams that pass the ball better than the Ireland team

You have to admit, it is funny to see posts like this on the same pages where people want the ROI to emulate Northern Ireland...

SomethingElse

alta stare wrote: »

Explain Ireland then against inferior teams like Moldova? Fair enough being defensive against lets say Germany, Spain etc but Moldova

2-0 was a decent result. Teams like the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Croatia, Austria and Sweden have hosted them and won by less in the past number of years. We were never going to hammer them. They have only been beaten by more than two in 8 of their last 88 games.

ThunbergsAreGo

alta stare wrote: »

Better players? Maybe one or two but i would say as a collective im not so sure they are any better. which is the most important thing to have? Individuals or a coherant solid team?

On Monday we will see two average teams play it out for second place which should not be the case. We were in a great position to win this group over as you put it "better players". If they were so much better how did we put ourselves in such a good position and how are we still only two behind Serbia and 1 behind Wales? We messed up ourselves, the so called better players did not force us into this position our approach in the last few games did.

We have no players in the Champions League, the others teams have better players and I think in international football better players win games as the time the get cohesion just isn't there.

We were in a great position and to be where we are now is disappointing, but overall it's about or slightly above par for us within this group.

Our difference maker in games seems to be Daryl Murphy now I like Murphy but where are our young players coming through. All our "young" players coming through are the same age or older than Harry Kane...

And I say this as no fan of O'Neil

alta stare

SomethingElse wrote: »

2-0 was a decent result. Teams like the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Croatia, Austria and Sweden have hosted them and won by less in the past number of years. We were never going to hammer them. They have only been beaten by more than two in 8 of their last 88 games.

The issue i and i guess others have is the way we let teams like Moldova play against us. I know we wont dominate teams but the way we waned last night is frustrating to see. MON should of brought on players earlier to counteract what Moldova were trying to do. Instead he waits and waits. Pure stupidity.

When MON was annouced as manager i was hopeful he would more positive than Trap and to be fair we did improve but now his reluctance to try widen his player options is holding us back. Sit hold and hoof football is not going all too well for us something has to change.

castletownman

This whole "strong national league equals stronger national team" argument works both ways.

Firstly, it isn't promoted any way near well enough. I mean, the fact that the majority of the season is played during the summer and thus doesn't by and large clash with the PL, is a huge boon to them if they are looking to attract crowds. But the attendances are still low. Why is that? The marketing team certainly have to answer for it, but I think socio-economic reasons play a part as well.

Now I am not stereotyping here or placing every fan under the same umbrella but when I think of LOI, "dole-head" springs to mind. The certain type who would rather spend the afternoon in a pub watching Super Sunday supping on whatever lager is at a cheap price, than go out to physically support their local team. That isn't limited to soccer either- I know many lads in GAA circles who say they can't afford to go to games, but are the first to criticise their 'local' team when they lose (from a bar-stool of course).

I look at the case of Wexford Youths in the Premier Division last year. Now I would be involved in local media in Wexford and all the talk when they got promoted was how big the potential crowds in Ferrycarrig Park would be when the big boys come to town. There was even suggestions not to fix GAA matches on a Friday night out of fear of traffic congestion or low gate reciepts. Wexford has this reputation as one of the biggest leagues outside of the capital. We sure love our soccer. Yet they never really came. Usual die-hards alright, but not many new-converted supporters or anything like that.

Look at the demise of other, more renowned rural clubs too, like Longford Town or Athlone Town. Simply put, the attraction isn't there anymore. It's easy for a lad from Tallaght or Inchicore living within a stone's throw away from Shamrock Rovers or Bohs or whatever (apolgies if I am geographically incorrect), where perhaps GAA and certainly rugby aren't as popular, to subsequently support local. Harder for a culchie out the sticks though.

And while the marketing could improve, the FAI otherwise cannot be blamed for the state of the LOI when the lack of interest anyway is considered. And conversely, its no way reaponsible for the travails of the NT. The buck stops with O'Neill in that regard.

The Talking Bread

castletownman wrote: »

T

Now I am not stereotyping here or placing every fan under the same umbrella but when I think of LOI, "dole-head" springs to mind. The certain type who would rather spend the afternoon in a pub watching Super Sunday supping on whatever lager is at a cheap price, than go out to physically support their local team. That isn't limited to soccer either- I know many lads in GAA circles who say they can't afford to go to games, but are the first to criticise their 'local' team when they lose (from a bar-stool of course).

.

I am just going to pull you up on that one, yeah, just there. What in god's name.

And no, I am not a "dole head", in case you think that is the reason I think it is a stupidly strange remark/opinion

pjohnson

I'm suprised people are still moaning. We got the pts we needed. Performance be damned. I want the players fresh to be able to beat Wales. No point running themselves into the ground against a Moldova that are 2 goals down. I'm annoyed Hoolahan and Murphy were kept on the pitch for so long.

Shane Long is actually depressing at this point. What on earth has happened to him these last 12 months?

TheCitizen

alta stare wrote: »

Ill be attending a game later on where both teams will attack more than any Ireland team has in the last while.......my son has an under 15 schoolboy league game.

That group was there for us to take in a comfortable manner and as per usual we **** it up. Poor up front and a goalkeeper who loves hoofing it, the enjoyment of watching Ireland play is gone for me. Usually id be all up for a game like Mondays but now im indifferent.....sad times.

We're going into the last game of the Group with a chance of a play off with a win and you can't be bothered? Take it somewhere else pal, anyone remotely interested in soccer in this country will be glued to the game on Monday. Desperate negative nonsense around here.

Iused2likebusts

alta stare wrote: »

Ill be attending a game later on where both teams will attack more than any Ireland team has in the last while.......my son has an under 15 schoolboy league game.

Maybe international football is a bit more high stakes than an u15 schoolboy game.

The Talking Bread

TheCitizen wrote: »

We're going into the last game of the Group with a chance of a play off with a win and you can't be bothered? Take it somewhere else pal, anyone remotely interested in soccer in this country will be glued to the game on Monday. Desperate negative nonsense around here.

Don't worry. Come 7.45 he will be glued to this thread, waiting to moan. Nothing wrong with stating your opinion, as harsh as it is but the "I couldn't be arsed watching it anymore" or "I have very little motivation watching what is effectively a World Cup Qualification Cup Final" messages are ridiculous.

And then this Under 15 team nonsense.

The Talking Bread

SomethingElse wrote: »

2-0 was a decent result. Teams like the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Croatia, Austria and Sweden have hosted them and won by less in the past number of years. We were never going to hammer them. They have only been beaten by more than two in 8 of their last 88 games.

That is actually a bit of a shock stat. I genuinely mean that. That 100 % true?

alta stare

TheCitizen wrote: »

We're going into the last game of the Group with a chance of a play off with a win and you can't be bothered? Take it somewhere else pal, anyone remotely interested in soccer in this country will be glued to the game on Monday. Desperate negative nonsense around here.