Republic of Ireland vs Denmark, World Cup Play-Off 2nd Leg, kick-off 7.45, RTE 2

HalloweenJack

smelly sock wrote: »

Improve the product and people will come and pay money. Dont expect people to part with their hard earned cash just for the craic of it.

How much did people pay for tickets to that match tonight? Do you think they were happy to spend that much for what was on display?

smelly sock

Omackeral wrote: »

Dundalk's away section is a disgrace, agreed. Hopefully their European money sorts that out. Turners Cross, Tallaght, Sligo's Showgrounds are all where clubs should strive to be at.

Exactly what im getting at. Its all about the customer experience.

farna_boy

smelly sock wrote: »

Improve the product and people will come and pay money. Dont expect people to part with their hard earned cash just for the craic of it.

Dont always be expecting a hamd out.

Doesn't the national team prove exactly the opposite? :pac:

People willing to pay how much to go to Georgia to watch "football" worse than pretty much anything I have seen in the LoI in the past 20 odd years but won't pay €15 to go down the road that might actually help the development of the league and players here.

Nalz

HalloweenJack wrote: »

How much did people pay for tickets to that match tonight? Do you think they were happy to spend that much for what was on display?

I always watch my country on TV and proud when they do well or play well, but I've stopped going to games. Pints taxis ticket costs etc , it's just not worth it. By any stretch. Even with the season ticket.

smelly sock

Oat23 wrote: »

The guy he was responding to who doesn't have a clue about the LOI calling the hard working volunteers at clubs criminals should be given a break too then. Out of order given the work they do out of love for their club and nothing more.

I unreservedely aologies for that.

Billy86

The Backwards Man wrote: »

We can't compare ourselves to Iceland. You have two GAA codes, rugby, even hockey and cricket in some areas to contend with here, and we punch above our weight in those. Iceland is a one sport country.

Actually a friend moved there a while back, and they've apparently got quite a mixed sports agenda - handball is the national sport and basketball is also very popular.

Mind you, if we played like Iceland do we'd have many of the same people on here complaining - losing to Finland, barely getting a win in Kosovo with 40% possession (and 40% in Rekjavik, too), 33% and 37% possession against Ukraine, 25% possession against Turkey, and so on. They only had three games with more than 41% possession - one with 45% (Turkey home), and then 56% and 61% against Finland (again, one of which they lost).

Likewise with the North, who apart from two games against San Marino only broke 40% possession against Norway (43% home and 44% away) and in the second leg against the Swiss who were for the most part happy to sit back and defend their lead. Against the Czechs they had 35% at home and 23% away, against Germany it was 26% at home and 25% away, the first leg against the Swiss they only had 35%, and against Azer-bai-f***ing-jan they had 39% away and 33% at home.

It's kind of why I get a chuckle when I see someone criticising MON as utterly useless for the way he sets his teams out, then going on to say we need to learn lessons from Iceland or the North. We certainly could learn about Iceland developing talent etc from such a small population alright, but tactically? They pretty much just do what we do.

Dick phelan

putting the blame on the GAA is off the mark imo, Firstly let's stop pretending that other countries play no other sport then soccer, Denmark for example won 15 medals in Rio. Would we produce some better players without the GAA? Possibly but there's still enough kids playing soccer to produce better technical players. Iceland certainly have less kids playing the game then we do yet can produce a much better side. The GAA has always been there yet it hasn't stopped us producing players like Brady, McGrath, Roy, Robbie Keane, Whelan ect. The GAA isn't the reason we don't produce players our lack of structures at youth level and lack of top quality coaching is.

mada999

murpho999 wrote: »

Jaysis.

Who's going to criticise Whelan now for being negative?

i will he's poison..

Steve

Oat23 wrote: »

The guy he was responding to who doesn't have a clue about the LOI calling the hard working volunteers at clubs criminals should be given a break too then. Out of order given the work they do out of love for their club and nothing more.

Feel free to pm me. Not discussing on-thread.

smelly sock

farna_boy wrote: »

Doesn't the national team prove exactly the opposite? :pac:

People willing to pay how much to go to Georgia to watch "football" worse than pretty much anything I have seen in the LoI in the past 20 odd years but won't pay €15 to go down the road that might actually help the development of the league and players here.

No they dont.For the best part the results have been some what acceptable. The aviva is a top clase facility also amd provides a decent experience.

Jimbob1977

There has been a dramatic shift in the composition of our national squad over the past 25 years.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ireland had players with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Club academies were full of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English talent.

Globalisation and the Bosman ruling had a dramatic effect.

Roll forward twenty years and academies won't have so many players from the 'Home Nations'. They will prefer to take on young French or African starlets who have EU passports. Cheap to import and sell for a huge profit, if necessary.

Our players will now get their opportunities with Derby, Burnley or Norwich. While there is no dishonour in this, very few of our players will make a big club that is playing Champions League football and broadening their horizons.

There is also a mindset that Irish players can't pass and we are wasting our time in even trying it. If we copy Italy or Spain in a match, they will simply run rings around us. However, there's a perception that the Continentals don't fancy blood and thunder high balls. The long ball is considered to be our only weapon.

We have to be realistic - we don't have sufficient players at the highest level. Trapattoni was heralded as a great appointment, but was quickly castigated for his style. I fear that Martin O'Neill will be a 'Dead Man Walking' within two years.

The next manager will face the same problem. He has no chequebook and can't sign anybody. He is stuck with the players at his disposal. And I can't see many Robbie Keanes or Liam Bradys coming down the tracks. Like the pundits said on RTE tonight, we would have heard about them by now. There is nobody on the conveyor belt.

Yet why do Iceland and Northern Ireland punch miles above their weight? They have lesser names and small populations. Iceland's rise has been stellar.

northknife

Is there any chance we could be the 33rd team in next years world cup

Gringo180

Esse85 wrote: »

The standard will be lower, the selection pool will be diluted. The GAA is a major barrier in producing better soccer players.

Most amateur soccer teams down the sticks are full of GAA players.

Gringo180

Dick phelan wrote: »

putting the blame on the GAA is off the mark imo, Firstly let's stop pretending that other countries play no other sport then soccer, Denmark for example won 15 medals in Rio. Would we produce some better players without the GAA? Possibly but there's still enough kids playing soccer to produce better technical players. Iceland certainly have less kids playing the game then we do yet can produce a much better side. The GAA has always been there yet it hasn't stopped us producing players like Brady, McGrath, Roy, Robbie Keane, Whelan ect. The GAA isn't the reason we don't produce players our lack of structures at youth level and lack of top quality coaching is.

Football is on the decline in general through changes in society and human behaviour imo. Years ago as a kid I wouod be out morning noon and night playing football with my friends and developing my talent. Nowadays the kids just want to sit in and play on there tablets or ps4s

Billy86

Gringo180 wrote: »

Football is on the decline in general through changes in society and human behaviour imo. Years ago as a kid I wouod be out morning noon and night playing football with my friends and developing my talent. Nowadays the kids just want to sit in and play on there tablets or ps4s

But those tablets and PS4s very much exist in most other countries for kids to get their hands on, so that's not to blame.

Iused2likebusts

StringerBell wrote: »

Your saying Ward had no option but to do what he did?

He couldn't have played the ball inside, he couldn't have turned back to play it back to the man just behind him, he couldn't have punted it all the way back to the goalkeeper, he could't have tried to turn in and run that way?

He ****ed up, it wasn't the first time. It won't be the last time, he isn't a very good player.

This performance tonight alone is not going to be the reason we don't go to the World Cup though. Dropping points at home to the dregs of the group, having absolutely zero attacking intent in the away leg are all very big factors. The group games more so tbh

I didn't say that ward had a number of things he could have done and ultimately he is to blame but if McLean had moved into the position he should have he would have made wards mind up. Arter had opened up the play with a good switch of play but McLean's lack of movement forced ward to play it to Brady. McLean then charged around like a lunatic for the 3rd goal and left huge space behind him which ultimately led to the 3rd goal. McLean is all heart and has had a good campaign but he wouldn't be the cleverest of footballers. Sad night as we have a bunch of players that give it their all but ultimately they are a limited bunch. The sub's at the start of the 2nd half were baffling.

super_furry

So March friendly against Oman then?

northknife

There are too many Gaa people in this country who despise association football.


There are too many association football people in this country who despise everything that the Gaa stands for.



For such a small country isnt just a pity that we cant just be sports fans,club fans, county fans and Ireland fans at the same time.



Always puzzles me why lovers of one particular sport always see someone who likes another sport as the enemy.

Gringo180

Billy86 wrote: »

But those tablets and PS4s very much exist in most other countries for kids to get their hands on, so that's not to blame.

Not many great players coming thru in world football now is there? Whos the next Messi, Ronaldo or Zidane going to be?

smelly sock

Gringo180 wrote: »

Not many great players coming thru in world football now is there? Whos the next Messi, Ronaldo or Zidane going to be?

Or Wes.

brianregan09

GAA is the problem no other country has a massive organisation on there own doorstep to contend with, That's why the majority of our players come from non traditional GAA strongholds or big cities you don't see many Internationals from Mayo or Kerry or many of the midlands counties its mostly Dublin, Cork and english born players and some from up north in Donegal

Blazer

NIMAN wrote: »

It's worth reading about what the German FA did immediately after England spanked them 5 v 1 away many moons ago

They put a plan in place to increase the number of coaches at all levels, improve their training etc, knowing that they would have a few lean years. And in the end it worked.

We need to look at how our kids are taught to play the game. That lumping the ball forward and playing the percentage game doesn't work any more.

Will we do it? Not a chance.

I had this very same discussion with a work colleague last weekend. We Irish don't have the mentality to do this though or support them through the thin years. We would need a stronger supported LOI for that.
Of course that could be driven by the FAI but they're only interested in snouts in the trough.
Read about Spain's setup and how a youngster starts training etc. Well worth a quick read.

Chivito550

The Backwards Man wrote: »

We can't compare ourselves to Iceland. You have two GAA codes, rugby, even hockey and cricket in some areas to contend with here, and we punch above our weight in those. Iceland is a one sport country.

Nonsense. Iceland won the silver medal in handball at the 2008 Olympics, an enormous achievement. And even if they were a one country sport (which they are not), they have the population of Limerick and Kerry combined FFS.

HalloweenJack

northknife wrote: »

Always puzzles me why lovers of one particular sport always see someone who likes another sport as the enemy.

In fairness "us vs. them" has always been prevalent in this country: Catholics vs. Protestants, Irish vs. English, pro-treaty vs. anti-treaty, FF vs. FG, rich vs. poor. It's just part of our mindset.

Kermit.de.frog

northknife wrote: »

Is there any chance we could be the 33rd team in next years world cup

No! :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdW_JvqJr9g

Ferris_Bueller

Tough result to take tonight. Probably the worst Ireland match I've ever been to, say the players must feel awful but not going to point the finger at any individual players despite a lot of them having poor games. I said last night that it was live by the sword and die by the sword for MON, tonight he firmly fell onto his own sword as it was his style of football that cost us in the end. Don't know if I would be getting rid of him just yet but there will be plenty saying he should be finished now.

For me where it went wrong was:
1) Staying in a 4-4-2 diamond when we had a goal lead.
2) Suicidal substitutions (what the f*ck was he thinking).
3) Individual errors by players.

Where do we go from here? At this point I am hoping a good few players decide to call it quits and that it will give MON or a new manager a chance to start with a little more of a blank slate. I don't think there needs to be a complete overhaul of the players or how we set up but something needs to be done to give us a little bit more creativity.

Chivito550

The Backwards Man wrote: »

And they're shïte at it. Soccer is the sport the kids play, soccer is the sport the big companies back, there's no comparison. We will always depend on scrounging expats to compliment developing a few rough diamonds from home. It's just the way it is.

Silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. Yeh really sh1te!

Billy86

Gringo180 wrote: »

Not many great players coming thru in world football now is there? Whos the next Messi, Ronaldo or Zidane going to be?

Well given that those two are going to retire right near the top of the list of greatest to ever play the game, it's kind of an unrealistic goal to achieve don't you think?

Honestly, the level of player now is higher than 10 years ago, which was higher than 10 years before that and so on. Though if we're looking for potentials to be the big names of the coming generation you've got the likes of Dembele, Mbappe, Pogba, Kane, Alli and Jesus/Sane over at City to name some off the top of my head. Pretty sure smartphones and PS3s were around before a single set of balls dropped between them.

It's not football that's falling behind, but Ireland is.

One More Toy

Just taking note of what the Rte panel said about us having decent players coming through the ranks and id tend to agree. The last major excitement was Joe Coll getting signed by man utd a few years back,didnt work out for him unfortunately

namloc1980

Billy86 wrote: »

We're also geographically small enough that a proper centre of excellence type setup should relatively easy to get set up and really focus on developing our best talents as well as possible from a very young age.

Should be...

Cork City and the FAI got planning nearly two years ago for a centre of excellence in Cork. The FAI have yet to stump up the cash to commence construction.....and probably won't either.

Denmark tonight had players playing all over Europe with top flight clubs. Ireland had a bunch of championship players and a few premier league bit players. Cillian Sheridan can't get a look in even though he's scoring goals in Poland. If he was sitting on the bench in the championship he'd be in the squad. Seani Maguire couldn't be considered while banging in the goals with Cork City, but 5 minutes after he arrived in Preston he was suddenly good enough.
Until there's a serious fundamental review of Irish football, things will continue to disimprove.

HalloweenJack

Blazer wrote: »

Read about Spain's setup and how a youngster starts training etc. Well worth a quick read.

I live in Spain and play football with Spaniards, kickabout stuff, nothing serious. It really is fascinating how it is drilled into them to pass the ball around and press, even at the lowest levels. Guys in their twenties and thirties who never played beyond schoolyard level are obsessed with playing it that way.

Give it time and it can happen but it won't happen any time soon because Delaney wouldn't get the immediate credit for it, like what happens when we qualify for a tournament in spite of the problems with Irish football. It would take too much money away from the lads lining their pockets and it would take too long to bear fruits for Delaney to milk the credit and get re-elected.

Stephen15

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

There has been a dramatic shift in the composition of our national squad over the past 25 years.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ireland had players with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Club academies were full of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English talent.

Globalisation and the Bosman ruling had a dramatic effect.

Roll forward twenty years and academies won't have so many players from the 'Home Nations'. They will prefer to take on young French or African starlets who have EU passports. Cheap to import and sell for a huge profit, if necessary.

Our players will now get their opportunities with Derby, Burnley or Norwich. While there is no dishonour in this, very few of our players will make a big club that is playing Champions League football and broadening their horizons.

There is also a mindset that Irish players can't pass and we are wasting our time in even trying it. If we copy Italy or Spain in a match, they will simply run rings around us. However, there's a perception that the Continentals don't fancy blood and thunder high balls. The long ball is considered to be our only weapon.

We have to be realistic - we don't have sufficient players at the highest level. Trapattoni was heralded as a great appointment, but was quickly castigated for his style. I fear that Martin O'Neill will be a 'Dead Man Walking' within two years.

The next manager will face the same problem. He has no chequebook and can't sign anybody. He is stuck with the players at his disposal. And I can't see many Robbie Keanes or Liam Bradys coming down the tracks. Like the pundits said on RTE tonight, we would have heard about them by now. There is nobody on the conveyor belt.

Yet why do Iceland and Northern Ireland punch miles above their weight? They have lesser names and small populations. Iceland's rise has been stellar.

TV rights was what killed for Ireland and the home nations. Scottish, Irish and Welsh players were like the forgein imports back in those days as most forgein players stayed in their own leagues.

Even back when Ireland had some talented players we weren't any better than we are now perhaps even worse. We only qualified for our first major finals in 88 on a team made up of mostly players playing abroad. When the likes of Johnny Giles, Liam 'Chippy' Brady etc. were we weren't qualifying our who were our last truly talented players.

What annoys me is lack of Irish players playing on the continent where they might learn a new style of play and bring something different to team. I would like to see more players playing even for mid table clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A rather than playing in the Championship or for lower Premiership teams.

Look at the Danish side players playing for clubs all across Europe from Norway to Italy not all are playing for the big clubs like you Barcelonas, Reals, Bayerns or Juventus but rather for mid table sides like Werder Bremen and Atalanta. Its a good mix and would help Ireland become a more creative and dynamic side.

corny

Billy86 wrote: »

Well given that those two are going to retire right near the top of the list of greatest to ever play the game, it's kind of an unrealistic goal to achieve don't you think?

Honestly, the level of player now is higher than 10 years ago, which was higher than 10 years before that and so on. Though if we're looking for potentials to be the big names of the coming generation you've got the likes of Dembele, Mbappe, Pogba, Kane, Alli and Jesus/Sane over at City to name some off the top of my head. Pretty sure smartphones and PS3s were around before a single set of balls dropped between them.

It's not football that's falling behind, but Ireland is.

I take your point about Ireland going backwards but i reject the bold bit out of hand. Players are stronger and fitter but no way are there more technically gifted players playing football today than 20 years ago. The game is about power and pace now more than ever.

mada999

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Exactly why they're told to hoof it, we're not technically good enough to try play out from the back.

absolute rubbish.. if Dundalk could do it in the Europa league then these lads could do it too..

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Bull****

murpho999 wrote: »

Rubbish, they are professional footballers. Of course they can pass a ball.

agreed...

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Nope, we're technically inferior. Truth hurts.

more bull****... they have 1 technically better player than us.. 1..

Deleted User wrote: »

Well that's that. Our OTT celebrations in Cardiff look silly now. Folks, in truth we'd add nothing to a world cup anyway aside from eejits serenading nuns. Our two best players, Walters and Coleman were out injured and that fúcked us

no it was our game against Georgia, when we scored first (like tonight) and then retreated into our shell and let them play like Brazil.. and they absolutely battered us around the pitch that night... that fúcked us...were they technically better man for man... no fúcking way

not sure why McClean wasn't on the wing.. it's actually baffling ??
here's a nice quote from the Danish manager...

"I was surprised. They played with a diamond and that gave us lots of space and I just say thank you very much.

Tactically inept manager with a shít mentality belittling use... everyone of our players can technically pass the ball to each other.. we have some good technical players...
Brady, McClean, Christie, Arter, Hendrick..

As usual people will say Denmark are technically better than us, total bull****... they have 1 world class player in their team...i hardly heard of any of their players..the rest of their players actually just were composed on the ball and actually passed and moved and played for each other as a team.. fúcking simple..

Dundalk were in the Europa league (also nearly qualified for the champions league) and played some good stuff..... were their players more technical than the team we had out tonight? no.... it was about tactics, mentality and a freedom to fúcking pass the ball around with their team mates... so anyone saying the Irish players are technically inferior can go and jump imo...

Omackeral

Stephen15 wrote: »

What annoys me is lack of Irish players playing on the continent where they might learn a new style of play and bring something different to team. I would like to see more players playing even for mid table clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A

Problem there is that your average Irish football wouldn't dare learn a new language or attempt to adapt to a different culture that's not an Anglophone one.

mada999

another thing to add... no one even laid a glove on Ericsson all night.. surely someone had to take a yellow to welcome him to Dublin ??

mada999

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

I was thinking....

chris houghton please...

Billy86

Stephen15 wrote: »

What annoys me is lack of Irish players playing on the continent where they might learn a new style of play and bring something different to team. I would like to see more players playing even for mid table clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A rather than playing in the Championship or for lower Premiership teams.

Look at the Danish side players playing for clubs all across Europe from Norway to Italy not all are playing for the big clubs like you Barcelonas, Reals, Bayerns or Juventus but rather for mid table sides like Werder Bremen and Atalanta. Its a good mix and would help Ireland become a more creative and dynamic side.

This is also true, and discouraging. Not Irish, but maybe my favourite example was David Jones - came through the Man Utd youth team the same time as Giuseppe Rossi and had serious buzz/excitement about him. When he was about 20 he went on loan to Nijmegen in the Netherlands, and in half a season he had 6 goals in 17 games and wound up second as their player of the year while raising a lot of eyebrows at a time when the likes of Park Ji-Sung, Cocu, van der Vaart, Sneijder, van Bommel, van Persie, Robben and others were either playing in the country or had been until a year or so previous.

He never cut it at Man Utd, never got fully used to the pace/physicality of the English senior game, and at 33 is on the back end of a career playing in yoyo clubs near the top of the Championship. I reckon he'd have made a very known name for himself if he went to the Eriedivise and Spain or Italy from there, and I think he would have been a quality player. But UK and Irish players just seem so averse to moving to non English speaking countries that it's ridiculous. Stephen McPhail I think is a pretty good Irish version of this story.

Billy86

martyos121 wrote: »

Fcuk sake, Big Sam anyone?

Well the first problem is we'd never ever get him, even if we were after him.

thelad95

This is ultimately a campaign where we snatched elimination from the jaws of topping the bloody group. Tonight was just one of those nights. We ‘scored too early’ and as a result were completely vulnerable to the counter and got battered but ultimately we should have been qualified anyway. Wales at home, Serbia away, Georgia away, Austria at home and Serbia at home should all have been wins and we’d have topped the group with ease. Instead we had a tricky playoff and regrettably it all went south very quickly.

O’Neill didn’t get it wrong tonight, the players did. But O’Neill got it wrong so many times in the group before that which is why we were here tonight in the first place. Contract or no contract he has to walk in my opinion, he’s brought this team as far as he can.

namloc1980

thelad95 wrote: »

This is ultimately a campaign where we snatched elimination from the jaws of topping the bloody group. Tonight was just one of those nights. We ‘scored too early’ and as a result were completely vulnerable to the counter and got battered but ultimately we should have been qualified anyway. Wales at home, Serbia away, Georgia away, Austria at home and Serbia at home should all have been wins and we’d have topped the group with ease. Instead we had a tricky playoff and regrettably it all went south very quickly.

O’Neill didn’t get it wrong tonight, the players did. But O’Neill got it wrong so many times in the group before that which is why we were here tonight in the first place. Contract or no contract he has to walk in my opinion, he’s brought this team as far as he can.

Sorry but that makes no sense. We didn't win those games because we weren't good enough. You are what your results tell you you are.

fullstop

irishman86 wrote: »

So it seems this is everyones fault but MON
I love this recurring theme
Its time for a new face at the helm

It's always the manager's fault though, isn't it? It's O'Neill's fault now, it was Trap's fault before that...Staunton tried to have them play some football but we got hockeyed...so that was his fault...Kerr's fault before that.

Who do people want as the manager?

It's the FAI's fault and nobody else'a that the game is in the state it is in this country, with that charlatan in charge. We have nobody coming through at any top team and that doesn't look like changing any time soon until the get the finger out and put proper structures in place

mada999

StringerBell wrote: »

Bendter is going to score against Ireland lads,****ing Bendter

couldnt even score against dundalk ffs

hidinginthebush

mada999 wrote: »

another thing to add... no one even laid a glove on Ericsson all night.. surely someone had to take a yellow to welcome him to Dublin ??

That's my thought from tonight's game. Must win big home match and there was no single attempt at a 'leveller' from anywhere

Gutless performance

mada999

thelad95 wrote: »

Contract or no contract he has to walk in my opinion, he’s brought this team as far as he can.

1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 % agreed

Doctor Jimbob

mada999 wrote: »

more bull****... they have 1 technically better player than us.. 1..

They have players playing at the top level in England, Spain, and Germany, maybe more. We have a heap of players from the English championship.

I'm not saying Ireland shouldn't have been better tonight, but Denmark have several technically better players than us.

Billy86

thelad95 wrote: »

This is ultimately a campaign where we snatched elimination from the jaws of topping the bloody group. Tonight was just one of those nights. We ‘scored too early’ and as a result were completely vulnerable to the counter and got battered but ultimately we should have been qualified anyway. Wales at home, Serbia away, Georgia away, Austria at home and Serbia at home should all have been wins and we’d have topped the group with ease. Instead we had a tricky playoff and regrettably it all went south very quickly.

O’Neill didn’t get it wrong tonight, the players did. But O’Neill got it wrong so many times in the group before that which is why we were here tonight in the first place. Contract or no contract he has to walk in my opinion, he’s brought this team as far as he can.

Did you just say we should have got a perfect 30 points in qualifying!? :eek:

thelad95

Billy86 wrote: »

Did you just say we should have got a perfect 30 points in qualifying!? :eek:

No but if we’d approached all those games the right way and gotten three points in even two of those five games we would have topped the group.

mada999

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

They have players playing at the top level in England, Spain, and Germany, maybe more. We have a heap of players from the English championship.

I'm not saying Ireland shouldn't have been better tonight, but Denmark have several technically better players than us.

GK Kasper Schmeichel Leicester City
GK Jonas Lössl   Huddersfield Town
GK Frederik Rønnow  Brøndby

DF Jannik Vestergaard  Borussia Monchengladbach
DF Simon Kjær (Captain)   Sevilla
DF Jonas Knudsen   Ipswich Town
DF Andreas Christensen  Chelsea
DF Andreas Bjelland   Brentford
DF Mathias Jørgensen   Huddersfield Town
DF Jens Stryger Larsen  Udinese
DF Peter Ankersen   Copenhagen

MF Mike Jensen   Rosenborg
MF William Kvist (Vice-Captain)  Copenhagen
MF Thomas Delaney   Werder Bremen
MF Christian Eriksen  Tottenham Hotspur
MF Lukas Lerager   Bordeaux
MF Lasse Schöne   Ajax
MF Pione Sisto  Celta Vigo

FW Viktor Fischer   Mainz 05
FW Nicklas Bendtner  Rosenborg
FW Nicolai Jørgensen  Feyenoord
FW Yussuf Poulsen   RB Leipzig
FW Andreas Cornelius  Atalanta
FW Martin Braithwaite  Middlesbrough

they may have players who play on the continent but the teams they play for are not world beaters.. by any stretch.. so i would say our players are not technically inferior...

here's the Irish team


Keiren Westwood Sheffield Wednesday
Rob Elliot Newcastle United (prem)
Darren Randolph Middlesbrough


Cyrus Christie Middlesbrough
Ciaran Clark (Vice-captain) Newcastle United (prem)
John O'Shea Sunderland
Paul McShane Reading
Stephen Ward Burnley
Shane Duffy Brighton & Hove Albion (prem)
Kevin Long Burnley (prem)


Glenn Whelan Aston Villa
Aiden McGeady Sunderland
Robbie Brady Burnley (prem)
James McClean West Bromwich Albion (prem)
Callum O'Dowda Bristol City
Jeff Hendrick Burnley (prem)
Wes Hoolahan Norwich City
Conor Hourihane Aston Villa
David Meyler (captain) Hull City
Harry Arter Bournemouth (prem)


Daryl Murphy Nottingham Forest
Shane Long Southampton (prem)
Scott Hogan Aston Villa

just because a player plays for a "big club" does not make them "technically" better, i believe anyone who has made it it in the prem league or championship actually possesses some kind of technical ability... like you know passing about 10 yards to a team mate..


its about mentality, coaching and team work imo..

Arghus

None of the usual suspects on here tonight to defend O'Neill's cluelessness. What a surprise. One eyed-spoofmiesters.