Off Topic Thread 4.0

Neil3030

Curling is actually precisely the kind of sport I'd imagine is full of complete p1ssheads. :pac:

Podge_irl

Neil3030 wrote: »

Curling is actually precisely the kind of sport I'd imagine is full of complete p1ssheads. :pac:

Yup. What the feck else is there to do.

Mookie Blaylock

Looking likely that Martin O'Neill is getting the door today... interesting times ahead if that's the case... Stephen Kenny for the top job

troyzer

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

Looking likely that Martin O'Neill is getting the door today... interesting times ahead if that's the case... Stephen Kenny for the top job

He hasn't been great but he's not the real problem; Delaney is. This is him just trying to save himself.

Having said that, I agree that Stephen Kenny should have the top job. Bring in more LOI players. Try to moneyball the **** out of it. Do something different even if it ends in failure.

Squidgy Black

troyzer wrote: »

He hasn't been great but he's not the real problem; Delaney is. This is him just trying to save himself.

Having said that, I agree that Stephen Kenny should have the top job. Bring in more LOI players. Try to moneyball the **** out of it. Do something different even if it ends in failure.

Bringing in LOI players is going to do absolutely sweet f all other than appease people who protest against the lack of them in the squad. 90% of LOI players are lads who were over in England and didn't make it.

I'm not sure Kenny would be the right call at all. He's only coached once outside of Ireland's semi-pro/barely pro leagues, and that was in Dunfermline where they were relegated in his first season in charge and he was sacked.

troyzer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Bringing in LOI players is going to do absolutely sweet f all other than appease people who protest against the lack of them in the squad. 90% of LOI players are lads who were over in England and didn't make it.

I'm not sure Kenny would be the right call at all. He's only coached once outside of Ireland's semi-pro/barely pro leagues, and that was in Dunfermline where they were relegated in his first season in charge and he was sacked.

What is there to lose by trying something different and picking players who we have more control over and access to?

The strategy of sending players to England as kids and picking them for the Ireland squad is dying and so is picking Irish eligible kids from overseas.

The old ways are no longer working, try something new. I'd rather see Kenny fail spectacularly by losing 6-0 against Greece by trying something new than by plodding along and allowing Irish soccer to continue to decline.

thomond2006

I wonder how things would have turned out if the Dublin Dons had happened.

Squidgy Black

troyzer wrote: »

What is there to lose by trying something different and picking players who we have more control over and access to?

The strategy of sending players to England as kids and picking them for the Ireland squad is dying and so is picking Irish eligible kids from overseas.

The old ways are no longer working, try something new. I'd rather see Kenny fail spectacularly by losing 6-0 against Greece by trying something new than by plodding along and allowing Irish soccer to continue to decline.

Control and access isn't really an issue in soccer compared to rugby. The majority of the top nations in the world don't have regular access to their players or any control over them because players from their national league are a minority, or non-existent, and that's even countries with a proper professional league. Brazil, Argentina,

Replace players playing professional football to a high standard in England with players playing in a league where most of the players are only semi-professional and the training standards aren't anywhere close to English clubs, and Irish football will completely tank as we start to lose games even more frequently.

Management and the team aren't the issue here. It's the organisation, and how it's been ran for the past couple of decades without change. The LOI is struggling, teams are struggling financially. They're trying to wind down traditional teams that have produced a lot of Ireland's top talent (St Kevin's, Home Farm, Belvedere) by trying to push the LOI academies as a priority without listening to it's members.

sydthebeat

so martin and roy are gone....

who wants this poison chalice ?? whos the contemporary version of Trappatoni? whats Louis Van Gaal up to these days?

prawnsambo

sydthebeat wrote: »

so martin and roy are gone....

who wants this poison chalice ?? whos the contemporary version of Trappatoni? whats Louis Van Gaal up to these days?

They're well out of it. The failures are happening long before the players are called up to the Irish squad.

sydthebeat

prawnsambo wrote: »

They're well out of it. The failures are happening long before the players are called up to the Irish squad.

completely agree... silk purse , sows ear comes to mind.
Martin o Neill is a good manager but even he cant mould this group of players into a consistent winning team.... though he came close.

International football as a product is declining rapidly.
Within this, the standard of player available to ireland is not great at all. The influx of 'non home nations' players into the higher echelons of english football doesnt help at all....

prawnsambo

How John Delaney has kept his job for this long beggars belief. The OCI dodged a bullet when Hickey got caught with his hand in the cookie jar because Delaney was the anointed one to take over from him. I still shudder at the thought.

Squidgy Black

prawnsambo wrote: »

How John Delaney has kept his job for this long beggars belief. The OCI dodged a bullet when Hickey got caught with his hand in the cookie jar because Delaney was the anointed one to take over from him. I still shudder at the thought.

His cronies won't overthrow him. There's a lot of people in the FAI that are there because he gave them the position.

There's been calls for Delaney to step down for years now, but the only way it can happen is if the board of executives vote on it.

sydthebeat

LinkedIn could be in serious trouble after an audit by the DATA watchdog

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/linkedin-processed-18-million-email-addresses-of-non-users-for-targeted-advertising-1.3708284

Squidgy Black

sydthebeat wrote: »

LinkedIn could be in serious trouble after an audit by the DATA watchdog

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/linkedin-processed-18-million-email-addresses-of-non-users-for-targeted-advertising-1.3708284

They won't be. The ICO haven't bothered to date with large fines. Facebook Ireland was fined 500k last month for "serious breaches of data protection law" by the ICO, DPC aren't making any fines they've imposed public yet.

Bazzo

I thought one of the lads was taking the piss when he told me McCarthy had been offered the job a couple hours ago...

stephen_n

Bazzo wrote: »

I thought one of the lads was taking the piss when he told me McCarthy had been offered the job a couple hours ago...

It was him or Harry Redknap :pac: sure who else would take it, no decent players and nothing coming down the line.

awec

stephen_n wrote: »

It was him or Harry Redknap :pac: sure who else would take it, no decent players and nothing coming down the line.

International management in football is not for managers in their prime. You’re either getting someone looking their pension or a young manager looking a chance to move on to bigger things.

In. To. The. Sun.

Squidgy Black

Sam Allardyce was one of the names being thrown about, that would've been great for the entertainment alone

Dave_The_Sheep

Big Sam is not known for his entertaining football, so I can only presume you mean off the field.

pickarooney

I chose a great weekend to go to Paris.

Mookie Blaylock

pickarooney wrote: »

I chose a great weekend to go to Paris.

Keep your head down...but nothing can beat my weekend there unfortunately

Zzippy

pickarooney wrote: »

I chose a great weekend to go to Paris.

Ah, the romantic scents of tear gas and petrol... Paris in November!

Mookie Blaylock

Mick McCarthy to be appointed manager and Stephen Kenny to take over in 2020....seems like a good decision.

Dave_The_Sheep

2.4 million for two years work, not bad. Bit of a joke though, given how **** we are and how mediocre McCarthy is.

Maybe I'm just out of touch in terms of how much managers are making to be honest.

Zzippy

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

2.4 million for two years work, not bad. Bit of a joke though, given how **** we are and how mediocre McCarthy is.

Maybe I'm just out of touch in terms of how much managers are making to be honest.

It's double what Ryan Giggs is on for Wales!

troyzer

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

Mick McCarthy to be appointed manager and Stephen Kenny to take over in 2020....seems like a good decision.

Such a brilliant idea that I'm 100% confident Delaney didn't come up with it.

Buer

And, pray tell, what happens if Kenny is utterly awful for the next 2 years with the U21 team? Or if McCarthy is sensational?

This is a PR move to satisfy the public clamour for Kenny and keep Delaney on side with them. Appoint a manager and get on with it. Committing to a future situation regardless of the intervening events is dense.

irishbucsfan

Have we learned NOTHING from the Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno debacle?!

Buer

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Have we learned NOTHING from the Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno debacle?!

The FAI are incapable of just making an appointment and letting the manager get on with it.

Staunton? Let's get Bobby Robson in as adviser for PR. Trap? Liam Brady. MON? Keane comes in. Now we've this situation along with the rumours of Robbie Keane being foisted upon the team.

It's a farce.

stephen_n

Zzippy wrote: »

It's double what Ryan Giggs is on for Wales!

Probably half what John Delaney is getting though! :pac:

Squidgy Black

Delaney's contract is up in 2020. I get a feeling that it's no coincidence that this handover between McCarthy and Kenny is at the same time that Delaney will inevitably be looking for a renewal of his contract.

Zzippy

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Delaney's contract is up in 2020. I get a feeling that it's no coincidence that this handover between McCarthy and Kenny is at the same time that Delaney will inevitably be looking for a renewal of his contract.

Don't be under any illusions. The people in a position to rubberstamp Delaney's contract renewal owe their positions to Delaney. It's a cosy little cabal running the FAI whose main focus is to maintain the status quo and feather their own nests.

awec

I think it's a bizarre appointment tbh.

- What happens if Kenny is crap with the u21s?
- What happens if McCarthy is excellent with the senior team?
- What happens if McCarthy has to get the boot early?
- What happens if Kenny leaves early?

Not really sure what they think Kenny is going to learn managing u21s. U21 football is not a high standard really.

awec

awec wrote: »

I think it's a bizarre appointment tbh.

- What happens if Kenny is crap with the u21s?
- What happens if McCarthy is excellent with the senior team?
- What happens if McCarthy has to get the boot early?
- What happens if Kenny leaves early?

Not really sure what they think Kenny is going to learn managing u21s. U21 football is not a high standard really.

I think it's more about bringing through a new generation of players. It's a token effort to give the appearance of development and bringing a greater level of professionalism to the game here at a younger age.

It's not a bad idea, it's just that it still feels like crack papering as opposed to a real desire to develop the game here. Zzippy is right, the administration of the FAI has a primary goal of self maintenance and the game is an afterthought.

There are also obvious potential issues if McCarthy goes well and Kenny is perceived not to have gone well.

The FAI could really do with a serious ticketing scandal right around now - would do wonders.

troyzer

Deleted User wrote: »

awec wrote: »

I think it's a bizarre appointment tbh.

- What happens if Kenny is crap with the u21s?
- What happens if McCarthy is excellent with the senior team?
- What happens if McCarthy has to get the boot early?
- What happens if Kenny leaves early?

Not really sure what they think Kenny is going to learn managing u21s. U21 football is not a high standard really.

I think it's more about bringing through a new generation of players. It's a token effort to give the appearance of development and bringing a greater level of professionalism to the game here at a younger age.

It's not a bad idea, it's just that it still feels like crack papering as opposed to a real desire to develop the game here. Zzippy is right, the administration of the FAI has a primary goal of self maintenance and the game is an afterthought.

There are also obvious potential issues if McCarthy goes well and Kenny is perceived not to have gone well.

The FAI could really do with a serious ticketing scandal right around now - would do wonders.

The only ticketing scandal they have is the inability to sell any.

Squidgy Black

Zzippy wrote: »

Don't be under any illusions. The people in a position to rubberstamp Delaney's contract renewal owe their positions to Delaney. It's a cosy little cabal running the FAI whose main focus is to maintain the status quo and feather their own nests.

Oh yeah I've no doubts that he'll get his renewal no problem, I was thinking more along the lines of Delaney and his cronies somehow having this all planned out as a PR stunt.

aloooof

Buer wrote: »

And, pray tell, what happens if Kenny is utterly awful for the next 2 years with the U21 team? Or if McCarthy is sensational?

This is a PR move to satisfy the public clamour for Kenny and keep Delaney on side with them. Appoint a manager and get on with it. Committing to a future situation regardless of the intervening events is dense.

Andy Farrell to take over after Joe.

Buer

aloooof wrote: »

Andy Farrell to take over after Joe.

Somewhat different. That's a bloke taking over from another coach whose time is coming to an end. We know where we stand with both of them and the incumbent is departing on his terms at the end of his contract after a lengthy spell.

McCarthy is a new appointment and has been given the job with a clock already running on him for another guy who won't even be on his staff.

And thrilled to see Robbie Keane being given an assistant job with the national set up on the basis of absolutely no coaching experience too! You have to laugh.

Squidgy Black

Buer wrote: »

Somewhat different. That's a bloke taking over from another coach whose time is coming to an end. We know where we stand with both of them and the incumbent is departing on his terms at the end of his contract after a lengthy spell.

McCarthy is a new appointment and has been given the job with a clock already running on him for another guy who won't even be on his staff.

And thrilled to see Robbie Keane being given an assistant job with the national set up on the basis of absolutely no coaching experience too! You have to laugh.

The Keane appointment is mind boggling. If they wanted the PR stunt of putting in a prolific ex-player, they should've offered it to Damien Duff, who actually has a decent amount of experience in coaching.

aloooof

Buer wrote: »

Somewhat different. That's a bloke taking over from another coach whose time is coming to an end. We know where we stand with both of them and the incumbent is departing on his terms at the end of his contract after a lengthy spell.

McCarthy is a new appointment and has been given the job with a clock already running on him for another guy who won't even be on his staff.

And thrilled to see Robbie Keane being given an assistant job with the national set up on the basis of absolutely no coaching experience too! You have to laugh.

Ah agreed, I was just being facetious tbh. The Kenny thing really does just seem like a sop from Delaney. Reminiscent of when he got Bobby Robson in with Steve Staunton.

Buer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

The Keane appointment is mind boggling. If they wanted the PR stunt of putting in a prolific ex-player, they should've offered it to Damien Duff, who actually has a decent amount of experience in coaching.

I'd say Duff wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

sydthebeat

does keane even have his coaching badges at this stage?

Squidgy Black

sydthebeat wrote: »

does keane even have his coaching badges at this stage?

Has his A licence I believe, don't know if he has his Pro one though. Would assume he'll have to get it before he's allowed near the team in terms of coaching

troyzer

Sitting in the airport and there are Christmas tunes on.

That's the first time I've heard any. Seems earlier and earlier every year.

Buer

troyzer wrote: »

Sitting in the airport and there are Christmas tunes on.

That's the first time I've heard any. Seems earlier and earlier every year.

Was in a shopping centre over the weekend. Santa Claus, elves, Christmas music etc. It's in full swing.

It is getting earlier, to my mind. Have seen a number of houses with the decorations up already; whilst the shops etc. have always been pushing it in November I haven't noticed people's homes being decorated in November before.

EDIT: Also, if you ever want some Christmas cheer, I highly recommend Dublin Airport on December 23rd or 24th. Live music at the arrivals gate. Nice just to sit there with a coffee and watch the reunions. Although, depending on your personal situation, it could be the most depressing place in the world too at that time.

dregin

Our tree usually goes up the 25th of Novemeber. We'd family over last weekend, so it went up the weekend before instead

thomond2006

It's fairly wet out.

dregin

thomond2006 wrote: »

It's fairly wet out.

This has been a wonderful opportunity to find ALL of the places wind and rain get into our new house. Who knew 80 year old stained glass could actually leak?