Republic of Ireland Team Talk/News/Rumours 2020/2021 - see Mod Note in OP [18/11/20]

Did you smash it

athlone99 wrote: »

But there is some and it can be improved. Step 1 get young players into LOI academies with the best playing at 17/18 and LOI teams getting proper transfer fees with that money then feeding back into the clubs and acadamies. They days of home farm or st.kevins gettin 20/30k to send a young lad to the UK needs to stop.

If everyone who travelled to the UK for games went to one less and spent that €150 on LOI football that would also help improve the league and allow reinvestment.

People are starting to see that football needs investment here and the government has recognised that.

We need to get more people like Dermot Desmond and the Comer brothers involved.

Sustaining a league off transfer fees for kids is just not going to work. Show me a league that works that way.

You need meaningful tv deals and prize money and crowds.

Hoping liverpool or celtic supporters are going to throw money at the LOI is not plausible. Private investors throwing money at a black hole probably only happened at rovers because they got a great stadium from the council.

We are small timers, the football association’s debt is a long way towards 100 million, the national team still doesn’t have a sponsor or a marketable player.

Let’s be real about it

Fandymo

athlone99 wrote: »

Yes of course. Played dire football, and scrapped wins against Gibraltar. What do you want from the International team? Dire long ball football, sitting back, scrapping wins, attacking for the last 10 mins to draw nick a draw or a team that tries to be progressive, keep the ball, create chances? I certainly know what id rather watch.

And with the FAI's player development program, what was the point in investing in youth and keeping SK with the U21s playing football and then having a senior team manager doing the complete opposite? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. something had to change.

Dire?? 11 games, 0 wins. Against such powerhouses as Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Finland, Qatar. Only decent team we’ve played is England’s reserves.

eire4

Did you smash it wrote: »

Sustaining a league off transfer fees for kids is just not going to work. Show me a league that works that way.

You need meaningful tv deals and prize money and crowds.

Hoping liverpool or celtic supporters are going to throw money at the LOI is not plausible. Private investors throwing money at a black hole probably only happened at rovers because they got a great stadium from the council.

We are small timers, the football association’s debt is a long way towards 100 million, the national team still doesn’t have a sponsor or a marketable player.

Let’s be real about it

Plenty of clubs in less well off countries as well as smaller populations basically have a model of sustainability via the transfer fees of their best young talent. It is a model that even applies in wealthy countries and more powerful leagues among smaller clubs there. Again not saying it will happen over night but we have players and with proper academies working with our top elite young players that money then gets directed at those academies as it should.
We really do not have a TV deal at all right now so even a small one going forward would be another good step. Again none of this is going to happen in a big way over night but we must begin the process and build the right infrastructure within football in Ireland to build what can be a consistent and competitive long term future for game in general and for the national teams in particular.

Fandymo

athlone99 wrote: »

Why should we be beating Luxembourg? What do you base that on?

I'm not lowering standards, its where we are now, how can you not see that? We are on a downward spiral, no matter who the manager is. Luxembourg put a plan in place 15-20 years ago and are now reaping the rewards. People need to stop living in the past and realize we are now a tier 3/4 nation. Some people seem to think we have a god given right to qualify for tournaments.

If you look at what Germany, England, Scotland, Wales and even Luxembourg have done, they put a long term plan in place and are now seeing success from it. I think we are probably 10 years away from getting back towards a tier 2 nation. I am also quite positive about the new FAI but until they manage to change the internal politics of the association and put the schoolboy leagues back in a box and put a pyramid structure in place aimed at getting young players into LOI academies we wont move forward.

Why are a lot of Luxembourg’s players playing in the dregs of Europe’s lower leagues if they are so much better than Ireland’s players?? Was that part of their master plan??

Fandymo

athlone99 wrote: »

Well to me some posters keep saying SK cant continue with what he is trying to do, we need to go back to our old style. Our old style is kick it long and "put em under pressure" and sit deep and defend when we dont have it.

We need a new way of playing and that will take time to bed in and has and will cause a bit of short term pain for long term gain.

“Put them under pressure” was literally geggenpress, but Jack was English so nobody fawned all over him and his “new” way of pressing.

Did you smash it

eire4 wrote: »

Plenty of clubs in less well off countries as well as smaller populations basically have a model of sustainability via the transfer fees of their best young talent. It is a model that even applies in wealthy countries and more powerful leagues among smaller clubs there. Again not saying it will happen over night but we have players and with proper academies working with our top elite young players that money then gets directed at those academies as it should.
We really do not have a TV deal at all right now so even a small one going forward would be another good step. Again none of this is going to happen in a big way over night but we must begin the process and build the right infrastructure within football in Ireland to build what can be a consistent and competitive long term future for game in general and for the national teams in particular.

Let’s hope so but dreamy talk to me.

Did you smash it

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

When you have the biggest league on the planet 40 mins away on a flight , post brexit regs , then id have to disagree to an extent. younger english players are going to come at a serious premium now, Irish lads are allowed go over at 18 with no work permit restrictions. There is no reason for clubs to not start developing players now with the aim of offloading them to english clubs who will need them in time once they turn 18/19. I mean, Rovers/Bohs have done it well over the past 2/3 seasons, Id expect them to really benefit from this over the next 5 years.

When you look at cork barely sustaining one club it will take a lot of change for Ireland to become a prominent supply chain to English clubs.

square ball

All LOI clubs should have proper academies with teams from Under 13 up, a top class centre of excellence able to facilitate all the teams in the one location and aim to have category 3 or 4 stadiums capable of hosting 8-12k fans as a minimum. It's a sad state when Dundalk had to move to another clubs stadium to play in Europe. Imagine the buzz and impact hosting European group games in a full stadium in Cork, Limerick, Sligo, Galway or wherever would have on the local club and area.

The rugby teams have managed to make attending a game a day out and it has helped the game grow. I know a heap of lads around that never played sport and would barely watch games if they were on in their back garden who are regular visitors to Thomond Park. A crowd draws a crowd.

If you look at the facilities that most of the top GAA clubs in urban centres across the country have it shouldn't be too difficult to get funding over a 10 or 15 year period with the correct structures in place.

At present what facilities do all the LOI clubs have to satisfy the LOI licence? Until we get the right facilities and structures in place we are fooling ourselves. The national team was punching above our weight by accident since the 80's. We are now where we deserve to be.

We have slipped down the rankings gradually over a period of 15 years slowly at first but gone to pot in last 3 qualifying campaigns. We have been terrible to watch for years and less and less young lads are inspired to play for Ireland because of the style we have been playing. We weren't getting the results playing ultra defensively hoping to knick a goal here and there from set pieces. Recent underage teams are offering a glimpse of optimism but our players struggle once they move to the UK. We need to be in a position to develop them ourselves and until we do we won't be much better than we are now.

Change was needed maybe Kenny isn't the right man to lead us but I can't remember a weaker group of players either. Very few lads are playing well week in week out at any level. We have a long long way to go. We don't have a regular goalscorer. How many of our first choice 11 would make any starting team for any team in the Premier League?

We have had a crazy amount of injuries so very very hard to build a cohesive team.

However we need to start seeing improvement in performances against likes of Luxembourg, Andorra, Qatar soon if we are going to persist with Kenny. Regardless of how bad we are we should be able to beat these teams.

pjohnson

eire4 wrote: »

Against Andorra tomorrow? We should win. But it will at most IMHO be by 2 goals given how bereft of attacking quality we are.

Now now, you should remember we have no right to beat anyone, according to some. We just need to accept our level.

siblers

It was the nature of the performance against Luxembourg that was most worrying and frustrating. Fair enough that we're rubbish but to be that bad at home to a tier 4 nation was pathetic.

They're re better than what most of us thought they were and nearly every nation in Europe are competitive (bar the likes of Andorra and San Marino) but that performance was so bad and at the same not even remotely surprising

athlone99

Fandymo wrote: »

Why are a lot of Luxembourg’s players playing in the dregs of Europe’s lower leagues if they are so much better than Ireland’s players?? Was that part of their master plan??

Ok grand, the player who scored the winner and is playing champions league football, in tight games a player with a touch of class can be the difference. The rest play in the Belgian, Germany, Portugal and Ukrainian leagues.

If anything we are the ones with players playing in the dregs of the English lower leagues.

athlone99

Did you smash it wrote: »

Sustaining a league off transfer fees for kids is just not going to work. Show me a league that works that way.

You need meaningful tv deals and prize money and crowds.

Hoping liverpool or celtic supporters are going to throw money at the LOI is not plausible. Private investors throwing money at a black hole probably only happened at rovers because they got a great stadium from the council.

We are small timers, the football association’s debt is a long way towards 100 million, the national team still doesn’t have a sponsor or a marketable player.

Let’s be real about it

If you reread my post again i said that would be step one, to finally get proper transfer fees for players. That is starting to happen.

If i take your last point, should we just give up on international football then or trying to make the LOI better? I and other posters have listed the work that has started to try get Ireland back up to levels of the past but your attitude seems to be "whats the point". Without a functioning league here we will never progress. We dont need a huge league we need 20-24 clubs getting crowds of 3/4/5000 regularly. That is enough to sustain and grow a professional league.

So many of my own friends and family slag off the LOI but havent watched or attended a game at all. Some of the games and goals ive seen so far this year has been top class. Irish football fans think nothing of spending €250 a couple of times a year to go to the UK but would not spend €10/15/20 to go to an LOI game because its "muck" according to them.

athlone99

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

what 11 do people expect? id have expected maybe 3-5-2 if coleman was fit or will o'connor be put out rwb and manning on the left?

I think he might go back to the 4-2-3-1. I think he tried the 3-5-2 but it didnt really work and the players playing in that formations at clubs were poor in my opinion. Long term i think a back 4 is a better option.

Randolph
Doherty - O'Shea - Egan - Manning/McClean
Cullen - Hourihane
Knight - McGrath - Robinson/Connolly
Connolly/Robinson

Did you smash it

athlone99 wrote: »

If you reread my post again i said that would be step one, to finally get proper transfer fees for players. That is starting to happen.

It’s not starting to happen.

Jack Byrne was by far the best player in the league. His transfer fee was a free to Apoel.

Mantis Toboggan

So are we at the stage yet where failure to best Andorra tonight should be an automatic sacking?

Did you smash it

athlone99 wrote: »

I think he might go back to the 4-2-3-1. I think he tried the 3-5-2 but it didnt really work and the players playing in that formations at clubs were poor in my opinion. Long term i think a back 4 is a better option.

Randolph
Doherty - O'Shea - Egan - Manning/McClean
Cullen - Hourihane
Knight - McGrath - Robinson/Connolly
Connolly/Robinson

Randolph, Robinson and Connolly aren’t there.

Did you smash it

athlone99 wrote: »

Ok grand, the player who scored the winner and is playing champions league football, in tight games a player with a touch of class can be the difference. The rest play in the Belgian, Germany, Portugal and Ukrainian leagues.

If anything we are the ones with players playing in the dregs of the English lower leagues.

Transfer markt give the total transfer value of Luxembourg’s squad as 19 million. Ireland is 77 million.

athlone99

Did you smash it wrote: »

It’s not starting to happen.

Jack Byrne was by far the best player in the league. His transfer fee was a free to Apoel.

Jack was out of contract and decided to leave, like many players do. There are many young players who have left for transfer fees so it is starting to happen. Some would argue McEneff was more important to Shams and he left for a fee.

Did you smash it wrote: »

Randolph, Robinson and Connolly aren’t there.

Sorry was looking at an old squad list, have zoned out of players pulling out of the Squad.
Bazunu in Goal, Curtis and Idah then to start up top.

athlone99

Did you smash it wrote: »

Transfer markt give the total transfer value of Luxembourg’s squad as 19 million. Ireland is 77 million.

And how does that make any difference to anything?

England have the most expensive squad at every major tournament and never win anything.

Brock Turnpike

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

what 11 do people expect? id have expected maybe 3-5-2 if coleman was fit or will o'connor be put out rwb and manning on the left?

A wild stab at best...


GK - Kelleher

CBs - Omobamidele, Egan, O'Shea

WBs - Doherty, Manning

DM - Cullen

CMs - Hourihane, McGrath

CFs - Idah, Parrott

Hard to know really. Does he go with his more experienced players against a minnow to try ensure a win to get the "no wins" monkey off his back? Or does he give newcomers a chance against the minnows,expecting a win and an easing into international football for them, and thereby picking a stronger side against a much stronger Hungary team in the following game?

Did you smash it

athlone99 wrote: »

And how does that make any difference to anything?

England have the most expensive squad at every major tournament and never win anything.

France are a one billion euro squad. They are the world champions.

Jack Byrne was player of the year. Left for nothing after not being tied down after a short contract. That’s what a small timer league looks like.

Kermit.de.frog

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

So are we at the stage yet where failure to best Andorra tonight should be an automatic sacking?

Should be gone already after our most humiliating result v Luxembourg but surely a failure to play Andorra and actually win the game would be the final straw even for the FAI.

LuckyLloyd

Lads we're going to hammer Andorra.

Scoundrel

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

we've had worse and by some distance.

I'm struggling to think of any?

bren2001

Scoundrel wrote: »

I'm struggling to think of any?

Cyprus 5-2.

Kermit.de.frog

bren2001 wrote: »

Cyprus 5-2.

I don't regard that as more embarrassing than losing at home in a world cup qualifier to Luxembourg.

The Luxembourg result is the most humiliating in Irish football history I can think of.

I'd place the Cyprus result in 3rd behind the 0-0 away to Liechtenstein in 1996 or whatever year that was.

athlone99

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I don't regard that as more embarrassing than losing at home in a world cup qualifier to Luxembourg.

The Luxembourg result is the most humiliating in Irish football history I can think of.

I'd place the Cyprus result in 3rd behind the 0-0 away to Liechtenstein in 1996 or whatever year that was.

You have to look at the quality in the squads, there is no comparison between the quality of the squad that got hammered by Cyprus and the squad that lost to Luxembourg. You just dont like SK and thats fine but to say losing to Luxembourg at home (a nation on the up) 1-0 to a goal scored by the only champions league player on the pitch is nonsense.

athlone99

Did you smash it wrote: »

France are a one billion euro squad. They are the world champions.

Jack Byrne was player of the year. Left for nothing after not being tied down after a short contract. That’s what a small timer league looks like.

So 1 high profile player left on a free so that makes the league a joke? Not to mention he was offered if rumors are to be believed 5k a week or thereabouts by Shams and is getting double or triple that at Apoel.

Multiple teams in the premier league have released players on a free does that mean its a small league?

johnnyryan89

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

what 11 do people expect? id have expected maybe 3-5-2 if coleman was fit or will o'connor be put out rwb and manning on the left?

I'd like for us to remain consistent and stick with three at the back as we'll probably be using it again in September, but think he'll go back to the 4-3-3 for these games:

.........................Kelleher

O'Connor - O'Shea - Egan - Manning

..........Knight - Molumby - Hourihane

............Ogbene - Idah - Horgan

I'd go with:

.....................Kelleher

.....O'Connor - Egan - O'Shea

Doherty - Knight - Cullen - Manning

....................McGrath

..............Ogbene - Idah

Did you smash it

athlone99 wrote: »

So 1 high profile player left on a free so that makes the league a joke? Not to mention he was offered if rumors are to be believed 5k a week or thereabouts by Shams and is getting double or triple that at Apoel.

Multiple teams in the premier league have released players on a free does that mean its a small league?

Teams in the premier league have been blown out of the water financially by teams in Cyprus have they?

The LoI is small timers. Doing their best but there is nothing to suggest the league can run off player development and transfer fees.

Like all clubs in all countries it needs primarily- tv deals, sponsorship, gate receipts to run smoothly.

Without those incomes, the LOI is going nowhere.

Kermit.de.frog

athlone99 wrote: »

You have to look at the quality in the squads, there is no comparison between the quality of the squad that got hammered by Cyprus and the squad that lost to Luxembourg. You just dont like SK and thats fine but to say losing to Luxembourg at home (a nation on the up) 1-0 to a goal scored by the only champions league player on the pitch is nonsense.

I have two issues with Kenny;

1. I think he is out of his depth at this level and I have little faith in him

2. He is taking the team to the other extreme opposite of the hoofball we've had to endure which we aren't capable of

You may enjoy more passing but we are going to keep being picked apart and conceding goals as soon as we lose the ball.

It may be 'prettier' to look at but you'll only see it in qualifying because we won't qualify for tournaments.

We need to mix it up more. It shouldn't be either/or.

athlone99

athlone99 wrote: »

But there is some and it can be improved. Step 1 get young players into LOI academies with the best playing at 17/18 and LOI teams getting proper transfer fees with that money then feeding back into the clubs and acadamies. They days of home farm or st.kevins gettin 20/30k to send a young lad to the UK needs to stop.

Did you smash it wrote: »

Teams in the premier league have been blown out of the water financially by teams in Cyprus have they?

The LoI is small timers. Doing their best but there is nothing to suggest the league can run off player development and transfer fees.

Like all clubs in all countries it needs primarily- tv deals, sponsorship, gate receipts to run smoothly.

Without those incomes, the LOI is going nowhere.

Again reread my original post. Where did i say team could be run off of transfer fees alone? I said Step 1 was to start getting proper transfer fees.

You said the league was small time because the player of the year last year left on a free. Your going round in circles trying to make your point. Any player in any league would leave for better money given the chance. Shams made a very good offer, player decided to leave.

athlone99

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I have two issues with Kenny;

1. I think he is out of his depth at this level and I have little faith in him

2. He is taking the team to the other extreme opposite of the hoofball we've had to endure which we aren't capable of

You may enjoy more passing but we are going to keep being picked apart and conceding goals as soon as we lose the ball.

It may be 'prettier' to look at but you'll only see it in qualifying because we won't qualify for tournaments.

We need to mix it up more. It shouldn't be either/or.

Ok grand, different opinions are what make football great.

Since 2002, Crap football has qualified us for 2 out 9 tournaments. I would rather qualify for 2 out of the next 9 tournaments playing better football that suits our players. All of our players are playing passing football with their clubs. To me its madness to then try and play a different way. And in 2016 we only got in because it was an expanded tournament, 2012 to me was a proper achievement to qualify even if we were embarrassed at it.

I've no problem mixing it up a bit but to do that we then need a striker who can hold up the ball and run the channels and we dont have that striker anymore so by trying to build out from the back and play to feet SK is trying to do something that suits the players he has.

noodler

athlone99 wrote: »

Ok grand, different opinions are what make football great.

Since 2002, Crap football has qualified us for 2 out 9 tournaments. I would rather qualify for 2 out of the next 9 tournaments playing better football that suits our players. All of our players are playing passing football with their clubs. To me its madness to then try and play a different way. And in 2016 we only got in because it was an expanded tournament, 2012 to me was a proper achievement to qualify even if we were embarrassed at it.

I've no problem mixing it up a bit but to do that we then need a striker who can hold up the ball and run the channels and we dont have that striker anymore so by trying to build out from the back and play to feet SK is trying to do something that suits the players he has.

I dunno about the simplistic crap label. If anything we played nice stuff under Kerr and still couldn't get a play off.


Since the more rigid stuff under Trap we have been to the play-offs four times and year qualified twice as you mentioned.

That means we were being competitive. We are no longer being competitive.

Scoundrel

bren2001 wrote: »

Cyprus 5-2.

Debateable as to whether that is worse it could be said to be equally as bad.

Has anyone read any of the posts here, for or against Kenny, and changed their minds?

I appreciate that people may have changed their minds. I was in favour of him but as I see just how he has to deal with a weak squad getting weaker, an FAI that can't even follow Covid regulations costing him important players in the most important game, and yet he is still determined to put hoofball behind us, my support has probably increased.

But that's from what I see. Just curious as to whether all the posts here have swayed anyone at all?

Kermit.de.frog

athlone99 wrote: »

is trying to do something that suits the players he has.

The problem is the opposite to hoof ball. In route one the other team is going to have the vast majority of possession in midfield and that's really annoying but at least for the most part they have to play their passing in front of us.

The way Kenny wants to play is much riskier because we are going to be exposed on the break over and over again against any half decent team. I don't think we have the players that can play that football continuously and get back in time defensively over 90 minutes.

I have no issue with ole football but my concern is there should be periods in the game to revert to route one. I have seen no sign of that in any of the games so far under Kenny.

dr.kenneth noisewater

The 5-2 loss to Cyprus was far worse. Dunne, O'Shea, Keane, and Duff were far better than any players currently available. Finnan, McGeady, Ireland or Kilbane at that time would probably be better than anyone in the current setup as well.

athlone99

noodler wrote: »

I dunno about the simplistic crap label. If anything we played nice stuff under Kerr and still couldn't get a play off.


Since the more rigid stuff under Trap we have been to the play-offs four times and year qualified twice as you mentioned.

That means we were being competitive. We are no longer being competitive.

But i'm of the opinion we will be more competitive for the Euros campaign as the new style of play has bedded in.

Here's an extreme but comparable example. When Pep took over at City, they made so many mistakes in the first season, everyone in the media was laughing at them, saying you cant play this way in England, etc,etc but now they are lauded as one of the best teams ever.

I'm definitely not saying SK is Pep or we have players like City but if its given time i think it can and will improve.

Lets not forget MON got the team to the Euros but 6 months later was booed out of the Aviva because the football was crap. Nobody is playing long ball, up and at them football anymore, its all about control and passing out from the back.

Mantis Toboggan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Should be gone already after our most humiliating result v Luxembourg but surely a failure to play Andorra and actually win the game would be the final straw even for the FAI.

Yeah but not sure the FAI can afford to sack him. Surely winning comfortably tonight though, there's more people in offaly than there is in Andorra.

Was nice idea to organise friendlies against Andorra and Hungry.

athlone99

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

The problem is the opposite to hoof ball. In route one the other team is going to have the vast majority of possession in midfield and that's really annoying but at least for the most part they have to play their passing in front of us.

The way Kenny wants to play is much riskier because we are going to be exposed on the break over and over again against any half decent team. I don't think we have the players that can play that football continuously and get back in time defensively over 90 minutes.

I have no issue with ole football but my concern is there should be periods in the game to revert to route one. I have seen no sign of that in any of the games so far under Kenny.

Ya i can see that. But the way SK thinks is he thinks its more pragmatic to hold onto the ball and try passing it around than giving it back to the opposition and just trying to defend.

I think if he has a decent 6'2" striker who's playing games he would go longer at times but all our main forwards are small so if we do go long we are generally always going to lose the ball.

By us keeping the ball he wants to reduce the risk of us conceding.

Worst result?

The 0-0 with Liechtenstein. We were ranked 9th in the world. 9th!

It preceded a run of 3 losses from 4 games, saw us overtaken by Portugal and fail to qualify for Euro 96 (can you imagine what that would have meant for the Irish in England), a playoff defeat to the Netherlands, and the end of an era for Charlton and a few of the players like Aldridge that had given us so many happy memories.

A complete disaster.

Scoundrel

Deleted User wrote: »

Has anyone read any of the posts here, for or against Kenny, and changed their minds?

I appreciate that people may have changed their minds. I was in favour of him but as I see just how he has to deal with a weak squad getting weaker, an FAI that can't even follow Covid regulations costing him important players in the most important game, and yet he is still determined to put hoofball behind us, my support has probably increased.

But that's from what I see. Just curious as to whether all the posts here have swayed anyone at all?

Yeah I'm torn between two camps really there are some on here and outside of here who think that any criticism of Kenny is heretical and that we shouldn't be allowed to mention how we have no wins in 11 and 9 absolutely putrid performances amongst that 11.

The other camp hated Kenny from the start and actively want him to fail which for me is completely wrong and these people want us to go back to the painful anti football hoofing which Kenny to his credit is trying to eradicate and encourage us to play football which is the right thing to do.

My own opinion is to give Kenny more time but that results have to pick up and pick up soon or else he should be in real danger of the sack.

Kermit.de.frog

athlone99 wrote: »

Ya i can see that. But the way SK thinks is he thinks its more pragmatic to hold onto the ball and try passing it around than giving it back to the opposition and just trying to defend.

I think if he has a decent 6'2" striker who's playing games he would go longer at times but all our main forwards are small so if we do go long we are generally always going to lose the ball.

By us keeping the ball he wants to reduce the risk of us conceding.

I see the intent. I just don't think anyone believes we have the quality of players in midfield to keep that up for 90 minutes.

The game against Serbia is instructive here. Some nice football at times - yes, but at the end of the day we lost the game.

That's what matters.

On strikers of course I agree but it is a little concerning to see some player management issues popping up. We can't afford to lose any talent over carelessness.

athlone99

Scoundrel wrote: »

Yeah I'm torn between two camps really there are some on here and outside of here who think that any criticism of Kenny is heretical and that we shouldn't be allowed to mention how we have no wins in 11 and 9 absolutely putrid performances amongst that 11.

The other camp hated Kenny from the start and actively want him to fail which for me is completely wrong and these people want us to go back to the painful anti football hoofing which Kenny to his credit is trying to eradicate and encourage us to play football which is the right thing to do.

My own opinion is to give Kenny more time but that results have to pick up and pick up soon or else he should be in real danger of the sack.

I'm hugely in favor of SK but he shouldn't be immune from criticism. He has made mistakes and i hope he has learned from them. I think he should get the Euros campaign or at least the first 5/6 games and they lost most of them and didnt play well , then it would be time to move on.

Personally i dont think we will ever qualify for a WC again unless a world class generation comes along. We should almost always qualify for the Euros or at a minimum make the playoffs for those. Thats my bar for success.

athlone99

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I see the intent. I just don't think anyone believes we have the quality of players in midfield to keep that up for 90 minutes.

The game against Serbia is instructive here. Some nice football at times - yes, but at the end of the day we lost the game.

That's what matters.

On strikers of course I agree but it is a little concerning to see some player management issues popping up. We can't afford to lose any talent over carelessness.

The Serbia game, i thought we were good for 60 mins and then fitness and talent off of the bench told. As much as we can talk about SK and formations etc, if players aren't getting games at their clubs there's only so much a manager can do. We need all our players playing 90mins week in week out for the national team to have a chance.

On your last point are you referencing Obafemi not being in the squad? SK is known for his man management at club level.

Scoundrel

athlone99 wrote: »

I'm hugely in favor of SK but he shouldn't be immune from criticism. He has made mistakes and i hope he has learned from them. I think he should get the Euros campaign or at least the first 5/6 games and they lost most of them and didnt play well , then it would be time to move on.

Personally i dont think we will ever qualify for a WC again unless a world class generation comes along. We should almost always qualify for the Euros or at a minimum make the playoffs for those. Thats my bar for success.

Yeah I think he should get to start the euros qualification myself as well and hopefully it goes well. WC is being extended to 48 I think? We should be aiming for a playoff to qualify for them as well although as you say euros much more realistic.

Scoundrel

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Yeah but not sure the FAI can afford to sack him. Surely winning comfortably tonight though, there's more people in offaly than there is in Andorra.

Was nice idea to organise friendlies against Andorra and Hungry.

Hungary qualified for Euros so I wouldn't be lumping them in with Andorra now to be fair.

athlone99

Scoundrel wrote: »

Yeah I think he should get to start the euros qualification myself as well and hopefully it goes well. WC is being extended to 48 I think? We should be aiming for a playoff to qualify for them as well although as you say euros much more realistic.

It is proposed to be extended but i think only 2 extra places for European teams. Open to correction on that but i think that's what it is.

johnnyryan89

Scoundrel wrote: »

Yeah I think he should get to start the euros qualification myself as well and hopefully it goes well. WC is being extended to 48 I think? We should be aiming for a playoff to qualify for them as well although as you say euros much more realistic.

World Cup is being extended but Europe only get three extra slots.