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

Brock Turnpike

I think Kenny obviously has a huge job on his hands. I think we're caught between a bunch of players who weren't good enough or are past their prime, and having a potentially good group of youngsters almost ready to come in, and Kenny has a balancing act there because he can't just bin off all the old players from the outset. However, I hope the games have shown him that, having been given a chance, a number of the players aren't up to it.

I'm happy with his style of play generally. We look much better on the ball, and we always try to play football rather than treating it like a hand grenade with the pin removed like we did under Mick and MON (laterly). However, I do think we need a creative midfielder in the team if he's going to persist with the formation and approach. Having McCarthy, Hendrick and Hourihane in midfield will mean we create very little as they are really just three plodders.

I think he's been very unlucky with Covid-19 and injuries also. We never got to play McGoldrick and Connolly together for example and I think that could've made a difference in the playoffs. We don't have any real depth in our squad so losing Coleman, Stevens, McCarthy, Egan, Connolly and Robinson for this set of games is obviously going to have an impact.

I think setting the England game aside (which was a mismatch) we've either held our own or been the better side for nearly every game. Our problem is we just cannot convert the chances we're getting. If we continue to play as we are and add goals to it, things will look much better. We are never going to be hammering teams of a similar level to us, we only ever win by a single goal or draw with the teams in and around us. Unfortunately because we can't score right now that's turned into draws and narrow defeats rather than narrow wins and draws.

I do think a win against Bulgaria would be a big result as it would both ease the early pressure on Kenny and give the players a bit of confidence.

Central midfield against Bulgaria will be very interesting now due to suspensions as he only has:

Hourihane
Brady
Byrne
Cullen (wasn't even named on the bench tonight)

To choose from. Could be an interesting midfield. Really hope we can get a win. I hope he doesn't hold the poor pass (Hendrick sending off) by Byrne against him. He created more chances in his ten minutes on the pitch than Hourihane and Hendrick have for the whole of SKs time in charge.

simongurnick

We haven't scored in 6 games. How can you be happy with the style of play. I'm 40 years old and this is the worst I've ever seen.

Pawwed Rig

I am looking forward to the Bulgaria game. With Hendrick out the midfield set up should be a bit different.
I am not sure what Idah offers at the moment. A couple of times the ball came to him and he wasn't ready to receive it. Might yet be a good player but needs time imo.

Re Doherty - there was much criticism of precious managers who stuck with Coleman over MD. He has now had a good run to prove himself and tbf has done reasonably well. That said I wouldn't mind Coleman back as an option.
Duffy - I am not sure he can play in this system. We have lots of options at centre back. Time to try a different pairing? Egan starts if fit imo.

Mantis Toboggan

simongurnick wrote: »

We haven't scored in 6 games. How can you be happy with the style of play. I'm 40 years old and this is the worst I've ever seen.

Ah yeah but we've passed it around a bit and have had some possession.

Zico !

worst set of players and manager in my lifetime

TheCitizen

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I'd keep Collins in the team just for a bit of a presence, which unfortunately Idah just doesn't have yet. Understandably, he's only 19 and being asked to be a back-to-goal lone frontman.

Love to see us just try to do something different next game though, because why not? We're experiencing groundhog day right now...

---

Randolph

---

Long----Duffy

---

O'Shea

---

Cullen---Hourihane
Doherty

---

Byrne

---

McClean

---

Collins---Idah

Far from my first choice 11, but considering the injuries, illnesses, family emergencies, and suspensions...

He needs a win. If he put that team out he should definitely be sacked.

TheCitizen

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I am looking forward to the Bulgaria game. With Hendrick out the midfield set up should be a bit different.
I am not sure what Idah offers at the moment. A couple of times the ball came to him and he wasn't ready to receive it. Might yet be a good player but needs time imo.

Re Doherty - there was much criticism of precious managers who stuck with Coleman over MD. He has now had a good run to prove himself and tbf has done reasonably well. That said I wouldn't mind Coleman back as an option.
Duffy - I am not sure he can play in this system. We have lots of options at centre back. Time to try a different pairing? Egan starts if fit imo.

Seeing this a lot about Duffy. Duffy has been poor for Celtic and was dropped as a result. He did nothing wrong for Ireland yesterday, in fact he played well, yet we have people here calling for him to be dropped? You’d wonder how many of them actually watched the game

Agent Coulson

Time to get Big Sam in a nice way for him to bookend his managerial career starting in the league of Ireland 30 years ago and finishing it as Ireland manager.

sterz

TheCitizen wrote: »

He needs a win. If he put that team out he should definitely be sacked.

You weren't long in changing your mind.

secman

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Time to get Big Sam in a nice way for him to bookend his managerial career starting in the league of Ireland 30 years ago and finishing it as Ireland manager.

God....NO ..he's out of work for a reason...dinosaur stuff.

The_Kew_Tour

Bring back Big Mick where we can struggle go beat a team that could not score against 10 man San Marino.

Ole....

TheCitizen

sterz wrote: »

You weren't long in changing your mind.

I doubt very much He’s putting that team out that the poster suggested. I don’t see what you’re getting at there.

Also that was a month ago and his team is continuing to lose every game. In my view he needs to beat Bulgaria. It appears that the FAI will give him the World Cup qualification campaign regardless but he’s not building any credit in the bank by losing all these games.

yourdeadwright

What ever happens we NEED to play 2 up top ,
4 3 3 does not work with our set of players he needs to get someone in and around whoever is starting as our 9

I'v banged on plenty about 3 5 2 or 5 3 2 but I don't actually care what system it is as long as our number 9 has somebody close to him ,

Its like Kenny has watched Liverpool , City or the likes and thought ah ye that's a great way to play and doesn't care that we have no players to actually make it work ,

8-10

Zico ! wrote: »

worst set of players and manager in my lifetime

Are you under 13?

Colin Doyle

Stephen Kelly - Alan Bennett - Alex Bruce - Stephen O'Halloran

Andy Keogh - Stephen Hunt - Darren Potter - Kevin Kilbane

Kevin Doyle - Daryl Murphy

With Steve Staunton managing and Joe Lapira coming off the bench for a historic 1-1 draw with Ecuador

johnnyryan89

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

You say hoof ball as if it automatically equates to direct football.
Hoofball is just direct football played badly simple as.

Idah is no midget if he had decent support he could cause havoc.
Brooks scored for Wales and he is no giant - goal following a direct passage of play. Ball in, Header Bale, header Brooks - simple.

All this 'hoofball' talk you have betrays your hopeful belief that passing the ball more, is the only panacea to Ireland's ills.

There is no grey with you no nuance - all black or white.

Passing ball on ground = good

Direct football = hoofball

--
--

Wrong way of looking at it the passes have to be meaningful - direct or short.
Jack Charlton played balls into the corners there was a strategy and a plan. It was not pure hoofball.

Please show me where in my post I said or hinted 'passing ball on ground = good and direct football = bad'. Please explain to me where I said we don't have the players to play effective direct football, like when we had Jonathan Walters, automatically means that I think any attempt at direct football is automatically hoofball.

You'll even find posts of mine talking about how MONs reign turned to **** in the end because we were still trying to play as if Daryl Murphy and Jonathan Walters were in attack, but instead you had Duffy aimlessly launching balls beyond Long, McClean etc to chase or either hitting them into touch. Basically hoofing the ball away.

So please show me were not having the players to effectively play a direct style means that I think all direct football = hoofball.

You'll also even find a post from me talking about how managers like Jürgen Klopp are being praised for using the high press effectively but Jack Charlton gets no praise when he had Ireland utilising a high press 30 years. So you're basically talking **** and might as well put me on ignore if you're going to read this post and just make up what you think I meant again.

johnnyryan89

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I am looking forward to the Bulgaria game. With Hendrick out the midfield set up should be a bit different.
I am not sure what Idah offers at the moment. A couple of times the ball came to him and he wasn't ready to receive it. Might yet be a good player but needs time imo.

With the U21s campaign over I hope Kenny calls up Parrott to even give him a run out in the second half. Nothing against Idah but feel Parrott is better than him playing with his back to goal and can hold the ball up better than him. Kenny even made reference to this in describing him as the closet striker we've got to McGoldricks style whose a big lose to us as our target man/playmaker in the final third.

Francie Barrett

8-10 wrote: »

Are you under 13?



With Steve Staunton managing and Joe Lapira coming off the bench for a historic 1-1 draw with Ecuador

The squad selected for the US tour was deliberately experimental with the mind to give some fringe players a chance.

To be honest, I feel like it mightn't be a bad idea for Kenny to do something similar at some point. Especially if he's struggling to nail down a first eleven.

8-10

Francie Barrett wrote: »

The squad selected for the US tour was deliberately experimental with the mind to give some fringe players a chance.

To be honest, I feel like it mightn't be a bad idea for Kenny to do something similar at some point. Especially if he's struggling to nail down a first eleven.

True but I can't imagine someone who'd prefer Staunton to Kenny right now. Give him time before saying he's the worst manager of a generation

Zico !

8-10 wrote: »

Are you under 13?



With Steve Staunton managing and Joe Lapira coming off the bench for a historic 1-1 draw with Ecuador

a one off experimental team for a mickey mouse game good wan

8-10

Zico ! wrote: »

a one off experimental team for a mickey mouse game good wan

Yeah in general though I still think outlook is better now than under Stan

Francie Barrett

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

With the U21s campaign over I hope Kenny calls up Parrott to even give him a run out in the second half.

I wouldn't be that quick to call up Parrott. It was his mistake against Iceland that ended our qualification hopes for the u21's.

https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/1327980654546530304

Richard Hillman

So if we lose to Bulgaria this week we are relegated to Division C. We are very likely out of the frame for a nations league play off for WC2022 qualifying. What are the benefits from actually winning or drawing this game? Does it not improve our chances for Euro2024 qualifying if we get relegated?

MrMusician18

simongurnick wrote: »

We haven't scored in 6 games. How can you be happy with the style of play. I'm 40 years old and this is the worst I've ever seen.

Hire atrocity league, get atrocity league. I don't know why anyone is surprised, I'm not.

Is this worse than the Stan era? Potentially.

RonanG86

Before people decided that SK is worse than "Da Gaffer", cos we loves a bit of hyperbole, it's worth noting that Stan had roughly twice the ability in his squad to call on. Doyle, Keane, Given, Dunne, Finnan, O'Shea, Ireland, Duff etc. at their peaks. What would we give for a couple of them now? Or even Carsley and Morrison?

Actually even that 'bad' team against Ecuador has at least 4 players that'd be automatic starters in the current side.

Tchaikovsky

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Hire atrocity league, get atrocity league. I don't know why anyone is surprised, I'm not.

Is this worse than the Stan era? Potentially.

Haha, good one. Because it's 'airtricity', but you said 'atrocity', thereby conveying your contempt for the national league in a very clever way.

RonanG86

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

Haha, good one. Because it's 'airtricity', but you said 'atrocity', thereby conveying your contempt for the national league in a very clever way.

Absolutely side splitting wasn't it?

johnnyryan89

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Hire atrocity league, get atrocity league. I don't know why anyone is surprised, I'm not.

Is this worse than the Stan era? Potentially.

Airtricity, atrocity. That's cute. Did you think of that all by yourself. Doesn't really work when the North have had an "atrocity" manager the last 8years and the Finland team that's been playing well the last four years have a manager whose only club experience was one season in Finland 17years ago followed by 6 years as U21s manager and 5 years assistant with the senior team.

gormdubhgorm

Zico ! wrote: »

worst set of players and manager in my lifetime

I agree on the players jury is out on the manager though. Given how much of an overhaul is being attempted and such an unusual year it has been. I think Kenny deserves a year at least. Plus the FAI finance's are a shambles can't dump him would be silly on many levels.

MrMusician18

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Hire atrocity league, get atrocity league. I don't know why anyone is surprised, I'm not.

Is this worse than the Stan era? Potentially.

Mr. Musician here previously said he was pleased with the Slovakia result as he dislikes Kenny.

I've seen posts here from at least one other saying s/he only watched Irish games to see us lose, again because of Kenny.

It's disappointing to see people stoop to that level...

DM_7

Deleted User wrote: »

Mr. Musician here previously said he was pleased with the Slovakia result as he dislikes Kenny.

I've seen posts here from at least one other saying s/he only watched Irish games to see us lose, again because of Kenny.

It's disappointing to see people stoop to that level...

Mod:
Thanks Conor74.

Lets move on from the poorly chosen name to be posted for the league.

For info if posters want to be pleased by a bad result they are welcome to be and should not be criticised for their own views if put forward respectfully, but they should not really post such things (wanting a team to lose) on a super thread for that team as it is unlikely to be seen as respectful and likely to be viewed as against the charter.

sterz

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I wouldn't be that quick to call up Parrott. It was his mistake against Iceland that ended our qualification hopes for the u21's.

https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/1327980654546530304

Ha, are you going to suggest Kenny drops Jack Byrne too?

Kingp35

sterz wrote: »

Ha, are you going to suggest Kenny drops Jack Byrne too?

He has to actually start him first before he could drop him.

MrMusician18

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

Haha, good one. Because it's 'airtricity', but you said 'atrocity', thereby conveying your contempt for the national league in a very clever way.

That's it exactly, glad you got the joke. I can't claim it as an original of mine though.

Poster above said Kenny should get a year. No wins in seven and no goals in six. Suppose it's good for the FAI budget in that they won't have the expense of sending the team to a tournament in the medium term.

sterz

Kingp35 wrote: »

He has to actually start him first before he could drop him.

Clearly I meant from the squad.

Francie Barrett

sterz wrote: »

Ha, are you going to suggest Kenny drops Jack Byrne too?

Byrne made a mistake when we were losing and chasing a game. Not ideal, but these things happen. Parrott's mistake is less forgivable. There were 2 minutes on the clock and we just had to play out for the draw.

sterz

Ok cool. Unlucky Parrott.

loyatemu

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I agree on the players jury is out on the manager though. Given how much of an overhaul is being attempted and such an unusual year it has been. I think Kenny deserves a year at least. Plus the FAI finance's are a shambles can't dump him would be silly on many levels.

I agree - the Nation's League is at best "semi-competitive" football, and it's being playing in empty stadiums. Comparisons with the Stan era are unfair, Stan hadn't a clue and no plan whatsoever. Kenny clearly has a plan, whether that plan is feasible with the paucity of talent currently available to him is debatable, but he should be given more time under the circumstances.

Kermit.de.frog

RonanG86 wrote: »

Before people decided that SK is worse than "Da Gaffer", cos we loves a bit of hyperbole, it's worth noting that Stan had roughly twice the ability in his squad to call on. Doyle, Keane, Given, Dunne, Finnan, O'Shea, Ireland, Duff etc. at their peaks. What would we give for a couple of them now? Or even Carsley and Morrison?

Actually even that 'bad' team against Ecuador has at least 4 players that'd be automatic starters in the current side.

The quality of our players has been in constant slow decline since 2002 really if you look back.

~Rebel~

TheCitizen wrote: »

He needs a win. If he put that team out he should definitely be sacked.

Was your problem the 3-5-2, or the player selection? Keep in mind that from the squad that was called up for these matches, all of Coleman, Egan, McCarthy, Hendrick, Arter, Browne, Molumby, Connolly, and Robinson have since been ruled out.

CantGetNoSleep

Zico ! wrote: »

a one off experimental team for a mickey mouse game good wan

And they even scored a goal

johnnyryan89

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

Doherty and McClean out of Bulgaria due to Covid. Laughable.

Lovely, so that's something like 12 players from the original squad named that are out now.

Brock Turnpike

Talon Calm Bobsled wrote: »

Doherty and McClean out of Bulgaria due to Covid. Laughable.

What's laughable about it?

Christy Browne

What the f*ck is going on in our camps that we’re getting so many players testing positive for Covid? It surely can’t be just bad luck at this stage, it’s gone beyond ridiculous. No other national team has been this badly affected.

roverjoyce

From the outside, looks like the manager has lost the players already
Have they checked out?

Kingp35

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

What's laughable about it?

Laughable in a 'what the hell are they doing' kind of way.

How are so many of our players testing positive? Do we have a covid compliance officer? If we do then we need to sack them asap!

Wuff Wuff

Christy Browne wrote: »

What the f*ck is going on in our camps that we’re getting so many players testing positive for Covid? It surely can’t be just bad luck at this stage, it’s gone beyond ridiculous. No other national team has been this badly affected.

they sit too close together and nobody tells them to move

Sin City

Christy Browne wrote: »

What the f*ck is going on in our camps that we’re getting so many players testing positive for Covid? It surely can’t be just bad luck at this stage, it’s gone beyond ridiculous. No other national team has been this badly affected.

Not true norway have to replace their full squad for their next match. But yeah its ridiculously

Tchaikovsky

Because we're in the middle of a global pandemic of a highly contagious virus and the club season has had to squeeze 2/3 games in per week, leading to more injuries.

Christy Browne

Sin City wrote: »

Not true norway have to replace their full squad for their next match. But yeah its ridiculously

Because one lad tested positive, they changed their whole squad as a precaution. Nobody has had as many positive cases as us.

Duff

I heard it was Covid-1916 McClean has tested positive for.