Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173839#Comment_118173839

Next month (16th). Thankfully we cannot be drawn with Serbia as we're both third seeds. Toughest possible group would be : Sweden, Scotland and Slovenia. Best case group would be Iceland, Finland and Armenia

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173787#Comment_118173787

It wasn't a perfectly good goal. Duffy clears that ball everyday of the week and twice on Sundays if he's not fouled. Ref had his whistle in his mouth waiting to blow but lets play go on like officials have started to do since VAR was introduced. Blows for the free after the goal went in because maybe officials are in his ear highlighting the foul which he was going to blow for.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173822#Comment_118173822

The poster is not rewriting history Ireland were very shaky for about 70 mins, it was only a mix of Luxembourg's inadequacies and Bazunu wonder saves that kept Ireland in the game . The Luxembourg goal was ruled out, yes. But it looked very soft. As others have said if it was the other way around and Ireland had a goal ruled out like that people would be raging. As the phrase goes 'I have seen them given'.

Yeah, the last 20 mins were good. But it was fortunate because Duffy who was (defensively shaky) scored from a debatable free. The pressure was lifted. Credit to Kenny for throwing Knight on - can't complain there. But overall Ireland's performance against Luxembourg was not great. Let's call a spade a spade.

When Duffy's goal went in Luxembourg's heads dropped - (similar to Ireland when Ronaldo scored) the wind went out of them. The Luxembourg result was one of those where, the 3-0 scoreline does not tell the whole story. Yet we have people like Lisa Fallon going on about 'hearts and minds' won. I don't get that. Not convinced. Which is why it is a 'wait and see' still for me. If Ireland play like they did against Luxembourg against better sides/ or even on par they would have the game lost in that first 70 simple as that.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173601#Comment_118173601

Who said anything about it being great?

The finish to the campaign was promising with entertaining football on display and turning performances into results.

The minimum expectation is that we played to our seeding, and we did that. We finished third in the group despite an abysmal start.

Why would you decide now that we need to change when momentum is swinging positively in our favour?

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173785#Comment_118173785

I disagree I think Duffy playing out from the back is a disaster waiting to happen. It should not be done he should not be encouraged to do it - awkward slow and ponderous when he does. No harm in Duffy clearing danger.

On the closing down - technical teams do not like it makes them make mistakes.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173915#Comment_118173915

The Kenny out crowd are trying to push this narrative that we are all LOI/Kenny fanatics and not just people who are pragmatic about our current managerial options or squad.

Reminds me of US election night when the rampant Trump fanatics couldn't get their head round the fact that the opposition were not crazed Biden fans but just people who thought Trump was an ejit. Fanatics seem to think everyone else must be equally fanatical

PokeHerKing

The Luxembour game was absolutely in the balance for the first 70 minutes or so, could have been 1 nil to us, 1 nil to them or 3-2 to us. Absolutely in no way shape or form where we lucky to be in the game though.

We then scored the first goal and completely dominated after that and scored two more, winning convincingly.

It's just pure bias/stupidity to claim it happened any other way.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173787#Comment_118173787

That's not true at all though. Luxembourg were better from minute 0-5 and 45-60. Outside of that we were the better side and had our chances.

If they should have been two up then by that measure we should have been 3 up with chances for Ogbene, Egan and Robinson. It's an awful dozy line of thinking really.

PokeHerKing

Just checked the stats there, 17 shots to 8 for Ireland and 7 shots to 2 on target for Ireland.

So the scoreline should have been 7-2 to Ireland for all the posters that think that's how football works.

Imo, 15/16/17 points would have been a good marker,and we'd not have been far off second.

Luxembourg and Azerbaijan should be 12 points in the bag (We got 7). Even 10 points here ffs.

Then try to get 5/6 points from the 12 against the two other teams (We got 2). You're in the mix then. If you miss out then, you can say it was a decent effort. What actually happened was not a decent effort. It was essentially over a few games in. That's unforgivable.

Portugal won 5 games and qualified as a comparison.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174031#Comment_118174031

This is only true if you believe an Irish team full of league 1 players/bench warmers have a god given right to beat lux/Azerbaijan home and away.

Anyone with half a brain would know they don't have any such right.

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173763#Comment_118173763

For the last 5 or 6 games thats exactly what they have been doing, "mixing it up". Glad we have come to a consensus that what you are asking for is exactly what the team have been doing for the last 5 or 6 games.

Regarding Duffy, I assume you are writing strongly worded letters to Graham Potter demanding he sell Duffy asap seen as he cant play football at the highest level at his club? Seen as the premier league is a higher standard to international football.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173787#Comment_118173787

Ireland should have had a pen in the first half, they were good for 15 mins then Ireland were the better team and they were the better team for the 1st 15mins of the second half. It was a foul on Duffy, soft but a foul so it should not have been a goal. Nice job of twisting facts to suit your narrative. No coverage i have read backs up your opinion, Luxembourg were good in small patches but apart from that Ireland were the better team and deserved the win in the end.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173794#Comment_118173794

So once again you are backing up my points. 3/5 at the back to suit the players we have, Duffy is doing the same thing he is doing at club level, likewise Egan and Coleman has played in a 3 last year with Everton. How many long passes were played the other night and against Portugal? Are you so blinded by your dislike for Kenny that you cannot see whats right in front of you? Ireland under Kenny are a different team now to year ago.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174031#Comment_118174031

15-17 points??

If we get all 12 points against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan then we have 14 points. Where do you suppose the other 1-3 come from? Portugal finished on 17 points. You think finishing at the same number of points as Portugal is what he should have achieved?

Look at all the 5-team groups. Serbia, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, France and Belgium are the only ones who scored 15 points or more and you expect that to be the minumum expectation for a team that is rebuilding with a mix of players not playing for their clubs and others playing in lower leagues?

The entitlement is unreal if you think beating Serbia/Portugal at home or taking points off them away should be the minimum expectation. Genuinely baffling.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174077#Comment_118174077

I have already covered the Brighton issue re - Duffy twice at this stage. Duffy playing with ball playing defenders etc (shipped to Celtic why ? - White etc).

3/5 at the back suit the players - but trying to play keep ball doesn't - to do so a team needs a creative midfield that the ball can stick to - Everton have Dacoure - who is a jack of all trades - Brighton have Bissouma similar.

With Ireland it just ends up with them playing themselves into trouble IMO because of the lack of midfield. Against better sides now I am talking about or ones on par. People wonder why Doherty/Coleman were not as effective as WB's for Ireland. The answer is the midfield they play with is not up to scratch. Which means you have a defence with nowhere to go with the ball. It gets very disjointed fast and it is very easy to play against for the opposition.

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173828#Comment_118173828

Name a realistic name to replace Kenny. Stop talking waffle and name someone, anyone that makes sense.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174031#Comment_118174031

15 points would essentially be at least a playoff, considering Portugal finished on 17 and you’re looking to take more points off them.

Its bizarre to hold Kenny and a young team to that standard. To get your target of 5 points against Serbia and Portugal, teams that are streets ahead of us, you need to at least win one of those games. Considering our last win against a higher ranked side was probably 4 years ago it’s a ridiculously high bar.

Are you really saying that your minimum expectation is to perform ahead of our seeding by getting to a playoff with a win against Serbia or Portugal?

johnnyryan89

Derby hit with a further points deduction today and look definite certs for League One now. Can see Derby looking to cash in on their biggest assets come January and Knight is probably their biggest asset.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174125#Comment_118174125

I already said Mick McCarthy is available if Kenny has not pushed on between now and the end of his contract. Ireland needs an experienced manager, who can get a team organised defensively - used to working with technically limited players. Giving Ireland a much better chance of making a play off in future and playing to the team's strengths. I am not sure Kenny can do that given how he wants his team to play, and given the players available.

If MM or a similar manager is not available - fine Keep Kenny if there is not a better calibre manager suitable.

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174121#Comment_118174121

Ok so, how many goals were conceded directly by playing the ball out from the back?

We do not have currently a creative midfielder but Kenny's idea of pragmatic is to keep the ball, others idea of pragmatic is to kick it away and defend. I know which i prefer.

Where is Duffy now? Yes you covered it twice but you keep referencing last year. Its well known know that Duffy had issues in his personal life (Dad passed away) which would be one of the main reasons his form went to Sh1t.

So when you watch the premier league/championship and the teams the Irish lads play for, how many of them lump the ball long? You've been listening to Trap/MON/Mick for too long. Thank feck Kenny instills confidence in the players. If they listened to your opinion they should all retire.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174022#Comment_118174022

Ya but somehow it's "only" because of our keeper that we won 😂

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174169#Comment_118174169

I said realistic. MM is finished. Was a great Ireland manager in his 1st spell, decent at club level but in the last 10 years he has gone down hill rapidly.

Why change from a passing style back to long ball? A realistic option would be someone who would continue what Kenny has started not going backwards again. Or are you suggesting the FAI need to rip up the player development plan and just go pragmatic, long ball football and stay cavemen?

Morzadec

Looking at some of the break out players of this campaign, the team really is exceptionally young, with multiple players teenagers or only just into their 20s. Bazunu and Omobamidele (both 19) look like genuine stars in my opinion who I think will be Premier League starters in the next few years, with so many other promising players looking capable too in that age bracket, and another couple a little older in their mid 20s.

It looks like this team's peak could be possibly be between the 2026 and 2030 world cups when these talented youngsters are approaching 30.

I usually don't follow Ireland under ages. I remember a friend raving about Rice and Grealish a few years ago and it just didn't interest me much for some reason - I think because the Irish team for years didn't excite me. But this Irish team is different - they genuinely have me excited about the future and I'm interested to learn more about other youngsters coming through.

How might our team look towards the end of this decade? Any predictions or knowledge of hidden gems coming through?

Here's an attempt at a first XI with their ages in summer 2026 if we somehow managed to make the World Cup:

------------------------------Bazunu (24)-------------------------

--------Omobamidele (24)----Collins (25)----O'Shea (27)-------

Ebolsele (23)--------Cullen (30)------Molumby (27)----- ??????

-------------Knight (25)-------------------Connolly (26)-----------

-----------------------------Robinson (31)-----------------------------

I'm not sure if we have any promising players coming through at left wing/left full? I think it's a crucial position in the system to have a natural left-footer there but Stevens and McClean are getting on now. I don't know much about Ebosele but have heard promising things and to be on the edges of the Derby team at 19 suggests he's already performing at a decent level. Smallbone could make one of those midfield spots his own if he can get back into the Southampton team - he looked very promising before his injury. I expect all 3 of those centre backs to be playing regular Premier League football by 2026 so I think we have a strong spine.

The main doubt I might have is the lack of a true quality number 9 coming through - not sure if the above system works with Connolly and Robinson not really being proper centre forwards. Hopefully one of Idah or Parrott can make it their own - though I thought Idah was was very poor against Luxembourg and has also looked out of his depth on the few occasions I've seen him at Norwich, I recognise he's very young and did very well at under 21 level, so maybe he just needs a good loan in the Championship or League 1. I think it could well be crucial for us to have a recognised goalscorer - it's still where I have doubts about the future.

I'm definitely no expert on our young players, curious to hear what others think

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174172#Comment_118174172

Did you watch Duffy in that Luxembourg game??? What was distracting him when he was 'defending' - passing the ball in his own half?

Kenny's idea is a notional way of playing football - fine if the players are there can be easy on the eye. The Irish players are not even on the same par with Georgia technically IMO.

If Ireland had a decent creative mid I could see the logic where Kenny is going but they don't. It is just fanciful stuff when all is said and done. Nice in theory, not much use in practice. Would such an approach get Ireland to a play off ? I really doubt it. If it does fair dues, but I can't see it.

It more likely will be back to the 1970's/early 80's job of moral victories like Hand/Giles IMO- playing football the 'right way' etc. But the tools are not there for Kenny's 'philosophy' IMO simple as that. Lisa Fallon's 'hearts and mind' comment proves it people are not looking at things objectively. If that Luxembourg game was enough to win 'hearts and minds' I am honestly baffled.

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174157#Comment_118174157

Sucks for Derby, but the sooner Knight leaves the better. They're clearly going to struggle for the next few years, it'd be better for Knight's development to be at a club that is in a better shape with decent players around him.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174189#Comment_118174189

Hoofing the ball and "clearing your lines" are arguments constantly thrown out on the GAA forums too by old men shouting at clouds. The kind of people who still think that 1998 was 5 years ago.

Playing it out from the back is only worse on an optical level because the close passing gives us a squeaky bum but the truth is that it's less dangerous than hoofing it and any manager worth his salt these days knows this.

Hoofing it favours the opposition and more ball come back in on top of you than end up with your player

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174224#Comment_118174224

You're not the only one baffled. You're talking like we qualify for tournaments regularly??We've always loved a moral victory, that's not new or something from the 70s/80s.

MM second stint results were so similar to kennys I'm truly baffled at why you see him as being a route to greener pastures. It's bizzare.

Similar results with poorer performances, less goals and less youth. Such an obvious step backwards for no gain. I could at least get on board or even see where you are coming from if you were suggesting somebody who's brought a similar group to qualification or something like that but MM??

Baffling is right.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174060#Comment_118174060

We beat them both away, so the hardest bit was done

To take a quote from yourself , surely anyone with half a brain would expect us to beat Luxemburg and Azerbaijan at home.

Luxemburg were ranked 98th in the world at the time.

Azerbaijan are ranked 117th in the world.

Kenny has really made the bar drop if these two home wins can't be expected.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174316#Comment_118174316

100% and was actually hoping he'd have moved in the summer even. Genuinely think most teams in the PL would love a player like Knight and think he'd even have the potential to be a squad player for a top team in the league. Will be interesting to see if there's interest from teams in Germany as they scout the championship looking at young players.

Francie Barrett

Mandroiu being linked to Celtic - https://punditarena.com/football/rudi-kinsella/danny-mandroiu-celtic/

This move would seem plausible if Byrne coming in the other direction.

fullstop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118172600#Comment_118172600

If my auntie had balls she’d be my uncle. If the postmen of Gibraltar were fitter, or a bit better they’d have beaten Mick’s team.

Have to laugh at some of the nonsense on here. Of all the batshit calls for a potential new manager I have to admit Mick wasn’t even on my bingo card 😂🤣 he’ll be lucky

to get any job after his last few efforts.

fullstop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173601#Comment_118173601

Italy finished behind a team with 1/7 of their population. Mancini should be sacked immediately...

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174415#Comment_118174415

Things started badly and nobody is denying that. It's how they ended that people are defending

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174415#Comment_118174415

I'll lay it out there and say not many wins can be expected for Ireland. That's the unfortunate truth. It was true before Kenny and it may be true after Kenny (hopefully not).

I was really disappointed with the Azerbaijan result after the Portugal game, maybe the players couldn't pick themselves up after the manner of that defeat but yeah I was hoping/expecting them to kick on from there and they didn't.

If they had lost to Luxembourg I'd have certainly been questioning Kenny, as I've said in previous posts, at some point one step forward one step back is no longer progress.

But we didn't lose and in the end won quite comfortably. So onwards and upwards we go with Kenny as clear progression is being made and when it's not he'll be rightly sacked.

fullstop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173882#Comment_118173882

Would be interested to hear about these wonder saves (plural) because I only remember 1 off a deflected shot. And as Luxembourg only has 2 shots on target and the other save I remember was from a very tame finish I must have missed some others?

I love that we’re completely ignoring the stonewall penalty early in the game as well.

NITRO95

For anyone wishing for a Mccarthy style manager to be back in charge of the national team, I sincerely genuinely hope you are not involved in the coaching of football in this country. An absolutely archaic way to play the game. Anyone without bias can see the progress being made under SK. An incredibly young squad playing without fear and all you had to do is listen to the support they were getting at The Aviva last week.

I know change can be scary but instead of living with your head in the clouds and fingers in your ears crying about the glory days of drawing with Egypt in 1990 and losing to a piss poor Spanish team in 02, how about you embrace a team that could change the way football is played all over the country. Yes we might not qualify this time or next time but think long term. There will be 6 year olds, 10 year olds, 14 year olds watching and saying I want to play for that Ireland team.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174591#Comment_118174591

These posters are best ignored lads. How anyone can say we were outplayed for 65 minutes and that we were simply kept in it by a keeper who had 2 saves is just beyond any level of realism. It's literally just being on the wind up by the couple of them now.

Not everyone has to like the manager. There are reasons not to. But just making sh1t up is laughably bad. Make your points, back them with evidence and discuss it. If you can't then why bother, unless you're on the wind up.

tayto lover

The last time we played Luxembourg way in the European Championship was in 1987.

We struggled to win 1 - 2.

Our team on the night was -Packie Bonnar, John Anderson, Paul McGrath, Mick McCarthy, Kevin Moran, Ronnie Whelan, Tony Galvin, Ray Houghton, Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton and John Aldridge.

Will all the “experts” who keep saying that our current crop of young mainly unknown lads who are now starting to get their chance to represent Ireland are not doing wonders please give it a rest. Get behind the team and manager. He’s the besr we have and these are the best players we have. A bit of realism please.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174800#Comment_118174800

https://twitter.com/McDonnellDan/status/1460518812441268226

They'll probably be keep busy whining for awhile longer. Get it signed and sorted is what I say and let the coaching staff start working on the squad some more before the qualifiers begin.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173829#Comment_118173829

Bazunu - 15 games for Portsmouth

Coleman - 8 games for Everton,

Duffy - 11 games for Brighton

Egan - 17 games for Sheff U

McClean - 13 games for Wigan

Cullen - 14 games for Anderlecht

Hendrick - 2 games for Newcastle

Doherty - 2 games for Spurs

Robinson - 16 games for West Brom

Ogbene - 15 games for Rotherham

Idah - 8 games for Norwich, 4 less than 10 mins.

The two players not getting much game time are 2 of our most experienced pro's, and Idah who shouldn't be anywhere near starting. You'd think Kenny was going around picking players off the street and getting them to play well.

RonanG86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174837#Comment_118174837

Going to need a lot of chips for all the salt when that happens.

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174224#Comment_118174224

Oh dear god a defender passed the ball in his own half, wont somebody think of the children................

Player miss-places a pass - shock horrer. happens every game all over the world.

Point 2 - One its because of the under investment by the FAI and relying on the UK. We are now trying to teach kids from ages 5 and up to get on the ball, pass it, keep possession. Georgia made that change years ago, as did Luxembourg. hence why they are more comfortable than us on the ball. Also i dont know about you but if I was told for 10 plus years i wasnt good enough to do something I'd start to believe it. Kenny is now changing that attitude. You want to go backwards, why i have no idea. Theres a bang of old man shouts at clouds about some of what you are saying.

How do you know trying to play football wont get us a playoff? Last time we played exciting football was under Mick and he had 3 or 4 so called world class players in that squad. So Ireland and the FAI should do the exact opposite to almost every club and international team?

Ireland has always had moral victories. Where does the entitlement come from, that a small country like ours should have a god given right to beat teams and qualify for tournaments? What tools do we have for the long ball football you are looking for? Who's our 6 foot 6 striker who's going to win all the headers and hold up the ball for the team????

Your attitude to football is baffling and as others have mentioned, you wanting Mick back kinda proves that.

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174975#Comment_118174975

The word entitlement is being bandied about willy nilly in relation to dispatching lower seeds.

I don't really understand it.

The country has shown itself ultra consistent in dispatching lower seeds over the last 20 years, especially at home. Draws in Georgia the more recent shortcomings but everyone recognises that as a difficult fixture.

There is no God given right to beat Luxembourg or Ajaerbajan at home but it is certainly the standard set by previous teams and a prerequisite for competing for the top two spots.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118175109#Comment_118175109

I understand this, but even if we pick up those points we still finish 3 points off second place.

The 'entitlement' I referred to was a poster who believed the minimum expectation is that we either beat Portugal/Serbia at home or pick up at least a draw away. That's entitlement.

That poster believed minimum expectation should be 15 points from a 5 team group, which only the top sides are achieving. That's entitlement.

Luxembourg and Azerbaijan at home were low points. Nobody here is saying otherwise but they happened and what has happened since then has been a marked improvement. We drew with Portugal and Serbia at home and smashed both of them away with ease.

I just don't understand why people who can see that things have only improved towards the end of the campaign believe NOW is the time to make a change.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118175109#Comment_118175109

The standard set by previous teams means jacksht in regards to the current team. The standard set by Brady or Duff doesn't suddenly make Cullen better.

Standards once set need to be maintained and not by shouting about managers and their league 1 players. They are maintained by keeping up with the game behind the scenes. France for instance got sick of losing so built Clairefontaine and 11 other regional academies in the late 80s won a WC in 98 with it's graduates. France and Germany also done well out of clear coaching succession plans and England's current success was no accident and came from hard work with initiatives like St.Georges Park to end years of humiliation. Also all those little countries we seem to look down on have built scouting networks and academies, put top paid coaches in schools.

It's not even just a soccer story. Read up on the Limerick hurlers or Dublin footballers who have massively changed the narrative in their counties due to hard work, intelligent use of resources and money.

Ireland on the other hand danced around pished drinking champagne out of John Delaney's shoe thinking Jackie's army would march on forever.

Francie Barrett

Under 19's beat Bulgaria 2-0 and have progressed to the next qualifying round for Euro 21. Draw for that round will be held some time in Spring. Fingers crossed we get a reasonable draw when the time comes!

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118175492#Comment_118175492

Good chance we'll be in Pot C for the Elite round so it's gonna be tough.

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118175604#Comment_118175604

Won't be easy alright. Only the group winner qualifies for the finals (where only 8 teams will compete). Current seedings are here -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_UEFA_European_Under-19_Championship_qualification#Elite_round

All the Pot A teams are going to be absolute stinkers, but you never know, international football often throws up some crazy results.

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118175367#Comment_118175367

I agree winning against a higher seed at home is never something we do.

Four draws from those four games usually the type of result we'd get.

I would have expected 12 points from the lower seeds and another 2/3 from the rest. We actually got two of those with the Serbia and Portugal home draws so not outlandish.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118176004#Comment_118176004

Getting two draws at home against higher seeds are two great results considering where we are, especially when you consider Serbia were an excellent side for 2nd seeds.

However getting those results away should be a hope, not an expectation. We were undone by Ronaldo, one of the best to ever do it, and a proven quality international striker in Mitrovic but who can honestly say that going into both of those games that we should have been expected to get a draw? It's an absolute nonsense.

Like I said, we still finished third, played to our seeding and even beating Luxembourg and Azerbaijan at home wouldn't have changed that. We still would have been third.

crossman47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174224#Comment_118174224

If you think the Hand/Giles eras were just moral victories, then you haven't a clue. Both of them were within a terrible refs decision of qualifying for a major tournament. With todays expanded competitions they would have easily qualified.