Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

secman

Watched the interview, a typical SK interview, that's his demeanor. We are in world football exactly where we should be. FAI play second fiddle to GAA. Most football supporters in Ireland support English teams. We don't support our league. It's much more difficult for irish kids to make the grade. We have to start from base and put in the foundations for future players to emerge. The FAI are bankrupt...yet we have people here calling for SK to be sacked..pay up his contract and hire a new manager and backup team....with fck all funds available...absolutely fck all funds.

Serious reality check REQUIRED !

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176953#Comment_119176953

None, and Hughton gets 45k a month for being a technical advisor with Ghana. Lee Carsley wouldn't even pick up the phone to the FAI, is Roy Keane gonna do it for less money than what he got for picking up cones in training, and Bruce/Dyche would laugh in your face. They could also offer the FAI a loan with the money they'd have gotten recently.

Go down another level or two for actual managers, or start ringing around coaches/assistants in the championship. More than likely end up with Robbie Keane.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176996#Comment_119176996

You might be right. But Kenny will have to go. Its going to get worse for him than better.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176988#Comment_119176988

So keep Carry on Kenny show going? Its a tragedy at this stage. A footballing cluster ****.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176921#Comment_119176921

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176944#Comment_119176944

Thing is though (not wishing McCarthy an injury) but if Bazunu does manage to get a few starting games, he is likely to seriously impress and take Southampton's no1 spot. I think the fella is that good.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177022#Comment_119177022

I think he'd displace McCarthy anyway.

Sure Kenny would probably start playing Talbot over him.

Sudden Valley

he is lucky Giles Dunphy and Brady are no longer there- they would be demanding his resignation like they did for Staunton. And not for the result today but for his record overall. The RTE and OTB pundits nowadays are too meek to ever do that, they just want to be friends with everyone.

secman

Penny dropping yet....FAI are bankrupt, Govt funds stopped them going under.. we have no right to be where you think we should be...its back to basics...we are barely a professional level, we don't have a professional league that home grown players can make a living from . I know a lad who went on many trials, he's wanted by a few LOI clubs but he's serving his time as an apprentice electrician because long term has better prospects of making a decent living . He's playing junior football but good enough for LOI...its where we are as a football nation...

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176988#Comment_119176988

The reality check is that this has been not only entirely predictable but a continuance of his original form managing the team. This could have been avoided of course but for sections of Irish fans as well as a football media that's been bizarrely loyal to Kenny, insisting that his contract be renewed. The absolute kid gloves treatment Kenny gets from Tony O'D shocker after shocker is completely unique for example.

The opportunity was there to get rid of a man completely out of his depth but wasn't taken. Contract renewed. Remember that.

Delaney has gone but the FAI remains an incompetent mess.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176628#Comment_119176628

I think he's also believing that trope that the FAI can't afford to sack him and he can talk utter nonsense as a result.

The FAI probably have a point where they know that keeping him is untenable regardless of the cost.

That point must be very close.

secman

The FAI are operating within their means...barely. They cannot afford mid range professional managers, barely afford bottom rung ones. That's the reality folks.... No sugar Daddy to pay 1 million a year towards manager salary...no major sponsor. competing with GAA...

roverjoyce

Questions have to be asked now

When Egan went off you had to change formation to go for it and go 4 at the back

Trying to win the game you changed 3 of your back 5

I think the race his race is run,

Gusser09

I do think we have reason to be somewhat optimistic. Kenny needs to exit though.

Bazunu - Could be world class or even a PL regular for a long time.

Collins - Makings of a top central defender. No doubt if he were English one of the top 6 would spend 40-50 million on him.

Knight - the lad is capable of making the step up. He has potential to be a good player.

Obafemi - Look the lad scored in championship regularly for a bit. If he could score there consistently going forward we'd take that.

Omabamdele - lots of potential

Ebolese - exciting too.

Cullen - hes good lads.

Doherty - should be a big player for us over next 18 months or so

Are we really suggesting we shouldnt be beating lux.armenia,azerbaijan?

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177055#Comment_119177055

Staggering when you think about it.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177022#Comment_119177022

Yeah, but Southampton also look like a team that could go down they looked that poor over the course of the season. They're gonna need some serious investment in that back four or Bazunu's shot stopping abilities are gonna get seriously tested next season if he plays.

Hopefully it works out for him and a big decision for the young lad to make to back his own ability and leave to become no.1 somewhere at 20 years of age. Though would have liked him to maybe have one more loan but his current contract could have played a role in that not happening.

Balls in Kelleher's court now, does he want to stay a back up and get a couple of medals while watching the competition establish themselves as Premier League no.1s or not. Time for him to **** or get off the pot me thinks.

AllGunsBlazing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176953#Comment_119176953

If Kenny goes, the next manager will probably be more of an emergency appointment. I'd wager on Mick being brought back in for yet another hitch.

sligeach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176988#Comment_119176988

"The FAI are bankrupt...yet we have people here calling for SK to be sacked..pay up his contract and hire a new manager and backup team....with fck all funds available...absolutely fck all funds.

Serious reality check REQUIRED !"

And yet the FAI can afford to pay Stephen Kenny €550,000 a year? €550,000!!! That man has never seen a contract fee even remotely that large, nor will he ever again. Kenny won't resign, why would he? He's not gonna give up the biggest, best job he'll ever get. I blame the FAI for ever giving him the job in the first place.

Steve Staunton was a disaster as a manager(great footballer and servant to his country though). Kenny is worse, that takes some doing. And Kenny is getting an easy time from much of the press. I can only imagine what Eamon Dunphy would have to say about him. I'll be curious to hear what John Giles has to say on Thursday evening on Off The Ball. Or what would Apres Match do with Stephen Kenny? It's embarrassing watching Kenny's interviews. I can't see how he would inspire or motivate any player.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177158#Comment_119177158

After a few more games he'd struggle to land a competitive LOI gig

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176953#Comment_119176953

Some stellar names there alright. Look, if you get your wish and Kenny goes after this qualifying, which I highly doubt, then the names would want to be better than those. Bar Dyche. Bruce is a fcuking meme at this stage. Hughton is a has been, as proven by the huge improvement (and not just on the field, listen to the Forest captain after the playoff final) in the last 2 sides he's managed once he's left. Keane wants back into club management. If we have to change you'd like to think we could stay with a progressive type.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176842#Comment_119176842

I watched the game and then read multiple reviews of it. There was no penalty awarded. Maybe you were watching a different game.

eigrod

Last night was as bad as anything in the last 10 years. We have zero quality. The Armenia goal on Saturday and the disallowed goal last night - who have we that has the quality to do that? Our shooting is absolutely dire. We still rely on Duffy for our best chances. Too many players are second choice at their clubs and/or are used to losing 3 out of 5 games at their clubs. No winning mentality there.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177260#Comment_119177260

Those names, while not ideal, are better than Kenny. He was a meme a few matches ago, now its just sad.

Zico !

I don't see the hype about Josh Cullen looks very ordinary to me .

We don't have the players to play the way Kenny wants he needs to adapt his system he should abandon the 3 at the back for an extra midfielder

~Rebel~

Aside from everything else - what the bejesus is going on with pens for us? That's fairly clear ones against Serbia, Portugal, and now Ukraine that didn't even get looked at. The former two were especially stonewall, but I thought last nights was pretty clear too, and certainly deserved the ref to go take a look. All 3 at key points in the games too as well - when we were 1-0 up against Serbia and Portugal, and at 0-0 last night.

It's on those fine margins that whole campaigns pivot.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177327#Comment_119177327

Sure he doesnt have the ability to do that. Thats evident now. Another 2 years of this. You'd worry for the guy after that interview. Im telling you now there is a genuine reason why O'Donoghue is taking easy in those interviews.

Still people trying to justify this shitshow. Last night is one thing. But the overall record and losing to some of the teams is a shocker. I cant recall being out of groups like this on two occassions in a row.

Not up to the job.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177442#Comment_119177442

It would have been an extremely soft penalty last night. Duffys one was a lot more blatant.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177296#Comment_119177296

We're better than Armenia amd should be beating Ukraines second team at home. Not losing anyway.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177158#Comment_119177158

Dunphy has a podcast with Giles and Brady and they’ve been backing Stephen Kenny all the way up til now. Kenny is running out of road though, it’s a results game when all is said and done. It’s a must win v Scotland on Saturday.

LuckyLloyd

The three main arguments to keeping this going seem to be:

1) our youth football and domestic league is in a jocker

2) who else would you get? We can’t go “backwards”

3) the FAI can’t afford to pay him off early

To the first bit - I agree. But it’s decoupled from the Senior Manager role. Kenny isn’t responsible for sorting out Irish football. That requires a committed long term approach. The flow is not backwards from the senior team. It is a short term results focussed role.

In terms of the “who else?” game, Kenny has won 2 competitive games from 17. So we don’t need to sweat this too much. People for Kenny’s approach or the philosophy of hiring a home grown manager who has graduated from the domestic game should also consider the potential damage for him to continue much longer. Every subsequent loss is burying his ideas in the minds of the fanbase. Leaving this go longer and for him to lose more games and it to end in a complete shambles may ensure a LOI man isn’t considered again for generations.

And finally, the FAI can’t afford not to let him go. We need to compete for European Championship qualification and we require a competitive solution on the pitch in order to do that. Allowing Kenny to lose the qualification process in the first window of same is catastrophic from a revenue perspective.

I would relieve him of his duties now, but certainly at the end of this window if he can’t win a game.

castletownman

This sorry story is like a fella managing junior B club football, getting some success relative to the level, and suddenly being parachuted into the senior county job as he his grassroots. He is completely out of his depth and talks some scutter.

It's embarrassing, perhaps best summed up by celebrating in the technical area after scoring in a friendly against Qatar. Scots will beat them Saturday too.

But, hey, at least he got the patriotism flowing ahead of an inconsequential game vs. England.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177488#Comment_119177488

Got the patriotism flowing before we went out and failed to lay a glove on them.

Fattybojangles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176657#Comment_119176657

Ah now that goes both ways after we managed to beat the might of Luxembourg Qatar and Azerbaijan LOI Kenny fans were absolutely insufferable wailing about barstoolers calling for Kenny to immediately be given a new contract hailing him as the saviour of Irish football leading a young team into a glorious future etc.

LuckyLloyd

It’s a shame how divided the fanbase is about all of this.

All that ever matters for me is the results. So long as a manager has us competitive and in the mix for qualifying for the next thing, I’m happy. This isn’t working out. LOI backgrounds don’t matter. Philosophy doesn’t matter. Your results are shite, bye.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176953#Comment_119176953

If Roy Keane was appointed half of Irish soccer fans would have the knives out before he started. As assistant manager with MON he actually had some success with Ireland but it felt like they couldn’t wait until things went wrong. Personally I’d back him 100 percent, he could do a job in the short term over a 2 to 4 year period. He’d have loads chomping at the bit willing him to fail but I don’t think that’d bother him.

Scoundrel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177044#Comment_119177044

100% the time has come.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177558#Comment_119177558

If Keane would take it I'd be happy with that.

Azatadine

Apart from the games themselves, his press conferences are absolute cringe as well. So, so, so out of his depth everywhere.

McFly85

The hyperbole is off the charts.

I want Kenny to succeed because results aren't the only thing that matters, and he is willing to put the work in that needs to be done on the team, work which was being ignored by previous management.

Kenny has brought a lot of youth in and given them competitive international experience. This will stand to whoever comes in afterwards, and wasn't being done in any real sense previously - maybe a young player would be brought in for a friendly but it would be the same team again in qualifiers regardless. We hadn't seen any direct progression from the u21s to the senior side in years. All players were picked based on the minutes they were getting and their ability to "do a job".

This approach naturally might mean we lose more games then we'd like, but will hopefully put us in a better position with this group of players in the future. You can say that it's not Kenny's job to change the structure of Irish football by himself, and that's true, but by the same reason you can't tell him we definitely need to qualify because we desperately need the money - he shouldn't be worrying about the FAIs finances.

All Kenny should be worried about is improving the team, and while the last couple of results have been disappointing, the work he's done in refreshing the squad means he should get a crack at the entire campaign, and then his future can be decided after that. There's still issues in the squad that he will need to solve if he's to continue. I would say that if we're below our seeding and out around halfway through the campaign then he will be in trouble.

And for all this talk about replacing him(with all the suggestions being significantly more expensive), I really don't see the point unless the change would practically guarantee qualification, and there isn't a manager on this planet who could guarantee that.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177625#Comment_119177625

The problem is that he hasn't improved the team in any sense that matters. This is the worst run of results since Tuohy. And the performances haven't been much to write home about either, with obvious regression this week. The job of any senior football manager in the International game is to do the best with what is available to them. Obviously, Kenny supporters consider that truth quite inconvenient, but so what.

Kenny doesn't need to worry about the FAI's finances, but the FAI does. Competitiveness is essential. Kenny has punted two competitive series. Is now punting a third. He shouldn't be given a fourth.

LuckyLloyd

I suppose Kenny supporters may deem it "unfair" that the Nations League is a thing. This farce may have gone on longer in the old International world where you had fewer games that actually mattered in terms of your ranking and seeding. Fewer games that can contribute to qualification for stuff. Kenny has had nowhere to hide. In times past he would have gotten the Euros. But here we are. Lose, lose, lose. Seeya.

The one thing I'm getting annoyed about is seeing Hendrick start.

If we have a back 5 and Cullen, we don't need Hendrick.

He offers very little in attack and is a liability in defence. His attempted block of the Armenia goal was like someone playing 5 a side.. jumped and turned away when being brave could have blocked it.

I reckon he got the ball 3/4 times (last night) behind the midfield and moving at the back line and not once did he do anything positive.

He did give a goal ball to Robinson for the penalty chance I'll concede but that was an easier execution.

I think we'd be far better with someone like Knight with Cullen and then have another attacker higher up.

Having a back five and Cullen is similar to having two CDMs with a back four which is more than sufficent.. just don't think Hendrick brings anything on either end of the pitch.

He dropped a division and still can't get a game..says something.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177668#Comment_119177668

He did the job no other manager wanted to do and bring in youth while trying to change the style of play, with one full campaign on his own where we finished where we were seeded.

If he does the same again where we finish in our seeding position and it’s clear a few games before that that we can’t finish higher, he’ll go.

I think all a new manager does now is add an extra expense of another couple of million with no guarantee of success. The FAI can’t afford to gamble on that, and the fact that we have to talk about qualification as a required source of income shows the scale of ineptitude we’ve had to deal with for the last 20 years.

Scoundrel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177694#Comment_119177694

Jeff Hendrick is the ultimate passenger he never does anything to affect a game and has been stealing a living for the past 5 years at least.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177709#Comment_119177709

Well, he hasn't successfully integrated youth or changed the style of play. He has made changes in these areas but the results speak for themselves. The performances largely do too.

But to try and get on the same page here - you see no issue with 2 wins from 17 competitive games. We have 4 competitive games left in this process. What is acceptable here in your view? Is it okay if we lose the remaining 4, you'd still continue on? Or you'll give him a free pass against such giants as Ukraine and Scotland once we finish with a morale-boosting victory at home against Armenia? Like how bad will you allow in terms of the actual results of the competitive football matches we are engaged in?

dr.kenneth noisewater

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177534#Comment_119177534

Its like live in general these days it seems, you're either one side or the other and on the extreme side at that. Not a big LOI fan but was willing to give Kenny a good shot. Our football under the end of MON and McCarthy was horrible dour stuff to watch and wasnt getting many great results but we were conceding less. I thought we could play better but like others it seems we cant as we dont have the players in fairness. We have a worse squad now that under MON or McCarthy with the best players from those eras past their best like Coleman/Duffy/Stevens and multiple League 1 players in the squad which just didnt happen under previous management as we had players higher up the leagues.

It was a huge job to freshen up the team and he's brought on players like Ogbene, Parrott, Collins, O'Shea and Cullen. I think if the FAI came out at the start and said it was a rebuilding job ahead of Euro 24 it would have given Kenny some slack. He was saying it so I assume he was told that by the FAI but they never came out publicly to back him on it. Losing Anthony Barry has been a bigger blow than most of us realised it would be I think, this window has shown that. The 343/352 formation seems to have been his idea and hasnt worked in either game this window without his guidance. Think we need to try 433 for the next couple of games as we need help in CM.

I'll reserve judgement until this window is over but it's not looking great for Kenny. The players need to do better as well though and take their share of the flack as many just havent performed. Not sure who we'd get in to replace him as we dont have the funds, maybe try get Anthony Barry back as manager?

Team I'd like to see against Scotland (assuming Coleman/Egan are injured)

Kellegher

Christie, O'Shea, Collins, Stevens

Browne, Cullen, Knight

Ebosele, Obafemi, Robinson

Forward line needs freshening up but think experience is also needed so would retain Robinson. Ogbene was poor last 2 games and is better as an impact sub in my view, likewise McClean.

johnnyryan89

https://twitter.com/ALANMYERSMEDIA/status/1534814402033197056

Lenihan to Middlesbrough looking like a done deal.

Higgins5473

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177474#Comment_119177474

Not being smart, but wasn’t Armenia a must win? And then Ukraine? And an awful lot before those two.

i was and still am struggling to see where the recent adulation came for him, a 97th minute goal against a team ranked 138th in the world, Lithuania are ranked beneath the Solomon Islands ffs and we are celebrating and praising a goal in the 97th minute? Baffling and bizarre imo, Kenny is untouchable in some quarters.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177625#Comment_119177625

The delusion is off the charts.

In senior international football results are the ONLY thing that matters, and he is not capable of putting in the work needed to be done to achieve that with this team.

Kenny has HAD to bring young players in due to retirements and injuries. He hadn’t even brought Irelands top scorer in the Championship into a training session until this window. Even when he had burst onto the scene at Southampton with the exact same stats as Connolly, who was called up. Did you expect him to continue calling up McGoldrick, Whelan. Or did you expect McCarthy to pick 16/17 yo Bazunu, Idah, Parrott etc?? Also, the majority of the players in this squad, were in McCarthys squad in 2019, so he hasn’t changed that much.

Im sure Kenny is worried about improving the squad, that’s literally his job. A job he’s failed spectacularly at since he first came in. We are already below our seeding and dropping like a stone in the rankings, do we wait until we drop to pot 4 before sacking him off??

If you don’t see the point of finally getting rid of the Irelands worst manager in the history of the FAI, then maybe football isn’t the game for you. His win % is almost exactly the same as Tony Adams at Wycombe, Portsmouth and Grenada (7 games 0 wins).

the kelt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177625#Comment_119177625

So why was there such a push to renew his contract on terms that means we apparently cant afford to get rid of him on the back of some quite frankly dreadful results??

The logic we have seen since Kenny has come in defies reason!

First off we were told that we had the players to be competing whilst playing better football and we need someone like Kenny to do it. Ok, lets give it a go. When that doesnt come to pass we are told we dont have the players, what do you expect?

Then we are told lets see out his contract as we cant afford to get rid anyway so whats the point and when that happened we had the clamour to renew the contract asap and find ourselves again with poor results but now apparently we cant replace him cos we cant afford to.

Now apparently we shouldnt replace him because we cant afford to because we renewed his contract to ensure we couldnt replace him and we shouldnt replace him anyway unless another manager can guarantee qualification which isnt possible.

Its like the ultimate scam!!! Its genius, its trumpian, a man with a job where he ahs been out of his depth gets his contract renewed to further secure the fact we cant get rid of him and this approach is actually cheered on and encouraged by the media devotees and supporters who literally will defend this no matter what!

johnnyryan89

https://twitter.com/alex_crook/status/1534611524312043527

Turned down a long term contract with a big pay rise.