Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

artanevilla

1. Dunphy never managed Shamrock Rovers
2. Kenny has 6 league titles and 3 FA Cups to Kerrs 2 and zero (at senior level, no underage, we're talking about the senior team not the U18s/U16s)
3. Pat Fenlon has no interest in management
4. Big Sam... not even going to lower my brain to that level!

I have the feeling that you think League of Ireland teams train Tuesday nights down the Phoenix Park and straight to the pub afterwards.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085932#Comment_121085932

Dunphy was the driver with Giles at Rovers - when they had the dream of getting players from the English leagues to play for Rovers - then it fell on it's arse.

I bet if Pat Fenlon was asked by the FAI he would take the job - is his record in LOI much different to Kenny? Plus at least Pat's interviews would be better than Kenny!

The fact you snub your nose up at Big Sam just shows a football snobbery IMO. He would at least get the team organised. But again even he would only take the Irish job if he was still desperate. Doubt he would accept a cut price fee.

--

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085923#Comment_121085923

1) What's profile go to do with anything, just hire Bono then.

2) He has never managed at International level. He was assistant and was constantly falling out with players and was ultimately sacked for underperforming.

3)He left Sunderland in the relegation zone after getting them promoted with by far the biggest budget in the Championship. The Sunderland players had a party when he left. The rest of his managerial career has been wholly underwhelming.

4) He won't come cheap and even if he does, we've already seen his priorities for Ireland when he was a player so you can't expect him to "live" the job.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085976#Comment_121085976

Profile is a massive reason to hire Roy Keane. If Roy Keane asked some English fella to play for Ireland it has a much better chance than with a lower profile manager - simple as that.

Sure, I wouldn't be surprised if English lads asked do you know who Kenny Stephen's is mate?

Stephen Kenny only managed at u21 international level - I would have Irish Assistant Manager above that. Plus added to Keane's club managerial experience clearly a better manager than Kenny. Where Kenny goes after this Irish job will show his level.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085968#Comment_121085968

1) Dunphy never managed Shamrock Rovers. Blame the Kilcoynes for the grand plans and also it falling on its arse.

2) Kind of yes. Fenlon was a winner also, but generally won the league as favorites with the teams that had the biggest budgets. Kenny won his first title at Bohs who were a strong team but not fancy. What he did at Dundalk was unprecedented, he ushered in a new era of success at an unfancied regional team.

3) Sam Allardyce was sacked out of England for being a crook.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086000#Comment_121086000

So you think the path to success for the national team is having Roy Keane ask "some English fella" who wouldn't play for Ireland otherwise to play for him?

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085976#Comment_121085976

Thank you saves me replying!!

There is a massive difference between fitness and match sharpness.

Your comments have shown that you have little knowledge of football especially Irish football.

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085837#Comment_121085837

Your last sentence is laughable, ask Kevin Sheedy how his spell with Waterford went.

ozymandias10

The FAI should be talking to Chris Hughton and Carsley . The end is nigh for Kenny. his win rate is so bad. we are poor against low ranked teams and struggle to beat them. The nations League has been a struggle as well .

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086005#Comment_121086005

It is about management skills though not image, Allardyce 'damaged goods' so should come a bit cheaper than normal?

Beggars can't be chooses anyone who might come cheap and has experience has to be considered.

But I fear that the Celtic supporters section of the Irish fans will drive the FAI towards Neil Lennon, whose main management was in a poor Scottish League, Bolton who he struggled with, and a handy number in Cyprus

Plus Neil Lennon has suffered from depression, the Irish senior national job, might not be the wisest choice for him.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12766341.lennons-pride-depression/

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085775#Comment_121085775

There is nobody else tho outside of huge money that they don't have. So I think in a round about way you're like, let's leave SK there..?

Or if I'm taking you up wrong please elaborate on who the carefully selected candidate could be and when you'd want him put I'm?

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086063#Comment_121086063

No, I'm very much not saying leave SK there. I'm saying SK was the best the LOI had to offer, and failed so let's not go back to the same source for an inferior option somehow expecting better results.

I haven't a clue who a good option would be, that probably needs proper resources and connections to tease out what lads with more experience might be interested - but I can certainly see the obvious failings of some suggestions.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086015#Comment_121086015

Part of it. That is what smaller nation's do these days - plus Roy Keane has profile. Posters claim the players are not there for Ireland, then moderator jumps in and says sneeringly implies that it is a bad suggestion for a high profile man like Keane to sound out non Irish born eligible players.

It is no wonder Irish football is fecked.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086123#Comment_121086123

It's a short list for under 500k. There's also a fairly limited amount can be done with the players available. But a change is required.

If you've no suggestions then your opinion on who shouldn't be picked has very little credibility imo.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086016#Comment_121086016

Come on you know and I know the excuse of players not playing for their clubs regularly does not wash . Scotland, Wales and NI have been playing such players for years. Doing much better than the ROI. In fact NI got to a tournament proper with such players.

It is just yet another excuse you use to deflect away from Kenny's failings. All excuses, big dreams, and no solutions - which sums up the current state of Irish football.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086149#Comment_121086149

That's a nonsensical point of view. It's a football forum, not an FAI boardroom. If you put out a suggestion, you should expect the pros and cons of it to be debated and discussed. That's the point of the place.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086135#Comment_121086135

I'm a poster as well as a moderator, my posts should be considered the same as every other user.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085951#Comment_121085951

Look at how few goals were conceded under Mick though, there was always a chance against a lot of teams. That is how you set up a poor side technically make them hard to beat. And you might nick a goal. It makes a team more competitive. I am open to correction but Ireland under Mick 2.0 had one of the best defensive records in all of the qualifiers?

Much better than the crap we had to put up with under Kenny. Listening to him spin stats against sh!te teams, meanwhile Kenny had way more poor performances (even than the worst one Mick had v Georgia - as is often parroted out)

But we had to listen to guff about a 'process' and playing football the 'right way'. While losing against teams that were below Ireland's level time and again.

Kenny has left Ireland with the worst of all worlds -

Notions about playing football the right way, not being able to, then being really easy to play against for even the weakest sides.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086158#Comment_121086158

It's an opinion forum. Give your opinion of who should replace Kenny? If you've no idea then I'd venture to say you've no idea who shouldn't replace him either.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086171#Comment_121086171

Well I'm being very careful I know it takes very little to get a ban from this thread, if a certain narrative is not respected.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086195#Comment_121086195

...that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. But if you don't want to justify your pick with anything to back up their actual managerial credentials, that's grand, i'll leave ya off.

chicorytip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084287#Comment_121084287

I don't think it's appropriate for wealthy individuals to exert influence over national football associations by means of making large donations particularly if the character and behaviour of such individuals can be called into question .

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086248#Comment_121086248

I've already said what he lacks in managerial experience he makes up in top level football experience.

I think he ticks the other boxes required. Cheap, Irish, committed to the cause. So pretty similar to SK. And exactly like SK was, a total punt. But I'm OK with that. Because there's zero other options that tick those boxes and I think it's time for change.

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086192#Comment_121086192

Well thats the daming indictment right there. How dare Stephen Kenny think Irish players can try and play football like they do with the clubs.

He should be banished to a land far far away for thinking such a shocking thing.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086324#Comment_121086324

He's an awful lot more of a punt than Kenny was in fairness. Kenny was a proven winner at that level over the course of many years, across several teams, while Duff is still just learning the ropes there. Surely the most important 'box' of all is having enough experience in the actual job they're being hired for. Like, even within our setup, we got noticeably better when he walked out and Anthony Barry arrived.

But sure look, we're clearly on very opposite ends of the spectrum on this one, and it's not one I think there's any chance of actually happening any time soon, so probably best to agree to disagree!

johnnyryan89

https://twitter.com/IrelandFootball/status/1700184346508869958

Hopefully Armstrong gets to play with the U21s today before he's called up.

~Rebel~

Would've been nice to have Tom Cannon available right about now 😅

artanevilla

Great to see Johnny in there. Arguably our most in-form striker, I'd love to see him get minutes v Netherlands but I know it's unlikely. Great experience for him anyway

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086386#Comment_121086386

The U21s could do with a striker now that Armstrong has been called up to the seniors alright.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086393#Comment_121086393

Can't see him making the match day squad. Think it won't be the last time Kenny and Afolabi link up. Wouldn't surprise me to see Kenny as Bohs manager when he's gone from Ireland.

artanevilla

It would be a good fit for him.

franglan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086369#Comment_121086369

Both training with first (senior) team today. Saw Smallborne as well was he suspended for France game or what?

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086316#Comment_121086316

While I don’t disagree it’s often the case that people with money would be benefactors of sports teams and not just football or club sides in other sports. The government has a tax surplus at the minute but I’m not sure the taxpayer would be universally in favour of handing over even bigger donations to the FAI given their track record.

johnnyryan89

Conservative line up from Crawford. A Sinclair Armstrong sized hole up top which I expected Emaku to fill as he's another strong pacy forward rather than Johnny Kenny.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086549#Comment_121086549

He only came back from injury last weekend and struggled in Southamptons bad lose. Looked like someone going through the motions and should have never started for them.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086328#Comment_121086328

But he doesn't have them trying to play it like they do with clubs. He has passing for the sake of it. There's absolutely no purpose, there's no trying to pull opposition out of position, no trying to create pockets of space to exploit, just mindless dull passing..

He sort of plays a formation that's popular at the moment with clubs and international, but the game plan and tactics are not what they purport to be.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086686#Comment_121086686

If it was a manager with no history in LOI the people praising him would be demanding his immediate removal.

Hes vaguely trying to do the "modern" style but doesn't know how.

athlone99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086713#Comment_121086713

Well not really, i knew what Kennys remit was, bring through the younger players. Hes done that but results havent been good so we move.

Kenny was very successful in European games with a modern style. He move to 3/5 at the back, a formation he never player at club level to try and suit the players. Right around the time he did that multiple players feel out of favour at their clubs. Our strengths are still our defenders so id rather have more of them on the pitch

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086328#Comment_121086328

The players are not available to play that style as simple as that, it makes as much sense as playing direct football with Xavi, Inesta and Messi as a targetman.

Most of the best Irish players are defenders, especially not midfielders. Yet you think that Kenny can try and play through midfield? That is dreamland stuff.

Any manager worth his salt would not try that with the Irish players available - madness. It also takes away from a thing this Irish team should be good at - high energy. Irish players are good at that especially lads with GAA backgrounds.

But 'Kennyball' makes the Irish team worse and easier to play against. Results have proven this beyond doubt. I think you are just too indoctrinated, and not willing to see the madness of the experiment. It is the fact that Kenny had all these dreams and promises were made and did not come near to fruition. Basically Kenny sold the fans a pup.

I would completely agree if there was a few technical midfielders that could pick a pass. Cullen is talked up to be that fella basically because he is the best of a really poor bunch. That is the truth of it. Plus in the English Premier League you can see how Cullen is struggling, he is just not at that high level.

To play like Kenny wants to play you would need a Liam Brady in midfield. When I think of it even John Sheridan would be a better player than any 'creative' midfielder Ireland currently have. That is just the reality.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086818#Comment_121086818

Thats one of the reasons we are conceding from distance aswell. The midfield doesn't have the talent or requirements so when the ball is lost theres a gaping hole between defence and midfield with no one closing down so teams can fire away freely.

CSF

Greece aside, I’ve generally watched us and thought we were a well organised side with extremely limited players.

I wouldnt describe myself as a Stephen Kenny fanboy either, but I think a large percentage of our country (some serious head the balls in this thread are a massive example of it) are struggling to adjust to the reality that the Ireland we grew up watching that were always in the hunt for qualification at the least, is not the Ireland we currently have.

Kenny hasn’t always helped himself, but he definitely has suffered from this. The average PL fan who has also always watched an Ireland team in contention, doesn’t know how to process what they’re currently experiencing.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084004#Comment_121084004

Of course I will look down my nose at Neil f*cking Lennon because he is absolute sh*te. A proven failure of a manager whose style of football is absolutely putrid. His most recent job saw him lose the SPL to Rangers who were managed by the equally useless Steven Gerrard.

If you can’t think beyond Neil Lennon then sit out the conversation. You are out of your depth completely.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086829#Comment_121086829

All the more reason that Ireland need real dogs in midfield, there has to be fellas (who might not be the best technically) but work and chase, cover the ground, do the dirty work.

Some mentioned about the possibility of playing Collins in the midfield since Ireland have so many centre halves - but again that was laughed at on this thread by some. And Paul McGrath was a great example where it worked brilliantly, Jack Charlton using him as an extra defender without the ball, and a midfielder when attacking.

Xander10

...

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086872#Comment_121086872

I did before on this thread there was loads under Stan it was ridiculous. A chunk of them on that USA tour and more besides. I will see if I can find it.

See the post below:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120744700#Comment_120744700

Steve Staunton 'blooded' 24 players in under 2 years:

1) Colin Doyle

2) Joey O'Brien

3) Joe Lapira

4) Stephen O'Halloran

5) Joe Gamble

6) Darren Potter

7) Joe O'Cearuill

8) Stephen Gleeson

9) Alex Bruce

10) Sean St Ledger

11) Andy Keogh

12) Daryl Murphy

13) Alan O’Brien

14) Paul McShane

15) Wayne Henderson

16) Anthony Stokes

17) Peter Murphy

18) Darron Gibson

19) Alan Bennett

20) Shane Long

21) Kevin Doyle

22) Stephen Ireland

23) Stephen Hunt

24) Stephen Kelly

--

At the time of my original post Kenny 'blooded' 18 players.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/10913416/stephen-kenny-defence-ireland-manager/

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086870#Comment_121086870

What exactly are Cullen, Molumby and Knight except for workhorses? We don't need any more players like that, we need players who can pick out a pass in midfield, a player like Hoolahan for example. Putting Collins in midfield ain't going to change the fact that we don't have a midfielder creative enough to play that role.

Also some Irish fans need to stop looking at everything through the prism of the Jack Charlton era. It was great and we had tremendous success but time and football has moved on since then. Hard work and passion are no longer enough, we need quality and players comfortable on the ball. Yes McGrath was originally a centre back who was successfully converted into a midfielder but that doesn't mean that Collins is suitable for it. John O'Shea played midfield for a few matches towards the end of the WC2006 qualifying and that wasn't anywhere near as successful.

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086882#Comment_121086882

I'm not even bothered reading what the argument is but some of those players will go down as the ultimate one cap wonders and are players who never deserved to be near an Ireland squad. Caps for the sake of it. I could literally not tell you a single thing about Peter Murphy.

Most of Kenny's will go on to have hopefully decent international careers with maybe the exception of CJ Hamilton.

Who are Kenny's 18 1st caps? I've tried to keep track but only have 15: Idah, Molumby, O'Shea, Knight, Bazunu, McGrath, Kelleher, Ogbene, Omobamidele, Collins, Keane, Hamilton, Ferguson, Sykes, Ebosele. Missing 3.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086958#Comment_121086958

So you give up is it? Don't try Collins in midfield because O'Shea was not as good there and you imply that Charlton was 'lucky' with McGrath? Plenty of club sides have done the same with a defender converted to a midfielder.

My problem is the Irish side don't even do hard work now that is Kenny's fault, never mind the hope of finding a technically creative Irish midfielder they just don't exist. Molumpy is no leader very passive, Knight better attacking than defensive - but great at neither, and wasn't there talk of using him as the no10? And Cullen is talked up as a creative midfielder by many, for some reason.

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086882#Comment_121086882

Nonsense comparison. A lot of them were fillers on a US tour. lapira, whose uncle was in the FAI played about 10 minutes only. Kenny by comparison brought players in and stuck with most of them. Stan played plenty they were barely ever seen again

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086972#Comment_121086972

Sykes, Johnson, and Smallbone

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087028#Comment_121087028

You asked me to name them I did. Now the players did not fit your narrative you have gone on another tangent.

But a lot Staunton capped became slawarts -

Shane Long, Kevin Doyle, St Ledger, Daryl Murphy, Darron Gibson, Anthony Stokes, Andy Keogh, Stephen Hunt, Paul McShane, Stephen Kelly - that is 10 players who played under the managers following Staunton's reign. 10 out of 24 is not bad going IMO.

Stephen Ireland would have been there as well only for his Granny died, which was unknown to his Granny at the time.

How many of Kenny's Kids will remain under the management following him?