Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

That's a bit of a weirdly negative take... 2 Southampton managers? Are you bringing Mark Huges into this? Who managed him back at 17/18 years old? And Hassenhuttl clearly really likes him. He's had his criticisms of him, and given him work-ons, but also always welcomed him back to the team and said really positive things about him. A lad of that age that he didn't like would have simply been someone we never even heard about, rotting in PL2.

As for finding himself on the move.. I mean, yeah, because he's not a premier league striker, but he was at a premier league club. There's not exactly a lot of 19/20/21 year old strikers playing regularly in the premier league! At Southampton there was simply a rake of players better than him ahead of him - Armstrong, Adams, Walcott, Redmond etc (any one of whom would be a nailed on irish starter).

He's obviously a very talented kid, with an almost identical record to Connolly in 19/20 (both players best and breakout year), which elevated Connolly to nailed on squad member. Connolly - 24 PL games, 3 goals 2 assists. 2 EFL games, 1 goal. Obafemi - 21 PL games, 3 goals, 2 assists. 2 EFL games, 1 goal. Then Walcott joined Southampton, and pushed him down the pecking order, before his big injury.

There's always a weird air of negativity around him in relation to Ireland discussions, which I don't quite understand. He's one of the lads to be most excited about imo. The fact Swansea wanted him last year in January, and came back for him now is serious testament to his ability. I'm fierce excited about him anyway, love watching him play. Would be a fantastic partner for Parrott going forward. Works really well off that sort of player.

Hi all, planning on going to the match on Saturday evening, driving from the west - appreciate opinions on where to park the car? Thanks!

From what I have seen of Obafemi he is technically very poor. He can run and I think he can finish fairly well and is opportunistic, but he needs to improve a lot to be a PL footballer. I don't think it is negative to say that. It is just the way it is.

Connolly is a far better player technically.

Predictions for tonight?

I'll go for a very comfortable 4 - 0 to Portugal. 2 for Ronaldo.

If Kenny is going to have Duffy and Egan playing out from the back, things could get real ugly. If Kenny was to be a bit more pragmatic, we could maybe make it a close game on a good day. I think we should be going long to get the ball into the opposition area and trying crosses and winning set pieces. Parrott could be a key player, he's got a real habit of winning free's in dangerous areas from what I've seen at club level. We should be trying to overload the opponents six yard box on such occasions, we have three weapons in Duffy, O'Shea, and Egan who have the potential to cause panic.

Don't leave anything visible in the car. Put whatever you need to in the boot before you park.

Yea, I don't think it's fair to say Kenny won't try things. We also tried a high press for the Serbia game. It was effective for the first half, but we ran out of gas in the second half and got picked off.

When was the last time ireland lost 3 of their opening games in any group? 50 or so yrs ago?

When was the last time our campaign was over so early ? Mathematically we not out but it’s over. Normally we still in the running with 2/3 games to go.

edit - answered above by sugarman

God yeah, that campaign was an awful slog. Awful football, with no plan, or end, in sight. Especially grim after the embarrassment of the 2012 Euros.

I've since accepted that WC qualifying is just not for us for the foreseeable, the bar's too high to get too emotionally invested in. Best we can hope for is team and player progress, and distinct moments of joy amongst the disappointment! (cheery stuff, eh?)

Looks like Byrne is back in the fold for now.

Kenny desperately needs a lifeline, here. Not losing would be a better result than he could probably hope to achieve, but it's what he'll be aiming for, nonetheless. Really depressing that Ireland are essentially out of the running at this stage in the campaign. Normally would be coming into the back half of a campaign with the anticipation that the team could somehow string together a few good results and really be in contention.

The problem for Kenny is that he's an LoI man who has so far struggled to get results with the team of professionals playing largely within the top tiers of English football. Like Steve Staunton and Brian Kerr, there's a feeling that you're taking a bit of a punt on the man and that he is untested at this level. With a more decorated manager, there can be a bit more leeway to say that the players just are not performing up to scratch, but it seems to me that someone untried gets criticised twice as hard. And when you have a bad run of losses under such an untried manager at this level, is there a subconscious feeling with the players, an inclination to not really commit themselves to the game plan because they don't think he knows what he's doing?

Anyone make it over and sort a ticket?

😎

Of course there is. That is not a fault of the players though, it's natural reaction.

This will be an appalling evening. Nearly time to open the whiskey.

Expectation for this game couldn't be lower, getting beat by a single goal would even be a minor victory.

Kenny's contract expires in a year and he's fast running out of games to demonstrate he deserves an extension. A third place finish in the group would be enough to persuade the FAI to give him another shot. If we finished 4th, or god forbid 5th, I think it's going to be hard to justify giving him a run at the Euro's.

The home game against Azerbaijan on Saturday could end up being the decider. I think it's a must-win for him.

The mere fact you describe a game against Azerbaijan as a decider and 'must win' for the manager says it all about where we are right now. That's our competition. Not Serbia and Portugal.

Our only hope is that this is rock bottom now and the only way is up but I worry that even yet it could get considerably worse if that were possible.

Connolly and McGrath are a surprise.

I'm surprised Idah got the nod over Parrott since the latter's been playing and scoring. I guess maybe Idah is a little stronger at hold-up play.

Also never a fan of seeing Hendrick's name. Cullen's really gonna have his work cut out for him in the middle.