Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Hendrick? McGrath? Doherty on the left? I can only see a Portugal win by at least 3 goals and Ronaldo to become highest all-time international goalscorer.

As regards the importance of tonight, when we had pragmatic coaches at the helm, the familiar lament espoused on forums and in newspaper columns was that we were being held back by 'dinosaur' coaches, and that we could offer more if only we had someone to unleash our true potential.

I think a game like tonight is therefore important in judging this team's future. Whatever about the former coaches, they were often able to dig out results against sides above us when we qualified for tournaments. We wouldn't have qualified, otherwise.

Doherty on the left is a joke. He’s a benchwarmer at Spurs. Manning has played regularly for Swansea and done well.

I honestly believe the only way is up. Because we're at a stage now where senior players aren't doing it at club level even, and the young players are trying to get their careers started. We're also trying to get the younger lads into the national team and build for the future. Some of them are starting to play regularly for club level, and others have gotten moves which might see them play more regularly.

I doubt Kenny is the man to lead us long term. I think he'll maybe get Euro 2024 qualifiers and then they'll decide his future on how things are going during that campaign. But I think long term he'll be viewed as sort of our John Toshack. The man who brought in these young players, and got them ready for the next managers to reap the benefits.

There's gonna be ten games next year with friendlies and nation's league games. Between now and the end of 2022 the young lads like Bazunu, O'Shea, Molumby, Knight, Parrott, and Idah could have twenty plus caps going into the qualifiers. Like Egan now only has 14 caps and made his debut four years ago.

It’ll be a long night. We’ll be defending for 90 minutes. This crowd have class, speed and confidence.

How is that tackle on Doherty not a yellow?

Keep it below 4 and thats a good result. Then hope for a draw this weekend.

Oh Holy god

Peno Portugal. Ridiculous play from Ireland

Awful stuff. Gave away a cheap pen.

And Ronaldo throws a punch apparently

That's a shocker

Who was the centre back who tried to get fancy?

Send O'Shea off for falling to the ground. Embarrassing.

That's just embarrassing from O'Shea going down like that

Is Ronnie calling that a punch?

If they're this unsure on the pen they shouldn't give it.

They made a balls of things 2 minutes earlier, so no shock they got caught out

Embarrassing from Whelan too claiming it was a punch.

Nothing to do with Ronaldo's United links of course.

There was contact on the ball there for me, he looked at it enough times to convince himself not to change his mind.

Should take Fernandes' prior form into account and assume it's a dive.

There was no contact with Bruno there was there?