Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

McCLean wasn't the worst of them in fairness. Still think this week should be his last involvement with Ireland though.

I honestly believe we would be in that situation no matter who the coach is.

Couldn't really care if Kenny stays or goes but the plan is the right one

These are the worst results we’ve ever had under any manager in our history. By far

maybe we’d be in this state under any manager but it seems that unlikely to me. The squad is no worst than what mick had in 2019 in my opinion. Unless you really really rate David Mcgoldrick.

Azerbaijan are 112th in the world and have had 1 win in their last 13 games, which was a friendly win over Belarus. They were beaten 2-1 by Luxembourg on Wednesday. The idea we should accept performances like yesterday's is absurd.

By the end of the game, Kenny had thrown on Hourihane and Collins, so it's obvious it was a change of approach because the previous 75 odd minutes had been dismal.

Curtis/Robinson/McClean woud have been better options than Parrott yesterday.

We played a 3-4-3 with the one actual winger starting (McClean) playing at wing back, and a full back with plenty of wing back experience (Coleman) playing centre back. No logical reason not to keep the same back 5 that played against Portugal (obvs keeping O'Shea substitution)

And the front 3 he selected composed of 3 strikers and no wide player - although Connolly has at least cameo'd out wide for Brighton and with Robinson having covid maybe he wasn't ready to start so could see why Connolly started. But sticking Parrott left was an odd choice as he is either a striker or #10. We had actual left wingers in the squad (McClean/Curtis) rather than shoving Parrott (or McClean to wingback) out of position.

If Kenny didn't want width he should have gone 3-4-1-2, restructuring the front 3 to have Parrott in behind Connolly and Idah.

His own selection didnt fit his own tactics.

I really don't think much is going to change for the Irish team unless the players spread their wings and go further afield than England to play each week, or else someone comes along to really invest some proper money into the League of Ireland. Otherwise we're looking at a team of Championship journeymen and the occasional Premier League benchwarmer from here on out.

I wouldn’t say I’m surprised but Kenny was managing the 32nd team in the world when he took over. Now we are losing to the 90th team and getting late equalizers vs the 112th team. It’s horrendous results wise whatever else it is.

I think our general play is better than it has been under previous managers. But the results have been poor. But its not like we've gone from consistent qualifiers to the current situation.

So yeah I've hope that if results can come then we'll be in a better spot than we have been at any point over the last few decades.

Was watching an interview with Andy Townsend last night talking about Jack Charlton and style of play.

He said Jack Charlton told him the following when he first appeared for Ireland:

"I see you play tippy tappy football with Norwich, good football. If you do that in my team once you'll never wear the green Jersey again"

The point being we can play like that, knock it around, have a really good game but we will always lose. Previous managers understood that.

We lose because we are trying to play technically superior teams at their own game. It doesn't matter that games may be "close", we won't get results.

I just think it can never work and you'd have to say the results are as expected for a team trying to play better technical teams (which is basically every country on the continent).

I think we need to ask whether this new style is right for us.

Got distracted by food. But to finish

The fact that against Portugal Kenny decided Omabamidele was the most suitable replacement for O'Shea (which made sense as a like for like CB for a CB) but then when it came to Azerbaijan he chooses McClean to start wingback instead while also then having to switch 2 of the other 4 defenders to accomodate McClean was another move that didnt suit team or the players involved.

Will be more baffling if Coleman goes back to RWB and Doherty LWB to Serbia. Fair enough Coleman playing there back in March might have been out of necessity, Duffy was in poor form and Egan was injured. But there's absolutely no reason that Coleman should have been moved back into CB yesterday.

Especially since Omobamidele actually acquited himself so well in the Portugal game. If he had had a mare then dropping him out would have made sense but he did well, and his reward was to just go back to the bench?

Sure our squad is limited but needlessly tryna squash square pegs into round holes while we HAVE round pegs is really not helping matters.

It's also another 90mins of international football under his belt. He talks up young players but drops one after a good debut. There's no news about him picking up any knocks pre game so there should have been no reason why he didn't start and would love to know why he started Coleman at CB

Similar Jamie McGrath. Now I can understand if you didn't want to start him from the start but not to bring him on for Molumby who wasn't offering anything and letting him sit on the bench all night is another baffling decision after a good debut.

I really wanna see him succeed but he often does himself no favours with his odd team selection last night.

Not sure and haven't seen anything online about it. Would have surely came up in his post match interviews unless we hear about it tomorrow.

dundalk are ranked 126th in europe in a far more crowded field so Dundalk are as close to Qarabag as Azerbaijan close to Ireland.

Duffy getting back to something like his old self has been one of the few consolations this week.