Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

I think Hendrick has payed fairly well recently for Ireland and deserved to start the game, although didn't play particularly well last night. I think it's more so he struggled in a midfield two, looked much better when Knight came on. Hopefully the experiment with a front 3 is over, it has not worked and we look so much better with 3 midfielders or two and a ten.

One look at the coat and you'd know he's a spoofer.

I disagree, with the players they had on yellows and considering they’d need a result against Serbia anyway I’m not surprised they didn’t go 100% against us, and if it were us in that position I’d expect some similar team management.

In general I hate when managers complain about teams that other managers pick for games they’re not involved in. Portugal did what they thought was best for Portugal, they don’t owe anything to Luxembourg.

The primary thing I'd like to see going forward with now is consistency. We have a formation, players, and tactics that appear to be working well, I think it's important that we keep that momentum going forward. If Kenny wants to use one of the March friendlies to give some of the fringe players a chance, by all means. But from here on in, I think we have a fairly established first 11 and we shouldn't be deviating too much from it. Unless we get someone pulling trees up for club, we should be sticking with this team.

Also, I'd like to see us take the Nations League a bit more seriously, depending on what sort of prize is on offer from winning our group. Wales for example won our group last time out and have been rewarded with a spot in the play-off's for the World Cup.

The other thing I'd hope to see is that we can get a striker getting to double figures for club form. We're also in dire need of another holding midfielder. If either Robinson or Cullen get injured, we're in serious trouble.

An awful lot of non LOI people are really getting behind this team too. Crowds at the last few games have been way more vocal than recent years and it can't all be LOI guys. The Kenny out stuff feels pretty manufactured.

Let's not forget the Mexican wave days

You're gutted he finished 3rd aren't ya? 😂

Not many fans have any interest in going back to the type of muck we had under MON, Trap or Mick. The same washed up players with young lads not given a chance and practical long ball football. There's a buzz about this team for the first time in a long time.

Agree, I get the feeling that this is something that Kenny has specifically asked Hendrick to do. At the beginning of Kenny's reign, I rarely recall players trying more ambitious balls through the opposition defence. Now it happens several times a match. I think Kenny's realised that we can't be so static on the ball, that it's useless having 90% pass completion if we're always facing two banks of players that are impossible to penetrate. I think trying the riskier early ball makes a lot of sense, given the type of attackers that we have (Robinson, Ogbene, Parrott, Connolly). These are the types of lads who either have the pace or vision to be making the types of run to create chances.

We weren't going to finish ahead of Serbia or Portugal. To suggest otherwise is just disingenuous.

I've been really impressed by Bazunu. Would other managers have given him a chance?

I've been watching Ireland for over fifty year now including times when we were awful e.g in the late sixties with Dunphy and Eamonn rogers fooling about in midfield. Lately i was discussing with mates our best ever selection. Apart from the obvious (McGrath, Brady, Giles and the two Keanes) we couldn't settle on a keeper. Bonner, Given and Alan Kelly Snr. were the best but I can safely say the current lad is the best I've seen. That save last night was outstanding.

He probably is the best we have had but at the same time Hendrick is probably a better player than Giles due to acroos the board improvement in soccer.

Bazunu has definitely been my favourite thing about Kenny's reign but I wouldn't say he is as good compared to his peers as Given was

Hendrick better than Giles???....are you mad?. Giles was one of the best midfielders I've ever seen, completely two footed and could control a game.

Ironically where you state "With the young lads coming through" you forget to mention who made the call on giving those "young lads" their opportunity. You should take off those rose-tinted glasses, and watch the kind of football Ireland have been playing lately. Its quite enjoyable fare. I hope your not some secret love-child of Trappatoni and Liam Brady, forever looking back to the dinosaurs of a bye-gone era.

Was his 7th competitive cap last night and has equaled Robbie Keane and Ian Harte as most capped teenagers in competitive games.

Good man, your stock replies are great at missing all of the context available. Keep it up, last man standing now I think.

Hopefully he can get a loan move in January but his could be an issue. Along with Cullen they have cemented themselves as the midfield two for us this campaign. Issue being now is who can come in and replace them when needed. Injuries, suspensions, and four games in 10-12 days next June is going to test our squad and players we're dependent on.

Do you think any other manager can get this squad to qualify for a tournament?

If not, it's pointless sacking him. Give him more time to let the team develop under him. There are signs of progress. We eventually finished where we were expected to. Some results have been poor, some have been good. He hasn't done as poorly as some would like to make out.

If you do think there is someone better out there, who is it? And how do you expect the FAI to afford their appointment given the mess their finances are in?

Let's look at Mick's wins in his stint. Gibraltar x 2 (that 1-0 away game was putrid stuff), Georgia (barely), New Zealand 😁 and a shoddy Bulgaria.

You're a gas ticket in fairness though 🤣