Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

I don't think it's dramatic. Not winning tonight pretty much means we are out of another group / campaign after a couple of games. I think it's dramatic to call it anything but a disaster and failure.

One thing you need to do in internationals is match the strong teams for 6 pointers again the likes of Luxembourg, Azerbaijan, Armenia etc and then beat the middle of the road teams at home at least. That's always been key. It hasn't changed just because our defensive unit can pass ball across the pitch or backwards.

Introducing a new philosophy and system needs to be done in a balanced manner. Kenny still has to ensure he is getting results which leave us with a decent chance of success. Let's not forget that the Nations League are a backdoor into the Euros.

The main issue is with the manager at the moment. Hendrick included are players of an average quality but are easily capable of beating your Luxembourg's, Armenia's, Azerbaijan's and Qatar's of the world. I'll give Kenny the benefit of the doubt in one of those games. Every manager has one of them. But they are starting to become a trend now along with not scoring goals.

How long does Kenny have to get? Is it going to be a case if we are still failing against these teams that his supporters will point to the players not being good enough? The same supporters who defended a largely similar group of players in terms of ability that MON toward the end had and Mick had.

It seems to me that the people who want Kenny to remain regardless of utter failure want to have it their own way. Question the manager when he's not an LOI man and then blame the players for not being good enough when they have the LOI man in.

I think the tide is turning in the media too. Even his most fervent supporters previously are now talking about it being a results game.

The Sporting Life wrote up a 75 page dossier on Notts Forest.

Based on that they picked 5 players they should be after. One of them was Josh Cullen - "dream of a midfielder". They say that he's in his last year of contract at Anderlecht. They reckon he'll be courted by lots of Premier League sides.

The guy seems like a gent. A really nice fella. But his tactis and style of play for what we have available to us has been clueless. Our setup and performances against poorer sides have been clueless.

It's not personal when criticising the man. It's football related. I hope he succeeds but I think that ship might have already sailed.

Has done very well to get himself a three year deal too.

Will be interesting to see how this goes against a second string Ukrainian team.

Jaysus. Listening to Kennys interview on rte. Shockingly incoherent.

I think he is trying to say that the Armenia performance / result was a once off? Couldnt really make it out though.

Sorry eh i couldnt eh didnt think eh i thought i eh.

We're there any reports about how the in house match against the u21s went? Can't imagine there was much in it.

That Ukraine team looks very weak.

Its a second string Ukranian. We really need to win this one. Couldnt really have hoped for more.

He tends not to read situations well though. Sometimes play passes him by

We've started really well. Hopefully can create something decent. Ukraine are poor so far.

Wish I could fade out Stephen Kelly's voice.