Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

I think the fact we were out of the running in the group so early on, like the World Cup Qualifiers is the main issue. Things have improved no doubt. We are a lot more comfortable on the ball. But we still lack any real ideas in the final third. The game management and real time decisions from the sideline are also questionable and the same mistakes seem to be made over and over. He doesn't seem to be able to change things up during a game. We knew going into last night that they would sit on the edge of their area and invite us on. Yet we still stuck with 3 CB's. Parrott left on for so long again and Ogbene left sitting on the line. Hendrick left on for the 90 mins and Hourihane brought on. Kenny cant be held to account for individual errors but he brought Hourihane in though. It's obvious the lad ain't good enough.

Then you have Liam Scales being called into the squad over Jimmy Dunne for example. Manning left at home and Brady used out there instead.

I think Stephen should stay for the Euros without a doubt. If our results follow the pattern from the last two qualifying groups and we are out of the reckoning early on he'll have to go.

Agreed. I have said he will always be judged on games against the likes of Luxembourg, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

4 competitive wins in 21 games.

1 win v Luxembourg

1 win v Armenia

1 win v Azerbaijan

1 win v Scotland

2 Losses to Finland

2 Draws with Bulgaria

1 Loss to Luxembourg

1 Loss to Armenia

1 Draw with Azerbaijan

1 loss to Slovakia

The performances were mixed in most of those games too. The mangement on the line was questionable.

If it;s a results only business we are fairly fooked.

It's always been qualification or bust for 2024

The era of having 11 premier league players playing for ROI is gone. It's been gone for 20 years.

30 years ago, Rice and Grealish would have chosen Ireland because of the cool buzz around Charlton's team.

They probably figured that trudging along with ROI in this era is at best a waste of time.

Stephen Ireland started that carry on 15 years ago.

We have found our level. Armenia.

I agree with most of the above but, while the players are playing for him, they are not always listening to him or maybe they are not afraid of him. He defends them too easily when they are clearly in the wrong.

For the next game, I would have Kelleher in goal, replace Parrott with Ogbene and perhaps move Collins into the old Paul McGrath role in midfield.

I have to say, I was disappointed with Bazunu last night. Thought he was poor on the second goal in particular. I like him but he was poor last night.

You know people scoffed at the idea of Collins being used in a DM role. I think at this stage when Cullen is missing we need someone to be able to swap in there. Collins certainly looks like he has the football. A back 3 of Egan, O'Shea and Obamadele would also be good. Declan Rice started as a CB don't forget.

Even if we wanted to move Cullen further forward.

Last night exosed us again to our lack of DM's and midfielders in general. I think moving Collins into the role is worth a look at in friendlies. Why not.

Pot 1

Netherlands Croatia, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland.

Pot 2

France, Austria, Czech Republic, England, Wales, Israel, Bosnia, Serbia, Scotland, Finland.

Pot 3

Ukraine, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Montenegro, Romania, Sweden, Armenia.

Pot 4

Georgia, Greece, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia.

Pot 5

Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Belarus, Lithuania, Gibraltar, Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, Malta.

Pot 6

Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein

The seeding for Euro 2024 and there's the clashes of teams that can't play for political reasons, distance, and winter conditions.

Armenia can't play Azerbaijan, Belarus can't play Ukraine, Gibraltar can't play Spain, Kosovo can't play Bosnia or Serbia.

No more than two of these teams can be in the same group because of possible bad weather Belarus, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway.

A maximum of one pair of teams identified with excessive travel distance in relation to other countries can be placed in each group:

Azerbaijan: with Gibraltar, Iceland, Portugal.

Iceland: with Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel.

Kazakhstan: with Andorra, England, Faroe Islands, France, Gibraltar, Iceland, Malta, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Wales.

I'd agree re the low block and during some passages last night we done well.

A major issue is we don't seem to be able to change systems or shapes to cope with the low block. part of that is down to the players available but a lot of it is down to the manager and his in game decision making.

Top 2 straight through

We are almost certain to get a place in the play-off's. Going from previous history, we can expect the likes of Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania to be the level of opponent we can expect. If we are going to fail to be able to progress in a play-off against that calibre of team then this team really has shown no progress under Kenny and it will be time to try someone new.

As far as I’m aware we would need Scotland and Ukraine to qualify automatically for us to get a playoff - is that not the case?

Hungary are playing great at the moment., would prefer Swiss out of pot 1

Wales, Scotland out of pot 2 wouldn't be a disaster

Does it perhaps say something if someone played as a schoolboy in one position, and was moved to a different position when they got to a higher level? His professional career is entirely, 100%, as a CB.

My preference will always be a career midfielder to play in midfield for the national team (and part of my post was also from Gusser saying to have Collins there regardless whether Cullen is available or not - moving Cullen forward instead).

If we absolutely HAD to pick a non midfielder in DM, I'd much rather Coleman, who at least has an extra decade of experience, earned in all sorts of different situations. I feel like the Collins thing only comes up 'cause he's good on the ball, when experience and awareness are far far more important to a DM. I'd have Doherty ahead of Collins too, having played at CB, FB, and WB on both sides, and again, almost having a decade more professional experience.

Collins is 21, and thriving for us in his best position - leave him be.

It's just an idea to be honest. We need to get creative with the resources available to us. I'd agree about not moving a player from his best position but we are pretty desperate at the moment.

France and England in pot 2 is bizarre, they are ranked 3rd and 5th in the World Rankings.

Knowing our luck we will get one of them.