Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Can’t see it.

1 more home qualifier which is the next game, followed by the final two away, and the friendly will essentially be his send off.

So there’s not much time for anything to turn really sour. I think anyway most know we’ll get someone else after a few games anyway so what’s the point in being angry about it?

Maybe keeping Kenny on is to bide time for the FAI too look for a replacement ie they have done **** all in that regard

I have no issue with Kenny personally, and I certainly have no issue that his path was via the LOI / youth system. He had done some really impressive things in those contexts and deserved a shot.

It may surprise you, but I did really want this thing to work out. It appeared to me very early on that it wasn’t going to work out, however. I would be of the view that the bar for Kenny to continue should have been higher rather than lower, given his relatively lessor credentials compared to most of our previous incumbents. But I still hoped he would scale that bar and that we’d be having a very different conversation now. I’m also hugely against the running down of the game here or the destruction of the association.

We will always have people giving out and people who look down on the LOI. The flip side of this was on display between 2008 - 2018 where every successful day under Trapp or MON would be greeted with grumbles on here about Neanderthal football or “magic airplanes”. It all grows tiresome in the end.

Nobody has a monopoly on the national team and I don’t believe there is any “right” way to play, or acquire players to the national pool or handle the media, etc. There was a time before most of us can remember where Irish sides went out and played great football but lost, largely because of the obstacles placed on them by the FAI. Then we had times where we played extremely utilitarian football but got amazing results we could only dream of today.

I just want to be proud of the team we put out there, to be be proud of their effort and their competitiveness. If they play nice football that would be a lovely bonus. More broadly, I want the association to be independent, ethical and well managed. And ideally the association would facilitate and support the growth of the local game.

The more you think about all of this, the more you realise that it’s much bigger than any one coach, or set of players or section of the fanbase. The LOI season ticket holder has no more claim to the National Team and who should manage it than the bandwagon bar stool fan. What matters is that the fans in Landsdowne and the fans who travel and the players who put their bodies on the line are all put in the best position to be part of something successful. It’s not an idealogical exercise or a revenge mission or a constructed penance. And it’s not a platform for one man and his vision for how we should play.

On Second Captains on Monday there was a discussion of what is ‘decent’ with regards to the endgame. Is it ‘decent’ or ‘fair’ to let him finish out his contract. I would be of the genuine view that it could get ugly for Kenny over the remaining two months (if it does indeed get that far). The nonsense on the After Hours thread will become louder, more and more media members will finally cross over into outright criticism and - eventually - the boos will come from the stands (they are already there from a minority).

Because I’ll be dead honest with ya, what would be **** brilliant is if we could get someone in (like Carsley) that would satisfy as many of the sections of interest as possible so that we’re all mostly behind the team and the setup again. But remember, even if that does happen, the man concerned will need to win to keep that unity of support. You simply cannot lose matches regularly and expect that everyone will remain logical and civil about it. It is football, after all.

FAI won't be in a good position to negotiate a contract that will suit their needs. Any new manager coming in should have the upper hand unless it's another manager at the level Kenny was or League One level.

Like I couldn't see a Carsley, Wilder, or Hughton agreeing to a four year deal but the FAI have a break/review after two years.

Most will want a two year contract and then negotiate a new contract after two years. Gives them the option of asking for more money if they've done a good job or move on if a better offer comes about.

No one here is asking for Stephen Kenny to get another 4 years at managing Ireland, but you are with Keane. 😉 Both have has their chance with the Irish team and both failed. It's time to move on and look to the further.

Well I doubt if any of them would be stuck on 3 points.

And is that Dutch team actually any good ?

Plus we lost to Lux and Armenia.

Its a disaster.

Most of them have one thing in common

Most have national academy's now producing players and proper footballers.

Who on earth thought Greece would be a handy 6 points. They'd been on an incredible run of results relative to their ranking and had some poxy groups too. Don't think anyone here was claiming it would be handy.

Decision today looks like the FAI have accepted that we are not making the play offs and letting the qualification run out without having to make a hard decision and also giving Kenny the friendly against NZ believing that he might actually get a win in that game and go out with a bit of dignity.

After three years, three competitive campaigns, a good performance against France and an extended prep it was absolutely reasonable to expect a result in Greece.

Judging by your posts, you seem to have zero expectations of Ireland ever getting a result against anyone ranked within 50 spots of us. Come on now.

He has no chance of the England job.

You've tired very hard there but that's not what was said

Anyone ask at yesterday's press conference when Jonathan Hill is ~finally moving over to Dublin to attend his workplace? Has the other buck previously of the Premier League got a virtual background of the Dublin mountains on the FAI zoom calls as well?

The likes of Bruce, Allardyce, Pulis and Hughes have had their day in the sun but the night is closing in.

Only Hughes is currently employed and that's in League Two. The others have all struggled to make an impact in their most recent jobs, a sure sign that the game has passed them by. Even Trap was still winning titles when he took over.

Appointments of any of these is a backwards step and it isn't going to help the team develop. There might be 'passion' and organisation but it will fizzle out and they won't be able to adapt to the game as it is now.

I don't think Bruce and Hughes are in the same group as Pulis and Big Sam.

Bruce has shown that he can successfully manage championship and lower PL level players time and again and that's where we are now. He has played good football and gotten results and pragmatic football and gotten results depending on the players. That's what's needed.