Republic of Ireland General Discussion Thread 2024 [use match threads for games]

This is definitely adding some spice to the game but it's a scary prospect seeing this group of England players with a manager who will 'let them play'

Occasion will be good, taking there time announcing the kick off time. Too much boozing time if its 5pm as originally planned

You'll be grand, they'll be tons of security everywhere

Yes, that's pretty much what she said!

I wasn't much older than she is now, when I was meant to go to the 1995 Lansdowne Road match. Was meant to be sitting in the lower west stand too. Stupid family stuff getting in the way. 🤣 So yes, even if does go a bit wrong, maybe it would be wrong to deny her a better story than mine.

(Current plan after thinking about it overnight, is to go as planned, and if things do start looking dodgy, we might break our usual rule of never leaving before the end, and try to slip out before the crowds)

Lawal looking to be on his way to Stoke.

And I believe he hasn't played for them during pre season either so this could be his first game since the internationals.

Pity Stoke are a basket case of a club.

Don't think they will go on individual sale. Might have to buy the package if you want a ticket.

Szmodics on the bench for Blackburn tonight, while Cashin starts for Derby.

And scores, as does Stephen Quinn at 38!!!!,can't believe he's still playing. Sammie scored from bench

Still three weeks left in the window but it feels like a lot of our players haven't got the moves we'd hope over the summer. Very quiet on the likes of Kelleher, Moran, Johnston, Obafemi, Ogbene, Cullen, Anselm García McNulty and you wouldn't be surprised now if they stayed where they are.

As of yet O'Shea, Lawal, Idah, Hodge, Szmodzics, Cannon still haven't confirmed moves or loans although all have been linked and you'd expect most of them to get it done by September.

Egan, Connolly, Hendrick still without clubs.

Hopefully we see a bit of action on this front in the next few weeks.

He'd be stuck deep on the bench.

Rumour is they want to sign him and loan him out until Allison leaves.

Jamie McGrath has started the season in good form. Two games, two goals, and two assists. Tranksfermarkt says he played LM and Livescore says RM. Either way think if Hallgrimsson does go with 442 he'll likely cover LM and RM.

That's great - particularly happy with the latter two. Paddy McCarthy is one of the most exciting young Irish coaches around I think, and Hreidarsson has been with Hallgrimsson throughout his career, so it's good to have him on board as well.

Would like to see O'Shea do what McCarthy has already done so well, and get in with a proper premier league team for the longer term as a side-gig, where he can manage their underage sides and finally start getting some proper minutes on the sideline managing games.

Might are new manager be taking a watching brief at Luton v Burnley ?

Looks like Celtic and Norwich have agreed a fee for Idah. Though they've dragged their heels for this long and still ended up paying £9.5M for him (£8.5M with £1M add ons plus a 15% sell on clause supposedly).

Man of the match too. Hopefully gets his PL move.

Haven't seen anything to suggest O' Shea would deserve to take Crawfords job. Maybe Jim will want a club gig, but otherwise I think he's doing a pretty good job and deserves to keep it.

2nd in the group with good performances against the bigger teams such as Italy and Norway and still a good shot at qualifying. I wouldn't describe that as a horrendous job, I'd reduce the hyperbole a bit if I was you tbh.

This is a very amusing overreaction and all, but I'd disagree, Jim is doing a fine job imo, took on Kenny's work and has kept the team competitive at the top of groups, something that wasn't happening for decades previously.

Lost on Penalties to an eventual finalist last time around, and Connolly missed a sitter if I'm remembering correctly.

I'd argue the u21's knowing how to win is more important than ever given how many of them are consistently being promoted to seniors.

I generally watch all the u21 games and never considered them a bad watch personally. Think the 3-2 loss to Norway was poor, but they scored a few excellent shots from distance if I remember correctly, and they really should have seen out an Italy win but conceded in the 96th minute to Gnonto who played a lot in the Championship last year. They're doing well against teams at a very high level.

They're not perfect, an away loss to Montenegro in 2021 was poor, but they've consistently pretty much done as well as the u21's have ever. Do people not remember what it was like before Kenny came in and Jim took it on?

Jim's not done anything to suggest he's a problem for me, he's constantly rebuilding a team who loses its best players to senior football and keeping it competitive. I imagine in the last 4/5 years our u21's have seen far more promotions to senior football than the average 1st/2nd/3rd seed.