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Are there not more kids playing soccer that GAA?

If you play GAA or rugby in Ireland (and you're good enough) there is a clear path to follow from underage/schoolboy level all the way up to inter county/international level.

Soccer doesn't have anything close to that sort of structures for football in this country thanks mainly to mismanagement at the top level by the likes of John Delaney so Ireland doesn't produce quality players for the international side meaning we are relying on clubs in the UK to do the job for us.

Changing the manager of the senior international team won't suddenly mean Ireland has better players to pick from or start producing players for the international dide

What have Roy Keane, Paul.McGrath, Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Moran, Seamus Coleman, Jay McClean, Wes Hoolahan, Enda Stevens, Matt Doherty, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Daryl Murphy, David Meyler and so on have in common?

Roy Keane went from Cobh Ramblers to Forest.They were in the top tier. Look.at any mediocre team.in the EPL now. They are loaded with players from all over the world.TV money means they can buy players from anywhere.

Other countries have better player development systems
England is the wrong country for most Irish players given development possibilities.

Agreed. But the idea there isn't a pathway from the domestic game to overseas is false.

There is a pathway. But is it the most effective ? Irish players get crowded out in England.

We can't rely on English clubs, we can't rely on plastics, we can't produce our own players.

Fock it, lets just give up.

Players not being able to go to England until 18 is not going to help the Ireland senior team

Why not?

Because the earlier you expose yourself to a higher standard, the more you have a chance of developing your game to a higher level

Robbie Keane was torturing Argentina when he was three months off his 18th birthday - I don't think it would have helped him to be stuck in the League of Ireland until the summer of 1998

Given that Irish youngsters find it harder to thrive in England these days due to the globalisation of the game there, I'm all for improving the League of Ireland as an alternative player pathway, but I don't think we should fool ourselves that it will be a substitute for the traditional pathway of young lads going to England

The reality is that the LOI is probably GM Vauxhall Conference standard - or whatever it's called these days

Rovers and Dundalk would struggle in League Two I think

League Two? What? Barrow, Mansfield and Harrogates league? Be serious.

Young lads going to England fail 98% of the time and end up with nothing. So 98% shouldn't have gone. At least if they stay and fail they have a leaving cert and weren't uprooted. If they are good enough they go at 18 for a fee as a pro.

Players not being able to go to England until 18 is not going to help the Ireland senior team

Why not?

Much as Delaney must take some of the responsibility it's not all down to him.
Compared to others we are a relatively small country , we have poor weather , poor facilities , and soccer isn't the dominant sport on the streets and fields . We have the additional issue of having access to several strong leagues next door: EPL, Echampionship, Efootball league, Scottish leagues , meaning that relatively speaking , domestic leagues suffer, as most top quality players leave these shores .
The IRFU by contrast to FAI seems to be much better run, and we punch above our weight rugby wise, by having strong domestic teams, amongst other things.
Irish soccer can never regain the success of the 90s as the world demographics of soccer dictate that we are extremely poorly placed to be a competitive soccer nation

I don't buy that. There are lots of small countries doing well on the world stage. Iceland, Norway, Croatia in recent times. Portugal, Belgium and Holland don't have huge populations either. The Irish population has grown hugely in the last 30 years and we've a higher proportion of young people than pretty much every European country.

In all those countries Soccer is much higher profile than Ireland and to my knowledge, have a reasonable standard of domestic leagues. (Iceland punch well above their weight ). I agree with the likes of BB , that domestic soccer has to be promoted . Why do we accept 16 year olds going across the water away from family friends. In most other occupations eg students or tradesmen , you'd only consider going across the water @ 18/19.
There's a welfare issue here particularly for those that don't make it, and come back home , jobless , having spent some of the best years of their lives away from family and friends.

We don't. Thats why it stopped.

Lots of experts not understanding whats actually happening

Are there not more kids playing soccer that GAA?

If you play GAA or rugby in Ireland (and you're good enough) there is a clear path to follow from underage/schoolboy level all the way up to inter county/international level.

Soccer doesn't have anything close to that sort of structures for football in this country thanks mainly to mismanagement at the top level by the likes of John Delaney so Ireland doesn't produce quality players for the international side meaning we are relying on clubs in the UK to do the job for us.

Changing the manager of the senior international team won't suddenly mean Ireland has better players to pick from or start producing players for the international dide

What have Roy Keane, Paul.McGrath, Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Moran, Seamus Coleman, Jay McClean, Wes Hoolahan, Enda Stevens, Matt Doherty, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Daryl Murphy, David Meyler and so on have in common?

Roy Keane went from Cobh Ramblers to Forest.They were in the top tier. Look.at any mediocre team.in the EPL now. They are loaded with players from all over the world.TV money means they can buy players from anywhere.

Other countries have better player development systems
England is the wrong country for most Irish players given development possibilities.

Agreed. But the idea there isn't a pathway from the domestic game to overseas is false.

Much as Delaney must take some of the responsibility it's not all down to him.
Compared to others we are a relatively small country , we have poor weather , poor facilities , and soccer isn't the dominant sport on the streets and fields . We have the additional issue of having access to several strong leagues next door: EPL, Echampionship, Efootball league, Scottish leagues , meaning that relatively speaking , domestic leagues suffer, as most top quality players leave these shores .
The IRFU by contrast to FAI seems to be much better run, and we punch above our weight rugby wise, by having strong domestic teams, amongst other things.
Irish soccer can never regain the success of the 90s as the world demographics of soccer dictate that we are extremely poorly placed to be a competitive soccer nation

So how come the underage sides are winnimg cups and highly regarded?

Are there not more kids playing soccer that GAA?

If you play GAA or rugby in Ireland (and you're good enough) there is a clear path to follow from underage/schoolboy level all the way up to inter county/international level.

Soccer doesn't have anything close to that sort of structures for football in this country thanks mainly to mismanagement at the top level by the likes of John Delaney so Ireland doesn't produce quality players for the international side meaning we are relying on clubs in the UK to do the job for us.

Changing the manager of the senior international team won't suddenly mean Ireland has better players to pick from or start producing players for the international dide

What have Roy Keane, Paul.McGrath, Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Moran, Seamus Coleman, Jay McClean, Wes Hoolahan, Enda Stevens, Matt Doherty, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Daryl Murphy, David Meyler and so on have in common?

Twitter full to the beams tonight with people trying to make this one John Delaney's fault.

Seriously people, have a good long word with yourselves. The CEO of the FAI has no more input into player development than the Easter Bunny.

You might as well blame the Taoiseach.

—-

Right now the manager's role isn't about today. Ireland couldn't qualify for the finals unless there was mass murder in each of their opponents' training camps.

This doesn't mean Kenny is the right person for the job. But if he's brave enough to cull some of the absolute shite (like McClean) from the set up and instead raise the profile of young players to the point that EPL teams might take notice, that's enough. For now.

This. The new FAI are smart enough to realise we are poor. There is a serious group of players coming through - look at Bazunu tonight, many of whom are LoI produced despite the FAI and that takes time.  However Kenny got the gig on the basis he proved with Dundalk he could get blood from a stone, limited players over achieving. We aren't seeing anything like that

The manager has to take a lot of the blame for a result like this. In terms of players we are not that bad and shouldn't be losing at home against Luxembourg. It is the managers job to pick the team and motivate the players.

This performance brings back memories of Staunton and the 5-2 defeat to Cyprus.

With the players available tell us who you would have picked tonight and the tactics you would have employed.

I am not an international class football manager so I decline to answer that but the team badly needs an internstional class manager and Kenny it seems is not one.

That's a cop out. You haven't the balls to tell us what players should be on the pitch and in what positions but you can tell us the manager got it wrong?

Unfortunately Capt Pat is typical of your average Irish fan. He'll say we should do better, but can't come up with any specifics as to why and would struggle to name most of the Irish team. You can be sure he/she would have no problem naming the Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea etc teams though as he/she is no doubt a die hard fan who maybe goes to see them play live in the UK once a season(pre Covid)

Did the manager get it right and his players just not follow his instructions?

I think the problem is the instructions are beyond the players. Kenny  needs to be more pragmatic. We are shite and expecting possession football from that group is too big an ask

Not great, only one decent chance all half,  that Collins attempt on 18 minutes. Another Irish goalkeeper almost caught out drifting off his line.

Hes been impressive the keeper, looks fullbof confidence when travers was very nervous in Belgrade. Of course big difference in the quality of the 2 opponents.

Which begs the question. How, especially seeing them train, could Kenny possibly think Travers is a better option?

Bazunu starts

Collins starts up front. Is Connolly lame?

I understand the phrase is he has a lifestyle.

He was told to say nothing and leave Luxembourg think a little lad would start. He had to Tweet away

Bazunu starts

Luxembourg aren't the mugs they used to be but the lads should have more than enough for them.

I think Kenny good as he was in the LoI is like the team at the minute, not up to it. I can't help thinking that the advent of professional rugby in Ireland as a road to pro sports and the easier options for GAA stars to earn outside of the game aligned with foreign players in England has damaged the development of players on this Island.

Interesting point. What would help us massively is if we had a team or teams that are the equivalent of the rugby provinces to feed into the national team.
They would need to be playing in a strong league but unfortunately that doesn't ever look like happening.

In rugby the teams feed the provinces which feed the national team
In soccer the teams feed English soccer.

It's a big difference

Brexit has changed that. You can't move to England until you are 18. There is a unique opportunity for Irish soccer. You will now be selling pros as opposed to releasing youths. This is why Dermot Desmond out millions into the Rovers acadamy.

Six of one.... both really inexperienced keepers

Bazunu plated for Rovers and is currently playing every week on loan. He has a lot more experience at 19 than Travers at 21

Travers started in the Premier league at 19.

Anyway his mistake wasn't experience, where the hell was he going ??

And played twice. At 21 he has 35 club games under his belt.

Bazunu has 28 this season alone.

In league 1.

Should it really matter though what level a goalkeeper is getting experience at as long it's half decent, you have to perform the same tasks regardless of level

Like, Ederson for Manchester City doesn't have to do a whole lot because his team is so dominant, doesn't actually help your goalkeeping skills

The main difference with goalkeeping at different levels is the pressure, Premier League and internationals carry a lot more pressure than League One, but there wouldn't be much of a difference in terms of what type of shots a goalkeeper has to face, it's different from outfield play in that regard where there's a vast gap in standard

I think Mitrović hit him with something you don't face in training at Bournemouth to be fair.

I broadly agree with you but the top goalkeepers get to top clubs because they don't drift into no mans land. That said you would get chewed in a pub league going walkies like he did