FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[The Worker]

6/4 is still a good price considering the expanded euros, however much depends on the group draws in February.

[highorlow]

Who were you hoping would take the hot seat?

International football is not like it used to be.

It's caught in a haze in-between the over hyped initial stages of the champions league and the various club match's.

A spirit needs to be brought into the operation by a manager whereby money, media and personal self serving aspects are separated.

Unfortunately the appointed 'team' does not separate any of the above and this is compounded by O'Neills initial stalling (was he waiting for a PL call up first) and Keane's remarks on TV last night along the lines of 'glad to be getting back into management' in other words it's a stepping stone for him to eventually try and get the Man U gig.

This approach doesn't work, the initial message does not bode well, but shur they are both a mil a year better off and meanwhile the best manager we ever had is still in the lower ranks of the championship. His time though, will come again I reckon.

[ballinaman]

Who were you hoping would take the hot seat?

International football is not like it used to be.

It's caught in a haze in-between the over hyped initial stages of the champions league and the various club match's.

A spirit needs to be brought into the operation by a manager whereby money, media and personal self serving aspects are separated.

Unfortunately the appointed 'team' does not separate any of the above and this is compounded by O'Neills initial stalling (was he waiting for a PL call up first) and Keane's remarks on TV last night along the lines of 'glad to be getting back into management' in other words it's a stepping stone for him to eventually try and get the Man U gig.

This approach doesn't work, the initial message does not bode well, but shur they are both a mil a year better off and meanwhile the best manager we ever had is still in the lower ranks of the championship. His time though, will come again I reckon.

So McCarthy you are saying, fair enough. Personally I rate O'Neill higher than him but that's just my opinion.

The big aspect that needs to be looked at it if O'Neill is willing to get involved at grassroots level of Irish football. Gone are the days where we could use United, Liverpool, Arsenal, ect to do our youth development for us. Very few Irish lads at top English clubs now. The LOI needs funding and promotion big time if we are going to compete down the line.

If O'Neill/Keane/McCarthy/Hector Cuper or whoever got the job wasn't tasked with looking at our youth development, then it's just papering over the cracks IMO. I don't think they were, Delaney is the real problem with Irish football, the sooner he's gone the better.

[Main Street]

yes, Hills now have 1/2 not to qualify and 6/4 to qualify

4/1 was ridiculously generous I would have broken a habit of a lifetime and had a punt at those odds.

We are most likely to be seeded in pot 2 for the draw.  A top 2 finish qualifies directly, with a fall back position on 3rd place play offs, to qualify. Trap finished in the top 2 in first 2 campaigns, players lost faith in Trap for the 3rd campaign, tactics, rigidity etc  wore down crucial elements of  morale of the squad
Even in that 3rd campaign, was there that much of an improvement needed to better Sweden and Austria?  Not in my opinion,. Sweden had the brilliance of Zlatan and built their modest team around him.
A new management team, a decent enough/average squad quality, plenty of time to fine tune effective game plans before a shot is fired in anger next September. Imo qualification is a done deal. The task at hand is to compete/give a game to the better teams and we have 2 years to work on that.

[highorlow]

So McCarthy you are saying, fair enough. Personally I rate O'Neill higher than him but that's just my opinion.

I don't mind O'Neill and his Celtic record is remarkable. His initial perceived reluctance is what bothers me along with having Keane with him. Maybe Keane has changed and maybe O'Neill was entitled to bide his time.

I see now they are only 'committing' to 2 years, shur with any sort of arse kicking we should qualify for the next euro's so that's also a bit of a kop out.

[Applesisapples]

So McCarthy you are saying, fair enough. Personally I rate O'Neill higher than him but that's just my opinion.

I don't mind O'Neill and his Celtic record is remarkable. His initial perceived reluctance is what bothers me along with having Keane with him. Maybe Keane has changed and maybe O'Neill was entitled to bide his time.

I see now they are only 'committing' to 2 years, shur with any sort of arse kicking we should qualify for the next euro's so that's also a bit of a kop out.

How do you know he was reluctant? Maybe Keane was the stumbling block, or some other aspect of control the FAI didn't want to concede?

[Syferus]

O'Neill let the FAI stew and probably (and obviously in the case of Keano) got more control and better terms.

[highorlow]

How do you know he was reluctant?

I didn't exactly state as such as I don't know for sure.  I qualified it in my later post, i.e."initial perceived reluctance".

Anyhow there is enough anecdotal evidence to presume he was stalling or reluctant. Mick wouldn't have been contacted and lined up otherwise, would he?

I see the clown price among the comedy show has covered all bases this time, on the one hand he is saying it's the best thing for Irish soccer and at the same time saying it could be a potential train wreck.

The clown prince will be right now when Keane stages another walk out (probably blaming everyone but himself) or if they qualify.

[Hound]

How do you know he was reluctant?

Anyhow there is enough anecdotal evidence to presume he was stalling or reluctant. Mick wouldn't have been contacted and lined up otherwise, would he?

Ipswich said they never received any approach from the FAI to speak to Mick.

[highorlow]

His agent in Ireland got an informal approach.

[Fuzzman]

Sorry maybe this link is better in here

Found this wee website

Naturally it's a bit biased but still an interesting read though I've only started it

http://www.soccer-ireland.com/saipan/index.htm

[deiseach]

Sorry maybe this link is better in here

Found this wee website

Naturally it's a bit biased but still an interesting read though I've only started it

http://www.soccer-ireland.com/saipan/index.htm

That's insane. Erm, excuse me for the afternoon...

[rodney trotter]

Talk of a All Ireland team playing England every 2 years for Charity. A lot of the best Northern players are playing for ROI so not many guesses who would make the team , bar Johnny Evans

[anglocelt39]

Talk of a All Ireland team playing England every 2 years for Charity. A lot of the best Northern players are playing for ROI so not many guesses who would make the team , bar Johnny Evans

feck if you think the GAA all star awards are a rigged political compromise wait till they sit down to pick this one, in fact wait till they sit down to pick who picks this one, this sentence could go on forever.

[CitySlicker11]

Anyone care to take a stab at an All Ireland selection?

1. Forde
2. Coleman
4. Evans
5. O'Shea
3. Wilson
6. Gibson
7. McGeady
8. McCarthy
11. Hoolahan
9. Long
10. Keane