FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Declan]

Anyhoo, my real question is 'why does our senior international team play in a completely different way/style to all of our other international teams, and in direct opposition to the Player Development Plan (PDP) espoused as sports policy by the organisation?'  And following on from that 'why have the FAI reappointed the national senior squad manager when he has consistently played in a  different (and opposing) way to the supposed national policy, and presumably will continue to do so?'  Just asking.

Agreed 100%.
Lost a lot of admiration I've had for O'Neill in the last couple of years irrespective of the style he plays. Think his recent behaviour is terrible

[magpie seanie]

I think he has reason to be pretty pissed off. He's not a ham and egger. He has had a very successful career as a player and a manager and I think the way he is treated and spoken about by the Irish soccer media and a lot of supporters is kind of ridiculous.

If people aren't happy with what he's doing get on to John Delaney and co. Get Tony O'Donoghue to interview him. BB's makes a good point above to be fair though I very much doubt there was any discussion of playing style or tactics in any of O'Neill's contract discussions.

There always seems to be a real unwillingness by lots of the Irish soccer public to put the blame for most of soccer's ills where it should be......at the door of the useless FAI.

[AZOffaly]

I think he has reason to be pretty pissed off. He's not a ham and egger. He has had a very successful career as a player and a manager and I think the way he is treated and spoken about by the Irish soccer media and a lot of supporters is kind of ridiculous.

If people aren't happy with what he's doing get on to John Delaney and co. Get Tony O'Donoghue to interview him. BB's makes a good point above to be fair though I very much doubt there was any discussion of playing style or tactics in any of O'Neill's contract discussions.

There always seems to be a real unwillingness by lots of the Irish soccer public to put the blame for most of soccer's ills where it should be......at the door of the useless FAI.

Not sure that's true Seanie. I think most people have little time for gormless John and his cronies. As for O'Neill, he just seems perpetually fed up having to deal with Tony O'Donoghue. I do sense that Tony sees himself as some sort of superfan, and I think it stems from the 'think of the children' moments back in Saipan.

In short, I believe the FAI are a bunch of incompetent arseholes, however they have put in place a good PDP which should be applauded.
I believe Tony O'Donoghue has an elevated sense of self, and of his place in the grand scheme of things.
I believe Martin O'Neill is an over cautious, cantankerous so and so, who hates being questioned by mere mortals.

I think I've got everybody covered there

[magpie seanie]

Ya, I'd go along with that but I don't see Delaney and co getting half the grief they should but maybe that's out there and I'm not seeing it. Maybe people are resigned to him being in charge.

Think your summing up of TOD and MON isn't far off at all.

Tommie Gorman has a lot to answer for.

[general_lee]

MON shouldn't have carried any acrimony from previous interviews into today, made himself look very petty imo. As they said on OTB, he should realise that he's not just speaking to TOD in these interviews

He knows well and couldn't give a flying fûck what the Irish public think. The open courting of Stoke tells you that much.

Would you ever f**k up, if he was from Roscommon you'd be on a hard on every time he was on the tv

[Syferus]

MON shouldn't have carried any acrimony from previous interviews into today, made himself look very petty imo. As they said on OTB, he should realise that he's not just speaking to TOD in these interviews

He knows well and couldn't give a flying fûck what the Irish public think. The open courting of Stoke tells you that much.

Would you ever f**k up, if he was from Roscommon you'd be on a hard on every time he was on the tv

That's one hell of a bendy line you've drawn.

[Cunny Funt]

You lose 5-1 in a very important game at home and you are told "hard luck" in a way i can see why O'Neill would be a little pissed off. Tony O'Donoghue seems to be another gimmick created by RTE and I'm sure plenty will be tuned in for his next interview...

[Syferus]

You lose 5-1 in a very important game at home and you are told "hard luck" in a way i can see why O'Neill would be a little pissed off. Tony O'Donoghue seems to be another gimmick created by RTE and I'm sure plenty will be tuned in for his next interview...

What are you even on about? MON has had it in for Tony since he had the gaul to suggest the style of football he was playing was poor weeks earlier - it is comically poor, so he was doing the usual Tony thing and sugar-coating it even then.

The idea this is some ratings thing is amazing given there isn't a single human being who has said "let's turn on RTE to see the post-match manger's interview" in their life. If anything it's pretty obvious that Tony desperately wants to have a good relationship with MON but that he's too petulant to oblige.

[macdanger2]

The questions are usually inane, repetitive and meaningless. Even today he repeated himself. After the Wales game O'Neill paid a big tribute to McClean and a few minutes later TOD ask him....tell us about this guy beside you (McClean)....pure idiocy.

True but he gains nothing by getting annoyed about the questioning whereas TOD/RTÉ potentially do (by creating a "talking point"). Whatever about getting p*ssed off in the aftermath of losing, yesterday and after a win, he should be able to deal with that sort of thing

John Delaney does get off Scot free but he's not interviewed that often and there is a certain sense of resignation about him being in charge.

[LooseCannon]

Ciarán Mullooly for RTÉ soccer correspondent.

[Bord na Mona man]

Martin O'Neill comes across as childish and petty all right.
But I reckon TOD conducts the interviews to give the guys back in studio something to feast on.

Dunphy would have no qualms about pushing him under the bus if he gave soft soap interviews. I remember he gave George Hamilton and Jim Beglin dog's abuse years ago for supposedly cheerleadering a Man Utd win over Inter Milan that he thought was awful.

[Syferus]

Martin O'Neill comes across as childish and petty all right.
But I reckon TOD conducts the interviews to give the guys back in studio something to feast on.

Dunphy would have no qualms about pushing him under the bus if he gave soft soap interviews. I remember he gave George Hamilton and Jim Beglin dog's abuse years ago for supposedly cheerleadering a Man Utd win over Inter Milan that he thought was awful.

Mores the fool you if you think that even factors into what are very standard questions to ask MON. Too much attempts to make it into an RTÉ conspiracy when it is simply a case that MON has very thin skin.

[The Subbie]

I see Delaney and the lads are looking for €500k to play the Aussies in a friendly.
In a delicious twist of fate , the FFA , who somehow manage to make the FAI look competent , can't manage to flog the Idea of a pre World Cup warm up match for mega bucks to any of the Australian state capitals
Is it the big $$ required to keep Delaney and the lads in clover or the thoughts of the best fans in the world (tm) rampaging around lifting litter and serenading nuns ??
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/ffa-asking-price-could-deny-fans-socceroos-world-cup-farewell-friendly-20180201-h0s1rk.html

[Main Street]

I see Derry city are back playing in the Brandywell after some refurbishment.

There's a really good video produced by the club to mark the occasion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=ioAN4HZOVXo

[An Watcher]

I see Michael O'Neill is looking for some sort of gentleman's agreement over players not being able to declare for the republic.  I hope Martin tells him where to go