FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[AZOffaly]

AZ I'm not sure how Ireland are clearly inferior to austria or wales. Because Martin chooses to lump it as first, second and final options, it might look that way. But in terms of player ability ((Bale excepted) it's nit the case.

I said maybe. As in they'd not be clearly better than them, so you might excuse a cautious gameplan.

[Declan]

Results trump everything so in that regard you've got to hand it to MON in achieving great results against better ranked teams. However you can applaud those achievements as well as questioning our tactics against teams where we should be able to have better possession and passing stats.

I'd love us to get Portugal in the playoffs and let McClean welcome Ronaldo to the Aviva

[laoislad]

Those players are well capable of playing better football than what O'Neill has them playing.
None of them are superstars but they can all play football.
As Declan says above results is all that matters but this notion that he has turned a bunch of rubbish players into a team on the brink of World Cup qualification is nonsense.
Ireland should have won that group. It's O'Neills fault they didn't.

[Walter Cronc]

Those players are well capable of playing better football than what O'Neill has them playing.
None of them are superstars but they can all play football.
As Declan says above results is all that matters but this notion that he has turned a bunch of rubbish players into a team on the brink of World Cup qualification is nonsense.
Ireland should have won that group. It's O'Neills fault they didn't.

Sure you think the Ox is a decent player 

[An Watcher]

I for one am happy to qualify for major tournaments by whatever means necessary.  Unlike the likes of Wales who have only ever qualified for two. 

[Syferus]

Those players are well capable of playing better football than what O'Neill has them playing.
None of them are superstars but they can all play football.
As Declan says above results is all that matters but this notion that he has turned a bunch of rubbish players into a team on the brink of World Cup qualification is nonsense.
Ireland should have won that group. It's O'Neills fault they didn't.

I don't know how you look at Serbia's or Austria's teams and think we had any right finishing above them. We did very well, undone mainly by a patethic performance against Georgia rather than against any of the big three.

[general_lee]

Those players are well capable of playing better football than what O'Neill has them playing.
None of them are superstars but they can all play football.
As Declan says above results is all that matters but this notion that he has turned a bunch of rubbish players into a team on the brink of World Cup qualification is nonsense.
Ireland should have won that group. It's O'Neills fault they didn't.

When have Ireland ever won a qualifying group? What's nonsense is this notion that the team can go out and play attractive football against the "minnows" and then change tact for the better teams. I'm sure with the limited time MON has the players for, the last thing on his mind is playing some champagne football against f**king Moldova just so a few critics back home can have some entertainment. Some people are just never pleased though.

[macdanger2]

This is an interesting piece about how Wales (and Romania)  apparently put careful consideration into what friendlies they play / don't play in order to optimise their world ranking

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/1009/910952-wales-republic-of-ireland-rankings-coleman/

[JPGJOHNNYG]

This is an interesting piece about how Wales (and Romania)  apparently put careful consideration into what friendlies they play / don't play in order to optimise their world ranking

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/1009/910952-wales-republic-of-ireland-rankings-coleman/

I have been saying this for years. The world rankings everybody laughs at but they are so important regarding seeding. Norway did something similar many years ago and got into the world top 10. I may be wrong but the one and only time we were top seeds was 2004 and we lost our first 2 games so were almost out of it before it hardly started.

[laoislad]

This is an interesting piece about how Wales (and Romania)  apparently put careful consideration into what friendlies they play / don't play in order to optimise their world ranking

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/1009/910952-wales-republic-of-ireland-rankings-coleman/

They wont be able do that anymore with this European Nations League starting which will put an end to organised friendlies.

[rrhf]

Meyler must be a Tyrone man!

[LooseCannon]

Meyler must be a Tyrone man!

Cork. Father u21 Hurling boss with Cork.
Used to manage Carlow.

[An Watcher]

Get what you're saying about the friendlies and seeding but Ireland play tougher friendlies and it's puts them in good stead when they face the big guns in qualifying or tournaments.  The likes of Switzerland climb the rankings by playing crap teams and do bigger all at the tournaments

[Cunny Funt]

With half an hour to play Switzerland will be in the play off draw instead of Portugal.

[Wildweasel74]

Dunphy any Tyrone Blood in him, the republic version of Gregory Campbell? about time he took of the air before Derry people weigh him down and throw him in the Foyle.

I hear this Londonderry crap ever day in at work in Belfast when i mention Derry city or the county by non-gaa people shall we say, it aint going to end well!!