FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Baile Brigín 2]

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.

[Applesisapples]

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

The point I am making is that if a youngster is good at ball sports and fancies making some cash out of it, it is easier if he has the choice to pursue a career in rugby. the odds on making it are less. Good Gaelic players can also have lucrative careers of the pitch which will sustain them longer than a career in lower league soccer. Only a minuscule percentage have a chance of being the next Roy Keane. This coupled with an influx of ready developed "foreign players" in to the English game squeezes the opportunities further for non English players who will always get precedence.

That las point is the main reason the BIG are in their current state. Irish players need access to and maximum exposure to the highest level. This was possible in the 1980s and 90s.  Now the EPL takes players from all over the world and Irish players get squeezed out.

and the other points are the result of this path being more difficult.

[Dougal Maguire]

I prefer this thread rather than Sid's new one

[Baile Brigín 2]

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

[Baile Brigín 2]

Bazunu starts

[Itchy]

Youd hope we would get a good creative performance,  maybe make 10 good chances and convert 3 hopefully. An early goal would settle the nerves.

[Milltown Row2]

Youd hope we would get a good creative performance,  maybe make 10 good chances and convert 3 hopefully. An early goal would settle the nerves.

I think the resident soccer expert will be able to sort this

[Capt Pat]

Bazunu starts

Collins starts up front. Is Connolly lame?

[An Watcher]

Yip, away back to Brighton

[Baile Brigín 2]

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

[Itchy]

Luxembourg a lot better than I thought they'd be, any sort of a win here would do.

[tintin25]

Luxembourg aren't the whipping boys they used to be....results have improved considerably over the years...especially against the bigger countries.  Ireland lucky they aren't 1 down.  Would take any sort of win at this stage.

[Milltown Row2]

Turkey are having a great start! And Malta are beating Slovakia 2 nil half time

[sid waddell]

Collins had to score that chance

[Itchy]

Brown is a good man to get on the end of stuff in the box but some amount of moves end with him slowing it down or making a bad decision. Youd expect more from Doherty but he looks like he has zero confidence. Hard to see where we get the goal from.