FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Captain Obvious]

The work that Kenny did might bear fruit over time 

His time as manager will bear about as much fruit as Steve Stauntons time did. As in bringing in a more experienced manager who was just handball incident away from reaching back to back major competitions.

[seafoid]

The work that Kenny did might bear fruit over time 

His time as manager will bear about as much fruit as Steve Stauntons time did. As in bringing in a more experienced manager who was just handball incident away from reaching back to back major competitions.

I wouldn't be sure about that.

[Captain Obvious]

I wouldn't be sure about that.

Next manger appointment will be a crossroads moment for the FAI.

Bring in another inexperienced manager who convinces some that the style of football is more important than results and it will be more of the same for the next couple of qualifying competitions.

[seafoid]

I wouldn't be sure about that.

Next manger appointment will be a crossroads moment for the FAI.

Bring in another inexperienced manager who convinces some that the style of football is more important than results and it will be more of the same for the next couple of qualifying competitions.

I agree. They cannot possible do that. They need someone who can bring the team on and leave it in a better state. Someone like Vera Pauw !

[Joeythelips]

Surely Ireland need to look for a club manager who had some success with improving players who were good to average players and have a system of play to brings some success.

I'm not saying they could get him but a person like Graham Potter springs to mind (insert wizard/magic joke/pun here). He took over a Brighton team who played a very defensive style due to the limited players they had, Potter came in a turned them into a passing team who could compete with so called better teams. He would also be an ideal continuation and improvement on the work Kenny has been trying to do. After his experience with Chelsea he might like an international job.

[mouview]

I wouldn't be sure about that.

Next manger appointment will be a crossroads moment for the FAI.

Bring in another inexperienced manager who convinces some that the style of football is more important than results and it will be more of the same for the next couple of qualifying competitions.

I agree. They cannot possible do that. They need someone who can bring the team on and leave it in a better state. Someone like Vera Pauw !

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0911/1404711-bitter-oneill-claims-kenny-was-anointed-by-the-media/

It might seem like sour grapes from O'Neill, but he does have a point. An international manager by necessity is rather limited in what he can do with his squad, and how he shapes the way they play, as he only has them for finite blocks of days every year.

The simple fact of the matter is that we're not a soccer nation, and bar the mercenary/granny rule days of the past, never really have been.

[Sportacus]

How the Jaysus did we beat Scotland 3-0 a year ago? They were booed off the pitch.

[seafoid]

I wouldn't be sure about that.

Next manger appointment will be a crossroads moment for the FAI.

Bring in another inexperienced manager who convinces some that the style of football is more important than results and it will be more of the same for the next couple of qualifying competitions.

I agree. They cannot possible do that. They need someone who can bring the team on and leave it in a better state. Someone like Vera Pauw !

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0911/1404711-bitter-oneill-claims-kenny-was-anointed-by-the-media/

It might seem like sour grapes from O'Neill, but he does have a point. An international manager by necessity is rather limited in what he can do with his squad, and how he shapes the way they play, as he only has them for finite blocks of days every year.

The simple fact of the matter is that we're not a soccer nation, and bar the mercenary/granny rule days of the past, never really have been.

The soccer pool is relatively small so the cycle of finding decent players is very long and in between there are long stretches of mediocrity.

[From the Bunker]

The simple fact of the matter is that we're not a soccer nation, and bar the mercenary/granny rule days of the past, never really have been.

We have always in the past produced a Giles, Brady, Whelan, McGrath, Keane (x2), Duff, Given, Irwin. What ever helped form those players into what they became? Hardly from our underage system, but we fluked these players somehow.

I'm guessing these lads were Soccer only. None of those lads really played Gaelic.

Was talking to a Dub a couple of years ago and he said James McCarthy was a super Soccer player, would have made it at some level cross channel. But culturally he was never going to give up Gaelic football.
The Dubs line was that ''He could be living like a King (on soccer wages) but gave the chance up for a few AI medals that he keeps at home in a sock while working for a middle class wage with AIB.

And that's it, most of our athletic lads go for the Cultural option.

[manfromdelmonte]

The simple fact of the matter is that we're not a soccer nation, and bar the mercenary/granny rule days of the past, never really have been.

We have always in the past produced a Giles, Brady, Whelan, McGrath, Keane (x2), Duff, Given, Irwin. What ever helped form those players into what they became? Hardly from our underage system, but we fluked these players somehow.

I'm guessing these lads were Soccer only. None of those lads really played Gaelic.

Was talking to a Dub a couple of years ago and he said James McCarthy was a super Soccer player, would have made it at some level cross channel. But culturally he was never going to give up Gaelic football.
The Dubs line was that ''He could be living like a King (on soccer wages) but gave the chance up for a few AI medals that he keeps at home in a sock while working for a middle class wage with AIB.

And that's it, most of our athletic lads go for the Cultural option.

The easy option
Much harder to make it as a pro footballer

[Itchy]

The simple fact of the matter is that we're not a soccer nation, and bar the mercenary/granny rule days of the past, never really have been.

We have always in the past produced a Giles, Brady, Whelan, McGrath, Keane (x2), Duff, Given, Irwin. What ever helped form those players into what they became? Hardly from our underage system, but we fluked these players somehow.

I'm guessing these lads were Soccer only. None of those lads really played Gaelic.

Was talking to a Dub a couple of years ago and he said James McCarthy was a super Soccer player, would have made it at some level cross channel. But culturally he was never going to give up Gaelic football.
The Dubs line was that ''He could be living like a King (on soccer wages) but gave the chance up for a few AI medals that he keeps at home in a sock while working for a middle class wage with AIB.

And that's it, most of our athletic lads go for the Cultural option.

The easy option
Much harder to make it as a pro footballer

The sensible option, giving up on your mates for some ridiculous one in 5 million shot at bring rich. Load of bullshit

[Blowitupref]

Not counting challenges

26 games under Kenny now.  Won 5 Drew 7 Lost 14 scored 27 and conceded 30

Martin O'Neill and again not counting challenges.

Played 31  Won 12 Drew 12 Lost 7 scored 38 conceded 27

[seafoid]

Not counting challenges

26 games under Kenny now.  Won 5 Drew 7 Lost 14 scored 27 and conceded 30

Martin O'Neill and again not counting challenges.

Played 31  Won 12 Drew 12 Lost 7 scored 38 conceded 27

I think we need an additional way of looking at it which is the level of the average player. You can do this using market value of players.
Currently our average player is worth around 10% of a French player. Under ONeill that would have been more like 15%.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0911/1404701-kenny-exit-a-question-of-when-not-if-treacy/

We can't control games because we don't have footballers in the middle of the pitch and when we keep the ball, we generally keep it at the back which isn't great for us and when you're passing the ball backwards or sidewards, the other team is shaping their press against you, so you're just essentially playing into a trap," he said.

[Itchy]

I have had the opportunity, during covid, to attend a number of coaching courses led by the FAI top trainers. There was one abiding memory of them, their unbelievable arrogance that they were cutting edge and actually ahead of continental Europe. They even boasted how they were being requested to attend conferences in France and Germany to share their knowledge. But of course this was all nonsense. They are just copy-cating other countries with their play everything out from the back coaching and of course they are not as good as the other teams and the result is obvious.

I think every country has their own football dna and while I don't think there is a future going back to "hoof ball" I do think we need to look at what has made Ireland competitive in the past, the strengths we possess vrs other countries. Some of that would be around physical strength, aggression, hard work etc. Why not try and develop something unique instead of trying to be the next Spain, something we will definitely fail at.

The problem is the FAI are run by clowns and its hard to see them actually think about anything.

ps. As an aside, my son plays on a development squad with a league of ireland club. Every training and match they roll the ball out from keeper to ctr back and try work it up the field. They've been doing this for years in the development squads. 2 weeks ago I went to watch the Senior team for the 1st time in probably 2 years in the league of Ireland premier league. Every kickout by both teams blasted the length of the pitch. The theory is great but when you have to be pragmatic and need to win, well thats a different thing.