FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[J OGorman]

far far too much emphasis put on getting badges. I done the FIFA prelim @ Uni + the refs one. If yer loud and keen, yer through. Too much of, 'get him in, he's got his badges'. The same coaching (that clearly isnt working) is being passed down to the next coach and if you've got enough badges, then step on the red carpet, you're in !

[Gazzler]

Paul Green had signed for Leeds United.
Lucky them.

[Declan]

We have no Soccer culture in this county.

We have no Soccer infrastructure in this country.

We depend on our coaching from an inferior British coaching system.

Absolute bullshit of the highest order

We don't! Prove your point?

Soccer "culture" is deeply rooted in all our cities/town to the early part of the last century - We've had great players like Jackie Carey, Paddy Doherty etc all the way back to then. I don't know what you mean by culture there are loads of people who love the game and who really hate the way we play now.

Again what do you mean by infrastructure? - There are development academies at all regional levels and clubs in every town and county in the country - If you're talking about facilities at grass roots level yes they would lag behind the GAA but that's a whole other discussion.

We do not depend on an inferior British system for coaching - the head of development within the FAI is Dutch

[ziggy90]

We have no Soccer culture in this county.

We have no Soccer infrastructure in this country.

We depend on our coaching from an inferior British coaching system.

Absolute bullshit of the highest order

We don't! Prove your point?

Soccer "culture" is deeply rooted in all our cities/town to the early part of the last century - We've had great players like Jackie Carey, Peter Doherty etc all the way back to then. I don't know what you mean by culture there are loads of people who love the game and who really hate the way we play now.

Again what do you mean by infrastructure? - There are development academies at all regional levels and clubs in every town and county in the country - If you're talking about facilities at grass roots level yes they would lag behind the GAA but that's a whole other discussion.

We do not depend on an inferior British system for coaching - the head of development within the FAI is Dutch

I think you meant him? I read on the other thread that you had a great time in Poland, glad to hear it. A mate of mine  has just come back and told me "on sober reflection   he'd had a great time but would he go to watch another one? No". The craic was great and but for one shitehole they were conned into the accomodation was bang on. But the football was a total downer (once the beer wore off).

[From the Bunker]

We have no Soccer culture in this county.

We have no Soccer infrastructure in this country.

We depend on our coaching from an inferior British coaching system.

Absolute bullshit of the highest order

We don't! Prove your point?

Soccer "culture" is deeply rooted in all our cities/town to the early part of the last century - We've had great players like Jackie Carey, Paddy Doherty etc all the way back to then. I don't know what you mean by culture there are loads of people who love the game and who really hate the way we play now.

Again what do you mean by infrastructure? - There are development academies at all regional levels and clubs in every town and county in the country - If you're talking about facilities at grass roots level yes they would lag behind the GAA but that's a whole other discussion.

We do not depend on an inferior British system for coaching - the head of development within the FAI is Dutch

As some one who is involved in Girls and Boys Soccer coaching. I find alot of Soccer coaches in (rural) Ireland have a Gaelic football background. Many love both codes, coach both codes (as their sons/daughters play both), but have usually only played one - Gaelic Football.

If you live in rural Ireland you have no exposure or Link to most League of Ireland clubs. Here in Mayo it's a 50 mile trek either way to go see Sligo Rovers or Galway United. Although not of the highest standard, Exposure to these games, gives coaches, players and kids a greater knowledge of the positional side of the game.

The Mayo Association league is very well ran by a small bunch of people. Their constant dilema be it underage, Senior or Ladies is the constant competition with Gaelic football. Because GAA hold the upper hand in the county, they give no leeway for fixture collisions etc, as they know that 99% of the time Gaelic football will be chosen.

It's gas I've had a rant on what is getting in the way of Soccer coaching and structures. And GAA has came up almost every time. You'd think i was anti-Gaa and the opposite could not be more true!
For me the Magic wand solution would be if we could have the Rugby Provincial Club model.

[Declan]

For me the Magic wand solution would be if we could have the Rugby Provincial Club model.

Exactly the conversation I had today - Organise a Celtic League along the lines of the rugger and it would improve things here and in Scotland and Wales

[Billys Boots]

For me the Magic wand solution would be if we could have the Rugby Provincial Club model.

Exactly the conversation I had today - Organise a Celtic League along the lines of the rugger and it would improve things here and in Scotland and Wales

I've had that conversation recently too.  And it wasn't with Declan. 

[AZOffaly]

For me the Magic wand solution would be if we could have the Rugby Provincial Club model.

Exactly the conversation I had today - Organise a Celtic League along the lines of the rugger and it would improve things here and in Scotland and Wales

I've had that conversation recently too.  And it wasn't with Declan. 

In what sense lads? Have a team in Munster Ulster Connacht, Leinster and a couple in Dublin? Then join with the Scots and Welsh in a league?

Interesting idea, but I can see a couple of issues. Would the IFA be interested in this? And what would happen clubs like Derry City, Sligo Rovers, Bohs, Cork City etc. not to mind Linfield Glentoran etc? We've all seen what's happened clubs like Shannon, Garryowen and Blackrock. Nobody cares except a cohort in those clubs. I can't imagine the FAI getting much support for essentially turning those famous old clubs into junior clubs.

It does sound interesting though.

[Billys Boots]

Well the discussion I had was about having an alternative progression for Irish players to the Premiership (or probably the Championship, at this point in time).  The people I was talking to had been working on links with the Dutch and Swedish leagues, but the impression I got was that youngsters would be less likely to succeed there as a result of a mixture of culture-shock and homesickness.  The chat moved on to an alternative home-based system that might have a basis on development of technical skills, as opposed to the tall gym bunnies required for the English conveyor belt.  The discussion hasn't ended there, will keep you updated. 

[Declan]

Interesting idea, but I can see a couple of issues. Would the IFA be interested in this? And what would happen clubs like Derry City, Sligo Rovers, Bohs, Cork City etc. not to mind Linfield Glentoran etc? We've all seen what's happened clubs like Shannon, Garryowen and Blackrock. Nobody cares except a cohort in those clubs. I can't imagine the FAI getting much support for essentially turning those famous old clubs into junior clubs.

Huge issues as you say AZ but bar a couple of LOI clubs the rest are a basket case. My thinking is if we want an alternative to the Premier League/Championship route to develop our players we should link up with the Scottish and Welsh and have a 12/14 team league based on provincial lines ala the rugger. Yes Rovers, Bohs, Linfield etc would moan about it but actually you'd find that it's be the blazers at each level that would be the biggest  obstacle. If its a viable option for a sport like Rugby I can't see why it wouldn't work at soccer.

It depends on what yo want though - As far as I can see in the current globalised world of soccer we have less chance of being successful at international level as our lads will not be exposed to the top competitions. So to paraphrase if it ain't working it needs to be fixed.

Currently despite numerous efforts over the last 30 years or so the LOI cannot work in it's current format.

Though it needs someone with a vision of where we want to go and the necessary drive to bring it forward and floppy head ain't the man to do that

[Billys Boots]

There's another barrier too - three of the four associations that would have to be involved have seats on the FIFA Rules Committee; those seats are (rightly) under threat, so they won't want to be drawing attention to themselves either. 

[ballinaman]

Squad for friendly against Serbia.


Ireland squad: Westwood, Forde, Randolph; Wilson, O'Shea, St. Ledger, O'Dea, Ward, Kelly, McShane; Whelan, Gibson, McCarthy, Green, Coleman, McGeady, Keogh, McClean, Treacy; Doyle, Long, Cox, Walters.


This is a middle finger to the brilliant & loyal Irish fans from a stubborn manager.

Pilkington? Robbie Brady? Conor Clifford? Duffy? Foley? Hoolahan? Stokes (gobshite but prolific at Celtic)? Ciaran Clarke?

[Applesisapples]

I think Trap has proven that he is a stubborn oul wan.

[AFS]

Pilkington? Robbie Brady? Conor Clifford? Duffy? Foley? Hoolahan? Stokes (gobshite but prolific at Celtic)? Ciaran Clarke?

Meh. Apart from Brady and maybe Pilkington, I don't think there's that much cause for complaint about those lads.

You could count on one hand the number of senior games either Clifford or Duffy have played above third tier level. Foley opted out. Hoolahan is a 30 year old midget with little more than a half decent PL season with Norwich on his CV, there are younger and more accomplished attacking midfield options looking ahead to 2014. Stokes is about the third best Irish striker in the 27th best league in Europe. And Ciaran Clark is coming off the back of a fairly rank season with Villa.

All that said, the perseverance with the likes of Keogh and Green is fairly inexplicable.

[laoislad]

Shay Given has retired from international football.

One of the best.