FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[under the bar]

That's as good a draw as we could've hoped for.  Still can't understand why they don't open up the finals to twice as many teams.

[Farrandeelin]

That's as good a draw as we could've hoped for.  Still can't understand why they don't open up the finals to twice as many teams.

Most thought that when the current Euro groups were drawn out too...

[Capt Pat]

It is a good draw for Ireland, we avoided the big teams like Germany, Spain, Italy, England, France and the Netherlands. We can even think about winning the group.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

The players are not great and the talent coming through the youth ranks is pretty grim but we have to consider other factors. Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales all have similar problems but at the moment are doing well. The Premier league has become more of a global brand  resulting in fewer opportuniies for lads from these isles. The Republic out of all the Celtic teams has the most players still playing in the top flight so its wrong just to criticise the lack of talent. The other Celtic nations with weaker teams are performing much better than the Republic - Why? You could argue that the Republic have had a couple of difficult groups of late and that is true but for me the big problem for Ireland is they just cant win against any team of any real standard. They can beat the minnows but they cant for whatever reason beat anyone else competitively and that has been the case since 2001!!!!! I dont know if this is a psychological problem or what, surely to God it cant just be bad luck over 14 years even Northern Ireland when they were pish have still beaten Spain, England, Denmark, Sweden, Russia and many other average teams that the Republic would only draw against during the same time. Just for for the record that 14 years would have inluded many years when Keane, Dunne, Given. Duff etc were all in their prime and even Roy came back and was still playing well at 33 the same age Wessi the messiah is now. Until this mental block over winning is addressed Ireland are doomed. The group we are in should at the very worst bring us 6 wins 2 draws and 2 defeats, 20pts which would comfortably finish 2nd, however with the lack of confidence against anyone of calibre actually expect 4 wins (against the minnows) 2 draws and 4 defeats, 14 pts. ie 4th and nowhere just like 2014.
Whats the solution?
With Kerr, Staunton and Trappatoni all struggling the solution looked to be finding the right manager.
O'Neil seemed to be the one, a great man motivator that can get players to run through a brick wall for him however the friendly results have been pretty awfull and the 2 games against Scotland disastrous. Every must win match we have had now have all ended with a whimper.
The solution is probably just to wipe the slate clean and go with youth write off a campaign or 2 and hopefully they develop however this 2018 draw might end up being a problem beacuse it is so weak that we rightfully actually fancy ourselves and as a result will probably stick with the same core players who have failed us again and again.
I hope Im wrong but it could be many years before we are at a finals again.

[rodney trotter]

Serbia won the U20 World Cup recently, Austria are flying in Euro Qualification and Wales are getting stronger with a young Squad and a world class player in Gareth Bale.


Keane, Given, O Shea will probaly have retired by the time the WC qualifaction starts, Hoolahan will be 34, Walters 33, Whelan 33

[dec]

Georgia 1-0 up vs Scotland at the moment, 36 min gone.

[laoislad]

All over Georgia win 1-0.
Will probably be a 0-0 now in Gilbratar....

[highorlow]

Fate back in our hands now that the scots calved!

[beer baron]

Keane for the hattrick. 7-0 win. Back on track

[general_lee]

Brutal stuff. Pathetic showing so far.

[Pub Bore]

Terrible stuff form Ireland. Is this the worst Irish team in 40 years??

[AZOffaly]

I blame Tyrone.

We should have let Inis Mor play these lads. A fecking rock like.

[Declan]

Terrible stuff form Ireland. Is this the worst Irish team in 40 years??

Yes

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Brutal stuff. Pathetic showing so far.

What do you expect with whelan and mccarthy both on. They are fine against a germany when its backs against the wall stuff but the fact there is zero creativity against fecking gibraltar is embarrassing. At this rate georgia will beat us too

[Declan]

Robbie strikes again