FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[From the Bunker]

[An Watcher]

McClean has been a fantastic servant and will be well deserving if his hundred caps

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0328/1366853-massive-problem-stems-from-ireland-number-six-issue/

Since Kenny took charge two-and-a-half years ago, 10 of the 24 goals Ireland have conceded have come from outside the box, including Latvia's opening goal in last Wednesday's friendly, a match which Cullen was rested for.

Perth, who was Kenny's assistant at Dundalk between 2013 and 2018 before taking on the managerial reins, offered his view on the long-range goals issue on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast and highlighted the impact of Cullen's interpretation of his role as a number six.
"We are expansive and one of the arguments people made over the weekend - I pointed this out last week about the goals from distance - (some people said), 'Oh, well Josh Cullen comes in (to the team)'. But we've conceded a lot of those goals with Josh Cullen in there," said Perth.
"My challenge with Josh Cullen is, yes he's done really well at Championship level, but his next level for me, or a player playing in that position, has to make you tick and make forward passes between the lines.

"We were under a little bit of pressure and your number six in modern day football needs to break the lines with his passes, whether that was firing them into (Jason) Knight or Evan (Ferguson)."
Perth said he would be surprised if the statistics showed Cullen playing more than two or three of those more penetrative forward passes.
"That's a big problem in how we play," he continued.
"It's sideways, backwards, sideways and that's fine at times. That's where you need to be careful with stats. Sometimes a backwards pass is a good pass. But when we lose that ball, we are so open."
Perth outlined that with a back three, the right and left centre-backs' wider positioning leaves space for the opposition to exploit from range when Ireland are exposed in transition after concession of the ball high up the pitch, as occured on Monday night.
He also explained that given Cullen was in "comfortable possession" of the ball before misplacing his pass, wing-backs and players further forward would have felt confident in moving up the pitch in anticipation of a pass that ultimately went straight into Pavard behind them, leaving the Irish side "on the back foot".
"That has to be a major concern for the staff," he said.
"You've got to remember, take last night in isolation, brilliant goal from Pavard and the manager will chalk that down as 'just one of them things, it's how we play'.
"But statistically, and the trend is coming, that we're conceding too many goals from distance because we're too light in that number six position and it's a massive problem and it's costing us goals and it's costing us points and performances and it doesn't reflect well on the set-up of the team."

[weareros]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0328/1366808-collins-devastated-by-super-save-that-denied-ireland/
"But I'm proud of the lads' performance, there is so much to build on.
"It should give us a lot of belief. We have gone toe to toe with one of the best in the world. It doesn't matter who we come against, if we play as a team, tactically right with the fans behind us, we can beat anyone."

Beat anyone? Would Ireland have beaten Spain at home 2-0, like the Scots? Not a chance. Never underestimate the power of the Irish soccer brethren to self-delude.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/03/28/ireland-have-a-fabulous-volcano-but-stephen-kenny-needs-to-turn-performances-into-points/

Ireland could finish third or fourth in Group B and still qualify for the Euros in Germany next year. Ranked 26th in the Nations League, they are almost guaranteed a play-off regardless of how results go against Greece and the Netherlands.

[Sportacus]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0328/1366808-collins-devastated-by-super-save-that-denied-ireland/
"But I'm proud of the lads' performance, there is so much to build on.
"It should give us a lot of belief. We have gone toe to toe with one of the best in the world. It doesn't matter who we come against, if we play as a team, tactically right with the fans behind us, we can beat anyone."

Beat anyone? Would Ireland have beaten Spain at home 2-0, like the Scots? Not a chance. Never underestimate the power of the Irish soccer brethren to self-delude.

The supporters are overwhelmingly behind the manager and team.  Nothing wrong with that.  Mbappe, Griezman and Camavinga are two levels above anything Ireland have. 

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0328/1366808-collins-devastated-by-super-save-that-denied-ireland/
"But I'm proud of the lads' performance, there is so much to build on.
"It should give us a lot of belief. We have gone toe to toe with one of the best in the world. It doesn't matter who we come against, if we play as a team, tactically right with the fans behind us, we can beat anyone."

Beat anyone? Would Ireland have beaten Spain at home 2-0, like the Scots? Not a chance. Never underestimate the power of the Irish soccer brethren to self-delude.

Spain were very poor in the World Cup. Lost to Japan.  Barely made it out of the group with 4 points  . Beaten 3 nil in the last 16  by Morocco in a great match.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0328/1366808-collins-devastated-by-super-save-that-denied-ireland/
"But I'm proud of the lads' performance, there is so much to build on.
"It should give us a lot of belief. We have gone toe to toe with one of the best in the world. It doesn't matter who we come against, if we play as a team, tactically right with the fans behind us, we can beat anyone."

Beat anyone? Would Ireland have beaten Spain at home 2-0, like the Scots? Not a chance. Never underestimate the power of the Irish soccer brethren to self-delude.

Spain were very poor in the World Cup. Lost to Japan.  Barely made it out of the group with 4 points  . Beaten 3 nil in the last 16  by Morocco in a great match.

Spain morocco, a great match? I remember Spain boring the tits off everyone trying to pass it into the net. It was a painful watch

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0328/1366808-collins-devastated-by-super-save-that-denied-ireland/
"But I'm proud of the lads' performance, there is so much to build on.
"It should give us a lot of belief. We have gone toe to toe with one of the best in the world. It doesn't matter who we come against, if we play as a team, tactically right with the fans behind us, we can beat anyone."

Beat anyone? Would Ireland have beaten Spain at home 2-0, like the Scots? Not a chance. Never underestimate the power of the Irish soccer brethren to self-delude.

Spain were very poor in the World Cup. Lost to Japan.  Barely made it out of the group with 4 points  . Beaten 3 nil in the last 16  by Morocco in a great match.

Spain morocco, a great match? I remember Spain boring the tits off everyone trying to pass it into the net. It was a painful watch

It was great to see Morocco beating them

[seafoid]

Three of the 24 places at UEFA EURO 2024 will be determined by play-off spots via the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League, as per the regulations.
Twelve teams will be selected based on their performance in the 2022/23 Nations League – nominally the group winners of Leagues A, B and C, but if they have already qualified, they will be replaced by the next best-ranked team in their league. If there are not enough non-qualified teams in the same league, then it filters down to the next league, finishing with League D.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/64733501/page/3
GOAL - Bournemouth 0-1 Brighton
Evan Ferguson

What a goal!

Out of nowhere Brighton are ahead. Kaoru Mitoma skids the ball along the turf from the left and golden boy Evan Ferguson backheels it into the bottom corner.

Special goal from a special talent.

[Rossfan]

Baile Brigin obv doesn't post on Good Friday as he'd no doubt have put this up early today

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/shocking-footage-shows-referee-being-kung-fu-kicked-in-junior-soccer-match-42423557.html

[Turf]

Baile Brigin obv doesn't post on Good Friday as he'd no doubt have put this up early today

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/shocking-footage-shows-referee-being-kung-fu-kicked-in-junior-soccer-match-42423557.html

Was he knocked unconscious like that Ref in Roscommon?

[Baile Brigín 2]

Baile Brigin obv doesn't post on Good Friday as he'd no doubt have put this up early today

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/shocking-footage-shows-referee-being-kung-fu-kicked-in-junior-soccer-match-42423557.html

If your first thought seeing that was 'I'll use it to get that fella I don't know' you need help

[Tubberman]

Baile Brigin obv doesn't post on Good Friday as he'd no doubt have put this up early today

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/shocking-footage-shows-referee-being-kung-fu-kicked-in-junior-soccer-match-42423557.html

If your first thought seeing that was 'I'll use it to get that fella I don't know' you need help

What suggests it was his first thought?

[Baile Brigín 2]

Baile Brigin obv doesn't post on Good Friday as he'd no doubt have put this up early today

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/shocking-footage-shows-referee-being-kung-fu-kicked-in-junior-soccer-match-42423557.html

If your first thought seeing that was 'I'll use it to get that fella I don't know' you need help

What suggests it was his first thought?

Because it was.

That fella has been arrested within 24 hours of the attack because the FAI and referees union insisted on a prosecution. The GAA could do the same if the will was there.