FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Captain Obvious]

Not bad.

Playing for second regardless of top seed.

Maybe one of the weaker second seeds - very inconsistent.

The weakest fourth seed.

Middling fifth seeds.

Shame there's no sixth seed games to build a bit of confidence. Portugal, Serbia, and Luxembourg were all in the same group for the Euro qualifiers, strangely enough. You'd imagine it'll be a shootout with Serbia for the playoff spot.

No excuse not to finish 2nd in that group. If the team can't build a bit of confidence against Luxembourg, Azerbaijan it's a lost cause for the foreseeable future.

[An Watcher]

Looks like a third place finish but with a bit of luck we could sneak second

[weareros]

Looks like a third place finish but with a bit of luck we could sneak second

Even if we sneaked second, it's still an arduous task as 12 teams (10 runner up + 2 best Nations league still standing) then battle it out for only 3 playoff spots, meaning we would have to win two more games against a higher standard than we faced for Euros.

[Ed Ricketts]

Looks like a third place finish but with a bit of luck we could sneak second

Even if we sneaked second, it's still an arduous task as 12 teams (10 runner up + 2 best Nations league still standing) then battle it out for only 3 playoff spots, meaning we would have to win two more games against a higher standard than we faced for Euros.

Yeah, it'll take a small miracle.

Going up to 16 European qualifiers in 2026, so probably back to the usual two legged playoffs. That'll make things easier, especially if we have figured out how to score by then.

[general]

Interesting reading...

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/1207/1182968-fai-was-70m-in-red-before-government-led-bail-out/

[Ed Ricketts]

24 March 2021
Serbia v Republic of Ireland

27 March 2021
Republic of Ireland v Luxembourg

30 March 2021
Republic of Ireland v Qatar

1 September 2021
Portugal v Republic of Ireland

4 September 2021
Republic of Ireland v Azerbaijan

7 September 2021
Republic of Ireland v Serbia

9 October 2021
Azerbaijan v Republic of Ireland

12 October 2021
Qatar v Republic of Ireland

11 November 2021
Republic of Ireland v Portugal

14 November 2021
Luxembourg v Republic of Ireland

First game is massive, would be an advantage if covid crowd restrictions are still in place. Couple of friendlies with Qatar to plug holes in the calendar - might earn the FAI a couple of euro.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

bloody Qatar added - what a joke

[laoislad]

bloody Qatar added - what a joke

Results against them won't count. Kenny should just play the U/21s for them games

[From the Bunker]

bloody Qatar added - what a joke

Results against them won't count. Kenny should just play the U/21s for them games

No, that is where we try to score goals, get a win, get a bit of confidence.

[Ash Smoker]

Mick McCarthy back on the job hunt now! 

[JohnDenver]

Mick McCarthy back on the job hunt now! 

Jack Byrne must be delighted with developments 

[Baile Brigín 2]

Mick McCarthy back on the job hunt now! 

Jack Byrne must be delighted with developments 

Back pn loan to Rovers with his new paypacket. Win win

[rodney trotter]

Damien Duff left his role as a coach.

[Itchy]

Damien Duff left his role as a coach.

Whats that all about?

[rodney trotter]

It's suppose to be related to video before the England game, 1916 speech.. Duff was unhappy with how the media covered it.