FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[seafoid]

Ireland are always a dour watch.Even with a first choice team out.
We play dour direct long ball football that's horrible to watch but seem to grind out enough results to be there or thereabouts as regards qualification for most tournaments.
That's Irish football & has been for most of my time watching the Irish team.
Getting to the stage now for the first time where I am beginning to think about not bothering watching the games anymore.
It's just so hard to watch that style of football.

I'd say it's alway's been that way. Don't know how long you've been watching though. The difference now between how top club sides play and international teams play is more marked than it used to be. Back in the day we were not exposed to likes of Barcelona that much either. And we only saw likes of Zico, Socrates, Maradonna every four years. So an Irish, English, Scottish game would not be much different than watching Liverpool, Leeds, etc. on MOTD. Tackles, crosses (often from closer  half way line than corner flag) passes back to keeper when they could pick them up etc. Really it is all about a result and qualification.
I admit I struggle with it as well though. Saipan did something to me I'm afraid. I still cant get my head around how something like that could have happened.

In fairness I think historically Ireland would have been seen as more like Scotland, in terms of flair. It wasn't all dogged determination. Scotland were renowned for their wingers. Ireland had the likes of Liam Brady, Tony Grealish, Johnny Giles, etc. I think Ireland's problem back then was that they didn't qualify playing that type of football, agonisingly so a couple of times under Eoin Hand, and therefore they changed tack with Big Jack. Jack didn't bother his arse worrying about styles, and brought in the more pragmatic northern English work till you drop and you'll beat a better team.

Without trying to be revisionist, when you look at the team Jack had, with McGrath, Whelan, Lawrenson, Brady, O'Leary, Irwin, Staunton, Houghton, Aldridge, Sheedy etc, they could have approached the games an awful lot differently, and probably still had very good success. Remember only for Gary McKay, Euro 88 doesn't happen, and that was the springboard that gave Jack the remit to continue in that vein.

McCarthy tried to be more cultured, with the likes of Keane II, Duff etc, but Saipan scuppered that. Brian Kerr also likes to pass the ball around, but he's too conservative in nature, and his teams just sat back and invited trouble whenever they went ahead. Plus the great generation was definitely gone in his time.  Trappatoni then was like JAck on steroids. He didn't trust the players, and didn't really want to have a go either. At least Jack wanted to be aggressive.

O'Neill seems to me to be more like maybe McCarthy, with a dose of Kerr.

Poor old Stan seems to have been air-brushed out of history   

I was thinking the same. And he was the gaffer

[Main Street]

Without trying to be revisionist, when you look at the team Jack had, with McGrath, Whelan, Lawrenson, Brady, O'Leary, Irwin, Staunton, Houghton, Aldridge, Sheedy etc, they could have approached the games an awful lot differently, and probably still had very good success.

In 1988 Liverpool won the league, Man U were second and Celtic won their league. 8 out of 11 of the starting lineup played for those three clubs.

Charlton inherited the best group of players we ever had, they just needed a stronger manager than Hand who was totally out of his depth as a coach, even admitted it himself. Then Charlton added two key players in Aldridge and Houghton.

Another factor with our players is them (bloody) "foreign" players taking our places in the top teams, since satellite tv money poured in.

[imtommygunn]

It is even becoming a problem for england now too.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Without trying to be revisionist, when you look at the team Jack had, with McGrath, Whelan, Lawrenson, Brady, O'Leary, Irwin, Staunton, Houghton, Aldridge, Sheedy etc, they could have approached the games an awful lot differently, and probably still had very good success.

In 1988 Liverpool won the league, Man U were second and Celtic won their league. 8 out of 11 of the starting lineup played for those three clubs.

Charlton inherited the best group of players we ever had, they just needed a stronger manager than Hand who was totally out of his depth as a coach, even admitted it himself. Then Charlton added two key players in Aldridge and Houghton.

Another factor with our players is them (bloody) "foreign" players taking our places in the top teams, since satellite tv money poured in.

The last point is the key and the lack of quality in the second string is frightening. We are relying on championship players now and it will only get worse but this isnt just our problem England are fairly fecked now as well hence the rather bizarre tug of war over Grealish who turned out to be pretty sh1te.

[Main Street]

Without trying to be revisionist, when you look at the team Jack had, with McGrath, Whelan, Lawrenson, Brady, O'Leary, Irwin, Staunton, Houghton, Aldridge, Sheedy etc, they could have approached the games an awful lot differently, and probably still had very good success.

In 1988 Liverpool won the league, Man U were second and Celtic won their league. 8 out of 11 of the starting lineup played for those three clubs.

Charlton inherited the best group of players we ever had, they just needed a stronger manager than Hand who was totally out of his depth as a coach, even admitted it himself. Then Charlton added two key players in Aldridge and Houghton.

Another factor with our players is them (bloody) "foreign" players taking our places in the top teams, since satellite tv money poured in.

The last point is the key and the lack of quality in the second string is frightening. We are relying on championship players now and it will only get worse but this isnt just our problem England are fairly fecked now as well hence the rather bizarre tug of war over Grealish who turned out to be pretty sh1te.

I'd say it's a factor but it's not the full explanation for Ireland's issues, not by far.
Ireland were made to look grossly incompetent by a sparsely populated island nation who also gave them an abject lesson on how to play the game according to your strengths.
None of those Iceland players are playing at a high level, that was mainly  their 2nd team, yet they were more comfortable on the ball, their midfield got on the ball and brought it forward or passed it onto their front men. The 2 forwards worked really hard, could hold onto the ball and pass it on to incoming midfield support. Their full backs were quick up to support the attack and then defend. They played the game with a solid strong team ethic.
Ireland were a team without a design, a haphazard collection of players.

[illdecide]

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has accused Republic of Ireland counterpart Martin O'Neill of "not protecting" James McCarthy as their row over the midfielder's fitness continues.

McCarthy, 26, missed Everton's past two matches but linked up with the Republic squad in the international break.

He suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury, ruling him out of Saturday's derby at Liverpool.

"We advised extreme caution. He was not fit to play," said Koeman.

McCarthy was named in O'Neill's starting line-up for the 0-0 draw against Wales but pulled out of the team after suffering an injury in the warm-up.

The Toffees boss, clearly angered by the ongoing issue, read out a prepared statement at a news conference on Friday.

McCarthy has made just five starts for Everton since the end of August.

Koeman said before the international break that the midfielder was "one or two weeks" away from fitness.

"In my opinion, the Ireland manager in this instance was not protecting the player," he said.

In October, the Dutchman said McCarthy, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury for several months, had been "massively overloaded" by the Republic.

That came in response to O'Neill's claim that Koeman was "bleating" about the matter.

Former Republic midfielder Roy Keane, O'Neill's assistant, then said Everton players must "toughen up".

[AZOffaly]

Looks like a right mess with Athlone Town and gambling/match fixing. Their new owners are heavily involved with a club in Portugal, and that club has been investigated numerous times related to dodgy looking games. Also the goalkeeper and another LAtvian defender at Athlone are now on their 18th!!!! investigation. Sounds Dodgy as f**k. I don't believe they've ever been found guilty, but this is eyebrow raising at least.

Apparently there were some tweets at the Longford - Athlone game which were along the lines of 'it's obvious what's happening here, it's a disgrace', before the dodgy betting patterns ever came out...

https://www.facebook.com/AthloneTownFcFans/videos/1336655016417354/

[Carmen Stateside]

Lively start to this game. Mexico lead 1-0

[Carmen Stateside]

2-0 Penaty given away by McLean who is having a mare

[NetNitrate]

Those Irish players cannot actually even play soccer. We should pack it in as a soccer nation. Mexico are not a world power but are giving us a football lesson. They can pass the ball, and do swift intricate moves. The Irish players are running around like headless chickens. I know it's a friendly but they've seriously exposed themselves as very poor players. It should be 7 Nill at this stage.

[Carmen Stateside]

Was poor showing alright. Mexico great side to watch, played some great stuff.

[dclane]

Those Irish players cannot actually even play soccer. We should pack it in as a soccer nation. Mexico are not a world power but are giving us a football lesson. They can pass the ball, and do swift intricate moves. The Irish players are running around like headless chickens. I know it's a friendly but they've seriously exposed themselves as very poor players. It should be 7 Nill at this stage.

Yes. Let's quit playing international football because an experimental Irish team lost to Mexico in an end of season friendly. 

[seafoid]

Cavani is playing for Uruguay. #Jaysus

[Captain Obvious]

Fine goal from Walters.

[Captain Obvious]

Terrible goalkeeping from Randolph .