FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[yellowcard]

Mick McCarthy is the obvious choice. Not in contract, good man manager, would jump at the job and has a track record of over achieving with a limited group of players.

Stephen Kenny would be a big risk having never managed at that sort of level before. I don't see too many other candidates.

[lurganblue]

Is there anything to be said for Neil Lennon? 

[lurganblue]

To go with McCarthy would be pointless in my opinion.  I dont see him doing anything different than MON has done with that squad as i think their styles are similar.

Kenny may be worth a risk.  I dont believe fans expect too much from this squad of players.  Maybe a shot on target once in a while. 

[clarshack]

anybody that can get them to string 2 passes together.

[Itchy]

O'Neill and Keane are gone 

If the problem is the system it won't make any difference.
The FAI missed the boat on the development of young players and this is now a problem at senior level
It is not easy to fix. Mick O'Dowd said the Meath manager after the next one might start winning. Maybe it's like that. 

Losing attitudes are insidious. You have to drop people even if they have loads of experience when they have no belief. You have to build it in young players.
Ireland are disorganised and will be playing teams who aren't. It takes time for young lads to build experience. Kilkenny are learning that now.
Fan expectations are not realistic.

Look at how well the rugby team is doing but that took years to get right. 

If you look at Dunphy analysing the manager after the honeymoon period in videos going back to Staunton there is a constant theme.
I don't think it's been about the manager for the last 14 years.

It certainly is about the manager. Look, you cannot get a job as a professional soccer player in the premier league with out having a minimum technical capability. We still have a fair proportion of players who are playing in that league (7 played against Denmark). Why then are they so absmal that they cannot fashion a shot on target? Even if you assume that Denmark are much better which is fair enough, N Ireland do not have better players yet we didnt even threaten their goal. Our style of play is just totally one dimensional.

[BennyCake]

Is there anything to be said for Neil Lennon? 

Our only hope now, is another Mass

[BennyCake]

If Big Mick has any sense, he wouldn't go near it with a big extra long barge pole...with an extension on the end.

There's nothing there to work with. The poorest squad I've seen in a long time.

[Maroon Manc]

If Big Mick has any sense, he wouldn't go near it with a big extra long barge pole...with an extension on the end.

There's nothing there to work with. The poorest squad I've seen in a long time.

Its a dreadful squad; There's no top player in the squad, lack of any real quality and the majority of those who are playing in the Premier League might not be doing so next year if their current club was relegated.

There's very few genuine Premier League players in the squad.

[Denn Forever]

Says it all when your goalkeeper gets Man of then match.

[trailer]

O'Neill & Keane must be being lined up a job across the water. What they did with that team is nothing short of remarkable. They have consistently over achieved. Huge loss to Irish Soccer. It's quite possible they will turn up at a top Premier League club.

[seafoid]

O'Neill and Keane are gone 

If the problem is the system it won't make any difference.
The FAI missed the boat on the development of young players and this is now a problem at senior level
It is not easy to fix. Mick O'Dowd said the Meath manager after the next one might start winning. Maybe it's like that. 

Losing attitudes are insidious. You have to drop people even if they have loads of experience when they have no belief. You have to build it in young players.
Ireland are disorganised and will be playing teams who aren't. It takes time for young lads to build experience. Kilkenny are learning that now.
Fan expectations are not realistic.

Look at how well the rugby team is doing but that took years to get right. 

If you look at Dunphy analysing the manager after the honeymoon period in videos going back to Staunton there is a constant theme.
I don't think it's been about the manager for the last 14 years.

It certainly is about the manager. Look, you cannot get a job as a professional soccer player in the premier league with out having a minimum technical capability. We still have a fair proportion of players who are playing in that league (7 played against Denmark). Why then are they so absmal that they cannot fashion a shot on target? Even if you assume that Denmark are much better which is fair enough, N Ireland do not have better players yet we didnt even threaten their goal. Our style of play is just totally one dimensional.

But you are from Cavan, aren't you? So you know about systemic problems
I say this as a galway hurling fan. Psychological issues can be huge . When players don't stand up to be counted and aren't making progress there is a serious problem.

I don't think this will make much difference.
I think we are way behind other soccer countries
Also the FAI is part of the problem.

Saw we are 26th in Europe at the moment based on the NL
Where would expect a new manager to get to after 2 years ?

[Itchy]

O'Neill & Keane must be being lined up a job across the water. What they did with that team is nothing short of remarkable. They have consistently over achieved. Huge loss to Irish Soccer. It's quite possible they will turn up at a top Premier League club.

You think O Neill and Keane will get a top job in the UK after this year, no chance. TV pundits is what they will be now.

[Billys Boots]

O'Neill and Keane are gone 

If the problem is the system it won't make any difference.
The FAI missed the boat on the development of young players and this is now a problem at senior level
It is not easy to fix. Mick O'Dowd said the Meath manager after the next one might start winning. Maybe it's like that. 

Losing attitudes are insidious. You have to drop people even if they have loads of experience when they have no belief. You have to build it in young players.
Ireland are disorganised and will be playing teams who aren't. It takes time for young lads to build experience. Kilkenny are learning that now.
Fan expectations are not realistic.

Look at how well the rugby team is doing but that took years to get right. 

If you look at Dunphy analysing the manager after the honeymoon period in videos going back to Staunton there is a constant theme.
I don't think it's been about the manager for the last 14 years.

I have an issue with the sentence in BOLD, it is simply not true.  Our underage teams are doing well, even more so since the implementation of the player development plan (PDP).  Last week, our u18s in an invitational tournament in Spain beat both Belgium and Holland, and lost unluckily to England after leading for most of the match.  The issue is that there's no connect (in the lifetime of O'Neill & Keane) between the underage structures and the senior 'structure', though I understand that there has been an appointment made in the last few weeks whose purpose is to introduce the appropriate players from the underage system into the senior system.  That has to be a positive development. 

[Billys Boots]

I'm sure Mick McCarthy will have the cv ready.

The FAI tried the local man before in more recent times. Not sure if Kenny, great manager and all that he is, could manage lads with notions.

Brian Kerr has the best record of any permanent Irish manager ... easily.  As you say, the issue appears to have been with the primadonnas on the squad.  I'm a fan of Kenny, but I don't know if he would want the job yet. 

[Jim_Murphy_74]

O'Neill and Keane are gone 

If the problem is the system it won't make any difference.
The FAI missed the boat on the development of young players and this is now a problem at senior level
It is not easy to fix. Mick O'Dowd said the Meath manager after the next one might start winning. Maybe it's like that. 

Losing attitudes are insidious. You have to drop people even if they have loads of experience when they have no belief. You have to build it in young players.
Ireland are disorganised and will be playing teams who aren't. It takes time for young lads to build experience. Kilkenny are learning that now.
Fan expectations are not realistic.

Look at how well the rugby team is doing but that took years to get right. 

If you look at Dunphy analysing the manager after the honeymoon period in videos going back to Staunton there is a constant theme.
I don't think it's been about the manager for the last 14 years.

I have an issue with the sentence in BOLD, it is simply not true.  Our underage teams are doing well, even more so since the implementation of the player development plan (PDP).  Last week, our u18s in an invitational tournament in Spain beat both Belgium and Holland, and lost unluckily to England after leading for most of the match.  The issue is that there's no connect (in the lifetime of O'Neill & Keane) between the underage structures and the senior 'structure', though I understand that there has been an appointment made in the last few weeks whose purpose is to introduce the appropriate players from the underage system into the senior system.  That has to be a positive development.

I guess we always relied on the English club system for that "transfer" to senior football (or to grab a few already there via the granny rule).

The internationalization of the Premier League seems to have adversely impacted all the "Home nations" in that respect.

/Jim.