FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[seafoid]

One of the far right lega nord politicians said all the forringers in Séria A had ruined Italian soccer. Same in England. Thirty years of hurt is now 51

[Captain Obvious]

That is another nil all draw in the world cup qualifiers. I fancy tomorrow nights game will go the same way.

Italy won't be missed. Who did they have on their team? It is not like 94 when they had baggio and Zola in their squad. This time around all the hype is about Buffon retiring, not on the great players who will miss the world cup.

I'd normally agree, but they at least try to play football by passing it around and are technically much better than a lot of teams. They'd still bring more to the tournie than the Swedes, who parked the bus last night.

I'd argue the Swedes will bring more to a WC than a poor Italian side. If they had much to bring to the table they'd have qualified.

They'll also bring their blonde's in the crowd. Camera men will be happy

Speaking of blondes in the crowd will she be attending tonight?

[blewuporstuffed]

Ireland: Randolph; Christie, Clark, Duffy, Ward; Meyler, Arter; Hendrick, Brady, McClean; Murphy

[Capt Pat]

More of the conservative approach from o neil. Meyler in for O Dowda. I expect Ireland to play like they did in the first leg, hoping to hit the Danes on the counter attack.

[Cunny Funt]

Have popped 20 euro on ROI to win 1-0 at odds of 6/1 maybe I will come up trumps again.

[JoG2]

Come on lads, give us the ugliest 1-0 win ever produced!

[BennyCake]

I'd argue the Swedes will bring more to a WC than a poor Italian side. If they had much to bring to the table they'd have qualified.

The question is will they bring Zlatan?   

I have a Swedish colleague here and he said the debate has already started.   Zlatan likely to return to play early in the New Year but a lot of Swedish fans are arguing that the team as a collective have played better without him.  Coach won't entertain talk about it as Zlatan formally retired at Euros.

/Jim.

Maybe Henrik Larsson could make yetanother Sweden comeback!

[BennyCake]

Have popped 20 euro on ROI to win 1-0 at odds of 6/1 maybe I will come up trumps again.

Did you "pop" any money on McClean scoring? 

[Main Street]

Because they're a mediocre bunch of footballers who have been coached into playing a system that has no room for continuity, flair or intuition. Which means that when they go a goal down va a better side, they simply don't have the belief or experience to make a game of it.

The World Cup will bea horror show if we get there

I think you're intentionally avoiding my question. What's the difference between Ireland and Iceland with regards to progressing at the world cup? My point is that we can be coached to achieve better than you're suggesting.

Jesus I'm not avoiding the point.

Iceland are a limited side who've worked out if they counter attack with intent, they can spoil and beat better teams.

Ireland have absolutely no game plan / tactics for counter attacking. They just boot the ball away. It's kot possession football, it's not territory football, it's shot football.

From what I've seen, Iceland are anything but a limited team, they have deservedly topped their qual group, have beaten Turkey, Croatia and Ukraine at home and hammered Turkey away in a crunch group decider. That's not the stuff of a limited team, that's the stuff of an excellent team who have emerged from limited circumstances.  Iceland play as a team of players who know each other inside out, they play (mostly)  a sophisticated flexible  442, which can only be achieved with every player in a disciplined manner understanding their role and their fellow players. That's football intelligence in action.
I'd share most people's turn off with Ireland's utter inability to posses the ball.
However, for these play offs it's 100% about the result and O'Neill  succeeded in neutralising  Denmark to the extent of them only having 3  or so shots on goal. The cliche applies, it's only half time.

I've just looked at the clubs that Iceland's squad play for, as, strangely, it seems to be the main reason that many posters use to justify Ireland's inability to play good football, or to achieve.

Here are the clubs of their most capped players: Randers, Aberdeen, Rubin Kazan, Lokeren, Burnley, Aston Villa, Everton, Cardiff City.

If Ireland shouldn't be expected to win their group and if "we don't have the players" to play decent football because our players don't play for top clubs, then how do Iceland buck this trend?

From your list of clubs you leave out Finnbogasson of Augsburg in the  Bundesliga, Hallfridsonn of Udinese  in Serie A, Kolbeinnsson is injured at Nantes.
Iceland have players playing regularly in the premier division of the vast majority of west European leagues, Israel and Russia. The players have been coached at club level since the age of 5 by licensed coaches in their home land. Usually they finish their A level education before moving abroad and have already had experience playing at senior level. Irish LOI  football clubs are decades behind the Iceland structure.

The question is more how can Iceland be on a par and even better than the other Scandinavian countries who have a similar sporting culture, with a longer established, better financed and more resourceful infrastructure. Perhaps one difference is that Iceland has the island mentality, they have adapted over generations to a harsher environment/conditions and just get on with life, and now they have learned to play football.

Well I picked out the players that had over 50 caps so it wasn't intentional. . I don't see the relevance of them playing top level football in countries such as Denmark, Israel or Scotland.

Rather than all the players playing in one football culture, Iceland have players who have adapted to different cultures and  have been exposed to a wide variety of coaching methods. The more a player has to adapt to a premier standard in another culture, the more he is likely to adapt to the international game.

They're no better than the Championship in England in my opinion where most of our players play. I was going to say you might have a point about the coaching but  ultimately their players still play at a similar level to ours. And our players generally don't play hoofball with their clubs.

The question is why can't Irish players adapt to international football  or don't do it consistently enough, when Iceland players can adapt.
I have given a few possible reasons for that.
Also the championship standard  imo is overrated  and doesn't compare favorably with football leagues the like of  Augsburg  Udinise Rostov/Rubin Kazan have to compete in and for that matter the Austrian the Swiss league and the Belgian league is a better standard.

Also, Iceland are good now with limited players but historically they haven't. Have they just got a better than usual bunch?

I have explained why I think they now have a better bunch since their FA implemented fundamental coaching changes and also important infrastructure changes.

Iceland have no football culture per se, they really only started a football league in earnest after the 1966 world cup  and that in hostile weather elements. Indoor sports were more popular,  team  handball is still the national sport.

[general_lee]

Any streams for the match?

[Itchy]

Come on ta fcuk Ireland

[Itchy]

90 mins too early

[Cunny Funt]

Shocking defending who cares a great start for the Irish. 1-0 will do lads

[Tony Baloney]

90 mins too early

Lol

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Oh f**k 85 mins of clinging on lol