FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[imtommygunn]

We'll have to agree to disagree but IMO O'Donoghue knew exactly what he was at and was asking a loaded question. Managers shouldn't have to put up with rubbish criticism silently and King put them and O'Donoghue in their place tonight and fait dues to him for doing it.

KIng did nothing Zulu except make a tit of himself. He should watch amateur GAA managers field questions in a far better manner.

Unprofessional, out of his depth and proved why he was never a contender.

Yeah right Indiana   
Sure King was uptight but  he actually  gave a very good account of himself and irish football in the interview.
The panel were exposed as hypocritical, over sensitive morons, but all that probably went over your head.
King didn't pick the players that the panel wanted him to pick and last week King called  them comedy clowns. And last night was just another night when Tony, armed with best bits from the panel discussion, with the excitement of a kid let lose in a sweatshop, sticks the mike in front of the manager and by 2nd questions gets out his depth. If it was just this one time, then I'd say King overreacted but this has been an RTE tactic for ages, fronted by somebody who doesn't have a clue about his questions, except that he knows they are written in bold type on his clipboard.

Since when does a manager ever pick the team that everybody agrees with? What matters is what King tried to do with the players he did select.
Last night the team made near 600 passes, hardly a hoof in sight, fullbacks receiving the ball from the goalie, midfielders turning up to receive the ball, players making space for themselves and trying to do intelligent stuff. All exactly what the panel had been moaning about for years. King played a formation which is similar with the way the youth teams play, it's a football philosophy, something which Giles had been preaching but he couldn't recognise it, because he doesn't  watch irish underage football, he probably hasn't got a clue who is the director of Irish football or what he's trying to put into place. King knows him and works with him.
Then you had the moan of why not play McClean?  Same ol' same ol', some player not selected is transformed into Pele-like sainthood and should have been picked.  Stokes is supposed by the panel not to have played  in that position at Celtic, which is poppycock. Which team at intl level is playing with 2 wide players at midfield? In a 4231 you don't have 2 wide players in the 3.
Why do you think Kazakhstan have not got hammered in the games they played against Germany and Sweden? 1 nil 2 nil 3 nil results.

But somehow in the space of 5 days, Ireland are supposed to score more than Germany, change totally the way they have been playing football for the past 5 years and put together a sparkling passing game, and because the rookie stand-in manager King could not manage it to champagne perfection he was pilloried by the panel in a personal, nasty and disrespectful manner.

Good post.

RTE sports punditry in GAA and soccer is a joke.

[Bingo]

Its been a while since Souness has joined the panel, he generally kept them in a reality check and on topic.

[Billys Boots]

Its been a while since Souness has joined the panel, he generally kept them in a reality check and on topic.

The only time they actually do it pretty well (or used to anyway) is when Ireland are not involved and they have competition (from BBC and ITV) for advertising revenue - it's actually quite good sometimes during the EC or WC.  The best analyst is Brian Kerr, though I don't think he'd sit in the same room as Dunphy. 

[muppet]

From Mike Bassett England Manager: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lvL4Bzyumg

(Minor bad language - probably not safe for work)

[Asal Mor]

If RTÉ were serious about analysis, Giles would be in the commentary box. When he's there we see the man who enjoys the game, lucidly explains what we have just seen, and is willing to admit to the odd mistake now and again. When he's in the studio we see a curmudgeonly old fart chundering on about the need to show the will to win, attack at all times, show the will to win, display moral courage, and show the will to win. Then again, RTÉ are not serious about analysis. It's all a pantomime, and it's possible that we'd all rather it this way.

RTE's market research obviously indicates we do. Hook, Dunphy, Spillane and Brolly could all move seamlessly onto the panels at X-factor or Strictly Come Dancing. I just watched the Noel King interview and panel debate on youtube. It was pretty bizarre how they got totally sidetracked into taking Noel King apart and defending the honor of the "well-respected journalist Tony O' Donoghue".

I'm not a huge fan of the obnoxious interview questions which are becoming the norm in Irish soccer and rugby but surely some retaliatory rudeness is fair enough on Noel King's part.

And Dunphy has clearly lost a yard of pace.

[highorlow]

On another note, no harm to Dunphy but he looked rough last night and his speach was slow/slurred. Eyes very watery as well. Don't think it was drink but had the look of a man not well or on strong medication.

I think he was on the town launching his book on Monday night, it has been re-titled 'The Four Eamon Dunphy's'

[ballinaman]

Gibson cruciate gone. Awful luck.

What ye make of Long's tweet before the match : "Cowboy,nuff said"

These lads shouldn't be let near twitter.

[Hardy]

I thought it was way beyond the usual buffoonery and sound-bite whoring. This was nasty. Those clowns had obviously decided in advance that King was to be personally and professionally assassinated whatever the results or tactics in the two matches or whatever he said. For example, Dunphy's main point in his summation of the game was completely ludicrous in the context that King is the temporary coach while the appointment of the full-time coach is awaited. His point? "We need a coach, and we need him soon". Wow - talk about insight.

One thing was laughable - the passionate defence of Tony O'Donoghue's courage and journalistic integrity in asking (somebody else's) tough questions. I don't watch much soccer, but I have seen a number of Tony O'Donoghue interviews with Trapattoni when he was clearly scared to ask him even the mildest of questions, even after the worst performances by the team. He would never have treated Trapattoni like he treated King.

[magpie seanie]

I thought it was way beyond the usual buffoonery and sound-bite whoring. This was nasty. Those clowns had obviously decided in advance that King was to be personally and professionally assassinated whatever the results or tactics in the two matches or whatever he said. For example, Dunphy's main point in his summation of the game was completely ludicrous in the context that King is the temporary coach while the appointment of the full-time coach is awaited. His point? "We need a coach, and we need him soon". Wow - talk about insight.

One thing was laughable - the passionate defence of Tony O'Donoghue's courage and journalistic integrity in asking (somebody else's) tough questions. I don't watch much soccer, but I have seen a number of Tony O'Donoghue interviews with Trapattoni when he was clearly scared to ask him even the mildest of questions, even after the worst performances by the team. He would never have treated Trapattoni like he treated King.

From where I'm standing that about sums it up. The criticism of King and his tactics is totally uncalled for and over the top and worst of all looked premeditated and personal. There might have been questionable selctions/positional elements but he brought back lads that should have been brought back and seemed to inject a bit of craic into it. The two results were as expected, creating a few decent chances against Germany and trying to pass the ball against Kazahstan were huge improvements on the previous era. For the first time in ages I actually felt like watching our team, despite the flaws and thanks to King for that at least. Of course he's not the long term solution but he did fine in the circumstances.

I have huge time for Shane Long in general but I'm disappointed to read about that tweet. Poor.

[Main Street]

I thought it was way beyond the usual buffoonery and sound-bite whoring. This was nasty. Those clowns had obviously decided in advance that King was to be personally and professionally assassinated whatever the results or tactics in the two matches or whatever he said. For example, Dunphy's main point in his summation of the game was completely ludicrous in the context that King is the temporary coach while the appointment of the full-time coach is awaited. His point? "We need a coach, and we need him soon". Wow - talk about insight.

One thing was laughable - the passionate defence of Tony O'Donoghue's courage and journalistic integrity in asking (somebody else's) tough questions. I don't watch much soccer, but I have seen a number of Tony O'Donoghue interviews with Trapattoni when he was clearly scared to ask him even the mildest of questions, even after the worst performances by the team. He would never have treated Trapattoni like he treated King.

Actually the trend was already set by RTE in the post match interviews with Trap by O'Donoghue, since mid 2012,
and Trap's stubbornness  not to use the translating skills of Manuela, meant that O'Donoghue could always sound smart and Trap be like Mr Magoo.

[deiseach]

Actually the trend was already set by RTE in the post match interviews with Trap by O'Donoghue, since mid 2012,
and Trap's stubbornness  not to use the translating skills of Manuela, meant that O'Donoghue could always sound smart and Trap be like Mr Magoo.

Surely Chico Marx?

[Applesisapples]

I thought the match was poor enough last night. Stokes and Reid played quite well. I would agree with King that Stokes plays this role well with Celtic. Personnally I would have played McGeady and Long with Stokes. I couldn't see how McCarthy got MOTM but maybe thats watching on TV.

[Main Street]

Actually the trend was already set by RTE in the post match interviews with Trap by O'Donoghue, since mid 2012,
and Trap's stubbornness  not to use the translating skills of Manuela, meant that O'Donoghue could always sound smart and Trap be like Mr Magoo.

Surely Chico Marx?

Yeah, but that could be seen as pandering to the classic stereotype
and probably Chico would not have been shy to use the translating skills of Manuela.

[Leo]

In awe at the heat being generated here about a boring journalist, a temporary "manager" and a rent-a-mouth pundit in the context of the worst group of Irish soccer players in living memory, not one of whom would get near a leading English premier team (none at Arsenal, Spurs, United, City, Liverpool, Chelsea - even Southampton), No wonder Martin O'Neill has kept his gunpowder dry on the Irish job that would otherwise suit him so well. Here's a couple of million quid - who do you want to waste it on? A couple of years ago you would have said Kevin Doyle, now languishing in (what do they call it these days?) League 2. Or Shane Long who can't get in the WBA team and hasn't scored for donkeys? Or Wes Hoolahan who can't get in the Norwich team? Or the great Andy Reid who failed at Spurs and Sunderland and is now our saviour again from the lofty heights of Nottmm Forest?  Get real about this outfit.

[From the Bunker]

Our National teams expectations are constantly having this negative and almost snide feel over the last couple of years. Players had been accused of not trying, not caring, not up to it! Results have not been glamorous, but they have been sufficient to keep us at the business end of qualifications. Our Pundits, at this stage don't know what they want. They suddenly want McCarthy (son of Jack, as he was known almost in disdain). The man who ran the messiah from a major tournament. They want this lad and that lad playing. There is always some who should be playing, there is always a prodigal son on the bench or not on the squad. He is always the next Pele even though he plays championship football or Reserve football for a Premiership team.

I was sad this week at the way Noel King was treated. He is a good solid Irish football man. I can imagine how proud he was to get the temporary Manager gig of the National squad. It's sad the personal treatment he got especially from the RTE panel. What should have been a happy and proud time of Kings career with two decent performances, has been turned into a sour episode in his career.

As for the RTE panel, has there ever been an ill informed, under researched group to analyse a game. They seem to have little or no idea of any of the National teams that play against us. Understandably most of the waffle from Bill O'Herilihy is rehearsed.

Anyway, the animal we have created from all this negativity is no manager worth his grain of salt will want to be in this fiasco and added to this we will turn the players away.

In the past we prided ourselves in being at one with our national team. In being the 12th man. We were not like the English who compared their Manager to a Turnip. Today we are no better. In fact I think we are worse.