FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Baile Brigín 2]

The manager has to take a lot of the blame for a result like this. In terms of players we are not that bad and shouldn't be losing at home against Luxembourg. It is the managers job to pick the team and motivate the players.

This performance brings back memories of Staunton and the 5-2 defeat to Cyprus.

With the players available tell us who you would have picked tonight and the tactics you would have employed.

I am not an international class football manager so I decline to answer that but the team badly needs an internstional class manager and Kenny it seems is not one.

That's a cop out. You haven't the balls to tell us what players should be on the pitch and in what positions but you can tell us the manager got it wrong?

Unfortunately Capt Pat is typical of your average Irish fan. He'll say we should do better, but can't come up with any specifics as to why and would struggle to name most of the Irish team. You can be sure he/she would have no problem naming the Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea etc teams though as he/she is no doubt a die hard fan who maybe goes to see them play live in the UK once a season(pre Covid)

Did the manager get it right and his players just not follow his instructions?

I think the problem is the instructions are beyond the players. Kenny  needs to be more pragmatic. We are shite and expecting possession football from that group is too big an ask

[Baile Brigín 2]

Twitter full to the beams tonight with people trying to make this one John Delaney's fault.

Seriously people, have a good long word with yourselves. The CEO of the FAI has no more input into player development than the Easter Bunny.

You might as well blame the Taoiseach.

—-

Right now the manager's role isn't about today. Ireland couldn't qualify for the finals unless there was mass murder in each of their opponents' training camps.

This doesn't mean Kenny is the right person for the job. But if he's brave enough to cull some of the absolute shite (like McClean) from the set up and instead raise the profile of young players to the point that EPL teams might take notice, that's enough. For now.

This. The new FAI are smart enough to realise we are poor. There is a serious group of players coming through - look at Bazunu tonight, many of whom are LoI produced despite the FAI and that takes time.  However Kenny got the gig on the basis he proved with Dundalk he could get blood from a stone, limited players over achieving. We aren't seeing anything like that

[seafoid]

Ireland have been underwhelming for a long time. They qualified for the Euros in 2012. Last in group. In 2016 they got to the last 16. The Euros have been diluted to include about half of the countries. No World Cup.since 2002.

Looking at Serbia during the week, most of their journeymen don't play in England. Maybe they get better experience.
But they probably don't earn as much money as the Irish players.

[snoopdog]

Twitter full to the beams tonight with people trying to make this one John Delaney's fault.

Seriously people, have a good long word with yourselves. The CEO of the FAI has no more input into player development than the Easter Bunny.

You might as well blame the Taoiseach.

—-

Right now the manager's role isn't about today. Ireland couldn't qualify for the finals unless there was mass murder in each of their opponents' training camps.

This doesn't mean Kenny is the right person for the job. But if he's brave enough to cull some of the absolute shite (like McClean) from the set up and instead raise the profile of young players to the point that EPL teams might take notice, that's enough. For now.

This. The new FAI are smart enough to realise we are poor. There is a serious group of players coming through - look at Bazunu tonight, many of whom are LoI produced despite the FAI and that takes time.  However Kenny got the gig on the basis he proved with Dundalk he could get blood from a stone, limited players over achieving. We aren't seeing anything like that

Who are these serious players coming through? 

[dublin7]

So don't blame the manager, blame his previous manager, Delaney?

How do you not know who John Delaney is? Delaney was not the former manager but the former CEO of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) who had to resign in disgrace after pretty much bankrupting the organization. It's his mismanagement and failure to introduce any structures in Irish football that means we can't produce young quality football players in this country

It's the black of structures in this country to

[dublin7]

Ireland have been underwhelming for a long time. They qualified for the Euros in 2012. Last in group. In 2016 they got to the last 16. The Euros have been diluted to include about half of the countries. No World Cup.since 2002.

Looking at Serbia during the week, most of their journeymen don't play in England. Maybe they get better experience.
But they probably don't earn as much money as the Irish players.

Serbia drew 2-2 with Portugal and are ranked above Ireland in the world rankings. They have players who play for real Madrid, Inter Milan, Man Utd amongst others and have a stronger squad than Ireland.

[6th sam]

Much as Delaney must take some of the responsibility it's not all down to him.
Compared to others we are a relatively small country , we have poor weather , poor facilities , and soccer isn't the dominant sport on the streets and fields . We have the additional issue of having access to several strong leagues next door: EPL, Echampionship, Efootball league, Scottish leagues , meaning that relatively speaking , domestic leagues suffer, as most top quality players leave these shores .
The IRFU by contrast to FAI seems to be much better run, and we punch above our weight rugby wise, by having strong domestic teams, amongst other things.
Irish soccer can never regain the success of the 90s as the world demographics of soccer dictate that we are extremely poorly placed to be a competitive soccer nation

[Milltown Row2]

So don't blame the manager, blame his previous manager, Delaney?

How do you not know who John Delaney is? Delaney was not the former manager but the former CEO of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) who had to resign in disgrace after pretty much bankrupting the organization. It's his mismanagement and failure to introduce any structures in Irish football that means we can't produce young quality football players in this country

It's the black of structures in this country to

I know exactly who is is and was to the FAI he was (and you've put it in your post) the person who managed the FAI and in doing so managed all the managers

[RedHand88]

Much as Delaney must take some of the responsibility it's not all down to him.
Compared to others we are a relatively small country , we have poor weather , poor facilities , and soccer isn't the dominant sport on the streets and fields . We have the additional issue of having access to several strong leagues next door: EPL, Echampionship, Efootball league, Scottish leagues , meaning that relatively speaking , domestic leagues suffer, as most top quality players leave these shores .
The IRFU by contrast to FAI seems to be much better run, and we punch above our weight rugby wise, by having strong domestic teams, amongst other things.
Irish soccer can never regain the success of the 90s as the world demographics of soccer dictate that we are extremely poorly placed to be a competitive soccer nation

Not having this. Luxembourg has half the population of County Dublin and shares a land border with the Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

[RedHand88]

Ireland have been underwhelming for a long time. They qualified for the Euros in 2012. Last in group. In 2016 they got to the last 16. The Euros have been diluted to include about half of the countries. No World Cup.since 2002.

Looking at Serbia during the week, most of their journeymen don't play in England. Maybe they get better experience.
But they probably don't earn as much money as the Irish players.

Serbia drew 2-2 with Portugal and are ranked above Ireland in the world rankings. They have players who play for real Madrid, Inter Milan, Man Utd amongst others and have a stronger squad than Ireland.

Kolorov is 35 and doesn't start for Inter, he is a squad player at the end of his career.
Matic did not feature against Ireland.
Whos the Real Madrid player?

[shark]

Ireland have been underwhelming for a long time. They qualified for the Euros in 2012. Last in group. In 2016 they got to the last 16. The Euros have been diluted to include about half of the countries. No World Cup.since 2002.

Looking at Serbia during the week, most of their journeymen don't play in England. Maybe they get better experience.
But they probably don't earn as much money as the Irish players.

Serbia drew 2-2 with Portugal and are ranked above Ireland in the world rankings. They have players who play for real Madrid, Inter Milan, Man Utd amongst others and have a stronger squad than Ireland.

Kolorov is 35 and doesn't start for Inter, he is a squad player at the end of his career.
Matic did not feature against Ireland.
Whos the Real Madrid player?

Jovic. But doubt he will ever play for them again.

[6th sam]

Much as Delaney must take some of the responsibility it's not all down to him.
Compared to others we are a relatively small country , we have poor weather , poor facilities , and soccer isn't the dominant sport on the streets and fields . We have the additional issue of having access to several strong leagues next door: EPL, Echampionship, Efootball league, Scottish leagues , meaning that relatively speaking , domestic leagues suffer, as most top quality players leave these shores .
The IRFU by contrast to FAI seems to be much better run, and we punch above our weight rugby wise, by having strong domestic teams, amongst other things.
Irish soccer can never regain the success of the 90s as the world demographics of soccer dictate that we are extremely poorly placed to be a competitive soccer nation

Not having this. Luxembourg has half the population of County Dublin and shares a land border with the Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

We should be beating Luxembourg granted , but Tbf they are in the middle of mainland Europe where soccer is very strong in terms of participation , coaching , resources , and glamorous teams. We have none of that . The influence snd ethos of the GAA is dominant throughout most of this country , soccer here has serious ground to make up on the GAA , never mind looking to be competitive on a world stage. The sums don't add up, anyone that thinks we can easily re-capture the "glories" of 88,90,94,02 is seriously deluded. If we can't best Luxembourg , we may hope we don't qualify anyway , as we are seriously out of our depth against top teams.

[Milltown Row2]

Are there not more kids playing soccer that GAA?

[dublin7]

Ireland have been underwhelming for a long time. They qualified for the Euros in 2012. Last in group. In 2016 they got to the last 16. The Euros have been diluted to include about half of the countries. No World Cup.since 2002.

Looking at Serbia during the week, most of their journeymen don't play in England. Maybe they get better experience.
But they probably don't earn as much money as the Irish players.

Serbia drew 2-2 with Portugal and are ranked above Ireland in the world rankings. They have players who play for real Madrid, Inter Milan, Man Utd amongst others and have a stronger squad than Ireland.

Kolorov is 35 and doesn't start for Inter, he is a squad player at the end of his career.
Matic did not feature against Ireland.
Whos the Real Madrid player?

Luka Jovic was on the bench against Ireland as he can't get a game for Real Madrid. Serbia are 30th in the world rankings and Ireland are 42nd and have players playing regularly in the Champions league. You can criticize the Serbia players, but how many of that Irish starting eleven as regulars at their clubs? Most are playing at championship level of football.

While Ireland should be beating Luxembourg there is no statistics that show they should be beating Serbia based on quality

[dublin7]

Are there not more kids playing soccer that GAA?

If you play GAA or rugby in Ireland (and you're good enough) there is a clear path to follow from underage/schoolboy level all the way up to inter county/international level.

Soccer doesn't have anything close to that sort of structures for football in this country thanks mainly to mismanagement at the top level by the likes of John Delaney so Ireland doesn't produce quality players for the international side meaning we are relying on clubs in the UK to do the job for us.

Changing the manager of the senior international team won't suddenly mean Ireland has better players to pick from or start producing players for the international dide