FAI...New Manager is Heimir Hallgrimsson

[seafoid]

Still hard to escape that we blew a very winnable draw. The Danes had already began to self-destruct in their two final group games and Czechs were already in disarray with players downing tools with dispute with their association, new elderly manager brought in for the playoffs to try and calm things, down 2-0 to us early in the game. The pity is the gap between Hungary game and March, as we did start to look a decent team in those final two group games. But didn't deserve it in the end. Hard to see us ever qualifying again. Too many European countries are just more technically gifted and the once minnows like the Bosnias have passed us out.

International Soccer is uasal agus iseal. Mid ranking teams go in phases. We are in an upward phase. We^ll qualify for the Euros and if we get some new talent and make enough progress we could be contenders for WC qualifying next time around.

Soccer isn't our game, we don't play it with any skill or imagination. None of our players play for any of the top clubs in the country they ply their trade in. As wearos said, even nations as small and smaller than ourselves are technically superior. We lost control in the second half v Czechia because we couldn't string a few passes together and we were dispossessed too easily. Coaching/management isn't the issue  - I doubt Guardiola / Ancelotti / whoever would make any difference to us as we're so limited, not that there's a danger any top coach would touch us with the FAI €40m on the hook.

Looking forward, we should be ok for keepers for the next 10 years or so, assuming Kelleher / Bazuno stay healthy. Ditto forwards, with Ferguson and Parrott. None of O'Shea / O'Brien / Collins would even be regarded as international class defenders and midfield is a waste land. The new players coming in are from championship teams. The outlook is bleak.

It's like club hurling or football i mo thuairim... 2 or 3 good players and then the question is how good your weak players are. 

Players from smaller countries are technically better but they depend on 2 or 3 good players.

Scotland and Switzerland are doing the iterations at a higher level.

[Captain Scarlet]

If Ireland had McGinn and McTominay we'd be a decent outfit.
I'd hope more young lads would go Euro leagues and open up tactically.
Umeh at Benfica for example.

Up front Ferguson is always injured and seems lost.
Parrott will kick on to a higher level.
Melia and Noonan also seem to have high ceilings too. Victor Ozhianvuna going for that money is another one.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Still hard to escape that we blew a very winnable draw. The Danes had already began to self-destruct in their two final group games and Czechs were already in disarray with players downing tools with dispute with their association, new elderly manager brought in for the playoffs to try and calm things, down 2-0 to us early in the game. The pity is the gap between Hungary game and March, as we did start to look a decent team in those final two group games. But didn't deserve it in the end. Hard to see us ever qualifying again. Too many European countries are just more technically gifted and the once minnows like the Bosnias have passed us out.

International Soccer is uasal agus iseal. Mid ranking teams go in phases. We are in an upward phase. We^ll qualify for the Euros and if we get some new talent and make enough progress we could be contenders for WC qualifying next time around.

Soccer isn't our game, we don't play it with any skill or imagination. None of our players play for any of the top clubs in the country they ply their trade in. As wearos said, even nations as small and smaller than ourselves are technically superior. We lost control in the second half v Czechia because we couldn't string a few passes together and we were dispossessed too easily. Coaching/management isn't the issue  - I doubt Guardiola / Ancelotti / whoever would make any difference to us as we're so limited, not that there's a danger any top coach would touch us with the FAI €40m on the hook.

Looking forward, we should be ok for keepers for the next 10 years or so, assuming Kelleher / Bazuno stay healthy. Ditto forwards, with Ferguson and Parrott. None of O'Shea / O'Brien / Collins would even be regarded as international class defenders and midfield is a waste land. The new players coming in are from championship teams. The outlook is bleak.

It's like club hurling or football i mo thuairim... 2 or 3 good players and then the question is how good your weak players are. 

Players from smaller countries are technically better but they depend on 2 or 3 good players.

Scotland and Switzerland are doing the iterations at a higher level.

Scotland and Switzerland have champions league teams playing in front of big crowds. There are no short cuts.

[seafoid]

Still hard to escape that we blew a very winnable draw. The Danes had already began to self-destruct in their two final group games and Czechs were already in disarray with players downing tools with dispute with their association, new elderly manager brought in for the playoffs to try and calm things, down 2-0 to us early in the game. The pity is the gap between Hungary game and March, as we did start to look a decent team in those final two group games. But didn't deserve it in the end. Hard to see us ever qualifying again. Too many European countries are just more technically gifted and the once minnows like the Bosnias have passed us out.

International Soccer is uasal agus iseal. Mid ranking teams go in phases. We are in an upward phase. We^ll qualify for the Euros and if we get some new talent and make enough progress we could be contenders for WC qualifying next time around.

Soccer isn't our game, we don't play it with any skill or imagination. None of our players play for any of the top clubs in the country they ply their trade in. As wearos said, even nations as small and smaller than ourselves are technically superior. We lost control in the second half v Czechia because we couldn't string a few passes together and we were dispossessed too easily. Coaching/management isn't the issue  - I doubt Guardiola / Ancelotti / whoever would make any difference to us as we're so limited, not that there's a danger any top coach would touch us with the FAI €40m on the hook.

Looking forward, we should be ok for keepers for the next 10 years or so, assuming Kelleher / Bazuno stay healthy. Ditto forwards, with Ferguson and Parrott. None of O'Shea / O'Brien / Collins would even be regarded as international class defenders and midfield is a waste land. The new players coming in are from championship teams. The outlook is bleak.

It's like club hurling or football i mo thuairim... 2 or 3 good players and then the question is how good your weak players are. 

Players from smaller countries are technically better but they depend on 2 or 3 good players.

Scotland and Switzerland are doing the iterations at a higher level.

Scotland and Switzerland have champions league teams playing in front of big crowds. There are no short cuts.

Scotland were shite for 3 decades.

[gallsman]

I see the lads warmed up for their clash of the titans fixture with Grenada by putting Real Murcia's B team to the sword.

Top stuff.

[Baile Brigín 2]

I see the lads warmed up for their clash of the titans fixture with Grenada by putting Real Murcia's B team to the sword.

Top stuff.

It's a B squad camp in all but name. There are 4 broadly first team squad players coming back from injury and then kids and lads worth having a look at now the English lower leagues are over. He got criticism for not calling up LoI players who would be ahead of most of these players in the pecking order. 7 debuts?

It is what it is and suits a purpose