FAI...New Manager is Heimir Hallgrimsson

[imtommygunn]

How does Martinez still get big jobs? He was found out a decade ago.

Exactly this. Just seems to be one of these people that carry themselves confidently and people just believe it. Should have been nowhere near half the jobs he has been this last decade.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Great result for Ireland.  Pity the defeat away to Armenia looks like killing us. Portugal were so poor though.
Hopefully Parrot remains the striker. I doubt ferguson would've scored 2 last night.

If we beat Armenia as expected I don't think we beat Portugal at home

That performance last night had an air of nothing to lose about it

[Look-Up!]

Great result to revive a campaign that was all but lost. Huge game in Hungary now. Fair play to anyone travelling to what they surely thought was a dead rubber. God knows what to expect now. Anything from the ridiculous to sublime.

[Milltown Row2]

Portugal are still top of the table and not sure based on results can be caught? So they haven't done badly. Martinez seems to get these jobs and clearly not up to the task of making the big calls.. Dropping Ronaldo would be a huge call and looking in it seems that their FA probably want to keep Ronaldo in the team/squad regardless.

International jobs are not always taken up by the best managers, its a place in most parts (some great exceptions over the years though) for the middle of the road managers

[Armagh18]

Portugal are still top of the table and not sure based on results can be caught? So they haven't done badly. Martinez seems to get these jobs and clearly not up to the task of making the big calls.. Dropping Ronaldo would be a huge call and looking in it seems that their FA probably want to keep Ronaldo in the team/squad regardless.

International jobs are not always taken up by the best managers, its a place in most parts (some great exceptions over the years though) for the middle of the road managers

If Portugal lose Hungary can overtake them with a win and Ireland can also, but would take a swing in goal difference. Both fairly unlikely but possible

[snoopdog]

Are people really that thick to say ronaldo should be dropped by Portugal.??
How many goals has he scored during the qualifying group??
More than anyone else in the group by any chance??
Fools.

[Milltown Row2]

Are people really that thick to say ronaldo should be dropped by Portugal.??
How many goals has he scored during the qualifying group??
More than anyone else in the group by any chance??
Fools.

Its not about dropping him, its the formation of the team that could be improved.. So many good players in that team.. Getting the right set up and they can win tournaments

[An Watcher]

Are people really that thick to say ronaldo should be dropped by Portugal.??
How many goals has he scored during the qualifying group??
More than anyone else in the group by any chance??
Fools.

I'd argue that he doesn't count in the big games any more bar scoring penalties.  Ultimately he is a passenger in the latter stages of tournaments now.  They should be using him as an impact sub.  Get some young blood into the forward line

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Are people really that thick to say ronaldo should be dropped by Portugal.??
How many goals has he scored during the qualifying group??
More than anyone else in the group by any chance??
Fools.

Its not about dropping him, its the formation of the team that could be improved.. So many good players in that team.. Getting the right set up and they can win tournaments

I think both things can be true though.

Look at the amount of goals he scored when he returned to United.

But he totally upset the team Ole was building and had their worst season in years.

[johnnycool]

That was some result for Ireland but a few things of note.

Ireland are better without the ball.
    What I mean by that is that they excel at soaking up the pressure from teams who have the better footballers and counter attacking, getting set pieces and going from there like they did last night.
Ogbene was a willing runner last night and caused Portugal problems throughout until he was totally gassed.

I don't think this team have the players to actually create many chances against "lesser" opposition and that has been their downfall v Armenia etc.

The only thing about the Sunday game is that Hungary will have more possession so Ogbene may need to get his energy levels up again.

Irelands bench is particularly weak.

If Festy is a footballer he hid it well on his cameo last night, Idah isn't suited to running the channels it seems, so unless Ferguson gets fit there's going to be another slaughtering session for Ogbene and Parrot.


Ireland just might steal it, but it will be with very little possession and that suits them.

As for Portugal, the ref has done them a favour as that PSG lad Ramos was far more threatening than Ronaldo even with the ten men.

Martinez seems to think that just throwing on all these really high quality players and that'll work without any real gameplan.

They'll be found out in the WC against the well organised teams.

[Armagh18]

Yeah a real shame that clown of a manager is costing an unreal bunch of players.

If Hungary have any sense they'll sit back and let Ireland have the ball- we need to score and they don't and we aren't very good at it. An early set piece goal though and we're laughing.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Yeah a real shame that clown of a manager is costing an unreal bunch of players.

If Hungary have any sense they'll sit back and let Ireland have the ball- we need to score and they don't and we aren't very good at it. An early set piece goal though and we're laughing.

Id say Belgium saying exact same as your first sentence

[Armagh18]

Yeah a real shame that clown of a manager is costing an unreal bunch of players.

If Hungary have any sense they'll sit back and let Ireland have the ball- we need to score and they don't and we aren't very good at it. An early set piece goal though and we're laughing.

Id say Belgium saying exact same as your first sentence

Was thinking that as I typed. Such a shame for some serious players.

[AustinPowers]

That was some result for Ireland but a few things of note.

Ireland are better without the ball.
    What I mean by that is that they excel at soaking up the pressure from teams who have the better footballers and counter attacking, getting set pieces and going from there like they did last night.
Ogbene was a willing runner last night and caused Portugal problems throughout until he was totally gassed.

I don't think this team have the players to actually create many chances against "lesser" opposition and that has been their downfall v Armenia etc.

The only thing about the Sunday game is that Hungary will have more possession so Ogbene may need to get his energy levels up again.

Irelands bench is particularly weak.

If Festy is a footballer he hid it well on his cameo last night, Idah isn't suited to running the channels it seems, so unless Ferguson gets fit there's going to be another slaughtering session for Ogbene and Parrot.


Ireland just might steal it, but it will be with very little possession and that suits them.

As for Portugal, the ref has done them a favour as that PSG lad Ramos was far more threatening than Ronaldo even with the ten men.

Martinez seems to think that just throwing on all these really high quality players and that'll work without any real gameplan.

They'll be found out in the WC against the well organised teams.

Yeah totally agree. 

There's a whiff of Van Gaal  from Martinez. I remember  LVG throwing on  4 strikers v Ireland in 2001, with nobody out wide to actually  put in a cross for them.

[statto]

Brilliant win. Will count for nothing if don't win Sunday. Deserved red for Ronaldo. If Martinez had any balls he bench Ronaldo.  Portugal going nowhere starting him.

Said on Sky Sports this morning that he will get a 3 match ban so would miss first two games of World Cup  which would be a blessing.