Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Very tactically naive tonight, 5 at the back, 2 in midfield, and 3 up front. It's really not surprising how much we were dominated.

I also just don't see much in Idah and Parrott, even after both getting so much time over the past few years… both are tidy enough, but don't have any of that extra bit of specialness you need in a side that's not going to get many chances. Obafemi definitely has that, and Cannon looks to have a bit of it too. I understand the thing of going with the 'form' players - especially in a friendly like this - but more generally I think we'd be better off focusing on lads like Obafemi and Cannon, who might actually pull out a bit of magic, and have proper raw pace to cause problems. I'd have the hierarchy as Ferguson, Obafemi, Ogbene, Cannon, Szmodics, Idah, Parrott I think.

Obafemi? He’s had loads of chances. Grasping at straws with him. Ogbene tries hard, that’s about it and Cannon looked ok over about 90 seconds. It was the last game of the season, we had nothing to play for versus a highly motivated opponent. Not the time to be making hierarchies lists.

With Staunton when it clearly wasn’t going to work it was brought to an end quickly. The difference with Kenny was the FAI pathetically dragged it out to the bitter end doing psychological damage to the players in the process.

I think we are a decent manager away from not looking completely hapless against half decent half motivated opposition. You lads want to normalise this level of performance, getting played off the park in a home qualifier to Greece / not being able to adjust to simple tactical switches by the great Ronald Koeman. But that’s complete nonsense, this level of effort and competitiveness is absolutely not normal.

A half decent manager will be able to improve things. Qualifying is a whole other planet to the Kenny regime. Improvement is not being eliminated after two games. It’s complete zealotry to think Kenny was getting anything near what this group of players are capable of out of them. Hopefully we get an actual manager somewhat qualified at this level next so we can see that.

We got beaten by the better team, no shame in that. The real problem is that we don't have a full time manager. The games that O Shea managed would have been a great time for the new manager to get a feel for the job and the players. That chance is wasted and the new manager goes straight into the deep end.

It is not “a bit of a stretch” to say that players want certainty and want to know who the manager is and they and everyone else knew that Stephen Kenny was a lame duck manager months before his contract expired.

He was the best option but apparently there was some on the committee at the FAI that thought they knew better and we’ve ended up with no one at all. How would you know if managing in Romania is too high a level for him?

Richie Sadlier did a podcast interview with Damien Duff there recently and he had plenty of good things to say about his time at Celtic working with Neil Lennon and how he saw it as a vital experience as he embarks on his own managerial career. Is Damien Duff another “Celtic head” in your book? Lennon is unavailable because he has moved on, we haven’t is the point.

We are a decent manager away from making this group of players more competitive in future qualification campaigns.

A new manager hasn’t come in is the point. It’s been John O’Shea in a limbo caretaker role.

How can anyone believe this, I suppose you think anyone but the brilliant Kenny would also have Dunne, Walters, Randolph, McShane and Green all starting aswell? Kenny didn't pick a single outside the box player. He still resorted to Enda Stevens, James McClean, Will Keane et al when needed the idea he was a messiah for youth players is just nonsense.

I get its just a coping mechanism to retcon Kenny's uselessness, but the idea any manager would ignore Ferguson/Idah for the retired Walters/Long is just comical. And ignores the elephant that is why were Egan/Doherty/Duffy getting minutes over Cashin, Ebosele, McNamara, McNally, Scales et al. if Kennys priority was blooding the next generation?

And the fantasy that the FAI giving more money to LOI clubs would help is insane as while granted some clubs would take advantage others would just blow the money worse than the FAI are. The league doesnt need more Zahibo's and Abibi's. Until all clubs get their houses in order throwing more good money after bad won't fix anything.

Kenny brought through ogbene in fairness to him. Who was only a league one player. No need to say he had no legacy although the thing about he picked a squad of completely new players that no one else would select is completely nonsense.

Given Shane Duffy was called up weeks after bring charged with drunk driving, I can't see why the FAI would take a moral stance by not hiring Lennon because of allegations against him.

Was any of this actually confirmed?

if you were talking to someone, who would you have more time for: the person who crashed a car while over the limit or a person that had been rumored to threaten with knifing their mistress?

it’s all a bit moot since Lennon even without the accusations wasn’t a compelling choice. If you think Lennon is compelling than that’s ok but it wouldn’t be a widely held opinion.

Well I think the majority of us Ireland soccer fans would like Pep to be the Ireland manager but if we’re talking about realistic candidates who were actually interested in the job and had a decent CV in senior football management then I think your view of what exactly constitutes “minority opinion” is very much arbitrary in my opinion.

would big Sam take the job? or would the money not be enough. That is who should get the job if he wants it. a proper manager but I think most the team dont have the guts and hunger for even the best manager in the world to make them win games.

what did McClean say?