Republic of Ireland General Discussion Thread 2025 [CLOSED THREAD]

The tone of your posts was that you weren't happy about it. Apologies if I misjudged, and you are in fact good with it.

As for some of the other names mentioned… I'd have been grand with Lennon, but for whatever reason they clearly very actively didn't want him. I'd have been grudgingly ok with Coleman, but I'm happier with Hallgrímsson. And I'd be taking Hallgrímsson over Hughton every day of the week - I mean, even just in direct comparison, Hallgrímsson did far better with lowly Jamaica against the same teams that spanked Hughton's far far better Ghana. Hallgrímsson got draws in competitive games with the US and Mexico, who battered Hughton's side, and Hallgrímsson recently beat this excellent Canada side over two legs. Against any side within 50 places of them, Hughton's Ghana really really struggled, and indeed struggled against quite a few minnows too. Hallgrímsson's international sides have consistently matched or outperformed their expectation.

I think the FAI have been a joke for years - but I would say they set out that they wanted an experienced international manager, and after a far-too-long process, and a lot of rejection, they got one that actually fits our needs and current situation quite well. I'm sure a better funded, better staffed FAI could've gotten the job done sooner, but i'd rather a decent result late than the wrong result in a timely fashion.

If you believe he's who they wanted in March or April I've got some magic beans to sell you.

First off they were going to give a manager a 4 year contract back then and announced him imminently, they've given a 17 month one to Hallgrimsson.

The new "head coach" was supposed to oversee youth development as well. Not much chance of that when he could be gone by the winter of next year.

Carsley probably was first choice but Hallgrimsson is best of the rest.

The football media are against him already due to no leaks happening and the surprise announcement, most are in Germany on junkets.

I am happy to get behind him, was able to give a press conference at least.

There's a few very valid reasons to start it off as a lie. Makes the FAI look less incompetent and would help take a huge amount of heat off the FAI. It would also be nearly impossible for the media to proof it is a lie as well.

Canham is a spoofer and he`s lied every step of the way of this. There`s no argument to the contray. Hallgrimsson isn`t going to throw his hands up in the middle of his first presser and say "No lads, actually I was 3rd or 4th choice at best".

It doesn`t matter all that much at this stage. There`s somebody in charge of the national team now and we move on. The FAIs handling of this whole saga, which should be a routine excercise for any national association wouldn`t fill anyone with confidence in their ability to sort out the other issues facing Irish football.

Lied? He’s barely said anything about any candidate. Good Christ.

Canham got a couple of hard questions from the media in the presser there and he looked peeved. It’s his own fault, he put his foot in it several times in the appointment process but then didn’t face the media to explain it and instead just put out in house comments via FAI tv. He can’t complain when the press gave him a hard time today given he’s getting paid to do the job he’s privileged to be doing.

Yeah it's clear Canham is a spoofer, he says a lot without saying anything of meaning, but there is not a chance that this was a master plan from day one to get Hallgrimsson in as manager. Too many holes to poke in that theory. But feck it, doesn't matter now and we need to move on because it's done.

The more I hear from and read about our new manager the more I like him. That initial press conference was a joke, because it was essentially a load of journalists trying to have pot shots at journalists to get a headline or soundbyte. But in some of the ones he did later, particularly the one with Virgin media, he comes across very well and almost Klopp like in the way he just seems like a very down to earth, normal guy with no bullshit about him.

Read somewhere that while managing in Iceland he used to meet fans in the pub before the game to explain his tactics and plan for the game ahead so they would understand why certain decisions were made. I've a good feeling about him, if not necessarily the team.

Someone on here said something about the English sounding guy (FAI employee) interviewing the new manager yesterday and was called racist but can you imagine some guy with say a strong cork accent interviewing the new England manager? its ridiculous.

I don't really get why that means we should have an English guy interviewing the new manager. surely there is an Irish person who could do the job.

Maybe that's just that chaps remit? And he's just doing his job? This is a weird conversation, I'm a bit wary about any discussion like this where there's no issue around the guy's performance, or him being understood, but purely that he's a foreigner.

Glad we have appointed a manager. Like most I don't know much about him apart from what I've read online. I think he is a good fit for us at this moment in time. We badly need someone to put some organisation and structure on the team. Make us hard to beat and take it from there in terms of style etc.

I say "we" when referring to my employer. If I move to a company, i refer to them as "we".

Fella's literally working for the FAI. Will Hallgrimsson not be allowed say 'we' either?

<edit> just saw note.

I'm not sure why that proves it wasn't Hallgrimsson? That matches what they said in the presser today. And, there was no mention back then of a 4-year deal - they didn't mention terms at all.

Also, you can say a thing, and fully believe in the thing you're saying, and then have circumstances change. I've said I could go out, but then had things come up afterwards, and so couldn't go out. I didn't fulfill my expectation, for sure, but I was still telling the truth when I initially said I could go out. I don't know if that is the case or not here, but it's a bit mad to think all people's latterly unfulfilled expectations are automatically lies.