Trapattoni - who would you replace him with?

[Stuttgart88]

I don't think we should be giving the job to someone who is equivocal about accepting it.

One of Trap's biggest failings was that he failed to trust our players. Given the salary and likely bonus available to MON what kind of message is he presenting to the current squad that he has to weigh up managing Ireland towards Euro 2016 qualification against managing Cyrystal Palace to EPL survival?

I've lost interest in O'Neill. I reckon Mick wants the job and is emotionally attached to it. That's enough for me.

Unless Bielsa is interested :)

[BonnieShels]

I don't think we should be giving the job to someone who is equivocal about accepting it.

One of Trap's biggest failings was that he failed to trust our players. Given the salary and likely bonus available to MON what kind of message is he presenting to the current squad that he has to weigh up managing Ireland towards Euro 2016 qualification against managing Cyrystal Palace to EPL survival?

I've lost interest in O'Neill. I reckon Mick wants the job and is emotionally attached to it. That's enough for me.

Unless Bielsa is interested :)

We can but dream.

[Yard of Pace]

It's beggars and choosers stuff at this stage.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Still prefer MO'N over Mick.

Great believer in 'not going back' as seen this go sour many times before in the past.

[DannyInvincible]

"Mick McCarthy: 'No Republic of Ireland approach' for Ipswich boss": http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24764682


Ipswich Town have said they have received no approach from the Republic of Ireland for manager Mick McCarthy.

McCarthy is second-favourite with bookmakers, behind Martin O'Neill, to replace Giovanni Trapattoni, who left the Republic job last month.

"We've had no approach - the owner, us at the club, nor Mick," Town managing director Ian Milne told BBC Look East.

"It's very much a 'what if' situation and we can't deal with what ifs. We'll worry about that if it happens."

McCarthy, a former Republic of Ireland defender, managed the nation at the 2002 World Cup but has refused to be drawn on speculation linking him with a return to the position.

At his media conference this week, he told journalists they were "bonkers" for continuing to ask about his future.

McCarthy has reached a year in charge at Portman Road, in which time he has prevented the Suffolk club from suffering Championship relegation and his side now sit seven points off the play-off places.

"The first part of the job was successful - keeping the club in the Championship," said the 54-year-old, who faces Barnsley - a team he made over 200 appearances for as a player - on Friday.

"I'm delighted with the players I got in this season. We've done alright but we could be better off. I don't think we've nicked a point yet."

Milne added: "He's brought stability to the squad, the training ground and the club as a whole.

"He's a disciplinarian. I am told if things don't go well for the team or certain players, he tells them so, but then that's finished.

"He's brought a whole new style of management and a new culture and confidence."

[geysir]

It would be a tough ask to decide who's the most stubborn, Bielsa or Trap?

[Yard of Pace]

I'm just waiting for the threat to bare his arse in Burton's window at this stage......

[DannyInvincible]

How seriously can we take rumours of Bielsa being a candidate?

Piece on him (and Cuper) here in relation to the job on Póg Mo Goal: http://pogmogoal.com/the-blog-reel/come-play-for-me-argentina/15228/


...

The then Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola hailed Cuper as a ‘defensive master’ during his time at Racing Santander but it is another Argentine and another apparent candidate for the Irish job, whom Gaurdiola made it his mission to learn from, the man known as ’Loco Bielsa.’

“Marcelo Bielsa could be an asset for the national team because of his football approach,” says François. ”He is an all-out attack-minded manager and Ireland’s best players are attacking midfielders. Bielsa’s stint at Athetic Club of Bilbao is a good example. The Basque players are very similar to the Irish. Indeed there are similarities between both peoples.”

“Bielsa changed the mindset of the Basque squad and the Athetic club, the most ‘British-style’ team from La Liga of Spain. The team played ground football – out from the keeper – with a high tempo and further pressure. They didn’t play the so called ‘tiki-taka’, but something more akin to a ‘Put them under pressure’ strategy like Jack Charlton, without the use and the abuse of the long ball, cavemen football of his tenure.”

“They say that Bielsa is the ‘King of the Underdogs’, a guy whose goals are football projects rather than money.”

“He reportedly received offers from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Roma, México, USA, Australia and many more but he was not convinced by those. He preferred to develop a team, an average team like Athletic Bilbao, and in a sense a full national team since they cannot purchase players that are not Basques.”

“Bielsa was leading effectively a national team in a big money league and he reached two cup finals with the side playing exciting and effective football. You can ask former Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson about that.”

Bielsa shocked the Red Devils over two legs and led Bilbao to the Europa League final before losing out to a Radamel Falcao-inspired Atletico Madrid.

“Yes, regarding Bielsa he is the best choice you’ve got if you want to change Irish football, from under youth level to the senior team. Guardiola rated him as the best coach in the world. When he was learning the trade, he visited Bielsa for advice at his countryside manor in Rosario. Pep studied what he did at Bilbao.”

“Former Argentina hero Jorge Valdano recently said that Bielsa had returned Athletic Club back to greatness. And his work with the Chilean national side was mesmerizing. He turned the most inept outfit, rock bottom (suffering their worst ever home qualifying defeats) with a big inferiority complex in football, into a team of braves.”

Bielsa took Chile to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, securing second place behind Spain in Group H, before losing 3-0 to Brazil in the second round.

Bielsa is also considered something of a mentor to the Premier League’s current trend-setter, Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino (born in a town called Muphy, Argentina) and whom he managed at Newell’s Old Boys.

“If Ireland wants to change things around, go for an Argentinian, like the Vatican did. A fresh approach from a brave man that is not there for the money. Bielsa is the best candidate to lead Ireland’s national team, he will make your players play, and more important, they will believe in themselves again.”

[SkStu]

M'ON in talks with Crystal Palace. Highly likely he'll get the job ahead of Pullis whose style of football wouldn't go down too well.

Are they all that different really?

[Kingdom]

If we got either Cuper or Bielsa, I'd be the real-life victim of the "jizz in my pants" video.

[Crosby87]

I think we can look at things two ways:
1. No one of merit who we actually want, wants the job.
Or:
2. The FAI are actually doing diligent work, and the name that ends up as next manager both surprises and elates us.
3. Sorry, one three. Some on Foot ie have never ever have seen a woman naked unless they gave her money first. Of that, I am sure.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Biesla? Yeah, right.
More chance of Gerry Adams, or for that matter distant relation, Tony...

[rebelmusic]

Announcement seems to be pending and MON's odds have been slashed

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/managerial-appointment-looks-more-likely-after-fai-confirms-latvia-date-1.1579869

He's 2/7 now, Mick is 7/2.

[DannyInvincible]

The 1st of November was indeed set as a provisional deadline, wasn't it?

[DeLorean]

He was, it has been suggested, anxious to buy some time in case a Premier League job came up. But in the absence of a more attractive posting like Norwich or Fulham becoming vacant up until this point, it could be that he now considers the Ireland job to be his best option.

Jaysus, I would have been reasonably chuffed with O'Neill from day one but this gives me a bit of an uneasy feeling. I hope people are just reading between the lines inaccurately.

[OwlsFan]

I don't think we should be giving the job to someone who is equivocal about accepting it.

One of Trap's biggest failings was that he failed to trust our players. Given the salary and likely bonus available to MON what kind of message is he presenting to the current squad that he has to weigh up managing Ireland towards Euro 2016 qualification against managing Cyrystal Palace to EPL survival?

I've lost interest in O'Neill. I reckon Mick wants the job and is emotionally attached to it. That's enough for me.

Unless Bielsa is interested :)

I think you were probably believing too much of the paper talk. I suspect O'Neill said he was interested in the job, the FAI checked to see who else was available and now it looks (according to the papers :)) they are back with O'Neill and finalising the negotiations.

[geysir]

How seriously can we take rumours of Bielsa being a candidate?

Piece on him (and Cuper) here in relation to the job on Póg Mo Goal: http://pogmogoal.com/the-blog-reel/come-play-for-me-argentina/15228/
There is no account there of the flip side of Bielsa. In a 2 year stint with Bilbao, why is there only a focus on the first brilliant season and no consideration of how his marked stubbornness played a big part in a very poor second season 2012/13, the anti thesis of his first. Okay, he lost a couple of players and missed out on some in the transfer market but he stubbornly instructs his team to play his game on the pitch, even though he plainly hadn't got the players available to do it. Not unlike Trap, stubbornly playing hoof ball to midgets.
Just how much did Bilbao lose by the fallout with Llorente? For all his undoubted brilliance in the first season, it was more than wiped out in his second. The club stood by Bielsa throughout the 2nd season but promptly decided not to renew his contract at the end of the season.
Slanted/biased articles like that one just add to the delusion that there are brilliant managers out there but the the thick FAI would know one if he knocked on their door. And there isn't the least hint that Bielsa is even interested in managing us.

[Deckydee]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/republic-of-ireland/10419592/Martin-ONeill-expected-to-be-announced-as-new-Republic-of-Ireland-manager.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24770300

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/republic-of-ireland-appointment-of-martin-oneill-edges-closer-with-decision-set-to-be-made-in-the-next-week-8917256.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24770300

http://www.setanta.com/ie/oneill-closing-in-on-republic-job/

http://www.joe.ie/football/football-news/all-bets-are-off-as-oneill-edges-closer-to-ireland-job/

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/martin-oneill-expected-to-be-announced-as-new-ireland-manager-29717395.html

[ArdeeBhoy]

So how would they (for all the FAI's many faults) know...

[geysir]

So how would they (for all the FAI's many faults) know...
Are any of them claiming that they know for sure?
Betting does not get suspended out of a whim, that's a megaphone hint that something has broken through.

[paul_oshea]

Ah anytime i used to hear the term "reliable source" or a "confirmed source" etc, i thought it was made up mickey mouse journalism. Now I know it means they have Data, gathered usually through dirty means but generally its correct.

I wouldnt be surprised in years to come there is a "secret" department in bookies working with police/journos/jon on the street to get information before anyone else, its just a matter of time before we get "insider trading" in the betting world, its why its regulated just like Investment Banks.

[geysir]

Ah anytime i used to hear the term "reliable source" or a "confirmed source" etc, i thought it was made up mickey mouse journalism. Now I know it means they have Data, gathered usually through dirty means but generally its correct.

I wouldnt be surprised in years to come there is a "secret" department in bookies working with police/journos/jon on the street to get information before anyone else, its just a matter of time before we get "insider trading" in the betting world, its why its regulated just like Investment Banks.
How about it is as reported, the betting shops took precautionary measures after getting inundated by punters placing a flood of bets on MON.
No secret hotline to a FAI source, just good old fashioned bookmaking principles.
Could be an overreaction by the bookies, but they like most others are considering that the FAI might well want to appoint somebody before the friendly. If MON is going to happen, he will happen soon.

[Stuttgart88]

Only a matter of time before we get insider trading in the betting world? At what point on your travels did you miss the entrance to the real world?!

Something like this is such a thin market it only takes a few bets to change the odds I reckon.

[ifk101]

Yes. They most likely had a larger than expected volume of bets on the next Irish manager so they decided to suspended betting. Odds are up again anyways - O'Neill is very short.

[DeLorean]

O'Neill 1/9 with McCarthy second favourite at 9/1.

No way would they be offering 9/1 on McCarthy if this wasn't a done deal.

[geysir]

I don't think 1/9 is a done deal, just a red hot tip.
A done deal is 1/20 onwards.

The McCarthy odds are telling though

[DeLorean]

I think the 9/1 for McCarthy is more telling than the 1/9 for O'Neill though, especially seeing as he was the hot favourite himself a day or two ago.

When I say done deal, obviously I mean more or less certain... but not actually certain.

[geysir]

I think the 9/1 for McCarthy is more telling than the 1/9 for O'Neill though, especially seeing as he was the hot favourite himself a day or two ago.

When I say done deal, obviously I mean more or less certain... but not actually certain.
I would not recommend using that definition when proposing a more permanent status in a relationship with a loved one.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Are any of them claiming that they know for sure?
You were the one implying they did?

With them, it's pure chance. Or by accident rather than any great design. As in MO'N looks the best candidate, albeit by default.

[geysir]

You were the one implying they did?
Who are they? they being the media reports or the bookmakers?
The answer is no, on both counts.


With them, it's pure chance. Or by accident rather than any great design. As in MO'N looks the best candidate, albeit by default.
Who are them? them who wrote the media reports or the bookmakers?
Doesn't make any sense if it's the latter.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Read your earlier post.

Was replying to your point about, er, the FAI?

[back of the net]

if all else fails....

http://balls.ie/football/weve-let-science-decide-next-irish-manager/

[ArdeeBhoy]

If only...

[ifk101]

St Ledger didn't make any of those line-ups. That's football manager and thescore.ie off the doc's Christmas list then.

[DeLorean]

I would not recommend using that definition when proposing a more permanent status in a relationship with a loved one.

I'll keep that in mind, whilst knowing deep down my loose definition will apply then more than ever.

[paul_oshea]

Yes. They most likely had a larger than expected volume of bets on the next Irish manager so they decided to suspended betting. Odds are up again anyways - O'Neill is very short.

Its also a way of reigniting betting on other candidates.

[ArdeeBhoy]

O'Neill is very short.

Heightist, but that's Brian Flynn you mean...

[geysir]

Read your earlier post.

Was replying to your point about, er, the FAI?
In that case, ignore anything I wrote in reply.

[BonnieShels]

Pat Fenlon anyone?

[ArdeeBhoy]

No!!!

[SkStu]

No to Nutsy!

Let him wreck Rovers instead!!

[geysir]

Why all the grief towards Fenlon?

[paul_oshea]

O'Neill and keane

[ArdeeBhoy]

An aging Italian would make more sense.
http://thescore.thejournal.ie/opinion-roy-keane-martin-oneill-assistant-boss-1090132-Nov2013/?utm_source=facebook_short
Or even Pat Fenlon. Actually that bit was a lie. Hibs fans tell me he's 'pish'.

[SkStu]

Why all the grief towards Fenlon?

Let's start with his European record...despite one good run, it is extremely underwhelming. Probably the best yardstick by which to judge his suitability for international management.

Also, he'd be devoured by RTE and the general meeja. It would be ugly. Somewhere closer to King than Kerr.

I'd be interested in hearing the case for Fenlon.

[back of the net]

l
O'Neill and keane

Not sure how id feel if true
Starting to get some life in last cpl of hours

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/republic-of-ireland/10422085/Martin-ONeill-lines-up-Roy-Keane-to-form-dream-Republic-of-Ireland-manager-coach-duo.html

[ArdeeBhoy]

James McClean's dream partnership...
:rolleyes:
http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1385312_10152076768381042_220060118_n.jpg

[gastric]

F##K ME! O 'Neill and Roy to work together. Could be a match made in heaven or hell.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/roy-keane-set-to-become-martin-oneills-ireland-assistant-29719931.html

[ArdeeBhoy]

Poll here...
http://thescore.thejournal.ie/roy-keane-martin-oneill-1157484-Nov2013/

And the BBC's take.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24770300

[Razors left peg]

O'Neill and Keane wont please everyone but I am buzzing at even the prospect of it