Slovakia v Republic of Ireland - 8th October 2020 - Euro 2020 Playoff Semi Final

[geysir]

Slovakia looking for postponement
Uefa to consider postponing the tournament for 12 months
Then I take it that Glenn Whelan's further participation in euro 2020 will be in serious jeopardy.

[seanfhear]

Slovakia looking for postponement
Uefa to consider postponing the tournament for 12 months
Seems sensible.

[Razors left peg]

Postponing is the only decision that can be made now. Putting it off until 2021 works just fine

[third policeman]

Then I take it that Glenn Whelan's further participation in euro 2020 will be in serious jeopardy.

Not if Mick somehow remains in charge. He’d be picking Whelan if he was playing Sunday League in a zimmer with a wooden leg and a white stick.

[geysir]

Is that it for Mick now? he departs the stage before the final scene. With the Nations league starting in September, we could have a different look about us for the euro play offs in 2021.

[geysir]

Assuming the Euro Finals will be put forward a year,
OTB with Killer conclude that it has to be Mick to lead Ireland into Euro 2020 2021 qualifiers and finals (should they qualify). Therefore it follows that Mick would be in charge for the 2020/21 Nations League.
Personally I think they are talking claptrap through their collective holes. Mick would have to be given a new contract, as opposed to Kenny who has done well, even showing glimpses of moral courage.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gECUTL-4no

[Olé Olé]

Assuming the Euro Finals will be put forward a year,
OTB with Killer conclude that it has to be Mick to lead Ireland into Euro 2020 2021 qualifiers and finals (should they qualify). Therefore it follows that Mick would be in charge for the 2020/21 Nations League.
Personally I think they are talking claptrap through their collective holes. Mick would have to be given a new contract, as opposed to Kenny who has done well, even showing glimpses of moral courage.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gECUTL-4no

Kilbane is one of the very loyal supporters that McCarthy has dotted around the media. They do well to control the narrative that lot. Do we know what Gary Breen and Niall Quinn reckon?

[seanfhear]

Kilbane is one of the very loyal supporters that McCarthy has dotted around the media. They do well to control the narrative that lot. Do we know what Gary Breen and Niall Quinn reckon?
Anybody ask Roy Keane ? Mind you Roy is not so chatty / mouthy about Football Management since he found out it was a lot harder than he thought.

[Fixer82]

I would tend to agree with Kilbane. McCarthy is there to guide us through qualifiers (hopefully) into the 2020 Euros. Otherwise Kenny would be arriving in before that process has finished. So I would think it logical that McCarthy stay until his job is complete, next year. Not his fault that a virus has ripped through the world like wildfire.

[elatedscum]

The nations league is probably also in doubt at this stage...

[geysir]

The promise has been made to Kenny. What would Don Corleone think about such shenanigans as to break a promise and shame Kenny in such a public fashion.

Mick's contract is bound by time not by campaign. Not only that, but he's on an extravagant annual salary (Eur1.2m p/a) with an association tottering on bankruptcy. And his massive exit payment negotiated (eur 1.13m) just because of the short term nature of his contract. And what price his deputy, if 3rd man Robbie is on Eur150k p/a? And then the cruel joke of a Eur 1m bonus to be paid to Mick should Ireland qualify.

I have no sentiment for Mick in that context, he's a burdensome remnant left over from the FAI's era of delusional ostentation.
Should the promise made to Kenny be honoured, he could well happen to have 6 Nations League competitive games to mold a team in his image before the Euro playoffs.
Anyway this is probably a discussion for another thread.

[nigel-harps1954]

Mick walks this summer, regardless of Euro qualification or not. It shouldn't be any other way, or it makes a total shambles of his contract.

[John83]

Whatever might be negotiated, the blunt fact is the FAI doesn't have the money to extend his contract.

[Razors left peg]

Any talk of Mick hanging on until the Euros is nonsense. For 1 we arent even qualified, largely down to him setting up to play for a draw away to Georgia in a must win game. There is no guarantee that we would even get through the playoffs. Finishing 3rd in that group does put him in a position that we are all calling for him to stay irregardless of Kennys contract. If we had played great football and finished top of the group things would be different

[pineapple stu]

I'm amazed this match hasn't been formally called off yet. EU now bringing in a 30-day travel restriction, so there's no chance it can happen - but just surprised the call hasn't been made yet. (Or have I just missed it?)

[tetsujin1979]

Think there's a UEFA meeting later this week

[irishfan86]

UEFA meeting tomorrow, believed to be about potentially moving Euros to 2021. I imagine playoffs will be part of that discussion.

[geysir]

I'm amazed this match hasn't been formally called off yet. EU now bringing in a 30-day travel restriction, so there's no chance it can happen - but just surprised the call hasn't been made yet. (Or have I just missed it?)
de facto / de jure.

[geysir]

Danish newspapers reporting that euro 2020 hotel reservations in Copenhagen have already been cancelled by UEFA.

[Eminence Grise]

Postponed for a year.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/17/euro-2020-postponed-coronavirus-uefa-champions-league-europa-league

[nigel-harps1954]

FAI stating that it's expected the playoff will take place the first week of June with domestic winter leagues to finish up by the end of June.

[elatedscum]

If it takes place in early June, Mick takes the qualifiers. If we go out, the question answers itself. If we qualify, we figure it out then

[geysir]

Early June does look optimistic, at least UEFA intend to schedule the play offs to happen before the Nations League commences.

[DeLorean]

If it takes place in early June, Mick takes the qualifiers. If we go out, the question answers itself. If we qualify, we figure it out then

In terms of a public announcement this makes sense, but Mick/Kenny will surely get some clarification before then. It's a tricky one but the financial and contractual situations Geysir outlined should sway things in Kenny's favour. You'd have to feel for Mick a little though in that scenario, if he does manage to qualify us.

[Fixer82]

I’d imagine Mick would play ball in a contract negotiation if it were to arise that he’s needed further than June

[DeLorean]

I’d imagine Mick would play ball in a contract negotiation if it were to arise that he’s needed further than June

That's true. And if it was only the NL Kenny would technically miss out on, it might seem like the more logical decision to keep Mick on (it would also mean Kenny could see out the full campaign with the U21's). The problem I think is that World Cup qualification begins in March 2021, and Kenny should really be in place for that. The easiest solution would be to lose to Slovakia. :)

[Eminence Grise]

I’d imagine Mick would play ball

That'd be a skill he learned after retiring, I suppose - no finer exponent of the art of transporting ball and striker to Row Z!!

[Fixer82]

That'd be a skill he learned after retiring, I suppose - no finer exponent of the art of transporting ball and striker to Row Z!!

Ha ha true

[geysir]

Norway manager Lars Lagerback, with 7 successful qualification campaigns in total under his belt, annual salary of Eur 165,000, has recently agreed to a 20% pay cut, as have all 4 Norway A level national coaches.
While Lars was with Sweden (only 5 successful qual campaigns) his salary was never more than Eur116,000 p/a.

[seanfhear]

Norway manager Lars Lagerback, with 7 successful qualification campaigns in total under his belt, annual salary of Eur 165,000, has recently agreed to a 20% pay cut, as have all 4 Norway A level national coaches.
While Lars was with Sweden (only 5 successful qual campaigns) his salary was never more than Eur116,000 p/a.
John Delaney would soon have sorted that out ! ! !

[geysir]

John Delaney would soon have sorted that out ! ! !

Delaney's strategy in negotiations amounted to - whatever you deserve to get paid, we will multiply it by a factor of 10.

[osarusan]

Norway manager Lars Lagerback, with 7 successful qualification campaigns in total under his belt, annual salary of Eur 165,000, has recently agreed to a 20% pay cut, as have all 4 Norway A level national coaches.
While Lars was with Sweden (only 5 successful qual campaigns) his salary was never more than Eur116,000 p/a.
We really have been paying waaaaay over the odds for years.

[tetsujin1979]

Game postponed "until further notice" - https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/news/newsid=2641230.html

• All national team matches for men and women due to be played in June 2020 are postponed until further notice. This includes the play-off matches for UEFA EURO 2020 and qualifying matches for UEFA Women’s EURO 2021.

[Eirambler]

Kenny was due to start in June if we didn't qualify and straight after the Euros if we did, so by the time we play our next game Mick's time in charge was due to be over in any case.

Time for the call to be made now I think, Mick unfortunately failed to qualify us and while he was unfortunate with the coronavirus affecting the playoffs the correct decision now is to bring in Kenny for the next set of games and move on from Mick.

[Insidetherock]

This is a no brainer really.. if the Nations League are going ahead in September/November, Stephen Kenny has to now be given the job.

Why? Because it will stop things getting even messier down the line, regarding qualification for WC 22, and also for staying in Tier 2 of the Nations League (which is a lot more important than many people think I'd say)

If the play offs and NL are in September, it would cause all kinds of confusion for example to allow Mick potentially win the play off, and then allow Stephen take 6 games in the Nations League

What if Mick won the play off? Would he use the 6 NL games as warm ups to prepare for Euro 21?

Or would Stephen take the 6 games to prepare teams for WC22 and possibly Euro 24

Would Stephen start playing a big chunk of his u21s and younger seniors, while Mick is trying to get Glenn Whelan fit for the Euros?

I'm a big Mick fan.. was happy to see him back, even if some of the performances are hard to watch.

But clean break needed now

[geysir]

Dan McDonnell is confidently reporting

'He (Stephen Kenny) is keen to take charge then, but Mick McCarthy wants to stay on for the remainder of what was the Euro 2020 campaign.
Leading figures within the FAI believe it would be a risk for Kenny to start his tenure with a crunch encounter in Bratislava and feel McCarthy should get the opportunity once a contractual arrangement can be worked out.
But that is by no means a unanimous view and the absence of clarity over when the games will be slotted into the calendar has muddied the waters.'

The exit clause sweetner for McCarthy also muddies the waters.

Ah sure he's a great gentleman, let's throw another million at him.

[jbyrne]

would like to see kenny finish out this u21 campaign in full for the longer term benefit of the senior team.
To be fair to mick he should be given the opportunity to finish off the job he was employed to do, ie. the Euro 2020 campaign and hopefully finals tournament.

i don't want kennys first game in charge to be an away play off in Slovakia. very far from ideal

[IsMiseSean]

To be fair to mick he should be given the opportunity to finish off the job he was employed to do, ie. the Euro 2020 campaign and hopefully finals tournament.
l

Can the FAI afford to keep him on until the Euro campaign comes to an end?

[Fixer82]

For all the Kennyites out there who are mad for Kenny to start asap, the truth is Mick's campaign is still underway. He's brought this group of players together, picked them, motivated them, picked the formation, organised them to his liking.

It would be mad for a different manager to come in and take over for the play-offs. I'm sure some of the players might not be too happy either.
I'd imagine Mick would be happy to see out the Euros regardless of whether his contract is up or not. He'd like to see the job through. If we qualify, he'll want to continue his work with this group of players and then hand it over after the Euros.

Hopefully our Euros campaign will still be underway next summer.

[geysir]

For all the Kennyites out there who are mad for Kenny to start asap, the truth is Mick's campaign is still underway. He's brought this group of players together, picked them, motivated them, picked the formation, organised them to his liking.

It would be mad for a different manager to come in and take over for the play-offs. I'm sure some of the players might not be too happy either.
I'd imagine Mick would be happy to see out the Euros regardless of whether his contract is up or not. He'd like to see the job through. If we qualify, he'll want to continue his work with this group of players and then hand it over after the Euros.

Hopefully our Euros campaign will still be underway next summer.
We are now all about pleasing Mick and seeing to his every needs. Whatever Mick wants, or what we think he wants, or whatever he thinks he's entitled to, we shall throw millions at it to make it happen. For Mick, all for Mick!!
Meanwhile a conspiracy of silence in the Irish media about the excessive financial terms of Mick's contract.
The media are also ignoring the terms of Kenny's contract and allude that he'd be a bounder and a cad to actually expect the written oaths in his contract to be honoured.
Stephen Kenny November 2018 (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46344604)
"In August 2020 I'm taking over and that's been decided. It's in writing," Kenny told a news conference on Monday.

"If Mick gets Ireland to the Euros and performs well, I'll be delighted."
Kenny, 47, insists that McCarthy and the governing body are in full agreement that he will take over in 2020.
"It's already been decided, the decisions have already been made.

Mick McCarthy November 2018 (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/nov/25/mick-mccarthy-republic-of-ireland-football-manager-terry-connor-robbie-keane)
McCarthy said 'it makes perfect sense and he has no problem with Kenny being guaranteed to take over in two years no matter what happens between now and then'

Just the mere matter of the the FAI bankruptcy/bailout and the indefinite postponement of all football competition (no income).

[seanfhear]

Can the FAI afford to keep him on until the Euro campaign comes to an end?
Mick is hardly short of a few pound. And under the circumstances if his fee is too big their is an alternative ! !

[irishfan86]

We are now all about pleasing Mick and seeing to his every needs. Whatever Mick wants, or what we think he wants, or whatever he thinks he's entitled to, we shall throw millions at it to make it happen. For Mick, all for Mick!!
Meanwhile a conspiracy of silence in the Irish media about the excessive financial terms of Mick's contract.
The media are also ignoring the terms of Kenny's contract and allude that he'd be a bounder and a cad to actually expect the written oaths in his contract to be honoured.
Stephen Kenny November 2018 (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46344604)
"In August 2020 I'm taking over and that's been decided. It's in writing," Kenny told a news conference on Monday.

"If Mick gets Ireland to the Euros and performs well, I'll be delighted."
Kenny, 47, insists that McCarthy and the governing body are in full agreement that he will take over in 2020.
"It's already been decided, the decisions have already been made.

Mick McCarthy November 2018 (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/nov/25/mick-mccarthy-republic-of-ireland-football-manager-terry-connor-robbie-keane)
McCarthy said 'it makes perfect sense and he has no problem with Kenny being guaranteed to take over in two years no matter what happens between now and then'

Just the mere matter of the the FAI bankruptcy/bailout and the indefinite postponement of all football competition (no income).

Yeah....I think we can throw basically all of those quotes out the window given nobody saw this pandemic coming. Honestly there's a good chance that even by next summer the Euros won't be able to go ahead.

[Olé Olé]

Even by next summer?

[elatedscum]

Fantastic news if true. Mick has done nothing to warrant staying on longer, and is being paid way over the odds. Martin O’Neill had already qualified us for playoffs. Squad has regressed with short term mentality of Mick (not his fault) and quality of football has also regressed (if that was possible). Great (and decisive) decision by FAI

For what it’s worth, I think the performances were better under McCarthy than the last 2 and a half years of O’Neill.

An impossible situation for everyone involved.

Positives of the reign, established the likes of McGoldrick, Egan, Stevens into the side.

[Fixer82]

I think it’s the wrong decision personally but hopefully Kenny proves me totally wrong.

[Eminence Grise]

The right decision. I've got a soft spot for Mick but this is a new FAI where transparency and fairness seem to be making progress not shady deals to keep everyone sweet. Mick got us to the playoffs so he can walk away with some measure of success and hopefully into a decent club role this summer. It's not the ending anybody would have wanted for him, but it's better than his first spell. I think his legacy will be OK this time. If Kenny completes the job it's down to Mick's rebuilding work [edit - what ES said, two posts up], and if he doesn't ... ah, he will.

[Fixer82]

It’s a big job for Kenny to step straight into a play-off.
I’d like to think there’ll be a lot of phone-calls between Mick and Stephen to impart all relevant info on to the new guy. But it’s a whole different dynamic for the team. New backroom team, assistant manager, coaches etc.

Far from ideal for a huge play-off game (or two)

[geysir]

It’s a big job for Kenny to step straight into a play-off.
I’d like to think there’ll be a lot of phone-calls between Mick and Stephen to impart all relevant info on to the new guy. But it’s a whole different dynamic for the team. New backroom team, assistant manager, coaches etc.

Far from ideal for a huge play-off game (or two)
In all probability the play offs will not be played in the 1st intl.window. None of the teams involved would want that, most likely to happen in the 2nd or 3rd window.

[geysir]

McCarthy did not bring us to the play offs, we were already there. We are just back to the state of affairs pre-Mick. Yet there's talk of a Eur1m bonus to be paid to Mick should SK lead the team to qualification via the play offs. This question was put to the stand-in CEO when being interviewed earlier today, he replied to the effect that he wasn't too worried about bonuses or such because there would be Eur 8m or 9m floating about should we qualify and Mick got us to the play offs.
The interviewer thanked him effusively for being so open and transparent. That such a farcical non-answer by a FAI CEO be accepted as our norm is bad enough but the sycophancy on the part of a journalist who is supposed to ask questions is almost as bad.


I think Mick did okay, a D+. There was no bounce effect when he came in at the deep end and if Georgia be held up as one comparison, he did no better or no worse than previous. But he's put some valuable healthy distance between this current squad and the demise of O'Neill and laid a good foundation for Kenny.

[Eminence Grise]

I'd take from that that they were tied into a ridiculous contract by Delaney with no simple way out. But they can't say as much in case Delaney ever faces a reckoning in court (oh please, oh please!) and he gets off because they prejudiced his case. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.