Republic of Ireland V Bulgaria - Wednesday, 18th November 2020 - Nations League

[Razors left peg]

I'll take your word for it then. Difficult to get U21 matches up in Scandinavia.

No more difficult than it is for me in California are you a fan or not :cool: Im just taking the pi$$..... but yeah Obafemi was awful for the 21s. Doesnt look like a player at all, hes also now back playing with Southampton u23s. I genuinely think we'll see him slide down the divisions

[tetsujin1979]

Weird question guy's, but does anyone know what area in Cabinteely Jason Knight is from? I'm living in Cabinteely at the moment.
When I told the neighbours we had a local lad playing for Ireland they nearly creamed themselves.

Of course the first question out of their mouths was what estate/area in Cabinteely? anyone know by any chance
His brother is in the academy there too.

[Razors left peg]

IF there are no more Covid pullouts before tomorrow this is the team I'd go with...

Randolph
O'Shea Duffy Long Clarke
Hourihane Knight
Byrne
Horgan Parrott O'Dowda

Few players in there that I wouldnt have near the team if everyone was fit but we really are down to the bare bones.

I also wouldnt mind a change of formation that gets 2 up top where Parrott could play off Collins.

Randolph
Long Duffy O'Shea
Christy Knight Byrne Hourihane Manning
Parrott Collins

Christy and Manning as wing backs in the 2nd formation. Again not ideal but Id like to see us be more flexible than constantly trying to fit everything into 1 formation.

[Stuttgart88]

I honestly haven't a rashers who I'd pick. I'm torn between pragmatic and retaining randolph and Duffy for example, or just going full blast into the future and put out a young(ish) team with Byrne included, and just starting the Kenny era afresh tomorrow, in a sense.

I understand Parrott isn't match fit and found 45 mins on Sunday tough going.

I do think that even if we were down to 11 players I'd still leave Hourihane on the bench :)

[Razors left peg]

I do think that even if we were down to 11 players I'd still leave Hourihane on the bench :)

I agree with this 10000% but I cant see Jack Taylor coming and taking his place :D

Again I agree that Duffy should be replaced but with Egan, Coleman, Stephens and Doherty already out then it wont happen for this game.

We've discussed the keeper situation before but I had a thought about it this morning. When Guardiola took over City the 1st thing he did was get rid of Joe Hart. There was media outcry at the time that you couldnt do this to "Englands Number 1", but Guardiola wanted to play out from the back and Hart couldnt play that type of game. Id imagine Kenny would like to do similar and get Kelleher into the teams ASAP for distribution reasons. I think if he had gotten some good early results, beating Slovakia especially, we might have already seen Randolph being replaced to have a look at other keepers but theres no way he can do that when Randolph is making saves that keep us in games that we are not scoring goals in, and since none of the 3 keepers in the squad at the moment are playing 1st team football nobody can point to any club form as justification for being in the team and so the status quo with Randolph continues. I absolutely think that this time next year either Kelleher or Bazunu will be 1st choice though.

[Closed Account 2]

Again though, why do you mention all this (which is correct) and not reference the fact that we were missing Coleman (one of our only truly decent players), Stevens, McCarthy, Arter, Browne, Robinson and Egan?

You can't have it both ways.

The point is we have had injuries and players missing, but so have our opponents. Kenny has had a reasonable number of games now and with the exception of England all of the opposing teams have been of a similar theoretical standard to us. They have all been "Pool B" teams. There is a case for saying perhaps Wales have 1-2 players of notable quality, which we don't have, but there is also a case for saying that man for man we are better than Bulgaria and probably Finland too. Kenny has had 6 games against broadly similar teams (in terms of quality) and he hasn't won a single game.

People have been making a big deal about injuries, suspensions and out of form players but our opponents have had these issues too.

[Stuttgart88]

I agree with this 10000% but I cant see Jack Taylor coming and taking his place :D

Again I agree that Duffy should be replaced but with Egan, Coleman, Stephens and Doherty already out then it wont happen for this game.

We've discussed the keeper situation before but I had a thought about it this morning. When Guardiola took over City the 1st thing he did was get rid of Joe Hart. There was media outcry at the time that you couldnt do this to "Englands Number 1", but Guardiola wanted to play out from the back and Hart couldnt play that type of game. Id imagine Kenny would like to do similar and get Kelleher into the teams ASAP for distribution reasons. I think if he had gotten some good early results, beating Slovakia especially, we might have already seen Randolph being replaced to have a look at other keepers but theres no way he can do that when Randolph is making saves that keep us in games that we are not scoring goals in, and since none of the 3 keepers in the squad at the moment are playing 1st team football nobody can point to any club form as justification for being in the team and so the status quo with Randolph continues. I absolutely think that this time next year either Kelleher or Bazunu will be 1st choice though.
I think Randolph has been unlucky, in some sense. He has made one or two worldies - at home to Finland, tip over the bar, and late last Sunday, but neither save was of any consequence. yet his direct error was hugely costly (Finland) and his half error led to a goal too. I guess he was lucky at home to Wales. But overall his big saves only saved face, his big error cost us a game.

[tetsujin1979]

Parrott definitely not going to start tomorrow night: https://www.the42.ie/stephen-kenny-28-5269720-Nov2020/

The only fresh injury concern ahead of tomorrow’s game is Callum O’Dowda, who is doubtful with a dead leg. Troy Parrott is among four late call-ups to the squad – Jack Taylor, Aaron McEneff and Graham Burke are the others – but Kenny confirmed the Spurs striker, presently on loan at Millwall, won’t start the game having just returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.

[John83]

I think Randolph has been unlucky... his big saves only saved face, his big error cost us a game.
This is true, but it's likely to remain the case while we can't score. His big saves can only help if we keep a clean sheet and draw, while his mistakes will cost us the game every time. On balance, I think he's head, shoulders, and most of the torso above the other keepers until they have a chance to prove themselves in a long run of club games. You can't judge a keeper on a cameo here and there.

[Olé Olé]

Team I would like:
Randolph
O'Shea, Clark, Long, Manning
Cullen, Knight, Byrne
Horgan, Collins, Brady

Team I expect:
Randolph
Christie, Duffy, Long, O'Shea
Hourihane Knight Cullen
Horgan Collins Brady

[elatedscum]

Is it correct in saying for us to get 2nd, the following must happen:
We beat Bulgaria
Russia lose to Serbia
Romania lose to Norn Iron.

I know theres a much greater chance of Norn Iron scoring and winning than us even scoring, but it looks an unlikely task with those 3 happening. Had we drawn the last day, we would have been in a much better position. Maybe we should have played to draw all our nations league games, and forget about trying to score? Like Mick Mac and Oneill set us up to do too :D

Could be wrong but what I read was:

We beat Bulgaria
North win or draw against Romania
Serbia beat Russia
Austria win or draw against Norway

Bookies odds on that happening are just over 8/1.
If it actually requires the north to win, then that moves to 17/1

[elatedscum]

Team I expect:
Randolph
Christie, Duffy, Long, O'Shea
Hourihane Knight Cullen
Horgan Collins Brady

I'd expect he'll play O'Dowda out wide if fit, and Brady in the midfield, dropping either Knight or Cullen... Kenny commented after the draw with Wales that there was a lack of pace with Brady and McClean out wide.

If O'Dowda doesn't make it, either Curtis starts out wide, or Brady does. I think if Brady starts out wide, it increases the chance that he could play Byrne. Can't see a midfield with both Brady and Byrne in it...

[centre mid]

Weird question guy's, but does anyone know what area in Cabinteely Jason Knight is from? I'm living in Cabinteely at the moment.
When I told the neighbours we had a local lad playing for Ireland they nearly creamed themselves.

Of course the first question out of their mouths was what estate/area in Cabinteely? anyone know by any chance

I think he's from Ballybrack direction.

[Razors left peg]

Team I would like:
Randolph
O'Shea, Clark, Long, Manning
Cullen, Knight, Byrne
Horgan, Collins, Brady

Team I expect:
Randolph
Christie, Duffy, Long, O'Shea
Hourihane Knight Cullen
Horgan Collins Brady

I actually totally forgot about Brady in the 2 teams I picked.

[passinginterest]

Squad as it stands;

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Kevin Long (Burnley), Shane Duffy (Celtic), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Ryan Manning (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).

Attackers: James Collins (Luton Town), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers), Troy Parrott (Millwall, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

I'd like to see a change in keeper to see if it helps with building from the back. Randolph has been ok but he's not comfortable. I'm not sure Travers is ideal either so maybe it's time for Kelleher to be give a shot.

Defensively, with the players missing it's probably not the time to be switching to a back 3. Duffy has been struggling for form and looks tired so I think it's a good time to leave him out. If the defense and keeper are busy in this one we've got bigger problems.

Midfield needs at least one defensive minded player, I'd have said we've soon enough of Hourihane to know what he offers so I'd probably leave him out, but given the lack of other experienced options he probably has to start.

Attack wise, Collins is next in line and probably deserves the chance. Wide, Horgan has done well but maybe we've seen enough and it's time to look at others. Parrot won't start due to fitness anyway.

I'd like to see;
Kelleher
Christie (only natural full back option and more about what he offers offensively for this game)
O'Shea
Long (I'd probably go Clark as he's better on the ball but not fit)
Manning (similar to Christie we want attack full backs for this and there's not other option bar maybe Brady)
Cullen (the next in line in terms of a holding player I think)
Hourihane (lack of options, I'd like to see Taylor alongside Cullen but it's probably too risky)
Byrne (it's more likely to be Brady, but Byrne offers something different)
Curtis (he's scoring and looks promising, probably earned a chance)
Collins (next in line and looked dangerous in cameo against Wales)
O'Dowda (by default really, could be Maguire or Horgan or even Brady but much of a muchness)

Knight, Taylor and Parrot off the bench for the last half hour.

[Bielsa´s irish]

thet team is gonna be
Randolph
Christie
Duffy
Long
Oshea
Cullen
Hourihane
Brady
Horgan
Collins
Òdowda

i would go with

Randolph
Oshea
Long
Clark
Manning
Cullen
Odowda
Brady
Byrne
Collins
Horgan

[backstothewall]

Bulgaria missing their captain, left back and another, but 3 starters added to ones already missing. Wont be calling anyone up either.

Ah Ireland can't not win now.

Can they? :D

We should be able to dominate this game. Anything less than a victory should see Kenny replaced.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Squad as it stands;

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Kevin Long (Burnley), Shane Duffy (Celtic), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Ryan Manning (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).

Attackers: James Collins (Luton Town), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers), Troy Parrott (Millwall, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

I'd like to see a change in keeper to see if it helps with building from the back. Randolph has been ok but he's not comfortable. I'm not sure Travers is ideal either so maybe it's time for Kelleher to be give a shot.

Defensively, with the players missing it's probably not the time to be switching to a back 3. Duffy has been struggling for form and looks tired so I think it's a good time to leave him out. If the defense and keeper are busy in this one we've got bigger problems.

Midfield needs at least one defensive minded player, I'd have said we've soon enough of Hourihane to know what he offers so I'd probably leave him out, but given the lack of other experienced options he probably has to start.

Attack wise, Collins is next in line and probably deserves the chance. Wide, Horgan has done well but maybe we've seen enough and it's time to look at others. Parrot won't start due to fitness anyway.

I'd like to see;
Kelleher
Christie (only natural full back option and more about what he offers offensively for this game)
O'Shea
Long (I'd probably go Clark as he's better on the ball but not fit)
Manning (similar to Christie we want attack full backs for this and there's not other option bar maybe Brady)
Cullen (the next in line in terms of a holding player I think)
Hourihane (lack of options, I'd like to see Taylor alongside Cullen but it's probably too risky)
Byrne (it's more likely to be Brady, but Byrne offers something different)
Curtis (he's scoring and looks promising, probably earned a chance)
Collins (next in line and looked dangerous in cameo against Wales)
O'Dowda (by default really, could be Maguire or Horgan or even Brady but much of a muchness)

Knight, Taylor and Parrot off the bench for the last half hour.

Senior players will play. duffy, Brady Hourihane .....Ciaràn Clark,, should play if fit,
Manning for me needs to start . Kids will have to wait. Odowda i think it is his last chance, he has almost 30 caps.

Curtis, Knight and Parrott , maybe Maguire from the bench

I dont know about Cyrus maybe his last chance, i would play Manning in McClean`s place with Collins center forward and Odowda on the other side

[Paddy Garcia]

I don't think Kenny has the wit to play Cullen - even though he was MOM against the same opposition when given his chance. Guess he may have no choice now.

[ontheotherhand]

Is it not clear to people that Kenny is there for the long haul regardless of what happens when we are down to our third string team whilst also trying to change a system? Even if we lose badly to Bulgaria the FAI isn't paying him off and isn't hiring anybody better with the 0 euros they have. Maybe when fans can go back and they can actually earn some money by increasing interest but not before then.

[Bielsa´s irish]

The thing he is not gonna change the 4-3-3,

i would go with a different team at all from what we have...
I would go with a 3-5-2 squad

----------------------------------------Randolph-----------------------------

Long --------------Clark-------------------Oshea-----

Horgan------------------Cullen---------O'dowda----------------- Manning

------------------------------------ Brady------------------------------

-----------------------Byrne----------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------Collins-----------------------

O'Dowda has to take responsabilities

[Bielsa´s irish]

I don't think Kenny has the wit to play Cullen - even though he was MOM against the same opposition when given his chance. Guess he may have no choice now.

I will play Cullen, tidy player

[backstothewall]

to have a go at a team. I've not seen the point so far but no positive tests today makes me feel we might be close enough to give it a crack.

I think it's important to be more pragmatic than we've been to date. We are better than this version of Bulgaria and retaining the ball will be important, but at the same time there needs to be more purpose to our play. We also need to make more of set pieces. Bulgaria's 4th or 5th choice goalkeeper is presumably so regarded for a reason. Any dead ball in their half is an opportunity to send the centre backs up to test out his ability under high balls, and the organisation of the makeshift defence in front of him.

I actually ended up with 3 different ways we could play

------------ Randolph ----------
Christie O'Shea Duffy Manning
------------ Lenihan ------------
----- Cullen ------- Brady ------
------------- Byrne -------------
------- Collins ---- Burke ------


------------ Randolph ----------
----- O'Shea Duffy Clark ------
Christie Cullen Brady Manning
------------- Byrne -------------
------- Collins ---- Burke ------


------------ Randolph ----------
----- O'Shea Duffy Clark ------
Christie Cullen Brady Manning
----O'Dowda ------ Byrne -----
------------- Collins ------------

They're all variations of a theme, but the middle one is my preference.

[Bielsa´s irish]

We should be able to dominate this game. Anything less than a victory should see Kenny replaced.
he is gonna stay for at least 20 games or so

[Bielsa´s irish]

he is gonna stay for at least 20 games or so

Bulgaria team has12 international goals all together 9 scored for the 4 forwards, will play all from start I think

[Diggs246]

I think he's from Ballybrack direction.

Oh sh*t. I've told the whole road he is a local lad.

[John83]

Oh sh*t. I've told the whole road he is a local lad.
Close enough for government work.

[BonnieShels]

Bulgaria missing their captain, left back and another, but 3 starters added to ones already missing. Wont be calling anyone up either.

Ah Ireland can't not win now.

Can they? :D

Eh we, non? Still not fully buying into the revolution it seems.

[Charlie Darwin]

Is it capable of less though? Byrne is first league of Ireland player in donkeys to play competitive international senior football for Ireland. Evan ferguson will move on to Brighton and league of Ireland apologists can say the league of Ireland produced him when he plays for Ireland. If Sinclair Armstrong plays for Ireland will people say the league developed him cause he played for rovers B. Bazuna played for rovers A and will play for Ireland so the league developed him.
What on earth is a League of Ireland apologist? Even the league's biggest promoters acknowledge it's below the standard it should be. The fact guys like Ferguson and Armstrong have progressed after a few years in the LOI underage leagues should be something to point to as a positive, no?

[Stuttgart88]

I love the total lack of respect shown to Bulgaria here!

This has actually been quite a tight group. Only one game so far decided by more than one goal (Finalnd 2-0 Bulgaria). Wales laboured to a narrow, late win against them last month, only decided by a freakishly good goal in the last minute. With the players we have missing I'd have Bulgaria favourites.

Bielsa is right imho. Kenny has a lot of time left, even if some have already lost faith.

[paul_oshea]

Eh we, non? Still not fully buying into the revolution it seems.

Nothing to do with that BS. I often switch between they and we, depending who I'm talking with/to usually.

[ltfc_2004]

This might be a controversial opinion but would it better to drop to C, regroup and qualify for Euro 2024 via Nations League playoffs ?

Tonight's game I would go with wing backs I think Christie can get the Bulgarians down the flanks and Collins is good in the air. It might be more direct but for once pragmatism wins out over passing it about.




Backtowalls XI makes sense for this type of game and Parrot on for the last 30 to nick a goal after Collins runs himself into the ground.
Randolph
----- O'Shea Duffy Clark ------
Christie Cullen Brady Manning
----O'Dowda ------ Byrne -----
------------- Collins ------------

[paul_oshea]

Christie would do ok against this side, but at the same time I'd rather he was left behind so to speak enough with O'Shea and Manning there to get his chance. General sentiment I agree with though, pragmatism and sensibility order of the day.

[backstothewall]

I love the total lack of respect shown to Bulgaria here!

This has actually been quite a tight group. Only one game so far decided by more than one goal (Finalnd 2-0 Bulgaria). Wales laboured to a narrow, late win against them last month, only decided by a freakishly good goal in the last minute. With the players we have missing I'd have Bulgaria favourites.



I don't think there's any lack of respect. For me memories of the golden generation of Hristo Stoichkov, Yordan Lechkov, Krasimir Balakov et al means they will always be regarded as a strong footballing nation. But people can see what has happened to them in this window. If you think our withdrawals have been bad look at theirs! Of the 11 who started against Wales they only have 5 left.

RB Cicinho (4 caps)
CB Dimitrov (11 caps/1 goal)
CM Karabelyov (6 caps)
CM Malinov (17 caps)
LW Yomov (4 caps/2 goals)
CF Kraev (21 caps/3 goals)

We have been weakened by all this, but they are getting it much worse. There is the potential for more positive tests for both sides today, but as it stands we have to be strong favourites.

[Stuttgart88]

This might be a controversial opinion but would it better to drop to C, regroup and qualify for Euro 2024 via Nations League playoffs ?
Indo saying that League C means €400k less per season, which for a cash-starved FAI is important. FAI also seeking a new corporate sponsor.

But that aside, I think League C would be better for the team's transition. If you can't win games in League C then you're clearly not going to win games in B either. Creating a winning culture and habit is important. With the next NL "assisting" Euro qualification (as opposed to it only remotely assisting WC22 qualification), being in League C isn't a disaster. Scotland qualified as a C team via the orthodox league C play off path, Hungary qualified as a League C team via the league A play off path. In fact if you look at Scotland there is genuine euphoria there, yet Steve Clarke had a poor start, and even their recent results haven't been inspiring - if taken out of context. 0-0 and 1-1 but two wins on pens, a 2-1 away win over a complete Czech B squad, including a stand-in manager & coaching team. Heavy defeat to Kazakhstan not long ago.

Our results under Kenny have been 1-1, 0-0 (open goal miss by Hourihane), 0-0, 1-0 defeat (suicidal throw by randolph), 3-0 defeat to England, 1-0 defeat. It took time for Clarke and even then their results have been barely better than ours and yet he's now a national hero. I'm only saying this to say how capricious football can be. Hourihane scores a routine chance and Randolph doesn't throw the ball straight to Pukki and we are all having a very different conversation.

That's not to say I'm convinced by Kenny. I haven't agreed with some selections and I think his media personality is terribly unconvincing. But let's see where this gets to. I don't have great hopes for the WC campaign but who knows what the world will look like next year.

[ltfc_2004]

Totally agree I watched Scotland v Czech B and the Czechs should of won the game, they were calling for Clarkes head in september! Football is fickle as we know and todays Hero is tomorrow's traitor in club football !

[John83]

This might be a controversial opinion but would it better to drop to C, regroup and qualify for Euro 2024 via Nations League playoffs ?
That's two nations' leagues' time, though. We can get relegated next time and execute that plan. Or we could drop this time, get promoted again, and have the worst of both worlds!

[passinginterest]

Interesting interview with Hourihane: https://www.the42.ie/conor-hourihane-5-5269870-Nov2020/

It's fair to say he loves playing for Ireland, but it does touch on some of the difficulties of playing games in a pandemic and the outside stresses on players that we don't see or hear about a lot.

[ltfc_2004]

That's two nations' leagues' time, though. We can get relegated next time and execute that plan. Or we could drop this time, get promoted again, and have the worst of both worlds!

Hi John - This edition is the 2020/2021 and the following one 2022/2023 which includes Euro 2024 playoffs

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, the first campaign was Euro 2020, this one is nothing, and the next one is Euro 2024 alright.

The play-offs will probably be tweaked though as League D is much smaller than before (half the size) and was won this year by the Faroes and Gibraltar. Would UEFA really have those two play off for a finals spot? Maybe they could just say Leagues A, B and C get a finals spot, and then there's 20 qualifiers plus the host (Germany).

[ltfc_2004]

Yeah, the first campaign was Euro 2020, this one is nothing, and the next one is Euro 2024 alright.

The play-offs will probably be tweaked though as League D is much smaller than before (half the size) and was won this year by the Faroes and Gibraltar. Would UEFA really have those two play off for a finals spot? Maybe they could just say Leagues A, B and C get a finals spot, and then there's 20 qualifiers plus the host (Germany).



That works with 10 Group Winners/10 Runners up and 3 play off spots or maybe include Group D winners in with C so its C Group winners ranked 1-4 - C1 Group Winner v winners of playoff between C4 and D2 and C2 v winners of C3 and D1

[pineapple stu]

True, although it sounds very simple for UEFA, so that's probably definitely not what's going to happen :)

I don't think we should set out to lose tonight, but I do think there would be up sides (and down sides - such as the money Stutts mentioned) from being relegated.

[Stuttgart88]

Neil O'Riordan tweeting that Kenny wanted to call up Michael Duffy but his international switch hasn't been ratified yet. I can't go onto social media at work so can't add the source.
1328836320970625027

[tetsujin1979]

it was pointed out on YBIG that relegation to League C means we will be in Pot 4 or 5 for the Euro 2024 Qualifiers.
Staying in League B means we'll be in 2, 3, or 4.

[paul_oshea]

I don't think there's any lack of respect. For me memories of the golden generation of Hristo Stoichkov, Yordan Lechkov, Krasimir Balakov et al means they will always be regarded as a strong footballing nation. But people can see what has happened to them in this window. If you think our withdrawals have been bad look at theirs! Of the 11 who started against Wales they only have 5 left.

RB Cicinho (4 caps)
CB Dimitrov (11 caps/1 goal)
CM Karabelyov (6 caps)
CM Malinov (17 caps)
LW Yomov (4 caps/2 goals)
CF Kraev (21 caps/3 goals)

We have been weakened by all this, but they are getting it much worse. There is the potential for more positive tests for both sides today, but as it stands we have to be strong favourites.

Nothing like a good dose of reality to wake up the "hard done" by.

[paul_oshea]

Indo saying that League C means €400k less per season, which for a cash-starved FAI is important. FAI also seeking a new corporate sponsor.

But that aside, I think League C would be better for the team's transition. If you can't win games in League C then you're clearly not going to win games in B either. Creating a winning culture and habit is important. With the next NL "assisting" Euro qualification (as opposed to it only remotely assisting WC22 qualification), being in League C isn't a disaster. Scotland qualified as a C team via the orthodox league C play off path, Hungary qualified as a League C team via the league A play off path. In fact if you look at Scotland there is genuine euphoria there, yet Steve Clarke had a poor start, and even their recent results haven't been inspiring - if taken out of context. 0-0 and 1-1 but two wins on pens, a 2-1 away win over a complete Czech B squad, including a stand-in manager & coaching team. Heavy defeat to Kazakhstan not long ago.

Our results under Kenny have been 1-1, 0-0 (open goal miss by Hourihane), 0-0, 1-0 defeat (suicidal throw by randolph), 3-0 defeat to England, 1-0 defeat. It took time for Clarke and even then their results have been barely better than ours and yet he's now a national hero. I'm only saying this to say how capricious football can be. Hourihane scores a routine chance and Randolph doesn't throw the ball straight to Pukki and we are all having a very different conversation.

That's not to say I'm convinced by Kenny. I haven't agreed with some selections and I think his media personality is terribly unconvincing. But let's see where this gets to. I don't have great hopes for the WC campaign but who knows what the world will look like next year.

8 or 8.9 mil or something -> https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/the-8m-match-kennys-beleaguered-troops-need-win-to-boost-fais-sponsorship-black-hole-39760101.html

The Euros too, youd imagine would have been a big hole to fill already...

[Stuttgart88]

David Kelly in today's Indo:

"He (the Bulgarian manager) is the lucky one. His squad has been shorn of a mere 10 players through injury and Covid-relkated concerns. Kenny is down to an eye watering 25 players all told".

So I'm not sure what version of reality ""they are getting it much worse" comes from.

And I'm not sure who's feeling "hard done by" or who is asleep here to be honest. It simply can't be denied that we have had a ridiculous number of withdrawals. Only a crank would argue that that doesn't offer some mitigation to the run of form.

Paul's whole post just reads like a miserable and quite typical attempt to divide people here into camps. The naive dreamers and the hardened realists. I think such division only exists in Paul's head.

[paul_oshea]

There's lots of things that only exist in my head, a euphoria of sorts.

I still maintain Kenny's been lucky from the other side of it. No pressure. Playing loads of players with little retribution from the outcome or how they play. hes had a chance to fast track u21 players into the squad and side with little negativity. Its bought him time, even if its time with players he wouldn't necessarily have wanted time with. Hes found out who isnt ready without sacrificing anything massive. He knows the problems we have now. It all bodes well for the WC qualifiers in March I feel. Once he knows that we need to compensate by changing formation to give us the best chance of scoring as we dont have a finisher, or a "false 9" now McG is gone.

[paul_oshea]

Every cloud and all that....COD out.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/1118/1178945-odowda-ruled-out-of-bulgaria-game/

[Kingdom]

That works with 10 Group Winners/10 Runners up and 3 play off spots or maybe include Group D winners in with C so its C Group winners ranked 1-4 - C1 Group Winner v winners of playoff between C4 and D2 and C2 v winners of C3 and D1

Btw, this NL qualifiers is important i thought - unless my info is old - as the best two group winners are guaranteed a play-off in the World cup.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA)