The Next Ireland Manager

[backstothewall]

I think it's time to start this thread.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I wonder if they'll consider Robbie Keane.

[zero]

he literally could not do worse.

[seanfhear]

Michael O’Neill but I doubt he’d take it at the moment !

[boovidge]

I think Kenny's position is untenable now but whoever gets the job is still going to have to work with the poor players we've got. Thankless task.

[pineapple stu]

I wonder if they'll consider Robbie Keane.
He is the cheapest option I guess. About the only one we could afford.

[zero]

these are by and large the same players we had under Mick! only mcgoldrick is missing.

[backstothewall]

I'd say Duffer is a better shout if we're going for an old hand with no experience. He did well to get out when he did.

If Chris Hughton gets the boot from Forest he'd be a great option.

[pineapple stu]

these are by and large the same players we had under Mick! only mcgoldrick is missing.
Well, (a) they're two years older now and it was an old squad then and (b) we weren't any great shakes under Mick either.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Duff, maybe, but his problems might have been with the whole organisation and not just Kenny.

Hughton I doubt we could get.

[pineapple stu]

If Chris Hughton gets the boot from Forest he'd be a great option.
There is not a hope in hell we can afford a Championship manager.

[the 12 th man]

Bring back Brian Kerr...

[seanfhear]

There is not a hope in hell we can afford a Championship manager.
True unless it was some manager getting sacked for being relegated or something like that.

[Eirambler]

Goodwin?

[brine3]

Paul Lambert

[DeLorean]

Not advocating for Kenny, but I hate these kind of threads. Never go full YBIG.

[Eirambler]

I don't think it's unreasonable to have a thread like this one. There will almost certainly be a new manager before the next campaign so it's useful to look at options, or even to look at how few good options there are.

[Fixer82]

Would love to see Chris Hughton but don’t see it happening.

[Paddy Garcia]

Think we are already paying for him anyway

[Paddy Garcia]

He is the cheapest option I guess. About the only one we could afford.

Think we are already paying for him anyway

[backstothewall]

Not advocating for Kenny, but I hate these kind of threads. Never go full YBIG.

We've not done that. Even Michael D is sitting in the Aras thinking about this.

[pineapple stu]

Think we are already paying for him anyway

Well, that's the point, yeah.

[tetsujin1979]

Not advocating for Kenny, but I hate these kind of threads. Never go full YBIG.
I'm not a fan of these threads either, but following the result against Luxembourg it's something the members of the forum want to discuss. Just keep the tone civil and reasoned.

[Trequartista20]

Goodwin?

Not a bad suggestion at all. He wouldn't be at all the best option, of course, but in terms of who we can realistically afford, he would be one of the more sensible options.

[seanfhear]

What about the Boxers Brother ? He was a great man to tell a yarn and could do it in that gorgeous Dublin Brogue. Ya wouldn’t even mind losing.

[brine3]

What I'd like to see is a manager who actually adjusts the tactics depending on the opposition.

McCarthy, Kerr, Trap, O'Neill... all stuck stubbornly to the same gameplan no matter who we were playing.

Kenny was the same. 4-3-3 every game, no matter what. Then gets called out for it and goes 3-5-2, which suits us when we are playing in a game where we might expect to play counter-aacks, like vs Serbia. But now it seems that 3-5-2 is the new formation we are playing no matter what. So we play 3-5-2 vs Luxembourg. Are we expecting to counterattack vs Luxembourg? 4-3-3 would have made sense against Luxembourg.

Is it too much to ask for from a manager that they set up the team with the opponent in mind?

[John83]

I know what you mean but he switched to 433 in the second half - Doherty came off for Brady - and it didn't seem to help.

[DeLorean]

He didn't switch the system though, he stuck with three at the back. Browne was just moved to RWB instead of Doherty. Even when Clark was replaced by McClean, Stevens just moved inside alongside Coleman and O'Shea, and McClean played LWB.

[paul_oshea]

What I'd like to see is a manager who actually adjusts the tactics depending on the opposition.

McCarthy, Kerr, Trap, O'Neill... all stuck stubbornly to the same gameplan no matter who we were playing.

Kenny was the same. 4-3-3 every game, no matter what. Then gets called out for it and goes 3-5-2, which suits us when we are playing in a game where we might expect to play counter-aacks, like vs Serbia. But now it seems that 3-5-2 is the new formation we are playing no matter what. So we play 3-5-2 vs Luxembourg. Are we expecting to counterattack vs Luxembourg? 4-3-3 would have made sense against Luxembourg.

Is it too much to ask for from a manager that they set up the team with the opponent in mind?

3-5-2 should be counter attacking, but I pointed out after the serbia game, that we didn't utilise any runners, our play became static and we paused around midfield, like we did when hoofing it long of bygone managers, win the ball from an opposition corner/setpiece/dispossess player in our third, run to the halfway line and/or pass to the halfway line, turn around look for someone beside you or someone behind you. Rinse and Repeat. The 3-5-2 was not implemented the way you'd expect to see two pacey wingers bombing forward being picked out from the midfield and played through. Instead we saw all the negatives of a 3-5-2 where if you don't have a very solid couple of CBs and a midfield who can block off the "hole" you get punished. We got punished both days, it felt like Kenny was half a dozen of one thing not really sure what he was trying to implement.

We're very negative in our "Possession" football. It's possession for possession sakes 95% of the time, its the short pass, easy option. Coleman was the only one who tried it, and Browne I think for Collins chance the lob into stepehens in space in the middle. Thats the only time we went for the harder, but better outcome option, all the other times it was the short 15 yard pass to the players closest. Bravery in possession means taking the braver option.

[seanfhear]

My Kingdom for a couple of Fast Wingers that can cross the Ball. Or Wing Backs that can do that.

[tetsujin1979]

3-5-2 should be counter attacking, but I pointed out after the serbia game, that we didn't utilise any runners, our play became static and we paused around midfield, like we did when hoofing it long of bygone managers, win the ball from an opposition corner/setpiece/dispossess player in our third, run to the halfway line and/or pass to the halfway line, turn around look for someone beside you or someone behind you. Rinse and Repeat. The 3-5-2 was not implemented the way you'd expect to see two pacey wingers bombing forward being picked out from the midfield and played through. Instead we saw all the negatives of a 3-5-2 where if you don't have a very solid couple of CBs and a midfield who can block off the "hole" you get punished. We got punished both days, it felt like Kenny was half a dozen of one thing not really sure what he was trying to implement.

We're very negative in our "Possession" football. It's possession for possession sakes 95% of the time, its the short pass, easy option. Coleman was the only one who tried it, and Browne I think for Collins chance the lob into stepehens in space in the middle. Thats the only time we went for the harder, but better outcome option, all the other times it was the short 15 yard pass to the players closest. Bravery in possession means taking the braver option.
Did you? Please provide the quote

[EAFC_rdfl]

Did you? Please provide the quote
Might have been pointing out among more informed football folk outside of foot.ie

[tetsujin1979]

Might have been pointing out among more informed football folk outside of foot.ie
Then he should be able to provide a link to prove it

[dr_peepee]

A necessary evil in this case, I think.

The FAI either have to change now. Or commit that Kenny is the man for the Euro24 campaign (unlikely).

Otherwise there’s a further stagnation that’s going to be even harder to recover from.

[mark12345]

Great idea. Get rid of Kenny and paper over the cracks that produced last night's result. All the managers from Stan to Kenny have enjoyed a considerable amount of success in their careers. And then, all of a sudden, they become 'clueless' once in the Irish hot seat. Something just doesn't add up.

[John83]

Great idea. Get rid of Kenny and paper over the cracks that produced last night's result. All the managers from Stan to Kenny have enjoyed a considerable amount of success in their careers. And then, all of a sudden, they become 'clueless' once in the Irish hot seat. Something just doesn't add up.
Exacrly what successes had Stan in his career as a manager?

[Bielsa´s irish]

I say if the suits are gonna get rid of Kenny, this is the gap with some games by June/ July. I wouldnt because we are already in the dance floor we cant change horses in the middle of a stream

[seanfhear]

I say if the suits are gonna get rid of Kenny, this is the gap with some games by June/ July. I wouldnt because we are already in the dance floor we cant change horses in the middle of a stream
The thing is that Kenny is managing like a dancing horse in the stream !

[backstothewall]

I thought it might be interesting do I dug out the list of names suggested the last time we had a thread like this

Mick McCarthy
Thomas Tuchel
Peter Bosz
Ronald Koeman
Mark Hughes
Bernd Schuster
Carlo Ancelotti
Manuel Pellegrini
Carlos Queiroz
Guus Hiddink
Louis Van Gaal
Michael O'Neill
John Sheridan
Stephen Kenny
Jurgen Klinsmann
Laurent Blanc
Luis Enrique
Sven Goran Eriksson
Thomas Schaaf
Jean Tigana
Paul Clement
Sinisa Mihailjovic
Alex McLeish
Martin Jol
Brian McDermott
David O'Leary
Glenn Hoddle
Roberto Di Matteo
Gary Monk
Allardyce, Sam
Bilic, Slaven
Bruce, Steve
Carsley, Lee
Coleman, Chris
Cook, Paul
Grayson, Simon
Hughton, Chris
Keane, Robbie
Keane, Roy
Kenny, Stephen
Kerr, Brian
Lennon, Neil
McCarthy, Mick
Moyes, David
Queiroz, Carlos
Redknapp, Harry
Wenger, Arsene

I'm not sure we have the swing to get Carlo Ancelotti out of Goodison Park tbh

[Eminence Grise]

Some of the names on that list... we've been delusional about our status in world football for a long, long time...

[CraftyToePoke]

Anybody like a poll on this, to stick with SK or change manager at this point ? YBIG ( yes, I know ) have one running and it is running at almost 80% in favour of sticking with him, which did surprise me as 160+ have now voted in it.

[tetsujin1979]

Anybody like a poll on this, to stick with SK or change manager at this point ? YBIG ( yes, I know ) have one running and it is running at almost 80% in favour of sticking with him, which did surprise me as 160+ have now voted in it.

How about after the friendly tomorrow night?

[CraftyToePoke]

How about after the friendly tomorrow night?

Fair enough.

[Diggs246]

Anyone change their minds on keeping him if we are beaten tomorrow?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Tomorrow is a friendly against a continental champion. I thought we'd lose it before Saturday. If we were absolutely thrashed I might start calling for his head but otherwise I'd be of the cynical viewpoint that there is no point changing things now.

[sadloserkid]

Tomorrow's friendly game won't really have much bearing on my thoughts at this stage.

[backstothewall]

Anyone change their minds on keeping him if we are beaten tomorrow?

No. But I might change my mind if we win and play well.

That is still theoretically possible isn't it?

[tetsujin1979]

3-5-2 should be counter attacking, but I pointed out after the serbia game, that we didn't utilise any runners, our play became static and we paused around midfield, like we did when hoofing it long of bygone managers, win the ball from an opposition corner/setpiece/dispossess player in our third, run to the halfway line and/or pass to the halfway line, turn around look for someone beside you or someone behind you. Rinse and Repeat. The 3-5-2 was not implemented the way you'd expect to see two pacey wingers bombing forward being picked out from the midfield and played through. Instead we saw all the negatives of a 3-5-2 where if you don't have a very solid couple of CBs and a midfield who can block off the "hole" you get punished. We got punished both days, it felt like Kenny was half a dozen of one thing not really sure what he was trying to implement.

We're very negative in our "Possession" football. It's possession for possession sakes 95% of the time, its the short pass, easy option. Coleman was the only one who tried it, and Browne I think for Collins chance the lob into stepehens in space in the middle. Thats the only time we went for the harder, but better outcome option, all the other times it was the short 15 yard pass to the players closest. Bravery in possession means taking the braver option.


Did you? Please provide the quote

Paul, you have until 8:30 this evening to provide the requested quote.

[Eminence Grise]

OK, let’s replace Kenny.

But with whom? Robbie Keane? Don’t make me laugh – that’s like treating the gig as work experience, and we can’t afford to have someone learning on the job. If being on payroll already is a qualification, give it to Vera Pauw - she’s more experienced than Robbie anyway. Chris Hughton? Not a chance – his stock would have to plummet monstrously. Some Premiership has-been whose stock has fallen so low they can’t get anything else? Or someone who can’t get work in the SPL, Championship? Tell me how that’s an improvement.

And what’s the goal anyway? Anybody who genuinely believed we had a snowball’s chance in a Qatari heatwave of getting to Qatar has spent too long in the sun. (Blind optimism and a dollop of faith, I can accept – it’s the affliction of the diehard fan.)

Somebody on another thread said that replacing Kenny now would be like cosmetic surgery on a terminal patient. {Edit: credit where it's due, Comic Book Guy (https://foot.ie/threads/240390-Stephen-Kenny?p=2071437&viewfull=1#post2071437)} I’d say it’s more like cutting off a gangrenous limb, slapping on a Band-aid and hoping it’ll grow back better than ever. The problems in the game go far deeper than who the manager is – player development from youth up, domestic senior league versus slave traders and local fiefdoms, potential legal charges against former FAI employees (presumption of innocence noted and all that) a bankrupt association… We’re reaping the consequence of decades of neglect and, if not actual criminal corruption or corporate malfeasance, then certainly unethical or incompetent leadership. We are a decade away from stability. That’s the goal. Every manager we’ve had since Charlton has been tasked with diverting our attention from the administrative 5hitshow of a dysfunctional FAI. We’ve been bought off using our own credit with inflatable hammers and ole ole. Kenny is the first where the 5hit has been laid bare, and the debt’s been called in.

Back to the pitch, it will take a replacement for Kenny six or seven games to get a handle on the players available and formations, and all we’ll be doing in the meantime is kicking the can of potential improvements down the road. So, leave Kenny in situ.

The best case in that scenario is that something clicks tomorrow, and in a year’s time with Parrott, Idah, Connolly, Knight, Molumby, Bazunu, Cullen and O’Shea ripping it up as a golden generation, all into double figures for caps, we’ll feel slightly embarrassed to read back over these threads. Who wouldn’t wish for that?

Worst case, we’re stuck with a manager out of his depth while the FAI gets its house in order, and we go back to the wilderness years of the seventies for a decade.

An in-between scenario is that Kenny’s era limps with a few victories to the end of this campaign at which point he goes, having excised the deadwood senior pros who are currently lingering like a fart in a lift (McClean, Brady, Hendrick, I’m looking at you in particular) and brought through a younger team, with most players in at least a Championship level team (in England or anywhere else) because they’ve been exposed to international football. Not 'mission accomplished', but the core of a rebuilt, reasonably experienced team with ten years’ growth potential for the next manager. A qualified success – but I’d accept that.

[osarusan]

The FAI need to work out what their long-term goals are, then work out if they have the right man for the job. TBH, I don't think there is any plan or goal for which we can't find a better option than Stephen Kenny, for half a million a year.

Certainly, a huge amount of our problems stem from underage neglect and a lack of stability, which can't be blamed on Kenny or other senior managers. But those issues can be addressed separately to the issue of whether the senior manager is getting the most out of the players at his disposal, or making progress towards doing so.

I don't think Kenny is doing either of those things.