Malta V Republic of Ireland - Sunday, 20th November 2022 - Friendly

[shakermaker1982]

Are we really going to persist with this to the end of the Euro 24 qualifying campaign?

We are going nowhere fast.

[Jd2793]

coleman has been poor

[zero]

we'll probably still win this but it will fail to paper over the gaping cracks. feels like he has lost the players since the last window or maybe they are treating this as a holiday? even then you'd expect more.

[pineapple stu]

Are we really going to persist with this to the end of the Euro 24 qualifying campaign?

We are going nowhere fast.
The Gibraltar games are scaring me more and more by the minute

[paul_oshea]

McGrath's actually been decent to be fair

[SkStu]

You can kind of excuse the lacklustre performances with players minds definitely elsewhere (who the f would want to be there) but what I’m having a hard time excusing is that we have learned absolutely nothing from the exercise. Borderline unforgivable really and whatever about these players not wanting to be out there you can guarantee that Sykes, Smallbone, Ferguson, Manning et al would be busting their boll0cks.

[zero]

would take a loss here if it meant SK's shocking tenure ends.

[SkStu]

McGrath's actually been decent to be fair

He’s lovely on the ball.

[SkStu]

Were there some boos there at the h/t whistle?

[centre mid]

Like a training session, little or no creativity.

[paul_oshea]

You can kind of excuse the lacklustre performances with players minds definitely elsewhere (who the f would want to be there) but what I’m having a hard time excusing is that we have learned absolutely nothing from the exercise. Borderline unforgivable really and whatever about these players not wanting to be out there you can guarantee that Sykes, Smallbone, Ferguson, Manning et al would be busting their boll0cks.

Is this really what Kenny envisaged two years ago though? Like that's what he has effectively said. There's no chopping and changing at this stage with the euro qualifiers around the corner. That's a serious concern there it's like he's given up on the whole breeding new young players in favour for a haphazard old lads not at the level anymore and new lads already in not good enough. Perhaps he feels it's last chance saloon and hopes to get the best out of what he has but they've shown or given us no inclination of anything other than substandard , lacklustre , headless chicken type performances

[paul_oshea]

Were there some boos there at the h/t whistle?

If there's rumours of fellas having heart attacks and going to games then I very much doubt we heard any boos( I didn't anyway ()

[tetsujin1979]

Were there some boos there at the h/t whistle?I thought so too

[tommy_c12000]

Strategically skipped first half, will tune in for second half, looking forward to seeing Ferguson. Less so Smallbone, he will be a bit part player at best I think

[paul_oshea]

Kevin Doyle recalibrating Ireland's global standings in the football world. This media shifting the review goaL posts every game is such BS

[centre mid]

Were there some boos there at the h/t whistle?
https://twitter.com/markmccadden/status/1594417508559294465?t=MxwWaUcO-xeiAMZ8RfgTxQ&s=19

Seems so

[paul_oshea]

How the f*k did Kevin Doyle say we've no right coming to Malta expecting to win and saying they're minnows and keep a straight face. He even laughed earlier trying to convince us of a positive move when he clearly didn't believe his own voice

[pineapple stu]

Strategically skipped first half, will tune in for second half, looking forward to seeing Ferguson. Less so Smallbone, he will be a bit part player at best I think
0-0 after 65 minutes isn't when an under-pressure manager throws on youngsters for a debut I think

[tommy_c12000]

It’s a potential nice scapegoat for Kenny, “we were blooding in the youngsters….”

[Calcio Jack]

The most entertaining thing this evening is the ref’s ‘crazy killa eyes’

[tommy_c12000]

McGrath being made look like prime time Ronaldinho out there, Malta are one of the worst teams in the northern hemisphere for sure

[third policeman]

Whether Kenny realises it or not these players are not playing for him.

[Colbert Report]

This #6 for Malta clearly wants our manager to stay in the job.

[pineapple stu]

Yay!

Crap Maltese defending always likely to be our best source of creativity tonight

[pineapple stu]

Ha!

On comes Hendrick again

[Jd2793]

this is a wind up

[joey B]

70 minutes and we haven’t created a chance,against Malta!

[pineapple stu]

The Qatar v Ecuador second half was more exciting than this.

How long can Kenny last here?

[Jd2793]

ive been pretty pro kenny all along but that hendrick sub was a disgrace.

[tommy_c12000]

Meaningless friendly. Cash strapped FAI, terrible squad of players, no appetizing realistic replacements…kenny safe until after the next qualifiers

[tommy_c12000]

I like the Ferguson sub, at least have one positive thing come out of this shocking friendly series

[SkStu]

ive been pretty pro kenny all along but that hendrick sub was a disgrace.

I can’t understand it.

[pineapple stu]

Malta have upped their game since the goal. They're the more likely to score I think - although it's not clear at which end they might do it

[sbgawa]

It's a disgrace that the young players in the squad haven't been given proper minutes because the manager wants to dave his job by grinding out a 1 nil win against malta. Going backwards.....when are they supposed to impress? Does the Vatican have a team we could play?

[Olé Olé]

He's gone and compounded the Hendrick substitution by bringing on a midfielder or wing back in Sykes for his striker so we now have a teenager up front on his own. I'm incredibly disappointed here in Kenny.

[third policeman]

Can anyone explain the logic of giving Sykes five minutes and bringing on Hendrick earlier?

[paul_oshea]

Was that our first shot on target apart from a header I mean

[paul_oshea]

I feel very sorry for Stepheb Kelly. He's probably had the most difficult job of anyone today including the management. Picking the motm must be awful difficult

[pineapple stu]

Malta after bringing on a guy who didn't work out at Pat's last year, just to put this in context

[Olé Olé]

Can anyone explain the logic of giving Sykes five minutes and bringing on Hendrick earlier?

I think he's completely lost any courage he had. He wanted Hendrick on to help him see out a 1-0 against Malta. That is completely unacceptable.

[pineapple stu]

Sykes and Ferguson linking up well there

[sbgawa]

Sykes and fergussan imediatly almost score......has a manager ever been sacked after winning a game......should go now

[paul_oshea]

France is probably the best game for us next given how poor we are against any team outside the top 20.

[third policeman]

Sykes and fergussan imediatly almost score......has a manager ever been sacked after winning a game......should go now

I think one nil against Malta is stretching the definition of a win to be honest.

[tommy_c12000]

Shocking performance, as always terrible in play tactics by Kenny - he just hasn’t progressed beyond league of Ireland level despite all our goodwill. Still though talent in squad at all time low. Nothing to be gained by bringing in an alternative manager, can’t see any good realistic options in any case. Persevere through next set of qualifiers and hope squad improves to make it worthwhile assessing managerial options.

Ferguson still has another 18 months or so to go before he’s ready for high level senior football. Would prefer him to get loan in January rather than get bit part minutes at Brighton. Hopefully league one or continental. Championship level may be above him right now

[SkStu]

The positives
- The prodigal kids showed really well - McGrath and O’Dowda
- Sykes looked really tidy in his few minutes
- Ferguson got a few touches and got a shot in

The negatives
- the tempo and risk aversion - so many passes back when there’s a reasonable forward pass on
- the starting XI and Hendrick sub. Seriously wtf?
- Ogbene was entirely anonymous

[Fixer82]

Even though he’s scored a few goals for us, I think Robinson is a very poor international player.
He constantly gives away possession and gets dispossessed.

O’Dowda has looked lively in the last two games. That’s the only positive.

Sorry Kenny, it’s time to go.

We’ve no idea what our first 11 is after two years. Like not even close to having an idea of what the starting 11 looks like, bar maybe 4 or 5 players

[placid casual]

Kenny is a dog€hit manager. He got lucky with the dundalk team as it was a poor time quality wise in the LOI when he brought them success. He has failed pretty much everywhere where he has a degree of pressure on his shoulders and will duly be dead man walking by mid June next year. I don't know who can replace him in the Ireland job, but preferably someone who at least receives a modicum of respect from his players, and someone who will finally shoo hairband hendrick out the door once and for all.

[paul_oshea]

France is probably the best game for us next given how poor we are against any team outside the top 20.

Kenny Cunningham agrees with me :D

[pineapple stu]

Kenny Cunningham reckons we could hit France on the counter with McGrath and O'Dowda in March...