Mick's future

[Mattigol]

Where will Mick McCarthy go from here, now we've been knocked out.

The team have been fantastic. With the exception of Ian Harte I don't think anyone has let themselves down, but McCarthy has had a very strange trip.
First the Keane saga (which I don't want this thread to degenerate into as I imagine there's been enough threads on it.) Wether you put the blame on Mick or ***, it must be said that Mick didn't deal with the situation well. But thats been discussed a million times so I won't go into that. Now Jason McAteer it seems has played his last game for Ireland and again it seems to have been down to a row with McCarthy.

His team selection was extremely bizarre. Starting G. Kelly in Finnan's place against Cameroon was strange but surely down to Finnan having some sort of knock? Ian Harte was simply a disaster zone. Against Cameroon he gave the ball to Geremi when his "backpass" fell ridicolously short. He also went down with cramp in that game, something a professional should not suffer from after 70 minutes. He was substituted in that game. Against Germay his passing was dreadfull, he was at fault for the goal and generally lacked any confidence. Again, he waas substituted. Against Saudi Arabia he was dire arís. He couldn't do the simplest things like passing the ball five yards and was substituted. Against Spain he had his worst game ever. At fault for the goal, wasn't arsed really trying, missed a penalty etc. etc. Again, substituted.

What i don't understand is how he continued picking Harte when he clearly was unhappy with his performances. Just about everyone wanted G. Kelly or Kilbane to play left back but as in the past that just seemed to make him more determined to play Harte.

Then there was G. Kelly. I think Kells had a great tournament with the exception of the Spain game. But in many instances we needed a more attacking player and Mick just didn't bring on Reid or McAteer. His alleged fight with McAteer may have had something to do with it.

Also, why did he continue to play Duff up front. In three of the four games he brought on Niall Quinn in Duff's place, then moving Duff to the left. Duff was at his most dangerous on the left and every time we played Quinn things got better for us. If in each game he thought Duff wasn't doing the job up front then why didn't he start with Connolly, Morisson or Quinn? (I wont go into some of the strange squad selections like Mark Kennedy and Richard Dunne over Phil Babb or Gary Doherty.)

I don't want to be completely negative. We've had a brilliant tournament and some of his selections have been excellent (Breen at DC proved a great move even though noone wouldhave thought it) and McCarthy did really well to get us to the Finals alone.

I think Mick will leave for a club job soon. He's done well in charge of us and given us some very good times but he knows a lot of good clubs will be after him. I won't be too sad to see him go if he does. He's far too stubborn when it comes to player selection and although loyalty is a good thing, he is far too loyal to some players (Harte, Kennedy among others.) If he does go then I think Brian Kerr should be given the job.

Apologies if there has been posts on this subject before (n00b)

[Jonny]

Apparently he's agreed to sign a 2 year deal to take in Portugal 2004.

[James]

i thought he was under contract anyway till 2004.. so whats all this talk of him signing a new contract till then.. was it a new contract, or a revision of the old one

[pete]

I thought before the tourtnament that he would probably resign afterwards & i be surprised now if he didn't. He will continue to have the RK affair hanging over him + the upcoming investigation so now he on top of his form as a manager probably a good move to have a change after 6 years?

I don't think you can criticise hsi tactics too much cos if Harte had converted the peno we all be saying an inspired decision to stick with him. IMO Quinn would not have had the same impact if he started games & again Duff probably worked best playing out wide in the 2nd halves.

McCarthy most have superb man-managment skills to get the performances he has from the squad. We rode out luck at times but also unlucky at other times.

IMO we would have done any better with RK there as other players would not have raised their games as they have.

For those who criticised their preparations the sight of an obviously fitter irish team running at Spain for the last 30mins dispells any thoughts they not been training properly - most of the spanish team didn't play their final gropu game either so had more of a rest.

-------------------------------

News just in.....

Mick to say for another 2 years! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/rep_of_ireland/newsid_2049000/2049186.stm)

Probably a good decision as little time for replacement + he got such a young squad. Can see some potential difficulties with the FAI investigation though.....

[niamh]

The Harte thing is simple. He's not a player you'd bring on as a substitute and besides the fact he played crap, we are all aware of his free kick ability.
This on it's own should not be enough to keep a player in an international team, but it appears to be the case for Ireland.
As for Mick staying on, despite my personal opinions on about the guy, he deserves to stay on after the performances from the team.

[dosullivan]

I think it is time we start giving Mick some serious credit. Compared to any of our previous major championship appearances I cannot remember an Irish team playing such attractive football. We have got results by out playing the opposition not through booming clearance such as those Bonner kickouts against Holland and England in Italia '90.
Under Jack Charlton it was route one or route one. Don't get me wrong, they were great days, but its great to be able to hold our heads high and say we have been involved in some of the most exciting moments of this World Cup from both a footballing and 'sports drama' point of view.
This current team has the confidence to take the ball down and mix it with the best of them.
Furthermore I feel Mick has a great relationship with the players and is a brilliant motivator. With the exception of one or two notables all the players have produced form on par or far above the form that they normally produce for their clubs.
After the past two years of qualifying and the finals themselves I simply cannot understand how anyone out there can have a preference for anything other that a Mick McCarthy managed Ireland.

[dahamsta]

[ Welcome to Foot.ie dosullivan! ]

I'm not going to get into a(nother) big hoohah about Mick and Jack and whoever else, but I will say one thing: At certain stages of the WC games, I was absolutely in awe of the football being played by Irish players. Watching Damien Duff literally run rings around the Spanish on Sunday was astounding, it really was world class stuff. And he wasn't the only one of course.

adam

[patsh]

the goal v Germany: Hoof from Finnan to Quinn for the knockdown.
1st goal v Saudi: Long hoof up to Kelly for cross to Keane.
2nd goal v Saudi: Corner into Breen.
2nd Penalty v Spain: Hoof up to Quinn who was fouled.

Ireland played some good stuff and a million miles from the Charlton sh*te, but let's not too carried away.......;)

[Neil]

Originally posted by oddboy
Ireland played some good stuff and a million miles from the Charlton sh*te, but let's not too carried away.......;)

There's not much hope of that with the amount of moaning cretins around here! Cheers for keeping our feet on the ground oddboy.

[patsh]

Originally posted by Neil


There's not much hope of that with the amount of moaning cretins around here! Cheers for keeping our feet on the ground oddboy.

Well it makes a change from the predujiced conspiracy theorists.....