Ireland "Football" team vs. Cyprus - Post Match Discussion

[OwlsFan]

Proper fans should do what needs to be done and boycott games irrespective of privileges lost as only then may this farce be finally brought to an end. Yes proper fans keep going to the games and giving the FAI your money and follow our country further into the abyss (impossible as we are at rock bottom already and have been for about a year now) while having the occasional moan on here. That's the way to change things alright.

As for Stan f**k him being a loyal servant to his country. Any good he may have done as a player has been long since undone with his stubborn refusal to step down from a job he so clearly is unable to perform. If he had any loyalty for Ireland and the fans he would have resigned over a year ago after those pathethic performaces to the Dutch and the Cyrpiots.

He's an arsehole of the highest order.

And you would step out of a job if it cost you €800k? Don't break your neck falling off that high horse. I wouldn't. I'd wait for the FAI to pay off my contract or negotiate a deal behind closed doors which may be happening "by mutual consent".

[youngirish]

And you would step out of a job if it cost you €800k? Don't break your neck falling off that high horse. I wouldn't. I'd wait for the FAI to pay off my contract or negotiate a deal behind closed doors which may be happening "by mutual consent".

I can honestly say I wouldn't destroy my entire countrys football team and take the deserved abuse he has been taking for another 2 years to make 800K, particularly if I was a multi-millionaire already. I don't think this can be classed as sitting on a high horse.

Numerous better paid and more capable managers than this dunce have resigned, many from clubs that they owed no allegience to so wake up and stop sticking up for this muppet.

[Ash]

Just an idea, but, while Delaney can send in security to protect his fragile ego at Croke park, he can't very well do it in every stadium
in the country; Drogs v Cork on Friday is on RTE, as are the two FAI cup semis
next weekend - a few Delaney Out banners at each?

Clubs will probably get fined unless their stewards take them down.

[DaveyCakes]

The main things that struck me were
lack of movement off the ball
woeful crossing
very slow passing - everyone needed 3 or 4 touches, especially when switched across the back 4
no attacking threat from full-backs - the one time Finnan got forward gave us the only chance of the first half.
lack of footballing build-up - the tactics seemed to be "give it to a wide man, let him beat a defender and put a cross in" - surely we could have kept the ball a bit better and been more patient.


If this is the case (and it is), how can everything be John Delaney and Steve Staunton's fault?

[drinkfeckarse]

The players are underperforming and look short of ideas. This is the managers responsibility. Could it be that he can't inspire them? Could it be they don't really rate the guy? Either way the buck stops with him and is his problem to sort out. He hasn't done it.

Delaney promised us a Ferrari and delivered a Fiat so he has to go too.

[DaveyCakes]

I agree with that to a certain extent, Staunton's motivational skills, erm, certainly leave something to be desired. And, yes, John Delaney is an idiot.

BUT, it's not an international manager's job to make sure his players can keep possesion of the ball for more than 2 seconds, and I'm sick to death of this crap where the Irish team "raise their game" for big matches against Germany or France or whoever and then fall apart against Cyprus or Slovakia or Macedonia. That's a complete lack of professionalism, pure and simple. Do they think they just have to turn up in order to beat these teams?

[biscuit]

RTE lunch time news...
Tony O'Donohue outside Merrion Sq - "silence this morning is deafening" "delaney and staunton must realise the game is up" ----- heres hoping!!
oh no wait...MAXI...MAXI....DONT DO IT MAXI ...NOOOOO":D:D

[theworm2345]

They may not be your first choice, but I can assure you David Connolly, Mark Kennedy, and Gary Breen can get (and have gotten) the job done against Cyprus.

[gustavo]

They may not be your first choice, but I can assure you David Connolly, Mark Kennedy, and Gary Breen can get (and have gotten) the job done against Cyprus.
To say that is to fundamentally misjudge what the problem is.

[citizenerased]

tony o donoghue is a legend! fair play for asking him aif he is starting to question his own ability!!

[Kingdom]

Like many others was just numb last night. Our move to Croker couldn't have been any less euphoric. 3 out of 4 games had a brutal atmosphere. The Slovakia match was the only game that had a consistently good atmosphere.
Horrible to see the Hill empty like that. There were a group of black lads at the back of the Lower Cusack macking a great racket all throught the game, they were very impressive.

As for the game itself, well there's nothing to add that hasn't been said here already. I genuinely was pleased with the line-up with the exception of Andy Keogh.
Its one-thing doing what Charlton did (playing the likes of WHelan or McGrath at full back) as you had intelligent MEN capable of dealing with things. Whereas now kids (a la O'Brien/Keogh/Murphy) are being asked to play positions that are alien to them, and their capabilities are being unfairly questioned due to them being played out of position.

The thing that galled me from listening to supporters and even the pundits is the total lack of knowledge about our own players. Joey O'Brien is a centre midfield player. He filled in an emergency role for Bolton as a right full and suddenly all of our wonderful supporters castigate him. I thought he did ok. He got stuck into tackles, when he played simple passes he was fine, it was the more intricate stuff he failed on. Which leads to Reid. I thought he was dire last night. No excuses his passing was terrible. The only thing that lets him off is the outlets on the wing were worse. Which leads onto....
Andy Keogh. I feel sorry for him. He's going to be tainted with these performances in time to come. where does he play for Wolves? Where did he play when he struck up that incredible partnership with Sharp for Scunthorpe? It wasn't in the position where he has played the last two matches.
There is without doubt a terrible malaise in the International set-up. This was evident with each addition to the back up staff. Kevin McDonald? Pat Devlin? Mick Byrne? Alan Kelly? Come off it. It says a lot that our most successful underage coach ever doesn't have any sort of role to play.
There are good players playing for us and there are good players coming through both at home and abroad. This includes te eircom league, as well as the underage squads. This craic of organising a B game once a year isn't good enough.
Are we better than our current position? I believe so. Is it as simple as having a proper structured backroom? I believe so. I've never seen a team as devoid of ideas or dependent on a sorry few as this current team.
One last thing. For all those who questioned Steve Finnan over the past couple of months. Go fupp yourselves. The only player to come out of last night with any credit bar Given was Finnan. One of the finest full backs in the game and we've misused him criminally.

[theworm2345]

To say that is to fundamentally misjudge what the problem is.
I didn't watch the game, all I know is that we've lost (basically at least) twice to Cyprus and the we never lost to them before in qualifying when Breen and Connolly were there.

[TonyD]

The players are underperforming and look short of ideas. This is the managers responsibility. Could it be that he can't inspire them? Could it be they don't really rate the guy? Either way the buck stops with him and is his problem to sort out. He hasn't done it.

Delaney promised us a Ferrari and delivered a Fiat so he has to go too.

Delivered a pushbike more like....

As for the players, I think certain people (Humpty Dunphy especially, as it suits his current agenda) are way over rating them. An average bunch of players is what we have. (With a few exceptions.)

[Kingdom]

I didn't watch the game, all I know is that we've lost (basically at least) twice to Cyprus and the we never lost to them before in qualifying when Breen and Connolly were there.

I'm adding you to my ignore list because all you do is spout the same line again and again and again about what players have been gilted and what they would ahve done. I actually like Connolly, and feel he gets hard done by on here, but your repetitiveness on the topic fuels my ire on the subject. Add to the fact that you're commenting on a match you didn't see never mind didn't go to and your arguments are pointless to me.

[bigmac]

If this is the case (and it is), how can everything be John Delaney and Steve Staunton's fault?

Good question. Certainly the players have a lot of responsibility, but let's not forget that the behaviour missing for Ireland is automatically present for hteir club teams.

Movement off the ball is a 50-50 split. Players need to make the runs, but the coaching team needs to clearly define the tactics and how the team should play. this is even more important if the players aren't doing the right things automatically. For example if the full-back has the ball then the winger should either come short to get the ball, or make a run for the ball over the top - he should not just stand there. A midfield player needs to make himself available, and the centre half needs to drop back ready to receive the ball if there are no options forward. This would mean that if Steve Finnan picks up the ball in defence he has several viable options

Andy Keogh comes short, plays it straight back to Finnan and turns his man for the ball over the top
Andy Keogh calls for the ball over the top if the opposition full-back is out of position
Andy Reid picks it up in the centre circle and can pick out a pass
The ball goes back to McShane and is quickly transfered across the back 4 to Kilbane, who should have the same options there


The woeful crossing is the players' fault, coaches here can't do much except work on crossing, and impress on the players that the ball has to beat the first man. Reports I've heard from training in Malahide suggest that little structured coaching is being done, rather it's a week of fitness and mini matches.

The slow passing across the back should be addressed in training. Several times I watched McShane pick up the ball, turn down an opportunity to immediately spread it to Finnan, dither on it for a bit and then move it along. The centre halfs should be told that when the ball comes across from the full back they should immediately be looking to move it wide on the other side - you might say this would be a tactic even...

Attacking full-backs is another tactical issue, they need to be told that they should attack if the manager wants them to, and a strategy for getting them the ball should be worked out, eg. a little triangle with a midfield player, the winger and the fullback. Finnan passes to Reid, takes off up the wing. Reid plays it out to Keogh who has the option of Finnan steaming up outside him.

The lack of build-up I place squarely at the manager's feet - the tactic was obviously to get wide and put crosses in, but when this wasn't working there was no plan B.


In summary, one of two things happened. Either the tactics from Stan were incredibly vague and hadn't been worked on in training to any sufficient degree or Stan had the tactics spot on, but the players went out and didn't put into practice what they had been working on at training all week. Both prospects are equally disturbing.

[Kingdom]

For the remaining matches befiore we start the next campaign we should be trying (as best as possible) to come up with our best starting eleven. If players aren't performing (given that effort and passion should be expected regardless of ability).

We have a number of positions up for grabs. The way to go would be have our core players and try and use filler as little as possible.
As I see it we have (given that everyone who is eligible is available)

GK Given
RF Finnan
CB Dunne
CB
LB

RW
CM Reid
CM Reid/Potter
LW Duff

CF
Cf

The blank spaces are just that, blank spaces, as these positions have nobody who over the course of this campaign can say " yeah I justify my position here or there".
And particularily in right midfield and left back these are definitely our two problem positions. We've had nobody solid there since McAteer and Irwin, respectively, retired. McGeady does not seem to be able to cut it on the right. Maybe he doesn't believe the others around him believe in him? Would it be worthwhile to say to him 'look, you're going to be a mainstay of this team for the next 2 campaigns, relax and let your football do the talking for you'? If not then an out and out right sided player has to be measured up, regardless of whether they are League1 or eLOI. This lark of playing players out of position just to accomodate them has to stop. If John O'Shea isn't good enough to get in ahead of Dunne, O'Brien, McShane or whoever then tough. Likewise for any of the centre forwards or any position on the team.

[Bondvillain]

Any redeeming features from tonight?

Any at all?

Please do tell...

I bought a very nice salad sandwich from the Centra near Quinns before kick off.

That's pretty much it.

[carloz]

I dont think their is even a point in getting angry, every bit of anger at this management team has been released now. Never have i felt so disinterested watching an Irish team. I think Setantas teletext put it perfectly
'Shambolic Ireland rob a draw'
Thats exactly what we did, we robbed a point at home to a ****ing island from the Medditerranean

[RogerMilla]

I'm adding you to my ignore list because all you do is spout the same line again and again and again about what players have been gilted and what they would ahve done. I actually like Connolly, and feel he gets hard done by on here, but your repetitiveness on the topic fuels my ire on the subject. Add to the fact that you're commenting on a match you didn't see never mind didn't go to and your arguments are pointless to me.


kingdom , a bit harsh there , he's a young lad and he lives in chicago i believe so cut a bit of slack , connolly is muck though jaysis !

[Kingdom]

Good post....

Movement off the ball is a 50-50 split. eg if the full-back has the ball then the winger should ....
A
B
C
D


The woeful crossing is the players' fault ....

The slow passing across the back...

Attacking full-backs is another tactical issue...


In summary Either the tactics from Stan were incredibly vague Stan had the tactics spot on,..

Great post and great points. really the FAI spin machine kicked in very early. remember when Dunne came out and said the players didn't understand what was being asked of them? I seem to remember it didn't get too far in the media.

[RogerMilla]

Great post and great points. really the FAI spin machine kicked in very early. remember when Dunne came out and said the players didn't understand what was being asked of them? I seem to remember it didn't get too far in the media.

dunphy made a point last night about the FAI spin machine i'd like to know what his evidence is , he was cut off before he could get into it!

[Dodge]

dunphy made a point last night about the FAI spin machine i'd like to know what his evidence is , he was cut off before he could get into it!

Your evidence is right there.

[Donal81]

Horrible game, horrible feeling about it this morning. A shame Stan is now being booed by thousands, just a few years after being cheered. Management at this level is just beyond him. For his own sanity, he should go. For ours, too.

[OwlsFan]

I can honestly say I wouldn't destroy my entire countrys football team and take the deserved abuse he has been taking for another 2 years to make 800K, particularly if I was a multi-millionaire already. I don't think this can be classed as sitting on a high horse..

I am afraid I don't believe you and he hasn't destroyed the team because it wasn't much of a team when he got it. He has made it worse but he hasn't destroyed it.

I think you would do what I think will happen when Delaney comes knocking on your door. "Listen youngirish, I don't think this is working out and we're getting terrible stick from the media and the fans". You reply "Fair enough". Delaney says "I think we have to replace you". You say "I have a 4 year contract". Delaney says "What will it take for the good of the country and my job security for you to leave?" You say "€700k". Delaney says €500k". You say "€600k". Delaney says "Done!".

Press statement: "The FAI have agreed to terminate the contract of youngirish by mutual consent. The FAI would like to thank youngirish for his unstinting hard work for the Association and the national team during the past x months. The search now begins for a new world class manager".

[NeilMcD]

The FAI would also like to say that YoungIrish is the great spotter of young Footballing talent and some of his friends have been astounded at how much he knows about football. The Fai would also like to thank Youngirish for not turning up to Irish football matches.

[youngirish]

The FAI would also like to say that YoungIrish is the great spotter of young Footballing talent and some of his friends have been astounded at how much he knows about football. The Fai would also like to thank Youngirish for not turning up to Irish football matches.

You obviously only turn up for the crack as I've said before and not to watch the football.

I've been at plenty of matches over the years but I'll pass on watching that drivel Stan has the team playing thank you very much. I'm not the sort of mindless mongo that turns up just for the drink before or after the game without being too bothered about the results. My support is not unconditional. I expect some professionalism and effort for my money. Two characteristics severely lacking from the current setup.

When you going to start supporting the Hoops again?


I am afraid I don't believe you and he hasn't destroyed the team because it wasn't much of a team when he got it. He has made it worse but he hasn't destroyed it.

0-1 Chile home. 0-4 Holland home. 2-5 Cyprus away. 2-1 San Marino away. 2-2 Slovakia away. 0-1 Czech Republic away. 1-1 Cyprus home. What exactly would you consider as destroying the team?

The team he has is far better than anything Cyprus or Slovakia can muster.

[elroy]

For the remaining matches befiore we start the next campaign we should be trying (as best as possible) to come up with our best starting eleven. If players aren't performing (given that effort and passion should be expected regardless of ability).

We have a number of positions up for grabs. The way to go would be have our core players and try and use filler as little as possible.
As I see it we have (given that everyone who is eligible is available)

GK Given
RF Finnan
CB Dunne
CB
LB

RW
CM Reid
CM Reid/Potter
LW Duff

CF
Cf

The blank spaces are just that, blank spaces, as these positions have nobody who over the course of this campaign can say " yeah I justify my position here or there".
And particularily in right midfield and left back these are definitely our two problem positions. We've had nobody solid there since McAteer and Irwin, respectively, retired. McGeady does not seem to be able to cut it on the right. Maybe he doesn't believe the others around him believe in him? Would it be worthwhile to say to him 'look, you're going to be a mainstay of this team for the next 2 campaigns, relax and let your football do the talking for you'? If not then an out and out right sided player has to be measured up, regardless of whether they are League1 or eLOI. This lark of playing players out of position just to accomodate them has to stop. If John O'Shea isn't good enough to get in ahead of Dunne, O'Brien, McShane or whoever then tough. Likewise for any of the centre forwards or any position on the team.


Dare I say it but I think Keane deserves to be on the above team, i do think he is our best striker but we have not got the best out of him because of the way we play. He has played his best games for ireland and spurs when he plays up front, not dropping off and is on the end of knock downs etc from a taller striker - we have not managed or tried that once this campaign.

[NeilMcD]

Not much crack (sic) at Ireland games now that we have moved over to Croke Park. Always much more crack (sic) when it was in Ballsbridge.

As I said before when are you going to start doing your coaching courses so we can all learn from the wise one. Until then I wont know anything about football and will have to rely on your posts to understand the game. Oh Joey O Brien is the saviour of Irish football at central midfield.

[OwlsFan]

0-1 Chile home. 0-4 Holland home. 2-5 Cyprus away. 2-1 San Marino away. 2-2 Slovakia away. 0-1 Czech Republic away. 1-1 Cyprus home. What exactly would you consider as destroying the team?

The team he has is far better than anything Cyprus or Slovakia can muster.

Not far better because we're not far better than Wales (better but not far better) and their results are even worse. We're coming from a position of having finished third in a group and ending up (probably) third in a group. 1-0 away to the Czech who just beat Germany 3-0 is hardly "destroyed" and we took 4 points from Slovakia. The games against the two "minnows" apart, I think we got the results I pretty much would have expected.

[onceahoop]

It's a long time since I've been so disinterested in a game. Couldn't believe O'Brien in midfield. Has one competitive game in over a year and he's expected to slot into one of the most physically demanding positions on the pitch. We'd no shape, no organisation, our crossing was appalling, there was an appalling lack of leadership on the pitch. Our captain at one stage in the first half was found out wide on the left at the half way line while Andy Keogh was at the back line on the right looking to pick out a player. We were so confused we booed teh players off the pitch at half time and cheered them to the echo back on for the second half.

Delaney should go now but it's not going to happen. Instead he'll get rid of Staunton to save his own neck. Stan should never have been appointed. Delaney should be ashamed of the way he's run the international team (into the ground). Oh and while he's at it, get rid of that muppet Devlin also. I fail to see what he's contributing to the set up.

Looking at the palyers performance last night, I think teh managers lost the dressing room

[Kingdom]

0-1 Chile home. 0-4 Holland home. 2-5 Cyprus away. 2-1 San Marino away. 2-2 Slovakia away. 0-1 Czech Republic away. 1-1 Cyprus home. What exactly would you consider as destroying the team?

The team he has is far better than anything Cyprus or Slovakia can muster.

I don't think its as simple as that anymore. I do believe we have some good players, but of the current squad quite a few have been involved in some absolute gash performances. Maybe Keane was dragging us above level for that while because since we've had nobody else to do it. Face it, if after qualifying for WC02, someone handed you a slip of paper with the draws for the next 3 campaigns and showed you the 3 groups we've been in, you'd have cacked yourself. This isn't some wild assertion, this is based on us having consistently had good away performances to minor teams and occasionally taking points off the top seeds.

We all should have been worried by the noises coming out of the camp during the Kerr regime. These were players that he had made/coached to heroes in the underage setup, and if anyone should have had their respect, it was him. That would have been without taking into account the extra levels of professionalism to which he was willing to go to. I was astounded to hear Richard dunne complain about the dvd's that kerr (Brian Mccarthy) was making up on opposition players. For a fine footballer Dunne is by no means perfect ( I find his distribution of a ball atrocious). It appeared to me that the manager was trying to be more professional than the players.
it puts some of the comments coming out of the players last night about the fans into context.

[Kingdom]

Dare I say it but I think Keane deserves to be on the above team, i do think he is our best striker but we have not got the best out of him because of the way we play. He has played his best games for ireland and spurs when he plays up front, not dropping off and is on the end of knock downs etc from a taller striker - we have not managed or tried that once this campaign.

I'm not particularily slagging Robbie Keane off, but as I said in the post you replied to basing players performances in the campaign just gone, could you really put robbie Keane in? I don't believe you can guarentee him starting anymore on the basis of the campaign just gone, because 3 goals in 1 game against San Marino is a poor return.
Hey even Raul got dropped for Spain eventually.

[macdermesser]

give it a rest lads .. ffs ..

[an_ceannaire]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Je39lfbiAfU

LISTEN AT 4.10 !!!! :D

[NeilMcD]

Its actually quite funny that you had me down as a defender of Darren Potter in that thread and I had barely said anything about him. All I had said was that you are over the top in your criticism of youngirish players which is quite ironic considering your user name.

[pineapple stu]

Looks like Scotland, Wales, Norn Iron and England all will not qualify along with us and like us will probably finish third or worse. I think all their Football Associations should resign en masse along with their managers.
OwlsFan, your FAI apologism is getting tedious now.

England are on the verge of getting knocked out with eight wins and two draws from twelve games. That's unlucky - about as many points as you can get and not go through.

NI and Scotland have had excellent campaigns beyond their wildest hopes, and I would still give Scotland a 50/50 chance of qualifying.

If you think any of these instances are the same as ours, you're a fool. Seriously.

[theworm2345]

I'm adding you to my ignore list because all you do is spout the same line again and again and again about what players have been gilted and what they would ahve done. I actually like Connolly, and feel he gets hard done by on here, but your repetitiveness on the topic fuels my ire on the subject. Add to the fact that you're commenting on a match you didn't see never mind didn't go to and your arguments are pointless to me.
Oh no! Ignoring me? Whatever will I do

[TeamOfStevens]

oh dear god I'm so angry..The lads beside us had this banner... it was up for about 3 mins before taken down. I sent it to all the newspapers photo desks....I ask the guy who took it...why ....he said he got a call from the fai and the head of security to take it straight away. He was told that no banners of that kind were allowed. The lads who had it were from Limerick...A guy called Ian...said he was on foot.ie...fair play to him...so so angry...


Just caught the end of it but heres the vid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTIBPQ4ArCw

[lopez]

As an oldie, I thought I'd seen the worst Irish manager and the worst Irish performance 21 years ago when Eoin Hand saw out his term with a 4-1 defeat to Denmark. Wednesday was a hundred times worse.

Leaving aside the totally awfull performance by every player, two things stuck out for me. Around the 75th minute I saw that w*nker Joh O'Shea aim to pull out of a 50-50 tackle. It was a sort of not a pull out because he was late, but a pull out in the way I pulled out of tackles thinking I didn't want to injure myself as I won't get paid for work if I turn up with a broken leg.

This bloke is one gutless f*cker. Has he ever been booked for Ireland?

Another was the opposition. In comparison with the 'Danish Dynamite' that saw off Hand, this team was total pants. Arguing with their manager when being substituted, pushing other teammates away when being substituted, spitting at opponents when they score. Truly, truly, troooooooly, this is the worst I've ever seen Ireland in a game.

Staunton must go. At least Hand managed a side that beat a couple of the qualifiers from Ireland's groups (France and the USSR).

[bennocelt]

I can honestly say I wouldn't destroy my entire countrys football team and take the deserved abuse he has been taking for another 2 years to make 800K, particularly if I was a multi-millionaire already. I don't think this can be classed as sitting on a high horse.

Numerous better paid and more capable managers than this dunce have resigned, many from clubs that they owed no allegience to so wake up and stop sticking up for this muppet.

yeah agree, remember Kebin Keegan did the honourable thing with England (and didnt Maccarthy walk as well?)

this rubbish is just typical of ireland................no one is accountable..................everyone pats eachother on the back............when a mistake happens well then its someone elses fault.........maybe we deserve all this sh ite

[CollegeTillIDie]

bennocelt

If Stan walks he doesn't get the rest of his contract as a pay off. If he's sacked he's entitled to a payout of around 1,000,000 Euro. What would you do in those circumstances?

[OwlsFan]

You're wasting your breath. They've already said that they'd thumb their noses up at 800K and do the "honourable" thing. Easy to say in print of course but there is no way most sensible people would do such a thing when they face another 30 years without a job!! Lots of moral high horses around :rolleyes:

On a totally different issue, what was the Cypriot sent off for in the last minute? Was at the game but didn't see the incident and haven't seen any replay on tv.

[gspain]

You're wasting your breath. They've already said that they'd thumb their noses up at 800K and do the "honourable" thing. Easy to say in print of course but there is no way most sensible people would do such a thing when they face another 30 years without a job!! Lots of moral high horses around :rolleyes:

On a totally different issue, what was the Cypriot sent off for in the last minute? Was at the game but didn't see the incident and haven't seen any replay on tv.


He is a multi millionasire and has significant property interests. He did very nicely out of football and invested wisely.

He must have known from very early on he was not up to the job particularly after the shambles in Nicosia.

He could have negotiated a payoff then. If you hang on and force the issue then you can hardly moan about the media and fans etc.

He could have negotiated a payoff a year ago, taken a decent figure and left with dignity.

Now he won't be remembered as the player who played 102 times for his country and went to 3 world cups. He'll be the incompetent clueless muppet who remained in charge of our national team too long and made it a laughing stock.

It may be at a different level but in a previous company a former colleague who had been made redundant twice before got himself a new job in the early stages of things going pear shaped. He said you earn every penny of your redundancy money. I was never made redundant but given what subsequently transpired would tend to agree.

[RogerMilla]

gspain , i heard that he was financially in a bit of a pickle before the fai hired him. if i was him i would wait until i was sacked as well. it is a serious amount of cash to be walking away from regardless of whether he is a millionaire or not.

[NeilMcD]

Its probably why the FAI hired him.

Stan:Hey John, you dont have any good jobs coming up in the FAI. I will do anything really put out a few cones etc.

John D: Ahh Stan, we do indeed have a job for you. How about managing the Senior Team

Stan: Does that mean I am the gaffer. Jesus I am bamboozled John.

John D: Good word Stan,good word.

[shakermaker1982]

You're wasting your breath. They've already said that they'd thumb their noses up at 800K and do the "honourable" thing. Easy to say in print of course but there is no way most sensible people would do such a thing when they face another 30 years without a job!! Lots of moral high horses around :rolleyes:

On a totally different issue, what was the Cypriot sent off for in the last minute? Was at the game but didn't see the incident and haven't seen any replay on tv.

I've read somewhere (I must have bought 5 or 6 papers for the plane home in the hope that an official source had confirmed Stan was on his way!!) that it was for spitting at Kilbane. I suppose if we'd won 3 or 4 nil it would have got more column inches.

[Armando]

You're wasting your breath. They've already said that they'd thumb their noses up at 800K and do the "honourable" thing. Easy to say in print of course but there is no way most sensible people would do such a thing when they face another 30 years without a job!! Lots of moral high horses around :rolleyes:

On a totally different issue, what was the Cypriot sent off for in the last minute? Was at the game but didn't see the incident and haven't seen any replay on tv.

I was at the game too but actually saw the incident. The scumbag spat at Kilbane and Kevin was fit to burst him - don't know how he refrained from clocking him one!

...you do like using that 'high horse' analogy OwlsFan:D

[OwlsFan]

...you do like using that 'high horse' analogy OwlsFan:D


:o I do. It amuses me that some people here would claim that if they weren't doing a good job for Ireland, they'd resign with no prospect of future work of any sort rather than get a hand out of €800k - all for the good of the country. The trouble is that (a) people seldom think they're doing a bad job and believe everyone else is at fault and (b) no matter how much money you have, 800k is not to be sneezed at especially if you've no prospect of employment for the next 30 years, not even putting the cones out at Walsall.

The madness was giving him a 4 year contract and he's entitled, just as anyone else is, to be paid if the other party severs the contract.

[pineapple stu]

Problem is that, unlike the rest of us, he doesn't need to work for the next 30 years. Makes a big dent in your argument.

[Bald Student]

Also, he could work if he wanted to.