Mick McCarthy

[Drumcondra 69er]

Keane will always be a controversial figure, but it remains a fact that in the last ten years, Keane, Irwin and Steve Finnan (whose commitment has recently been called into question) are the only Irishmen to have won the Champions League.

It boils down to a personal choice for us fans - do we want proven winners (who might drop out of the occasional friendly) or do we want honest, limited journeymen who escape from their relegation battles to sweat blood for their country? It appears that we can't survive or thrive without either.

Must have missed the final that Keane played in. What year was that?

[Drumcondra 69er]

Bit of a difference. OK, Keane missed a lot of matches, but he still has more caps (67) than John Giles (59), Mick McCarthy (57), Denis Irwin (56) and Ronnie Whelan (53). This would back up the claim of Keane's importance, and refute the detractors who deny Keane's willingness to play for his country. The players mentioned above are upheld as Irish footballing heroes, and Keane derided by some as a traitor. Yet he played more games than them.

I think you'll find that that may be to do with the fact that none of the others have a 'Sapian' in their history. The amount of caps is irrelevant. Incidents such as Keane missing friendlies (whatever about competitive games, think he was missing for a lot of WC 98 qualifiers, correct me if I'm wrong, I know he'd managed to stupidly injure himself kicking Haaland prior to the play off), not turning up at airports for tours etc would not cause the division in opinion that Saipan does and that's the cause of the blot on his reputation with many fans.

[osarusan]

Must have missed the final that Keane played in. What year was that?


Thats pretty pedantic don't you think?

[Drumcondra 69er]

Thats pretty pedantic don't you think?

Not really. Facetious yes. ;) He missed the final. He's said himself he didn't feel like he won it.

Darren Potter also got a medal the year Liverpool won it if we want to be really pedantic.

[Bondvillain]

Still, at least Keane seems to be generating a very strong sense of dedication, companionship & togetherness in his team


84 Mins : Liam Miller comes on Grant Leadbitter for Sunderland

[Noelys Guitar]

Keane IMO was the best player we have ever had. And I believe McCarthy made a mistake in Saipan. But I would have McCarthy back over many of the names mentioned as potential candidates for the job. Is Jewell a better manager than MM? I don't think so and yet he was possibly offered the job.

[SuperDave]

When Roy the man came back with the great Kerr we came FOURTH the worst finish in 20 years.:cool:

17 points in that group. in 10 games. we got 17 points in the last campaign too, playing two more games. and we were only three points from the top of that group too. misinformation of the highest degree. when was the last time we finished so close to the group winners?

[danonion]

Keane IMO was the best player we have ever had. And I believe McCarthy made a mistake in Saipan. But I would have McCarthy back over many of the names mentioned as potential candidates for the job. Is Jewell a better manager than MM? I don't think so and yet he was possibly offered the job.

I think Shay Given can now be judged as Ireland's best ever player, and his career is over with well over 100 caps, most will share this opinion.

Keane was indubitably one of our finest ever, but I think that is an indication of the low calibre of footballer we produce. Philip Cocu would have won 200 caps for us.

[eekers]

forget keane for a second (any mention of him creates division) but given better than giles or brady?
who would you rather have on your team, if you had to pick one out of the three?

given is the best keeper we've ever had but thats it.

ireland played 163 games between 1990 to 2006. cocu couldnt of won 200 caps. add in him breaking his leg and being out for a year in '91

[Superhoops]

......ireland played 163 games between 1990 to 2006.....

Between 1 January 1990 and 31st December 2006, I estimate Ireland played 170 games. Any other offers?

[stojkovic]

And at Milltown. There were chants of "Why don't you play for Ireland?" afair.

Was that the 1-1. Buckley equalised in last minute ?

[Stuttgart88]

Yep, same game.

I told my Liverpool supporting schoolmate that buckley aws a super header of a ball. He looked down his nose at the LOI but he believed me after that! It wasn't unlike Adebayor's goal yesterday, though goals get better with time.

[lopez]

...given is the best keeper we've ever had but thats it...We didn't miss Keane in Japan (unless you think we would have got to the final with him :rolleyes:) but we missed Given against Cyprus.

[citizenerased]

We didn't miss Keane in Japan (unless you think we would have got to the final with him :rolleyes:) but we missed Given against Cyprus.


Thants absolute rubbish, the only team we beat was Saudi Arabia...We were spineless against spain, didnt have the balls to take them..We drew against a poor German side...There is no reason we couldnt have got to the final IF WE HAD WON THE GROUP..Paraguay - Usa - South Korea- Brazil

[Drumcondra 69er]

Thants absolute rubbish, the only team we beat was Saudi Arabia...We were spineless against spain, didnt have the balls to take them..We drew against a poor German side...There is no reason we couldnt have got to the final IF WE HAD WON THE GROUP..Paraguay - Usa - South Korea- Brazil

IF my Auntie had boll0x she'd be my Uncle.

No one knows what would have happened. And we battered Spain and were unlucky to only get the draw after 120 minutes, balls didn't come into it.

[gustavo]

, didnt have the balls to take them..We drew against a poor German side.il
that got to the final

[citizenerased]

my point exactly gustavo..look at the route that poor side got all the way to the final!! We couldnt beat a spanish side that were down to 9 men and were mentally on the ropes...

[Drumcondra 69er]

my point exactly gustavo..look at the route that poor side got all the way to the final!! We couldnt beat a spanish side that were down to 9 men and were mentally on the ropes...

9 men??? For how long did they have 9 men?? I'll give you 10 alright but 9?

[Bondvillain]

Mendieta was mid-op at that time, so still legally a man. 10 it is.

[lopez]

that got to the finalThanks for mentioning that, Gus. Question is how far would we have got if we had Paddy Kenny and Roy Keane instead of Shay Given and Matt Holland? Not f*cking far, I'd bet.

[eekers]

mc carthy in contention for the korea job apparently if they can work out what he looks like

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/12/136_15017.html

[Jacktheman]

Looks like we have miss out on Mick for this job.
Will he leave Wolves who are 3rd in the league

[danonion]

I'd love to see him do well in that job, that is if we couldn't have him back in the Ireland hotseat.

[eekers]

...first training camp in saipan

[OwlsFan]

I see he's on a shortlist of 2 (with Houllier) for the vacant South Korea job.

[Colbert Report]

I think he'll get the job. I can't see him leaving Wolves though.


Houllier is in with a shout for the England job, so he'll just sit tight. He might even end up as our manager!

[Spider Baby]

If he does take the job, the Press Conferences should be funny hearing him speak Korean!

[Stuttgart88]

You can just see his interpreter trying to explain "it'll be my arse in the bacon slicer".

[soccerc]

You can just see his interpreter trying to explain "it'll be my arse in the bacon slicer".

..or, "my team, my players, my country."

[danonion]

Mick Byrne in the picture> Korea would be in for a suprise if he became manager.

[cavan_fan]

I think he'll get the job. I can't see him leaving Wolves though.


Houllier is in with a shout for the England job, so he'll just sit tight. He might even end up as our manager!

I'd eat my 2 hats if Houllier was England manager. He has a poor reputation in England, they'd go for Allardyce before him.

[Noelys Guitar]

If Houllier gets the Korean job what will that say about Delaney and his selection committee. Jewell chooses Derby ahead of us and Houllier decides to go to the other side of the globe.

[zenokelly]

Ya it will p!ss me off big time if Houllier goes for it as he is my favourite option at the minute.

Imagine we have gotten to the stage where a French man would rather escape to Korea rather than take us on.

[co. down green]

Looks like Mick's heading to Korea

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7128801.stm

[Stuttgart88]

Suggesting Houllier would be available for the Ireland job.

[youngirish]

Imagine we have gotten to the stage where a French man would rather escape to Korea rather than take us on.

It's like 1798 all over again.

[tetsujin1979]

Mick rules himself out for the Korea job (and presumably the Ireland job) and confirms he's staying with Wolves: http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10307~1184022,00.html

[Drumcondra 69er]

Says he's staying at Wolves now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7128801.stm

[jbyrne]

Thants absolute rubbish, the only team we beat was Saudi Arabia...We were spineless against spain, didnt have the balls to take them..We drew against a poor German side...There is no reason we couldnt have got to the final IF WE HAD WON THE GROUP..Paraguay - Usa - South Korea- Brazil

what absolute nonsense. we drew with the african champions cameroon, drew with the eventual finalists germany (and were the only team to score against them until the final), beat saudi arabia 3 nil and were by far the better team against spain who were second favs at the time to win the wc. spineless against spain me ar**. i was actually at that game and the effort our lads put in to win it was huge. the expectations some people have on here is complete dreamland! maybe paul hyland was correct after all :eek:

[Stuttgart88]

Neither of the S. Koreans' two "confirmed candidates" wants the job. I wonder what they think over on www.foot.ko?

[zenokelly]

Ya it will p!ss me off big time if Houllier goes for it as he is my favourite option at the minute.

Imagine we have gotten to the stage where a French man would rather escape to Korea rather than take us on.

Well maybe we haven't gone that far, this time!:p

[danonion]

Neither of the S. Koreans' two "confirmed candidates" wants the job. I wonder what they think over on www.foot.ko?

I'd say they're dissapointed that they wont get to see Park Ji-Breen and Kil-Ban Gook in action now.

[Noelys Guitar]

Delaney asked six current Irish players he met in Cardiff would they be OK with McCArthy returning as manager. Not long after that meeting Mick came out and stated that while he was manager the FAI never interfered in his managing of the team. He is getting some stick from sections of the crowd at Wolves even though he has them in a play-off place. He would jump at the chance to return to manage us. He has gotten us to a WC finals. And has proven in the past and present that he can motivate his players. He should be miles ahead of Venables, Brady and Souness (Giles' picks!) in the race for the job.

[Kingdom]

Jaysus Noely you're never off these boards.
We need a clean break from any Saipan related appointments.
Mick Mac was tainted by it as a result of being part of it.
Kerr was tainted by it in his determination to bring RK back into the fold, upsetting some and losing part of the dressing room as a result.
Staunton was tainted by it as a result of being involved on the playing side. I believe it was one of the reasons he was invited to be manager, showing he had 'moral courage' or some such crap.

No more managers who were a part of that WC campaign (as either a player or manager) until that generation has passed through.

[Noelys Guitar]

Jaysus Noely you're never off these boards.
We need a clean break from any Saipan related appointments.
Mick Mac was tainted by it as a result of being part of it.
Kerr was tainted by it in his determination to bring RK back into the fold, upsetting some and losing part of the dressing room as a result.
Staunton was tainted by it as a result of being involved on the playing side. I believe it was one of the reasons he was invited to be manager, showing he had 'moral courage' or some such crap.

No more managers who were a part of that WC campaign (as either a player or manager) until that generation has passed through.

I'm panicking seeing some of the names being mentioned Kingdom hence rose-tinted MM specs. I want Copell or Hodgson but I have that horrible feeling of us getting another manager who will end our campaign 2 to 3 games into qualifying. Hope I'm proved wrong.

[Kingdom]

I'm panicking seeing some of the names being mentioned Kingdom hence rose-tinted MM specs. I want Copell or Hodgson but I have that horrible feeling of us getting another manager who will end our campaign 2 to 3 games into qualifying. Hope I'm proved wrong.

I know what yer saying man! I am not convinced of the calibre of the selection panel. I mean what exactly of a positive note has Don Givens done with the Gasun's?

[tetsujin1979]

from football365:
Mick McCarthy is set to be rewarded with a bumper pay rise at Wolves after snubbing both the South Korea and Republic of Ireland manager's jobs

[Drumcondra 69er]

Jaysus Noely you're never off these boards.
We need a clean break from any Saipan related appointments.
Mick Mac was tainted by it as a result of being part of it.
Kerr was tainted by it in his determination to bring RK back into the fold, upsetting some and losing part of the dressing room as a result.
Staunton was tainted by it as a result of being involved on the playing side. I believe it was one of the reasons he was invited to be manager, showing he had 'moral courage' or some such crap.

No more managers who were a part of that WC campaign (as either a player or manager) until that generation has passed through.

Much as I was on MM's side in the whole Saipan debacle I have to agree. Even the divisions within the fanbase to this day over it are a pain in the hole. Wound up having a heated discussion with a bloody cabbie last saturday about it, it needs to be buried and a fresh appointment with no baggage is the only way to do that.

[Colbert Report]

We desperately need to move in. It's been five and a half years now lads. Good luck to Mick at Wolves and good luck to Roy at Sunderland.

Good luck to Ireland's new manager, whoever he is.

[kriscommons]

I see Mick McCarthy has been cut to 5-2 with Ladbrokes and 7-1 with Paddy Power. Also, there has been a move for him on the exchanges. Daniel McDonnell's piece in the Indo today suggests that he is hot on the heels of Houllier for the job. If the Magic Sign go 5-2 they miust know something!