Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane

[back of the net]

So are we looking at more Denis O Brien funding for the next appointment?


Is it a case of paying big money to get a big name in or are we looking at something different ?

[ger121]

they should react by replacing him with no 2 on that betting list neil lennon

For the love of god no! Is that the extent of our ambitions?

[Kingdom]

It'd surely be unlikely, but can we definitely assume he will leave if he takes the Leicester job and won't double-job until the end of the campaign?

You shut your dirty mouth.

[BonnieShels]

For the love of god no! Is that the extent of our ambitions?

Yes. We are only a small country etc.

[Stuttgart88]

I don't think either Mick or Roy were fully at fault in 2002.

I mean Mick could have handled it a bit better too, instead of throwing Roy under the bus and adding fuel to the fire.

It was just poor form from everyone. Unprofessional build up, bad man-management, Roy's ego...

* Look at John Delaney's carry on 13 years later and ask have things really changed that much.

It's like the Greek crisis. You can argue about blame and root causes but the denouement was/is a complete crisis of leadership on all sides.

[Kingdom]

So far elsewhere I've seen people look for Bob Bradley, Michael Laudrup, Jose Pinto. I'd be very happy with Bob Bradley. Laudrup, I wouldn't be against an appointment, purely for the type of game his teams play, but I think we could do better.
Pinto was surely as tongue-in-cheek as Conte.

[Stuttgart88]

I'd be happy for O'Neill to go. I think his ideas are out of date. I'd also be happy for Keane to take sole charge. We can debate the merits of his club experience but I think he'd have a more positive and contemporary approach. O'Neill pi$$ed me off from the start with his public undermining of the squad's ability.

[jbyrne]

For the love of god no! Is that the extent of our ambitions?

all a matter of opinion as to lennons credentials for the job but anyone who thinks a long line of good options will be looking to take on the job is deluded

O'Neill pi$$ed me off from the start with his public undermining of the squad's ability.

did he really state this too often? wasn't aware of it if it happened

[DeLorean]

I'd go for the easy approach. Just upgrade Keane to manager, see how he does for the rest of the campaign. If we do the necessary against Gibraltar and Georgia and something we haven't in an age against either Germany or Poland then let him at it. He would be a risk obviously but then so was Gary Speed at Wales for different reasons (inexperience). At least the long ball approach would be phased out or scrapped, one would imagine. He seems to have the respect/fear of the players and there would be a degree of continuity without having to start from scratch. There have been some signs of progress in the last couple of games so we may as well try to continue on our (admittedly slight) upward curve.

[DeLorean]

Just to counter that slightly in relation to Stutts point, Keane hasn't been overly complimentary about out playing pool recently either.

[mark12345]

His tenure has been a disaster? Really. What could he have done any different with this team?
There are players in this team who have should have been got rid of while Trap was in charge. No new players were blooded and then O'Neill was left with a certain group he had to proceed with in order to try to gain qualification.
Make no mistake about it, Martin O'Neill is one of the best managers out there. His time at the helm of the Ireland team will not change that one jot.

[Stuttgart88]

Wow Mark, for a guy who likes his football smooth and pure Im surprised you can't find fault in O'Neill's style and even selections.

[zero]

I'd go for the easy approach. Just upgrade Keane to manager, see how he does for the rest of the campaign. If we do the necessary against Gibraltar and Georgia and something we haven't in an age against either Germany or Poland then let him at it. He would be a risk obviously but then so was Gary Speed at Wales for different reasons (inexperience). At least the long ball approach would be phased out or scrapped, one would imagine. He seems to have the respect/fear of the players and there would be a degree of continuity without having to start from scratch. There have been some signs of progress in the last couple of games so we may as well try to continue on our (admittedly slight) upward curve.

i go along with this largely, unless some very appealing manager throws his hat in the ring.

my initial reaction on hearing the news was that i really hope it's true followed by 'i hope roy doesnt get the job!'. but if he gets the gig until the end of the campaign he can have no complaints - there's a small chance he might turn things around as he did in his sunderland role.

is there anyone who doesn't want o'neill to go?

edit: just saw mark12345's post so evidently yes...

[GypsyBlackCat]

Judging by MON record at Sunderland and Ireland, this could be a step backwards Leicester. As I said at the time when he left SAFC, he was the right man but at the wrong time. It's looks like the same with RoI. O'Neill looks like an old fashion manager lost in the modern game and he isn't quite the same with John Robertson. He looks like he's lost the fight and passion he was famous for.

As for Ireland, I'd like to see us go for a Lars Lagerback type manager. I think we need to look throughout world football for the next manager. We went with big name managers on the last two and infairness Trap was a success to a certain extent. But big names don't always work.

[Stuttgart88]

Yes I know that but it's a question of degrees. O'Neill was much worse and said it before we even kicked a ball.