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We just got a reality check like we have never got before. With the WC qualifying to start in the Autumn, what do we do? Do we continue with the same tactics and players or do we look to the future and use this qualifying tournament to blood younger players with our eyes on the next Euro Campaign. Personally, I think this is the way to go and possibly a change of management might help this too.
We might have to make a change in goal. Shay hinting quite heavily about international retirement to the BBC
We won't qualify for 2014, I'm not even getting my hopes up Germany are Germany, and Sweden are just a level above us. Prepare for 2016 and if we do well in 2014 qualification then happy days.
Given is gone imo, and prob a few others.
In fairness Sweden looked almost as bad as us against Ukraine
Include Clark, McCarthy, Coleman, McClean. We do have quite an old team.
We had the oldest team in the tournament, and it showed in all the wrong ways.
Time for the changing of the guard. The more changes the better.
I think this is a really important time for us now. Trap is facing into what will be his last ever chance at a WC so he won't be interested in setting up for Euro 16. I think it is time for Robbie to stand down as captain at least. I'm not one of the bash Robbie brigade but he is pushing on, we have 4 strikers playing in the EPL so he cannot be guaranteed to start every game.
I wouldn't envisage wholesale changes for our next qualifier. But then what sort of formation are we going to go with? If it is 4-4-2 then the players who have to be brought in are Wilson and McCarthy, at least. I'm not sold on Coleman as a full back yet but O'Shea isn't one either. I'd rather see JoSH challenging for the CB spots and Coleman push on for RB.
I'd like McCarthy to replace Whelan and let Andrews and Gibson fight out for the second spot. McGeady, McClean, Pilkington, Duff, Brady to fight it out for the wings and the above mentioned strikers for the other two spots.
What I would like to see is a switch to 4-2-3-1. With a back line of Coleman & Wilson/Clark Full backs, Wilson/Sledge/Dunne/JOSH/Clark in centre back.
Two sitting players in McCarhy and Gibson with Andrews playing in the advanced midfield role he does for WBA.
On the wings I'd like to see McGeady and one of Brady, Walters or Pilkington. (McClean will make the left his own but he is still raw so I'd keep him for impact at the moment.)
Lone Striker role I'd want Long in it.
Again, that is still most of Trap's current squad, and it is a slight shift to the future.
Seriously tho will Trap last 2 years. I hate saying that but its a realistic concern
The FAI can't afford to sack Trap.
Trap is completely oblivious to any criticism in Ireland and thinks the players in his squad are as good as it gets.
Its just gonna be more of the same for the next 2 years.
8 years ago, Russia finished bottom of their Euro 2004 group........by my reckoning by 2018, we will be an awesome(but erratic) attacking unit who many consider dark horses for the world cup.
If we could maintain recent qualifying standards until then, then believe it or not I don't think you're too far off the truth there.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishultra
Where to from now?
I'm planning a trip back to catch the open top parade, civic reception and Fields of Athenry rendition by happy fans and chuckling players...
Let's call a spade a spade regarding Trap. I'm not going to pretend that we would have gotten anything out of that game today because we just can't pass the ball. It was worse than embarassing and I don't know what commentators / analysts most people heard but I was listening to Michael Ballack describe Ireland as inferior players (and he was being kind). Trap couldn't do anything about the players in his team because they're woegous most of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by eekers
But Trap must shoulder some amount of blame for sticking with clearly inferior players - Whelan, Andrews, O'Shea, Ward, (Robbie as a striker instead of midfield). He is not blameless and if I had a penny for every time I got sick of hearing about Trap's system during the qualifiers I'd be a rich man. Some system eh?
The manager is gone senile. It's not a great start.
We need to get rid of Trap now, get Roy Keane in!!
If numerous LOI teams and the likes of Wigan and Swansea can pass the ball around, then why can't the Irish national team.
Trap doesn't want them to. He based the Irish team on Greece '04 whilst the rest of football has moved on.
He does have an amazing managerial pedigree...
Pick a system that works and find 22 players that can fit it, or pick your best players and get a system to suit them. We did neither.
Discount the old brigade - it is time to move on.
Identify the four best centre halves, and the best two up and coming centre halves. Repeat for all positions. Break down all the old barriers - fresh start for everyone. Trap give the loyalty to those who got us to Poland and it didn't work.
A real alternative needs to be found at full back, centre midfield, and the off-the-striker role.
The guts of a decent squad is there:
Gk: Westwood, Randolph, Henderson
Rb: Kelly, Foley,
Lb: Cunningham, Ward, White
Cb: O'Dea, St Ledger, Duffy, Wilson, Clark
RM: McGeady, Coleman
LM: McClean, Brady
Cm: McCarthy, Gibson, Fahey, Meyler, McCann, Hendrick
Am: Carruthers
FW: Long, Walters, Doyle, Mason, Best
That group of players could pass a football.
I wonder if Trap went home and thought about it for a week and decided to step down, would they make Tardelli the Manager? It just seems like he knows the game but would be younger and perhaps more flexible.
I think evolution is needed now certainly, however I would rather not have a baby/bathwater scenario, as, I think the fact that so few of our squad had graced a major finals before really told in the last days. When Trap's system, resplendent in its lack of any flexibility saw us 3-0 behind and our tournament effectively over after 48 minutes, these players were at a loss.
In the days after the Croatia game, none of them said, ''we can play better, we will play better, we are better than we have shown'' or words to that effect and you could see it during the anthems tonight I thought, they looked resigned to a hiding, and they got it.
I wouldn't be in favour of writing off the next campaign to blood a new and untested bunch, far better try to qualify again, (and I believe we can) and by that time have bedded in the better new players along with some new formations/systems/setup options added to our armory also. But keep certain key older heads around the place, so we hopefully never travel this path again.
If Trap is the man to deliver such a scenario is the big variable.