Read it and weep....Trap stays!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SkStu

How does the 3-1 against Croatia, the 4-0 against Spain, the 2-0 against Italy and the 6-1 against Germany fit in with your bs philosophy and blind support? Shouldn't we be getting better each year he is being paid his €1.2m? We are getting worse and are shelling out for it.

List me some reasons why Trappatoni should stay. I won't argue them, I just want to understand why there are a few people left who believe he is and will be a good manager for Ireland.

---

6-1 was a disgrace no argument, the euros were poor and i dont for a second think alls well, far from it in fact. but at least he managed us to the euros where we met definately 2 and probably 3 of the top sides in it. do you honestly believe that any other manager would achieve better results overall with the players we have? far far better Irish squads have done far worse than what trap has achieved with our current squad.

how can you possibly relate year on year improvement to what he is paid when our top players have been coming to the end for about 18 months now with little or nothing coming through to replace them? how can what he is paid compensate for the top player drain we have suffered really since 2002? there is not one single star in our current team and since i have started supporting the team we have always had two or three until recently.

what happened during the stan era brought us to the edge and if Trap went and o'brien refused to fund the next manager we would be back to a stan type manager. that is reality.

for what its worth i think this should definately be his last campaign. however, our best chance of qualification is with trap in charge and qualifying or coming close to it is actually important for Irish football.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by p2011

You seem to support Trap because he's effective getting results and a few here are obsessed with results and 'achieving the qualify'... but results have been dire recently too! Name me a satisfactory competitive result with any sort of acceptable performance against decent opposition (not Estonia or Faroes or Armenia) in the last 3 years since Paris?

---

you have to look at his overall Ireland record compared to the players at his disposal while also considering if any other manager available to us would actually do much better. and yes, results are important and yes qualifying is important.

sure when mick was in charge he played decent enough football while getting decent results but yet every sunday it was one gripe after another in the weekly press about his managment. no matter who was in charge of our team many would still not be happy. thats the Irish football fan for you

There are more than 'a few people left' who support Trap staying in the job. Many can see the bigger picture and havent blocked out the eras of his two predecessors as though they never happened. Here are a few of my reasons for wanting him to stay on.

He qualified us for the euros with a poor, poor group of players, the worst Irish squad to ever have qualified for a major championships. This achievement will be looked on more favourably in years to come when he is long gone.

His away record in qualifiers is very solid - unbeaten to date having played some tough away games. It is these points away from home that have got us to two playoffs and a major finals.

No realistic alternatives, no sign that DOB will bankroll another appointment. You wouldn't know who you'd get next time with the FAI. Could be another Stan type situation.

The memory of what happened the last time we rushed to sack a manager a few months after a finals. We didn't qualify again for another for nine years.

His continual record over a period of decades of getting the job done, even if it's often difficult to watch.

The calibre of candidates being mooted to replace him. Arry would be away as soon as a prem job came along. Mick hasn't excelled since leaving us, Roy has a managerial record of failure and worse than failure.

The fact that we were missing half a team against Germany and there was an inevitable post finals hangover. Unfair to judge him on that one game. We have six points and are still well in the running. He now has the breathing space to rebuild.

The fact that I live in Scotland. Unlike Ireland, soccer is the undisputed number one sport here. Larger playing numbers, far more investment in the game, similar standard of players, bottom of their qualifying group and haven't qualified for a major finals since 1998. The failure of Vogts, Smith, Mcleish, Burley and Levein to qualify for even one major finals between them puts into perspective what Trap has already achieved with us.

Etc etc.

im happy enough he has stayed on, lets say we got rid of him and with the next manager we lost our next 2-3 games, then its just the same merry go round. There are positives to his leadership. OK the euros were a disaster but we qualified something we hadnt done in years. A playoff defeat to France the previous campaign which could have turned out different if we had taken our chances in Paris that night in the second half. Germany was dire last week no doubt but maybe in the longrun it might be the wakeup that Trap needed. We have Coleman and Wilson into the team now and McCarthy was excellent in the second half the other night. Yes its the faroes but as other results have proved there no pushovers at home. It was always going to be tough even to finish second in this group IMO cause sweden are a good side and have a great qualifying record and Austria are decent aswell. Then theres Germany who will prob end up top. So that leaves 3 teams ourselves, sweden and austria looking for 1 of the 2 spots available. We can still do it but its going to be tough no matter who is in charge. I dont think we would have a better chance of doing it by changing the manager right now. And all this insider bullsh1t from the FAI to the papers is a joke. Pathetic. I'm willing to back him anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eirambler

The calibre of candidates being mooted to replace him. Arry would be away as soon as a prem job came along. Mick hasn't excelled since leaving us, Roy has a managerial record of failure and worse than failure.

Etc etc.

---

For me this is what it comes down to, we know things are tight financially and they would have to pay top dollar for Redknapp even if you wanted him. They will not get Mick McCarthy on the cheap either. So you are faced with the prospect of a search which could go on for God knows how long which does endanger preparation for the rest of the games.

Also, I think the Ireland job is not that appealing. Very likely less money attached to it this time round, the talent pool to pick from is not great and expectation levels are unrealistic. Honestly from the outside looking in we look and sound ridiculous at times, our press are very British tabloid like and moving more in that direction. Look at the Indo today setting up Robbie Keane (again) as the villain of the piece for Trap staying on. It's just ridiculous and nonsensical but it will stick in a lot of people's head and become the truth.

Definitely Trap has issues to sort out. It's been an awful six months. The Euros was hugely disappointing but it happens sometimes, only our 5th ever tournament and I think a lot of people expect every tournament to be Italia 90. Sensible countries that often qualify know that major tournament can go wrong, doesn't mean you have to sack everyone and deconstruct the whole thing and start again.

After Germany I wanted Trap gone too, I'm Irish, living in Ireland and susceptible to the reactions I've just given out about. But when you calm down and think rationally the pragmatic thing to do is keep him. I think he does know that he has got things wrong post Euros but at least some signs that he will change that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gastric

No fan of Trap, but it has to be acknowledged that finally he is beginning to look outside the usual suspects and is giving the likes of Brady, Coleman and Wilson a go. What he needs to do now is change the game style that has conceded, I think it is a total of 16 goals in the Euros and against Germany. A passing game that suits the players and engages the fans is badly needed.

---

Some signs are there, starting Brady was adventurous, but it defied logic starting him in a 442 team, that was set up to play the long ball game against the Faroese.
In a way, a similar logic defying decision to the role he asked McCarthy to play in his first start.
Essentially Trap in the past had the players to play his type of game, he could safely ignore whatever merits some players (out on the fringe) had. But bizarrely after the Euros he was trying to assimilate the replacements, better technical players, into playing the old defunct game plan.
He might change, but the evidence is not encouraging that he actually has the willingness or belief to change.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SkStu

How does the 3-1 against Croatia, the 4-0 against Spain, the 2-0 against Italy and the 6-1 against Germany fit in with your bs philosophy and blind support? Shouldn't we be getting better each year he is being paid his €1.2m? We are getting worse and are shelling out for it.

List me some reasons why Trappatoni should stay. I won't argue them, I just want to understand why there are a few people left who believe he is and will be a good manager for Ireland.

---

does actually qualifying instead of merely getting to a play off count as improving? Not to mention climbing the rankings.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

And a very large share of the €8m went to the players, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Not all but most of them have more money than they'll ever need and the money could have been better used keeping FAI coaches and development officers in jobs imho.

---

Do you have any references for this? Not doubting it's veracity, I just haven't heard this before and I'm wondering what proportion was dished out to the players and what was kept by the FAI.

Anyone see this is today's IT by the way? Bluff and double bluff - Paddy Agnew in Italy says Trap's sister's been hospitalised for months and there was no change in her condition, that the press conference was put off because Trap expected to get the boot. Now Trap's people are surprised he's staying on.

Seems a bit murky over who actually put off the press conference, suggests it was the FAI: "The Trapattoni camp suspected the worst when the FAI on Tuesday evening “postponed” his normal day-after press conference, originally scheduled for Dublin last night."

I'd imagine there's more than one journalist who was forced into a hasty, late night rewrite of their articles for today, and are not best pleased about having to do that either

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Anyone see this is today's IT by the way? Bluff and double bluff - Paddy Agnew in Italy says Trap's sister's been hospitalised for months and there was no change in his condition, that the press conference was put off because Trap expected to get the boot. Now Trap's people are surprised he's staying on.

Seems a bit murky over who actually put off the press conference, suggests it was the FAI: "The Trapattoni camp suspected the worst when the FAI on Tuesday evening “postponed” his normal day-after press conference, originally scheduled for Dublin last night."

---

That stroke was akin to Nixon weeping about his dog, Checkers, on tv when he was about to get the boot.

As a matter of interest does Traps contract run out before or after the World cup in Brazil? Just curious because we gave him a new one before the Euros too keep him and it baffles me why a contract would not include the tournament after the qualifying cycle

At the end of the day the question I would ask is simple: Is Trap getting the best out of what's available to him?

It was a great achievement to qualify for the euros but that was almost a year ago now and qualification masked some very poor performances in the group and his team selection, tactics and player management have been badly exposed in the last 12 months since. I challenge anyone to point at a decent Irish performance over the past 12 months. I have seen nothing in the past few days to suggest he will change which means barring injuries we will have Whelan and Andrews in the midfield for the Sweden game, Keane up front, O'Shea full back etc. He won't trust his players to play either which means more archaic tactics similar to what has been employed up to now.

Sweden with a selection of players currently no better than ourselves will comfortably dispose of us - as sure as night follows day. Unless of course we see a change from Trap.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bungle

I am seriously concerned that the very good work of Trap's early part of his tenure will be undone by him throughout this campaign. I was absolutely disgusted at him basically indicating that we have no right to think we could compete with Germany. Obviously, the Swedes didn't read from that textbook when they came from 4-0 down. Obviously, the North didn't listen when they nearly beat Portugal last night. It was an insult to people who paid good money and traveled long distances to see the game.

This guy watches our players on the telly from his home in Italy. He makes little or no effort to get to games. In my opinion, he treats our national team and the football community of Ireland with total contempt by doing this, while pocketing a massive salary. When a manager falls out with a guy like Gibson, then you can wonder if the player is a lot more at fault than Trap. However, when good guys like Stephen Kelly consider not boarding a plane for a game or when a true Irish warrior like Kilbane speaks about how removed the players were from Trap when he was in the squad, then serious concerns have to be raised about his man management abilities and the spirits in the camp. On another thread, Grealish and ou u19s are being discussed. How many people on here reckon Trap has any knowledge or interest in them or our other underage teams?

---

His remit is to qualify this country for the World Cup Finals. There is nothing in Trap's contract that dictates he should attend club games. Some of his squad don't even get a game for their club. Look at his own goalkeeper ffs. Meanwhile, there are other people in charge of other areas of Irish football, not him. He does what it says on the tin, and his record of 3 qualifying defeats in 4 years shows that.

Brady, Trap's biggest media backer, was one of many players that fell out with Irish coaches now and in the past. But he didn't sulk, he got on and did what his coach asked him to do as best he could. He understands what it feels like from both sides of the fence. And he's a breath of fresh air in combating the relentless negativity from his co-panellists on tv.

As for the Brits, they got a point in Portugal, yet are still way off qualification pace, and 10 points behind the leaders already. This is a team that can't beat Iceland or Luxembourg, so frankly, they're not superior to us in any way. The Swedes were torn a new one by the Germans for an hour, like us. Unlike against us, the Germans took their foot off the gas and lost the plot. But they will sail through the group, and the result will never happen again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PatJR

Definitely Trap has issues to sort out. It's been an awful six months. The Euros was hugely disappointing but it happens sometimes, only our 5th ever tournament and I think a lot of people expect every tournament to be Italia 90. Sensible countries that often qualify know that major tournament can go wrong, doesn't mean you have to sack everyone and deconstruct the whole thing and start again.

After Germany I wanted Trap gone too, I'm Irish, living in Ireland and susceptible to the reactions I've just given out about. But when you calm down and think rationally the pragmatic thing to do is keep him. I think he does know that he has got things wrong post Euros but at least some signs that he will change that.

---

We have won 3 games and drawn one game of the last 5. Different players have been used, different formations and tactics, but there's only so much you can do with a weakened side against the likes of Germany who can score 5 goals in half an hour, with technical ability far beyond anything our players are capable of, at the present time.

We are one point off a playoff spot with 7 games to go. That's quite satisfactory, and about as much as we could hope for so far.

I'm fed up of the "Trap got us to the Euros" defence. We beat Andorra, Macedonia, Armenia and Estonia. And in Dublin we only beat Armenia because the referee incorrectly sent off their keeper and they scored a bizarre own goal. Kerr would have loved to have been in that group.

We lost 6-1 at home. It was the biggest home defeat ever!! He doesn't go to matches to watch the players. He gets in fights with players.

Why is he still here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

I'm very happy. The problem is not with our manager, the problem is that our players aren't very good.

---

There are little kids all over the country crying this week as a result of the sacking U-Turn, Christmas just wont cut it this year i'm afraid.

http://www.baby-pictures.org/wp-cont...rying-Baby.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by brine3

Kerr would have loved to have been in that group.

---

But Kerr had that group, and he blew it. Switzerland were there to be beaten in 04/05, particularly at home, and the less said about the Israel games the better.

We'd have drawn at least twice in the four games against Armenia and Macedonia with Kerr at the helm.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spudulika

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...l#.UH899NjPsUA

I made a decision this week never to read the Indo again, and now this drivel from Malone! I cannot believe this was allowed past an editor. It seems as if the "football" hacks of Ireland don't do self-irony. Imagine, when we all thought that it was Trap picking the team, it was, in fact, his critics - ie the meeja. The self-same meeja who will attack the FAI for all sorts yet never show their mugs at a LOI ground. Who lovingly lap up tickets and trips to the sky leagues, yet then complain about excess.

The sole problem for Trap, is that he has no mates in the Irish media. He never cultivated any, never wanted any and his "communication problems" are that he doesn't leak like a sieve and pally up to the boys who reckon they can do a better job than anyone else because they won the Champions League twice with Shamrock Rovers, Manchester United or worse, Dundalk. Sadly the current crop of sports hacks are so beholden to football manager that they can't see their own limitations, let alone those of others.

---

I'm usually with you on the meeja but I don't see what's too wrong with malone's take on events, though I do think that JD and Peter Sherrard were right not to fan flames by giving meaningless "holding" comments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Serb

Do you have any references for this? Not doubting it's veracity, I just haven't heard this before and I'm wondering what proportion was dished out to the players and what was kept by the FAI.

---

I'm stuck for time right now so can't research it. I read it at the time, and I read it again last week though. afair the bonus pot exceeded €2mm.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

But Kerr had that group, and he blew it. Switzerland were there to be beaten in 04/05, particularly at home, and the less said about the Israel games the better.

We'd have drawn at least twice in the four games against Armenia and Macedonia with Kerr at the helm.

---

There's no way Kerr would have gotten that point in Russia either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

There's no way Kerr would have gotten that point in Russia either.

---

No, he wouldn't have picked Richard Dunne :)

Today's Indo is saying that it was player power that persuaded the Board to retain Trap, led by by a direct approach to the FAI Robbie Keane and supported by Andrews and O'Dea.

Now, I take some of that with a pinch of salt as the Indo really has it in for Keane but if it's still largely true then there is a big issue here. This simply can not be a united camp. There's no way Long, Gibson, Foley (less relevant) would have endorsed Trap and I have a feeling that Doyle might be in with these too. I like Andrews and he openly admits his debt to Trap and O'Dea seems a decent sort but I wouldn't be taking his advice on who should manage Ireland.

I'm sure Tets will quote James McCarthy' TV interview from Tuesday but a player can't be expected to give anything other than a diplomatic answer on TV. :)

Separately, Vincent Hogan provides a fair appraisal of Trap's reign so far in my opinion. Good writer, far too good for that rag.

I bought the print edition in London this morning. Neither article is online yet.

[QUOTE=
He qualified us for the euros with a poor, poor group of players, the worst Irish squad to ever have qualified for a major championships. This achievement will be looked on more favourably in years to come when he is long gone.
[/QUOTE]
Ireland qualified for the Euros because they (very luckily) drew Estonia in the play-offs. The qualifying campaign was hardly impressive. That's what I'll remember in years to come: how lucky Trapatoni was to qualify.
The rebuilding campaign should start now, but we're stuck with a lame duck of a manager because the FAI can't afford to sack him, and he's too stubborn to resign.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I'm usually with you on the meeja but I don't see what's too wrong with malone's take on events, though I do think that JD and Peter Sherrard were right not to fan flames by giving meaningless "holding" comments.

---

Well, I guess the most offensive things (for me) were the continued roll out of "a senior FAI source", which began life as a "source within the FAI" with Dan McDonnell; "as all but the most devoted" - which means the vast, vast majority were in favour of getting rid of the manager; "sizeable number of critics" - led by those who fill paper space with lists of players overlooked, despite injury, lack of willingness to play for Ireland and other facts conveniently left out; that the manager was "forced to some extent by those same critics to play the team which lined out in the Faroes" - this was the kicker for me, we're lucky our press corp know better than the manager, and this has leaked into Irish meeja so much; and the insinuation that someone high up inside the organisation set Trap up for a fall when it was another manifestation of hivethinking amongst the hacks.

Maybe I just found it wrong as there is so much wrong with how the Indo approached it. I like Emmett Malone, he's usually quite to the point with his work, though his list of fringe players and this just don't sit right, for me of course.

I think if we draw in Stockholm and beat Sweden in Dublin I think we'll make second.

For instance with these results:

22-Mar-13 Kazakhstan 0 v 4 Germany
22-Mar-13 Austria 2 v 0 Faeroes
22-Mar-13 Sweden 1 v 1 Ireland

26-Mar-13 Germany 5 v 0 Kazakhstan
26-Mar-13 Ireland 2 v 1 Austria

07-Jun-13 Austria 1 v 1 Sweden
07-Jun-13 Ireland 4 v 0 Faeroes

11-Jun-13 Sweden 3 v 0 Faeroes

06-Sep-13 Kazakhstan 2 v 2 Faeroes
06-Sep-13 Germany 3 v 1 Austria
06-Sep-13 Ireland 2 v 0 Sweden

10-Sep-11 Kazakhstan 1 v 2 Sweden
10-Sep-11 Austria 0 v 0 Ireland
10-Sep-11 Faeroes 0 v 4 Germany

11-Oct-13 Germany 3 v 0 Ireland
07-Oct-11 Sweden 2 v 0 Austria
07-Oct-11 Faeroes 0 v 0 Kazakhstan

11-Oct-11 Sweden 1 v 1 Germany
11-Oct-11 Faeroes 1 v 2 Austria
11-Oct-11 Ireland 4 v 0 Kazakhstan

The table would be like this:

Projected Final W D L GF GA +/-
1 Germany 10 8 2 0 35 8 27 26
2 Ireland 10 6 2 2 20 13 7 20
3 Sweden 10 5 4 1 18 11 7 19
4 Austria 10 3 3 3 12 11 1 12
5 Kazakhstan 10 0 3 7 4 25 -21 3
6 Faeroes 10 0 2 8 5 26 -21 2

If anyone wants the score predictor / table PM me and I can send it on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

No, he wouldn't have picked Richard Dunne :)

Today's Indo is saying that it was player power that persuaded the Board to retain Trap, led by by a direct approach to the FAI Robbie Keane and supported by Andrews and O'Dea.

Now, I take some of that with a pinch of salt as the Indo really has it in for Keane but if it's still largely true then there is a big issue here. This simply can not be a united camp. There's no way Long, Gibson, Foley (less relevant) would have endorsed Trap and I have a feeling that Doyle might be in with these too. I like Andrews and he openly admits his debt to Trap and O'Dea seems a decent sort but I wouldn't be taking his advice on who should manage Ireland.

I'm sure Tets will quote James McCarthy' TV interview from Tuesday but a player can't be expected to give anything other than a diplomatic answer on TV. :)

Separately, Vincent Hogan provides a fair appraisal of Trap's reign so far in my opinion. Good writer, far too good for that rag.

I bought the print edition in London this morning. Neither article is online yet.

---

Completely agree with everything you say. James McCarthy strikes me as a good pro despite his youth and is going to come out and support him, especially after the game. Robbie quite rightly as the captain will do the same. Any criticism of Robbie doing this is disgraceful. Then there are guys like Andrews and O'Dea (both very decent lads from what I gather) who are going to have a loyalty to him, because they were getting game time when better players weren't. I would concede that Andrews was terrific at the Euros and prior to Friday, O'Dea had never let us down. However, this does not take away from the fact that Trap does not play and does not know his best 11.

People mention the point in Moscow. What people forget is that the final result would have been worse than Friday were it not for the then fit and brilliant Given and the collosal performance from Dunne that evening. It was part heroics with a massive helping of luck. At the Euros and on Friday, the luck ran out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Straightstory

Ireland qualified for the Euros because they (very luckily) drew Estonia in the play-offs. The qualifying campaign was hardly impressive. That's what I'll remember in years to come: how lucky Trapatoni was to qualify.

---

To be fair, we were in a position to draw Estonia because we were seeded for the draw.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I'm usually with you on the meeja but I don't see what's too wrong with malone's take on events, though I do think that JD and Peter Sherrard were right not to fan flames by giving meaningless "holding" comments.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spudulika

Well, I guess the most offensive things (for me) were the continued roll out of "a senior FAI source", which began life as a "source within the FAI" with Dan McDonnell; "as all but the most devoted" - which means the vast, vast majority were in favour of getting rid of the manager; "sizeable number of critics" - led by those who fill paper space with lists of players overlooked, despite injury, lack of willingness to play for Ireland and other facts conveniently left out; that the manager was "forced to some extent by those same critics to play the team which lined out in the Faroes" - this was the kicker for me, we're lucky our press corp know better than the manager, and this has leaked into Irish meeja so much; and the insinuation that someone high up inside the organisation set Trap up for a fall when it was another manifestation of hivethinking amongst the hacks.

Maybe I just found it wrong as there is so much wrong with how the Indo approached it. I like Emmett Malone, he's usually quite to the point with his work, though his list of fringe players and this just don't sit right, for me of course.

---

And me too! I couldn't believe what I was reading when I saw that bit in bold.
I see Malone has replied to the article online there now with this:

QUOTE: "Just for the record: this piece was written and then edited under a fair bit of time pressure and what I actually wrote (minus the typos) last night was:

"The decision seems to be, on balance, the correct one although Trapattoni will clearly have to contend on an ongoing basis with a sizeable number of critics who would prefer to see the back of him and it will be interesting to see whether, after games in which he has effectively picked precisely the sort of teams that many of those detractors would have wanted him to, his overhaul of the team will continue at its suddenly accelerated rate when some of his more established players are fit and available again"

In the published version this became...

"The decision seems to be, on balance, to be the correct one although Trapattoni will clearly have to contend on an ongoing basis with a sizeable number of critics who would prefer to see the back of him.

Having been forced to some extent by those same critics to play the team which lined out in the Faroes, it will be interesting to see the reaction of the supporters when some of his more established players are fit and available again."

Grammatically, the second version is better, the sentence structure is improved and, as I say, some typos have been removed which is not bad going in the time the sub-editor would have had to work with it. Critically, however, what I was actually saying has been changed. Injuries and retirements shaped the selections, not the critics. " END QUOTE.

So his boss tweaked what he wrote? It still basically goes along the same lines and his original still hints that Trap started picking these players due to public/media pressures. Yeah right! He's stubborn enough to play hard ball with the FAI, so I very much doubt he lets anyone influence his team selections, barring Tardelli and maybe Alan Kelly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

The promotion of Clifford, Brady and Duffy would suggest he does have knowledge of them

---

True enough. However, at the time Clifford was playing very well and was one of the best underage/reserve talents in England. Brady was similar in this sense and Duffy had played a number of premiership/european games for Everton. Both Clifford and Duffy's inclusions almost came across as token gestures i.e train with the squad with little chance of gametime. I am guessing that Trap heard about them from his advisors, because I doubt he ever saw any of them live in a game.

Peter Staunton has written a fairly level-headed piece for Goal.com on why the decision to retain Trap has been the correct one, in his opinion: http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...reland-towards

Quote:

---

Ireland's players have been performing beneath themselves but you wouldn't know because there's a manager to blame. Four defeats in five competitive matches before winning 4-1 against the Faroe Islands. But the players have been shielded. Because it's all Trapattoni's fault. Trapattoni's fault that Darren O'Dea slid in on Miroslav Klose, conceding a penalty. Trapattoni's fault that Shay Given and Damien Duff retired. Trapattoni's fault that Stephen Kelly and Shane Long are sulking because they can't get in the team. Trapattoni's fault that Rasmus Elm equalised against Germany on Tuesday. We're Ireland and we deserve better.

The blighted European Championship campaign brought to a juddering halt the goodwill built up towards the Italian and did indeed bring into glaring focus his limitations as a tactician, his intransigence as a man and his problems communicating as a coach and mentor. But it also instigated a blame culture against him. He, alone, according to the masses, is responsible for the ills of Irish soccer. No matter that the FAI is not interested in its own national league nor development at grassroots level beyond tokenism.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

But Kerr had that group, and he blew it. Switzerland were there to be beaten in 04/05, particularly at home, and the less said about the Israel games the better.

We'd have drawn at least twice in the four games against Armenia and Macedonia with Kerr at the helm.

---

France > Russia
Switzerland > Slovakia
Israel > Armenia
Cyprus < Macedonia
Faroe Islands > Andorra

Best headline of the day goes to The Examiner:

"The cat escapes the sack".

Well done that sub-editor!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I'm sure Tets will quote James McCarthy' TV interview from Tuesday but a player can't be expected to give anything other than a diplomatic answer on TV. :)

---

McCarthy was more emphatic than diplomatic, I would say. His tone wasn't guarded at all. He said:

Quote:

---

Most importantly, we've come away with three points and a good performance. Obviously it is a great win for the boss. He has been brilliant since I've come into the squad and I would definitely like to see him stay on as manager.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Staunton

Because it's all Trapattoni's fault. Trapattoni's fault that Darren O'Dea slid in on Miroslav Klose, conceding a penalty.

---

Well, why does it not surprise me that the man who gave Joe Lapira a cap doesn't see how Trapattoni is to blame for a Toronto FC player marking Miroslav Klose.

Quote:

---

We're Ireland and we deserve better.

---

Yes, we deserve better than 6-1 against Germany and 5-2 against Cyprus.

edit: Ah right, it was Peter Staunton. Not Steve Staunton. I must have read "Pinger Staunton"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

McCarthy was more emphatic than diplomatic, I would say. His tone wasn't guarded at all. He said:

---

It looks emphatic in writing, but watch it again. He's asked if they players "won for the manager". He starts to stutter a bit and comes up with some diplomatic answer. The body language said everything.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I'm sure Tets will quote James McCarthy' TV interview from Tuesday but a player can't be expected to give anything other than a diplomatic answer on TV. :)

---

I have to say, I found Mccarthy's (forgiving) endorsement to be delivered in a totally convincing manner and with sincerity, would have passed lie detector test with flying colours.
But if pressed I'd guess it had more to say about McCarthy's character than Trap's overall management.

We need to get Tim Roth on the case.

In fairness I thought so myself at the time and if pressed I'd also agree with your assessment of James' character.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

I have to say, I found Mccarthy's (forgiving) endorsement to be delivered in a totally convincing manner and with sincerity, would have passed lie detector test with flying colours.
But if pressed I'd guess it had more to say about McCarthy's character than Trap's overall management.

---

I interpreted it similarly.

Can be viewed again here at 13:30 for any fellow cod psychologists interested:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/734/341964/

:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Peter Staunton has written a fairly level-headed piece for Goal.com on why the decision to retain Trap has been the correct one, in his opinion:

---

Level-headed ?

Quote:

---

But the players have been shielded. Because it's all Trapattoni's fault. Trapattoni's fault that Darren O'Dea slid in on Miroslav Klose, conceding a penalty.

---

well if he picked Clark of Aston Villa instead of Darren O'Dea of Tor fcuking Onto - maybe the situation could have been avoided.

Quote:

---

Trapattoni's fault that Stephen Kelly and Shane Long are sulking because they can't get in the team.

---

Sulking ? I'd be sulking too if a championship standard forward playing as winger kept me out of the team. Walters should have been playing on the wing with our best forward available, Long, playing up front.

Quote:

---

We're Ireland and we deserve better.

---

Better than decision making which contributed to our worst home defeat in decades ? Yes actually we do.

Quote:

---

The blighted European Championship campaign brought to a juddering halt the goodwill built up towards the Italian and did indeed bring into glaring focus his limitations as a tactician, his intransigence as a man and his problems communicating as a coach and mentor. But it also instigated a blame culture against him.

---

I wonder why the blame culture was instigated ?

Quote:

---

He, alone, according to the masses, is responsible for the ills of Irish soccer. No matter that the FAI is not interested in its own national league nor development at grassroots level beyond tokenism.

---

No one is blaming him for the ills of Irish soccer, just the ills of this team, for which he is ultimately responsible

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by brine3

France > Russia
Switzerland > Slovakia
Israel > Armenia
Cyprus < Macedonia
Faroe Islands > Andorra

---

A team-by-team breakdown is splitting hairs - both group's were relatively handy. Trap's Ireland were third seeds and came second. Kerr's Ireland were second seeds and came fourth.

He ain't the manager to cite if it comes to aggressively winning matches - he drew more competitive games than a Pictionary World Champion.

Also you must have a short memory if you think the Swiss were any cop back then. They were even seeded below us (unlike Slovakia) and, regardless of seeding, were totally pedestrian. Our performance against them in the must-win final group game was pathetic and Kerr was rightly to blame.

Slovakia made it out of a group containing Italy, Paraguay and New Zealand at the last World Cup and were only edged ot 2-1 by Holland (eventual runners up) in the knockouts in Durban. I would say they were at least as strong as that Swiss team from a few years before. They had/have some good players like Vittek, Hamsik, Skrtel and Kucka. They also beat Russia out in Moscow, early on in the last campaign. That result at the time had us all fearing the worst, but in the end Slovakia imploded in their last few matches.