Portugal v Republic of Ireland - Tuesday, 11th June 2024 - Friendly

You know, I was never really on the Manning hype train, and found some of the desperate calls for his inclusion online a bit OTT at times but it seems strange how successive managers don't really seem to rate him. Russell Martin was very keen to bring him along to Southampton, he's doing ok if unspectacular, not a huge success, but he was still getting decent game time for the best team he's even been at. I think he lacks a bit of Dynamism to play LWB at a really high level but to not even be a squad option is odd, when we probably have a few weaker footballers still in and around the place. I love Robbie Brady for what he's done in the past for Ireland, but I think his body has failed him over the last few years and he just won't ever be the player he was, and while I think McClean always got a bit of a raw deal from fans he also shouldn't be coming back at this stage.

I'd rather pick between Doherty, O' Dowda, Manning and Scales tbh, even if we went to a more conventional back 4. I'm not sure O' Dowda is ever going to work out as a full back either, and I respect his willingness to show up and play wherever he's asked, but he's another one you'd have had high hopes for that it's just not really gone anywhere. I really think between Left Back and CM, until we sort it we're an a hiding to nothing. Hoping that Scales is still finding his feet and will improve, while Doherty is a mystery, career has stagnated so badly, excellent footballer, can play anywhere along the back, he could be great but is he ever fully match fit? He has been such a let down, really desperately need players to sort their club situations out and be playing, which feels like a tale as old as time, but now that we have less stars to drag us along to greater heights I think it's more important than ever.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

There is definitely still a lot of deflection going on. Same as during the Kenny era. Except with people criticizing O'Shea now being labeled as die hard Kenny supporters or something like that. As well as that I've never seen as much of an outpouring in the media in favour of someone getting the job who is so clearly nowhere near good enough. A lot of ex players massively letting themselves down on TV and in print media. And all because of a vacuum from Canham that should have been dealt with months ago. It's just a total mess.

The only possible positive is that O'Shea has been so bad that he has made himself more or less unemployable without turning Canham into an even bigger joke figure than he already is. But if the result of that is that we end up stuck with someone like Anthony Hudson the outcome will be no better.

I do think we need a "back to basics" manager at this point. Plenty of them out there but finances remain the sticking point, in addition to the obvious inability of Canham to do his job.

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I think even die-hard Kenny supporters woke up, eventually. Also, are you accurate in suggesting the media pack are at one with a John O'Shea appointment? Maybe the majority have their own favourites and are avoiding the tacky profiling of O'Shea. Same with former players who you claim are "letting themselves down" - presumably for opinions unaligned with your own. Many current players let themselves down against Portugal.

Everyone agrees it's been an FAI fiasco and should agree we need a back-to-basics manager.

It's not universal in the media, some actual journalists are taking a more nuances view. But I'm not seeing many ex-pros being willing to tell it like it is. It seems O'Shea has been involved in the national setup for so long as a player and later a coach that next to no ex pros that have played for Ireland since 2002 are willing to make a more honest appraisal of the situation. In which case maybe they shouldn't be working as pundits.

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Originally Posted by Straightstory

Ronnie Whelan making the point that the Irish players just couldn't wait to go on their holidays after a long season and weren't really that bothered. Makes one wonder what the point is of playing these end-of-season friendlies at all.
I don't think it matters much whether O'Shea or someone else takes charge. This is the dullest, most uncharismatic, most unexciting bunch of players I've ever seen play for Ireland. (And I saw my first game in 1971). We're going nowhere with this lot.

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And where do you think the FAI will generate money from if they don't play games ?

Are they any worse than the some of the teams you'll see playing at the Euros this summer (I use the term loosely) ? No. With proper management/coaching we can be competitive.

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Portugal have a stunning array of talent.

But, O'Shea handled that selection really poorly again. The 5-2-3 set up allowing our midfield to be overrun made no sense again. He has not ventured away from this shape bar make it a 5-4-1 in certain games but in this game he selected Parrott and Szmodics seemed to be playing higher and wider so the midfield two were completely exposed.

And he has stuck with this formation with barely any wing back options bar two lads into their 30s, one of whom doesn't really play there for his club as they don't play that way and the other whose international career had looked to be petering out.

The lack of wing back options has been incredibly clear since O'Shea took over.

Based on his 4 games, we will struggle to achieve anything under O'Shea. It has me all praying for Chris Hughton or anyone with the ability to set a team up to a) play to their strengths and b) be hard to beat.

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People thought getting rid of Kenny asap would set us on course for the booze cruise in Boston in a couple of years time.

Reality check. The team is not competitive at international level. We don't have strengths anymore. We don't have tactics, or discipline, or organisation, or strategy. The players are not up to it, no manager wants the job as there is no money in it, nothing to entice him to do it, and a referendum is held on his future after every single game, competitive or not, win or lose. Hence why we've ended up with a caretaker with no experience, let alone achievement in management. And even then, that was a struggle.

Currently you have to be one of the top 13 teams in Europe to get to a WC. There is no chance of any manager taking this team to a WC. We always laugh at the Andorras and the Liechtensteins and the San Marinos of the game, but we could end up sharing seedings with them soon.

Could have been 5-0 down at halftime,Kelleher IMOTM tells you everything,midfield completely overrun and numbers should have been bolstered fairly soon after the start when he (JOS) saw what was happening.

Coleman and Brady played like they were wearing lead boots.

Thought O'Brien did alright considering the opposition,Sammi and Idah hardly got a sniff,we were lucky to get 0.

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Originally Posted by mypost

People thought getting rid of Kenny asap would set us on course for the booze cruise in Boston in a couple of years time.

Reality check. The team is not competitive at international level. We don't have strengths anymore. We don't have tactics, or discipline, or organisation, or strategy. The players are not up to it, no manager wants the job as there is no money in it, nothing to entice him to do it, and a referendum is held on his future after every single game, competitive or not, win or lose. Hence why we've ended up with a caretaker with no experience, let alone achievement in management. And even then, that was a struggle.

Currently you have to be one of the top 13 teams in Europe to get to a WC. There is no chance of any manager taking this team to a WC. We always laugh at the Andorras and the Liechtensteins and the San Marinos of the game, but we could end up sharing seedings with them soon.

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The money thing is a red herring. I looked it up last night. There are 9 managers at the Euros on the same or less, than what the FAI are willing to pay, if the rumours of around €750k a year are true.

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Originally Posted by weldoninhio

The money thing is a red herring. I looked it up last night. There are 9 managers at the Euros on the same or less, than what the FAI are willing to pay, if the rumours of around €750k a year are true.

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But ~ You'd want to on at least twice that for having to put up with the FAI.

Is there a reason we couldn’t wear our own home jersey against Portugal?
I mean it’s hardly a clash.
When we played against them in 2002 qualifying, both teams wore their home jerseys

Isn't green and red the most common form of colour blindness?

I think it's generally avoided these days

Was also the new away jersey that was worn against Portugal. If it wasn't worn against Portugal not sure when we could have worn it this year. England wear white and Finland is mostly white I'm guessing so likely have to wear green away at those games. Not sure if we wore the white kits in Greece.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Isn't green and red the most common form of colour blindness?

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Yeah. Something like 10% of men and 2% of women have that.

Our white kits are fairly crap it must be said. Totally bland without any real design, other than a bit of green on the collar. It's bad when Castore are making our New Balance kits look good

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Our white kits are fairly crap it must be said. Totally bland without any real design, other than a bit of green on the collar. It's bad when Castore are making our New Balance kits look good

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Most of my favorite kits over the years have been our white ones

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Most of my favorite kits over the years have been our white ones

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Is this one of them?

WC 2002 and Euro 2016 white kits were class

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Is this one of them?

WC 2002 and Euro 2016 white kits were class

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No but I don't think this one is bad.

the 2016 white kit should have been kept in perpetuity. Wonderful.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

the 2016 white kit should have been kept in perpetuity. Wonderful.

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Yes. A true classic

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

the 2016 white kit should have been kept in perpetuity. Wonderful.

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I actually put mine on the other day and swiftly had to take it off again... the belly has grown too much and it upset me!

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I actually put mine on the other day and swiftly had to take it off again... the belly has grown too much and it upset me!

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Don't worry, Razor, there's a solution for that:

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