Read it and weep....Trap stays!

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

I think a lot of us need to accept the relative success of the Irish team is also based on cyclical factors.

As in there are certain eras when our pool of players are less good than others. This is one of those times...

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so given these "cycles" meant that we didnt qualify for anything for approximately 60ish years and then only intermittently for 20ish years, are we to expect another barren 60ish year cycle of less good players and zero qualification?

Sorry, im being a bit silly above but in all seriousness, i dont buy the argument that we dont have the players. I would argue that we probably havent had so many "premiership" players available since the heady days of 88/90 which is remarkable given the influx of other nationalities into english football since then. What i will definitely concede is that we dont have as many world class players as we have had in the past and that certainly hinders us. What is not certain is whether that is cyclical - i dont think it is. I think that prudent stewardship of the domestic game (all levels) would lead to more control over our ability to deliver a crop of world class players on a continuous basis.

I would question the premise that we've ever had that many world class players. We've had periods where we've had 6-8 really really good players, but maybe one world class player per generation.

Trap's selections for tonight: 1) Messi 2) Ronaldo 3) Xavi
Robbies: 1) Messi 2)Ronaldo 3) Iniesta

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/ball...-bycountry.pdf

Nothing very interesting just surprising Trap is such an admirer of the Xavi type of central midfielder.

Breaking news: past-it conservative catholic has-been with archaic views and a habit of antagonising people unnecessarily is to step down in February.

Maybe Trap can replace him?

:rolleyes:

Il Papa v Il Trapa

E Dulce!

Ex-Benedict...





'Stolen from the web'.

Mark 15.

1 And immediately in the morning the FAI Board held a consultation with the whole council, and bound Trap, and carried him away, and delivered him to Delaney.

2 And Delaney asked him, "Are you the Manager of the Irish?" And he answering said unto him, "You'a say'a it'a".

3 And the the fans accused him of many things: but he answered nothing (that was comprehensible).

4 And Delaney asked him again, saying, "Answer you nothing? behold how many things they witness against you".

5 But Trap yet answered nothing(that was understood); so that Delaney marveled.

6 Now at that feast he released unto them one player, whomsoever they desired.

7 And there was one named Green, who lay bound with him that had made common cause with him, who had dared defend him and answer his call when made.

8 And the fans crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had always done unto them.

9 But Delaney answered them, saying, "Will you that I release unto you the Manager of the Irish?"

10 For he knew that the Council had delivered him out of envy.

11 But the Council members and the fans stirred up the people, that he should rather release Green unto them.

12 And Delaney answered and said again unto them, "What will you then that I shall do unto him whom you call the Manager of the Irish?"

13 And they cried out again, "Crucify him!!".

14 Then Delaney said unto them, "Why, what evil has he done? He has 14 away competitive games unbeaten" And they cried out the more exceedingly, "Crucify him. He has not selected Harte, Kelly, Hoolahan, and many other world class performers. Crucify him!"

15 And so Delaney, willing to satisfy the fans, released Green unto them, and delivered Trap, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Even in your attempt at humour(pretty good to be fair) you still put your point across with subtlety.

"And they cried out the more exceedingly, "Crucify him. He has not selected Harte, Kelly, Hoolahan, and many other world class performers. Crucify him!" "

Brilliant Owlsfan!

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Originally Posted by SkStu

Brilliant Owlsfan!

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timely as well, considering the day

Ya, i just got my ashes, and was thinking similiar, actually i was thinking Sacrilege! So I refuse to thank him in the post.

An possible addendum to nr 15

"Vewy well, I shall... Welease... Gween"

Hava anyone else sign up to da Englese lessons witha Trap yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=-FBmE4Co1Gw

I never saw that post from Owlsfan.......absolutely superb! :D

Just came across this feature about Rudi Gutendorf, an 86-year-old manager who is renowned for having managed the highest number of international teams (18), on the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21636939

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Rudi Gutendorf has witnessed bribery, betrayal by his own players and the horrors of genocide during his coaching career, so it may surprise some that he still wants to add to his colourful CV.

Instead of enjoying the fruits of retirement after an incredible managerial career, which has seen him coach 18 national teams and six different clubs in the German top flight, the 86-year-old is desperate for another job.

...

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Could Trap have another 13 years in him?...

Chippy up to a bit of mischief:

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The Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni’s former assistant and staunch ally Liam Brady acknowledges if this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Austria go badly the Italian and the rest of his management team will expect to be shown the door by the FAI.

“I think he would see that as being the case,” said the Dubliner, who was home yesterday to promote this weekend’s coverage on ESPN of the FA Cup. “If we don’t do points wise what we have to do to keep us in the group, he wouldn’t feel it’s unexpected if it (the sack) were to come.

“But,” he added, “you guys write so much about the FAI not being able to afford to pay him off, I don’t know if that’s the case. Pay him off is probably the wrong term, finish his contract early.”

The FAI would have to terminate his contract, he believes, with the 73-year-old highly unlikely to resign. “I don’t think it’s in his make-up to quit,” he says. “I think he’ll have to be forced to step down, if he is going to step down.”

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http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...330790908.html

I was thinking a couple of weeks ago, what is the likelyhood of brady managing Ireland after Trap goes/pushed, his stepping down from arsenal leaves him open to the option of managing Ireland. I even thought for a while it might have been part of the bigger picture.

"Et tu, Brady?"

The Ides of March is (or should that be "are"?) approaching.

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002...rch_xlarge.png

... And the subsequent fortnight or so.

Anyway, Trap is to attend the League of Ireland opening night game between St. Pat's and Drogheda this weekend: http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...ricity-league#

Has he his eye on someone, or is it a mere token gesture, seeing as he'll be in Dublin anyway to announce the squad for the Sweden and Austria games?

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

The Ides of March is (or should that be "are"?) approaching.

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It's "is approaching" the ides of march is the 15th: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_ides_of_march
Interesting that it was commemorated with parades, centuries later, Irish people likewise commemorate the 17th of March with parades. But I digress.

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Anyway, Trap is to attend the League of Ireland opening night game between St. Pat's and Drogheda this weekend: http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...ricity-league#

Has he his eye on someone, or is it a mere token gesture, seeing as he'll be in Dublin anyway to announce the squad for the Sweden and Austria games?

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probably a little from column A, little from column B.

'Brady: I’ve no interest in becoming Ireland manager': http://www.thescore.ie/liam-brady-ir...19083-Mar2013/

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IRISH FOOTBALL LEGEND Liam Brady revealed yesterday that he has no interest in returning to senior management — not even if he was offered the Republic of Ireland job.

Instead Brady, who is set to leave his job as head of Arsenal’s youth academy next year, insisted that his old friend Giovanni Trapattoni can still surprise fans by leading Ireland to the 2014 World Cup finals.

...

Earlier this year Arsenal confirmed that he will step down as their academy director in May 2014, leaving the position which he first took up in 1996.

Brady explained that he is leaving because he would like a change of direction, and is adamant that he has no designs on a return to management.

“It was getting to a stage where I was managing a lot of people and I wasn’t doing the things that I enjoyed doing about the job: watching matches, talking to kids, talking to their parents.

“There’s been no falling out. I’m just leaving because I want a change of direction really.

“When you tell somebody that you really want to change, I think they realise that they better get somebody else in.

“I’m not doing this so that I can go back and have another crack at management. I had my go at management and that was enough for me, so I don’t want to get involved. I don’t want to get involved with the Irish team.”

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

It's "is approaching" the ides of march is the 15th: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_ides_of_march
Interesting that it was commemorated with parades, centuries later, Irish people likewise commemorate the 17th of March with parades. But I digress.

probably a little from column A, little from column B.

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Yet another excuse for me to drink a Caesar! YUSS!

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Originally Posted by Wiki

Celebration
In Canada, the day is celebrated with the drinking of Bloody Caesars.

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15 unbeaten away games in qualifying and counting...

That blasted 4-4-2 away from home!! Outmoded system.

Numbers-wise it's good.

But as a spectacle, at a good number of those games, awful.
And can only see things getting worse, including a shockingly poor home record.

Our home record is abysmal and to be frank I want to actualy see us beating someone of note. That was there on Friday for us. I'm tired of plucky draws. It's morale-sapping.

Home record is poor for us in Rugby as well, the Aviva has been a nightmare for us on both fronts.

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Our home record is abysmal and to be frank I want to actualy see us beating someone of note. That was there on Friday for us. I'm tired of plucky draws. It's morale-sapping.

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Personally think what's really morale sapping is getting utterly humiliated by every decent side in the last year. That's why I was fairly satisfied with Friday, particularly the performance.

A fair point, but will only count for anything if we can get say 6 points from the remaining 3 games v.Austria/Sweden, which I doubt, given two are at home!
:(

AB, I would be more worried if you were optimistic. :D

Ha. No chance.