Stephen Kenny

**elatedscum** · 09/03/2023, 10:11 PM

Ah it was all over in 8 minutes. Between the first goal, the second goal and the red card. Something like between the 55th and 63rd minute - from then on playing 11 v 10 - we didn’t have a chance

**pineapple stu** · 10/03/2023, 8:45 AM

It was - but even then the goal had been coming since half-time. And the red card was just them carving us open again; Duffy's choice was either take the hit or it was 3-1.

**Eirambler** · 10/03/2023, 12:50 PM

In fairness we were always going to have to concede a lot of possession in that game once we went ahead so early. If anything we might have scored too early. But again, we were leading for almost an hour and only lost by a goal to the hosts and eventual finalists, it was a creditable effort.

**pineapple stu** · 10/03/2023, 1:01 PM

It was certainly creditable, and I'd settle for same again this time out.

I do think scoring early gave us something to hold on to though. Without that, and if France score say 20 minutes in then it's potentially a horribly different kettle of fish.

But I do think once France took stock at half-time and changed things around tactically - which is all part and parcel of the game - we have to acknowledge we weren't competitive. No shame at all in that when we were playing the ultimate runners-up (and the upcoming World Champions) in their own back yard. But true nonetheless I think.

Anyways, I'm happy to leave it at that if others are!

**mypost** · 13/03/2023, 8:32 PM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

According to Great Greta Thunberg and the like there is no point making 10 /15 / 20 year plans ! !

Lee Carsley to Greta Thunberg. If that's the shortlist for Kenny's job these days, I would be quite happy if he keeps it for another 20 years.

Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA

Clearly I was referring to your spin, I don't think you're involved with the Irish squad.

McCarthy's record was played 10, won 5, drew 4 and lost 1. And that included playing against two of the top teams in Europe home and away. And as you say, his reign wasn't even great. So that shows just how bad Kenny's reign has been. Played 30, Won 8, drawn 11 and lost 11.

Just to show the stark difference between the record of the two, had McCarthy kept the same rate up, after 30 games it would have been won 15, drawn 12, lost 3.

So yes, I think McCarthy would have taken us to the Euros or if any reasonable manager had taken over. Not only that but we would have made a much better crack at qualifying for the World Cup and we wouldn't even be in a group with France and Holland.

Holland and France are two of the best teams in the world. Denmark and Switzerland have 1 international trophy between them. That's a considerable difference in the challenge in front of us.

McCarthy had one job to do, get us into the Euros. And telling me he came close to qualifying isn't good enough to stay on, he didn't win any of his last 4 competitive games with his hoofball tactics, so he didn't get the job done. He wouldn't have beaten Portugal for a WC spot. Serbia did, but they're a better side than we are, and they benefitted from an outrageous injustice in their favour against Portugal at home, the kind of incident that will never happen again, thank god.

Aside from introducing a tonne of new players, overhauling the style of play, linking it all the way from grass roots to the senior side, retaining our League B status and winning the most points in it ever, he has got 19 results for us from 30 played, and won 3 of the last 6. That is not record breaking nor is it disasterous, it reflects where we stand and the direction we're trying to go in.

**BOOMSHAKALAKA** · 13/03/2023, 9:18 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Lee Carsley to Greta Thunberg. If that's the shortlist for Kenny's job these days, I would be quite happy if he keeps it for another 20 years.

Holland and France are two of the best teams in the world. Denmark and Switzerland have 1 international trophy between them. That's a considerable difference in the challenge in front of us.

McCarthy had one job to do, get us into the Euros. And telling me he came close to qualifying isn't good enough to stay on, he didn't win any of his last 4 competitive games with his hoofball tactics, so he didn't get the job done. He wouldn't have beaten Portugal for a WC spot. Serbia did, but they're a better side than we are, and they benefitted from an outrageous injustice in their favour against Portugal at home, the kind of incident that will never happen again, thank god.

Aside from introducing a tonne of new players, overhauling the style of play, linking it all the way from grass roots to the senior side, retaining our League B status and winning the most points in it ever, he has got 19 results for us from 30 played, and won 3 of the last 6. That is not record breaking nor is it disasterous, it reflects where we stand and the direction we're trying to go in.

We have got drawn with Holland and France in part due to Kenny's miserable record. Denmark went on to the Euro semi finals, Switzerland the quarter finals after knocking out France. So McCarthy's record was decent in the face of that challenge. We deserved to qualify ahead of Denmark. We've gone from that to barely coming ahead of Luxembourg and Azerbaijan, I don't know why you're talking about Serbia and Portugal because we weren't competing with them and Kenny didn't think we could.

He tried to overhaul the style of play but he couldn't do it effectively so he had to get the Chelsea coach in to do it for him. He recently went back begging him to rejoin the set up. He has only come ahead of Bulgaria and Armenia in the nation's league, we've only ever been in 3 of them. And you're back using Malta as part of your spin. Your defence of Kenny is quite humorous but easily ripped apart.

**youngirish** · 13/03/2023, 9:33 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Lee Carsley to Greta Thunberg. If that's the shortlist for Kenny's job these days, I would be quite happy if he keeps it for another 20 years.

Holland and France are two of the best teams in the world. Denmark and Switzerland have 1 international trophy between them. That's a considerable difference in the challenge in front of us.

McCarthy had one job to do, get us into the Euros. And telling me he came close to qualifying isn't good enough to stay on, he didn't win any of his last 4 competitive games with his hoofball tactics, so he didn't get the job done. He wouldn't have beaten Portugal for a WC spot. Serbia did, but they're a better side than we are, and they benefitted from an outrageous injustice in their favour against Portugal at home, the kind of incident that will never happen again, thank god.

Aside from introducing a tonne of new players, overhauling the style of play, linking it all the way from grass roots to the senior side, retaining our League B status and winning the most points in it ever, he has got 19 results for us from 30 played, and won 3 of the last 6. That is not record breaking nor is it disasterous, it reflects where we stand and the direction we're trying to go in.

Alistair Campbell would have trouble putting a better spin on Kenny's reign than you. I would argue that you are being very selective (some would say almost disingenuous) in many of your points. He has 8 wins in 30 games almost all against extremely poor quality opposition the likes of which we would have been expected to soundly beat in years gone by. In the same period he has lost games to Finland, Luxembourg and Norway at home, overseen our worst performance in a world cup qualification group since 1986 and has the poorest win record of any Ireland manager in the modern era, far lower than even the disaster that was Stan.

Just for clarification what exactly in your mind would qualify as a disaster?

**Eirambler** · 14/03/2023, 7:32 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Just for clarification what exactly in your mind would qualify as a disaster?

Stephen Kenny losing his job.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/03/2023, 9:30 AM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

Ah it was all over in 8 minutes. Between the first goal, the second goal and the red card. Something like between the 55th and 63rd minute - from then on playing 11 v 10 - we didn’t have a chance

James McClean wasted a superb opportunity to pick a square ball for a [Shane Long?] tap-in but he pulled it back to the pen spot instead. There was quite a bit of debate about it at the time but one camera angle showed just how easy a pass it was and just how poor it was that McClean didn't see it.

**paul_oshea** · 14/03/2023, 10:13 AM

No for our Waterford man murphy.

Interestingly the independent goes with the idea that we were on top for an hour.

"When Murphy brought a save from Lloris at full stretch in the midst of the first half, the Irish contingent sang: “We’re going to beat the French.” It was not to be. The Irish fans will always have the memory of that hour’s inconceivable supremacy against the French. It may just take them a while to appreciate the fact."

And then to elatedscums point:
"And then a series of circumstances collided. The heat of the afternoon sun. Ireland’s mere three days’ preparation time, against France’s full week. The technical superiority of the opposition. That side’s depth of tactical options. It was a perfect storm that Ireland could not contend with, allowing France to restore parity and finish their challengers off in the space of nine brutal minutes. By the end, Ireland were listing desperately and, you had to imagine, ready for it all to come to an end."

**tetsujin1979** · 14/03/2023, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

James McClean wasted a superb opportunity to pick a square ball for a [Shane Long?] tap-in but he pulled it back to the pen spot instead. There was quite a bit of debate about it at the time but one camera angle showed just how easy a pass it was and just how poor it was that McClean didn't see it.

Was that the chance that Daryl Murphy had? He slid in for a low cross from McClean, but it went beyond him

**DCWA** · 14/03/2023, 10:47 AM

McClean shot didn’t he as opposed to looking for Murphy who would have been hard to miss had James lifted his head iirc.

**Exgrad** · 14/03/2023, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

James McClean wasted a superb opportunity to pick a square ball for a [Shane Long?] tap-in but he pulled it back to the pen spot instead. There was quite a bit of debate about it at the time but one camera angle showed just how easy a pass it was and just how poor it was that McClean didn't see it.

Yeah remember that one, i think McClean had a shot rather than pulling it back though? Either way it should have been a simple pass and tap in for Long. Think that was at 2-1 to France.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/03/2023, 10:51 AM

Murphy, that's it. Thanks.

**Exgrad** · 14/03/2023, 10:56 AM

had to go and have a look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhJC4tOsRWs

at 7.20. McClean tries to pull it back to penalty spot for Long, Murphy was on for the tap in if he squared it.

**DCWA** · 14/03/2023, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Exgrad

had to go and have a look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhJC4tOsRWs

at 7.20. McClean tries to pull it back to penalty spot for Long, Murphy was on for the tap in if he squared it.

Funny how the memory plays up I could have sworn the chance was to make it 0-2 and actually I thought it was a lot worse from McClean than it actually is. Still not great mind you.

Wrong all round!

**Fixer82** · 14/03/2023, 11:14 AM

On 5 mins we had a good chance where McClean crossed into danger area and Murphy almost got a toe to it.
France's second goal was Duffy's fault. Got drawn towards the ball and caught in no-man's land, leaving Griezmann totally open to score.
They had been all over us for about 15-20 mins at that stage

**paul_oshea** · 14/03/2023, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

No for our Waterford man murphy.

Interestingly the independent goes with the idea that we were on top for an hour.

"When Murphy brought a save from Lloris at full stretch in the midst of the first half, the Irish contingent sang: “We’re going to beat the French.” It was not to be. The Irish fans will always have the memory of that hour’s inconceivable supremacy against the French. It may just take them a while to appreciate the fact."

And then to elatedscums point:
"And then a series of circumstances collided. The heat of the afternoon sun. Ireland’s mere three days’ preparation time, against France’s full week. The technical superiority of the opposition. That side’s depth of tactical options. It was a perfect storm that Ireland could not contend with, allowing France to restore parity and finish their challengers off in the space of nine brutal minutes. By the end, Ireland were listing desperately and, you had to imagine, ready for it all to come to an end."

6 or 7 unnecessary posts where I'd already said it was Murphy.

**Fixer82** · 14/03/2023, 4:03 PM

Sean McLoughlin won Hull a city POTM. Does he even have his own thread on here?

**Kingdom** · 14/03/2023, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

Sean McLoughlin won Hull a city POTM. Does he even have his own thread on here?

It shows how decent our strength in depth at CB is that someone who has by all accounts had a very good season for Hull including a POTM award, isn't even in the conversation for squad consideration. When you think of it in those terms, and looking at Darragh Lenihan who has constantly been good at that level, I do wonder when I hear Duffy being discussed as a possible option to start, when in reality he's lucky to be in the conversation for a squad place.