Where to from now....

[the bear]

What kind of expert do you need to be to know that a fish out of water is just that?

And you fall into the trap of comparing Spain to Ireland. Just compare the Irish players to the standard they should be judged by. And for reference use your own job as a yardstick. You are expected to do certain basic things by your boss. Right? And if you don't you're out the door.

Many of the Irish players can't do the basic things.

your assuming mypost doesnt work in a bank?

[Closed Account 2]

But the effort hasn't been there at all in the last two games, it seems it's no longer a given. No one closed down Modric at all on Sunday, again last night hardly any pressure on Xavi, Silva, Iniesta etc (often even in our own penalty area). In both games (with maybe the exception of the last 5 mins in Poznan) no players have really made runs into space, no players have presented themselves as an option for the man in posession. The players have shrunk it seems all is not well in the camp the belief and confidence has gone and they seem to have given up the fight.

I'm not saying we'd have have won or maybe even draw either game with more effort, but I dont think we'd have been outclassed in such a way. Ignore the fact we were playing Spain last night, any top 20 European team would have scored those goals, it wasn't a question of being outclassed as it was basic errors, sloppyness that caused our undoing in both games. Normally we go to tournaments and put out a team that plays to a level above the sum of it's parts, but so far we've been well below the sum of our parts (which arent even that great).

[ifk101]

Get rid of St Ledger from the team. Green should never be included in a squad again. No point picking Cox if the gameplan is kick the ball long and high.

Don't see Trapattoni changing his tactics (not even for the WC qualifiers) but if I got to pick the team for Italy, I go as follows;

Given
Kelly, O'Shea, Dunne, Ward;
Whelan
McGeady, Andrews, Gibson, Duff;
Long.

[the bear]

Get rid of St Ledger from the team. Green should never be included in a squad again. No point picking Cox if the gameplan is kick the ball long and high.

Don't see Trapattoni changing his tactics (not even for the WC qualifiers) but if I got to pick the team for Italy, I go as follows;

Given
Kelly, O'Shea, Dunne, Ward;
Whelan
McGeady, Andrews, Gibson, Duff;
Long.

I'd drop oshea before st.ledger. What would the doc say if he read that. There must be no wifi in the team hotel.

[nigel-harps1954]

Roy Keane for manager. At least he'll take no sh**e and will get rid of the dead wood from the team.

[barney]

Roy Keane for manager. At least he'll take no sh**e and will get rid of the dead wood from the team.

I'd rather Roy Walker. Keane isn't the answer and there is nothing in his track record to suggest that he is - quite the contrary. There is no point just "not taking any sh!t" if you do it the wrong way and everything I've seen says Keane does it the wrong way.

I'd stick with Trap but if we were to look elsewhere then I'd be looking at McCarthy, Hughton or (and it's probably pie in the sky) Harry Redknapp.

[nigel-harps1954]

I'd rather Roy Walker. Keane isn't the answer and there is nothing in his track record to suggest that he is - quite the contrary. There is no point just "not taking any sh!t" if you do it the wrong way and everything I've seen says Keane does it the wrong way.

I'd stick with Trap but if we were to look elsewhere then I'd be looking at McCarthy, Hughton or (and it's probably pie in the sky) Harry Redknapp.

I'd stay well away from someone who has no interest in at very least looking at our own national league and Harry Redknapp is most certainly not the answer to our problems. I'd have Roy Keane 50 times over before Harry Redknapp.

[barney]

I'd stay well away from someone who has no interest in at very least looking at our own national league and Harry Redknapp is most certainly not the answer to our problems. I'd have Roy Keane 50 times over before Harry Redknapp.

The national team manager's job is to get results - not develop the league. That's for the FAI to do. There is nobody I've seen in the LOI that is better than we have in Poland at the minute. Redknapp is a liar and a chancer but he's a good manager that plays great football. We won't get him anyway - he'd probably cost too much.

[Closed Account 2]

I don't think we'd get him from Reading, maybe in two years we might, but Brian McDermott has said, in no uncertain terms, he'd love to manage Ireland.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd rather Roy Walker. Keane isn't the answer and there is nothing in his track record to suggest that he is - quite the contrary. There is no point just "not taking any sh!t" if you do it the wrong way and everything I've seen says Keane does it the wrong way.

I'd stick with Trap but if we were to look elsewhere then I'd be looking at McCarthy, Hughton or (and it's probably pie in the sky) Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp would cost far too much - he's got offers on the table from Dubai that he'd be mad to turn down for a hodge-podge of technically-deficient Irishmen.

[seanfhear]

Long term we have to look at what a country like Croatia does at grass root level and youth level. The teams that Croatia have produced (since independence) are a credit to such a small nation. What ever they are doing is producing great results.

[tetsujin1979]

Roy Keane for manager. At least he'll take no sh**e and will get rid of the dead wood from the team.

the last dead wood from a team that Keane got rid of was Jordan Rhodes

[nigel-harps1954]

the last dead wood from a team that Keane got rid of was Jordan Rhodes

Household name alright. I have absolutely no idea who that is.

[CraftyToePoke]

Household name alright. I have absolutely no idea who that is.

71 goals in 122 apps since he left Ipswich and his choice of moves at present, full Scottish honours also. Probably good enough for Roy Keanes Ipswich Town.

[Colbert Report]

I'd stay well away from someone who has no interest in at very least looking at our own national league and Harry Redknapp is most certainly not the answer to our problems. I'd have Roy Keane 50 times over before Harry Redknapp.

I just don't understand. When's the last time a LOI player started a competitive match for Ireland, thirty years ago now? I'm not talking about someone who spent a couple of years with a LOI team before making it in the professional leagues over in Britain, I'm talking someone who was actually playing for a LOI team when they started a match that meant something for Ireland.

[Stuttgart88]

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 still think there's some dead wood in there.

You forgot Alex Pearce (as I always do).

I think evolution is needed now certainly, however I would rather not have a baby/bathwater scenario, 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.

Unless the FAI change Trap's brief from qualification to "endeavour to qualify whilst regenerating the squad to be in a position to start Euro 2016 qualification in good shape" I'd be inclined to start anew. I'm not sure Trap could meet the latter brief anyway. Our game is out of date and is only good for those tricky away games in Myunclestan and places like that.

I think Shay, Duff, Ward, McShane, Whelan (sorry Glenn, but the truth is harsh sometimes) O'Dea, Fahey, Green for different reasons can probably be disgarded. I think maybe time for Robbie to bow out too, at least as a starter. I'd hope Dunne can hang around for leadership and defensive resolve and I'd keep O'Shea but not as right back. I'd keep Andrews and Kelly around too.

A new team / squad can be built around Westwood, Henderson, St. Ledger, Pearce, Coleman, Cunningham, Wilson, Clark, Gibson, McClean, Meyler, Hoolahan, Doyle, Long, Walters, McCarthy and some others and with a ballsy manager - right now I'm going all nostalgic for Mick.

Above all we really need a few U21s to break into EPL first teams. Mason, Hendrick, Brady, Duffy, Cunningham, Henderson - I'm talking about you!

[cestlavie]

10 years ago we should have beat Spain in the World Cup (without possibly or best player).

10 years on we have gone backwards & Spain have went to different level.

Sure we can blame Staunton partially, but Trap and the FAI development systems/Emerging talent programs are shambolic.

We have better players and some of the people on here have mentioned their names.

If Trap and FAI dont change, I would have serious concerns about the future of Irish Football.

[Stuttgart88]

the FAI development systems/Emerging talent programs are shambolic.

I'm not saying you're wrong but can you (or anyone) substantiate that?

[CraftyToePoke]

Unless the FAI change Trap's brief from qualification to "endeavour to qualify whilst regenerating the squad to be in a position to start Euro 2016 qualification in good shape" I'd be inclined to start anew. I'm not sure Trap could meet the latter brief anyway.

Agree with you on those who should go to pasture, Fahey apart. I would like to think Shay, Damien and Robbie would stay to help the squad if asked, I don't know Robbie would take that flight to fill that role, you never know.

I think it has to start Monday if Trap is going to be that man, I would like to see Westwood, Gibson and Long start and McClean get a solid outing, get 90 mins experience against a top side who are playing for something, invaluable over the course of their Irish careers, and not being so wide eyed if a future qualification begins to tailspin, and players with improvement still in them.

Will he do it?

[Maroon 7]

It would be nice to get some pace in the side. Leaving aside the obvious technical deficiencies we have also looked the slowest side at the tournament. Phasing in the likes of Long and McClean might add some badly needed zip to the team.