Like I said in a blog post, you really can underestimate the effect of Coleman's injury on the result of that game, the players themselves and the rest of the qualifiers. Would we have needed the play offs with him in our side? It's impossible to tell, but you can't deny we are a better side with him in the team.
Worth noting that Wales also lost their talisman and captain, and ultimately failed to get out of the group. We did the same and got to the play offs
I see that Michael O'Neill has turned down the Scottish job and will stay with northern Ireland.
I would guess that there aren't too many NI fans worrying about how he got his head turned and his commitment to the job now.
Last edited by osarusan; 23/01/2018 at 9:40 AM.
Interesting point!Originally Posted by osarusan
Questions about our O'Neill's commitment to the job isn't the major issue by a long shot, it's what he has to commit to the task at hand going into a 3rd campaign is blatantly at odds with what is needed.
By and large I'd agree with that, although it isn't as blatant to me as it seems to be to you.
But I think the commitment issue is being used as a stick to beat him with to a certain extent by commentators whose real issue is his suitability for the job in general.
Last edited by osarusan; 24/01/2018 at 10:16 AM.
Would it be possible to have a Poll on this thread asking "Are you happy that Martin O'Neill is staying on as manager of Ireland ?" The results would be interesting. I would predict 55%/45% in favour.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Once again, I'm not necessarily looking for entertaining football. Just some kind of tactical plan that takes multiple contingencies into account. O'Neill's Ireland seems to lurch from one fixture for the next hoping for the best. The players go out on to the pitch with passion and belief, but where's the plan? What was the plan against Denmark? Get the 0-0 in Copenhagen. You'd think we were playing for an away point in a league, not a two legged playoff. We had no plan whatsoever for Denmark getting an away goal in Dublin, so we resorted to taking off our midfield and throwing on as many strikers as possible. We were pummelled. It was Football Manager desperation stuff, except without the ability to quit without saving and reload. I've seen well organised, disciplined teams come back from behind against superior opposition. Tony Pulis' teams, for example. But O'Neill had no plan for coming back against Denmark. He says there was nothing else we could have done. That he thinks that way is in itself an indictment of his management.
The Dutch would call O'Neill's approach toevalsvoetbal ('coincidence football').
If he was under contract until 2020 then keeping him on might have made sense from a financial point of view. But his contract expired in November. We chose to reward his lack of foresight and tactical organisation. The FAI are mad. We had nothing to lose by appointing a new manager.
I'd broadly agree with that, but I think it's worth noting the possibility that the FAI have had feelers out for a new manager, but there's no-one available who's better and within budget
except that our fans are never happy with the manager no matter who it is.
grass is always greener.... as they say
He's on 1 million a year. Our assistant manager is on 500k.
Iceland's manager is on 400k.
Capable and affordable international managers are out there, but the FAI's search for a manager involves calling up Ray Houghton who logs on to Paddy Power and checks out the odds list.
How have they been getting on in the last two campaigns ? The Irish would call their approach "geenkwalificatievoetbal".
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
That's correct, they didn't qualify.
What exactly is your point?
I'd have changed the manager but sin é. I hope he is massively successfully in the next campaign. Now that the contract has been signed I'm prepared to get behind him.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
Isn't he on 2 million
Im a big fam of Mon, but i have to say if TOD slapped him across the face, i wouldnt complain
Another disgraceful interview from O’Neill with Tony O’Donoghue again today.Choking in outrage at being asked basic questions.He could do with getting over himself.Ego before country again for Marty.
Can you imagine if Eamon Dunphy interviewed Martin O'Neill, and he wasn't allowed walk out. .. that would be TV
I really thought that was disgusting, not least because Tony works for the national broadcaster and the interview would be broadcast to the Irish public, yet MON still manages to say Tony had enough of his time and he was going to move on.
How Martin was able to recall Tony saying "hard luck" and spin something out of that in this interview months later is a bit worrying too. How many times must he have tossed those words around in his own head to come out that passively aggressive towards TOD?
most of our media love to continually chisel away at our national manager and then one bites back and its all shock and horror. it works both ways and some of TODs interviews over the last few years have been agenda driven and tabloid like.... surely our national broadcaster should be above this kind of George hook type punditry and interviewing style?
the two of them do need to move on though and kevin kilbanes suggestion on OTB last night that FAI and RTE hierarchy should sort a truce is spot on
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