Allardyce, Sam
Bilic, Slaven
Bruce, Steve
Carsley, Lee
Clement, Paul
Coleman, Chris
Cook, Paul
Goran-Eriksson, Sven
Grayson, Simon
Hughton, Chris
Keane, Robbie
Keane, Roy
Kenny, Stephen
Kerr, Brian
Lennon, Neil
McCarthy, Mick
Moyes, David
Queiroz, Carlos
Redknapp, Harry
Wenger, Arsene
https://amp.independent.ie/sport/soc...mpression=true
Indo hedging their bets too.
I like Mick too, but I'll never forget the night in Chicago when I tried to interview him for a newspaper I was working for at the time. Mick couldn't really be bothered talking to me (and to be honest I don't blame him as I have seen some horribly dishonest journalists in my time). I managed to ask him one question which was 'how was he planning to counteract the Mexicans (we were playing Mexico the following day) who were likely to pass us to death'. In a curt reply, Mick assured me in no uncertain terms that Mexico would never pass his Irish team to death. And guess what happened for 70 minutes of the contest the following evening? Ireland got two goals at the end through Jason McAteer and Richie Dunne to escape with an undeserved draw (Dean Kiely played a blinder).
We have enjoyed some good times under Mick, but I believe the time for a completely different approach to the Irish game is now.
Mick would come in and immediately immerse himself in a results orientated situation. He would say he has a remit to get Ireland through to the next major tournament.
But I believe we are way worse off than that. A reckoning has arrived for Irish football and we need to pay the piper. We need to build a system that will sustain young Irish talent and provide better options for them - Stephen Kenny is the way forward for Irish football with either Duffer or Robbie Keane as his assistant.
Agree with a lot of this. But why Duff / Keane?
I think we are at a crossroads and equally I think qualifying for 2020 is crucial. I also think Mick is committed enough to understand that its about the future too. I'm torn. I see merit in either candidate. I fear that if Kenny were to fail (whatever that means) it'd undermine the case for solving the problem from within and set back the "sinn fein" cause by a decade.
I think in Kenny's own words, he doesn't see himself as a contender for the top job.
"I don't have PR strategy, I don't have a dream team. I think, ultimately I'm a football coach and I have great respect for all the players at Dundalk and for everyone connected to the club."
I see it differently Stutts. This is a watershed moment. Since as far as I can remember back to the very early 70's, we have played a long ball game. There have been good individuals along the way and good groups of individuals (under Jack Charlton and for a time under Mick) but the brand of football we play has never evolved. All of that has to change and if it doesn't change now it never will. I had hoped (even said it in a post about last summer's World Cup) that as England emerge from the dark ages they were stuck in (route one football) we would follow suit. It hasn't happened.
Mick would come in and, understandably, try to qualify us for the 2020 Euros. But the modicum of success we might gain there would, as always, overshadow the real problem which is plaguing Irish football, and that is a lack of fundamentals being taught to our young kids. What current coach in Ireland has the skills to teach to a youngster to turn him into the next Luca Modric for example? I am hearing very good things about the new underage set up in Ireland but is the enthusiasm for a system which is really good and will produce the next Modric, or is it for a system which is only better than what went before it? Stephen Kenny knows the problems in the domestic game. He seems to be able to get the best out of very meager resources. He offers hope for the game at home and Duff or Keane have played at a higher level than most of the Irish squad, so they would have the credibility Kenny might not have. Ultimately the game at home needs a shot in the arm to help the international team. If we had a viable league like that of say Denmark or Sweden, then that would offer so much more to the Irish manager. But for the domestic league to become viable, it will take a change of attitude by the stay away fans in Ireland.
I see it differently Stutts. This is a watershed moment. Since as far as I can remember back to the very early 70's, we have played a long ball game. There have been good individuals along the way and good groups of individuals (under Jack Charlton and for a time under Mick) but the brand of football we play has never evolved. All of that has to change and if it doesn't change now it never will. I had hoped (even said it in a post about last summer's World Cup) that as England emerge from the dark ages they were stuck in (route one football) we would follow suit. It hasn't happened.
Mick would come in and, understandably, try to qualify us for the 2020 Euros. But the modicum of success we might gain there would, as always, overshadow the real problem which is plaguing Irish football, and that is a lack of fundamentals being taught to our young kids. What current coach in Ireland has the skills to teach to a youngster to turn him into the next Luca Modric for example? I am hearing very good things about the new underage set up in Ireland but is the enthusiasm for a system which is really good and will produce the next Modric, or is it for a system which is only better than what went before it? Stephen Kenny knows the problems in the domestic game. He seems to be able to get the best out of very meager resources. He offers hope for the game at home and Duff or Keane have played at a higher level than most of the Irish squad, so they would have the credibility Kenny might not have. Ultimately the game at home needs a shot in the arm to help the international team. If we had a viable league like that of say Denmark or Sweden, then that would offer so much more to the Irish manager. But for the domestic league to become viable, it will take a change of attitude by the stay away fans in Ireland.
Here is the post from last July wondering if we could follow England's example:
GOOD LUCK TO ENGLAND IN THE WORLD CUP - THEY DESERVE IT.
Probably not going to get too many 'likes' for this post, but it's time to start giving credit where it is due. Finally English football is coming out of the dark ages to play the game the way it is supposed to be played.
Gone, it appears, is the long ball game which has dogged their international team for almost half a century, replaced by a more measured passing and technical version.
The question which now must be asked is will we benefit from this rebirth of the English game? Will our lads take heart from seeing their club mates play the game properly, and get results for their efforts?
Seeing is believing as they say. And, I guess, the $64K question, will Martin O'Neill be the man to usher in a new style of football soccer similar to the way England are currently playing?
Is our future bright, or will it just be more of the same old ####
Do people think for a second that Kenny would want the U21 job? I can't see the appeal in that at all unless came with a contracted guarantee that he stepped in to the Senior role (and pretty quickly at that).
Perhaps - Mick + Asst until the end of Euro 2020 to meet this assumed short term demand for a "safe pair of hands" and Kenny in the U21 role with a clause that he takes the Senior role at the end of Euro 2020?
You would wonder how any perspective asst would view that right enough, no promotion prospect.
Former Spain Manager Javier Clemente puts his name in the hat -
https://www.balls.ie/football/javier-clemente-401397
If Mick is the solution then we don't need a new manager, we need a new board.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...07568?mode=amp
Strong statement from Kenny.
IMO if the FAI sit down with Kenny and Mick over the next few days and are genuinely conducting interviews (I.e aren’t just doing it to be seen to be doing it before appointing Mick) then Stephen Kenny is the next Ireland manager.
Good on him.
I suspect any "Mick is set to agree terms" leaks to the press are for the FAI to gauge public reaction.
I'm actually quite pro-Mick but over the last 18 hours I think I have swung towards Kenny.
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