Slovakia v Republic of Ireland - 8th October 2020 - Euro 2020 Playoff Semi Final

**nigel-harps1954** · 17/03/2020, 2:01 PM

FAI stating that it's expected the playoff will take place the first week of June with domestic winter leagues to finish up by the end of June.

**elatedscum** · 18/03/2020, 3:09 AM

If it takes place in early June, Mick takes the qualifiers. If we go out, the question answers itself. If we qualify, we figure it out then

**geysir** · 18/03/2020, 11:34 AM

Early June does look optimistic, at least UEFA intend to schedule the play offs to happen before the Nations League commences.

**DeLorean** · 20/03/2020, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

If it takes place in early June, Mick takes the qualifiers. If we go out, the question answers itself. If we qualify, we figure it out then

In terms of a public announcement this makes sense, but Mick/Kenny will surely get some clarification before then. It's a tricky one but the financial and contractual situations Geysir outlined should sway things in Kenny's favour. You'd have to feel for Mick a little though in that scenario, if he does manage to qualify us.

**Fixer82** · 20/03/2020, 11:48 AM

I’d imagine Mick would play ball in a contract negotiation if it were to arise that he’s needed further than June

**DeLorean** · 20/03/2020, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

I’d imagine Mick would play ball in a contract negotiation if it were to arise that he’s needed further than June

That's true. And if it was only the NL Kenny would technically miss out on, it might seem like the more logical decision to keep Mick on (it would also mean Kenny could see out the full campaign with the U21's). The problem I think is that World Cup qualification begins in March 2021, and Kenny should really be in place for that. The easiest solution would be to lose to Slovakia.

**Eminence Grise** · 20/03/2020, 3:13 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

I’d imagine Mick would play ball

That'd be a skill he learned after retiring, I suppose - no finer exponent of the art of transporting ball and striker to Row Z!!

**Fixer82** · 20/03/2020, 7:51 PM

Originally Posted by Eminence Grise

That'd be a skill he learned after retiring, I suppose - no finer exponent of the art of transporting ball and striker to Row Z!!

Ha ha true

**geysir** · 21/03/2020, 11:32 AM

Norway manager Lars Lagerback, with 7 successful qualification campaigns in total under his belt, annual salary of Eur 165,000, has recently agreed to a 20% pay cut, as have all 4 Norway A level national coaches.
While Lars was with Sweden (only 5 successful qual campaigns) his salary was never more than Eur116,000 p/a.

**seanfhear** · 21/03/2020, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

Norway manager Lars Lagerback, with 7 successful qualification campaigns in total under his belt, annual salary of Eur 165,000, has recently agreed to a 20% pay cut, as have all 4 Norway A level national coaches.
While Lars was with Sweden (only 5 successful qual campaigns) his salary was never more than Eur116,000 p/a.

John Delaney would soon have sorted that out ! ! !

**geysir** · 23/03/2020, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

John Delaney would soon have sorted that out ! ! !

Delaney's strategy in negotiations amounted to - whatever you deserve to get paid, we will multiply it by a factor of 10.

**osarusan** · 24/03/2020, 7:16 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Norway manager Lars Lagerback, with 7 successful qualification campaigns in total under his belt, annual salary of Eur 165,000, has recently agreed to a 20% pay cut, as have all 4 Norway A level national coaches.
While Lars was with Sweden (only 5 successful qual campaigns) his salary was never more than Eur116,000 p/a.

We really have been paying waaaaay over the odds for years.

**tetsujin1979** · 01/04/2020, 2:30 PM

Game postponed "until further notice" - https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/news...d=2641230.html

• All national team matches for men and women due to be played in June 2020 are postponed until further notice. This includes the play-off matches for UEFA EURO 2020 and qualifying matches for UEFA Women’s EURO 2021.

**Eirambler** · 01/04/2020, 8:57 PM

Kenny was due to start in June if we didn't qualify and straight after the Euros if we did, so by the time we play our next game Mick's time in charge was due to be over in any case.

Time for the call to be made now I think, Mick unfortunately failed to qualify us and while he was unfortunate with the coronavirus affecting the playoffs the correct decision now is to bring in Kenny for the next set of games and move on from Mick.

**Insidetherock** · 02/04/2020, 7:05 AM

This is a no brainer really.. if the Nations League are going ahead in September/November, Stephen Kenny has to now be given the job.

Why? Because it will stop things getting even messier down the line, regarding qualification for WC 22, and also for staying in Tier 2 of the Nations League (which is a lot more important than many people think I'd say)

If the play offs and NL are in September, it would cause all kinds of confusion for example to allow Mick potentially win the play off, and then allow Stephen take 6 games in the Nations League

What if Mick won the play off? Would he use the 6 NL games as warm ups to prepare for Euro 21?

Or would Stephen take the 6 games to prepare teams for WC22 and possibly Euro 24

Would Stephen start playing a big chunk of his u21s and younger seniors, while Mick is trying to get Glenn Whelan fit for the Euros?

I'm a big Mick fan.. was happy to see him back, even if some of the performances are hard to watch.

But clean break needed now

**geysir** · 02/04/2020, 10:18 AM

Dan McDonnell is confidently reporting

'He (Stephen Kenny) is keen to take charge then, but Mick McCarthy wants to stay on for the remainder of what was the Euro 2020 campaign.
Leading figures within the FAI believe it would be a risk for Kenny to start his tenure with a crunch encounter in Bratislava and feel McCarthy should get the opportunity once a contractual arrangement can be worked out.
But that is by no means a unanimous view and the absence of clarity over when the games will be slotted into the calendar has muddied the waters.'

The exit clause sweetner for McCarthy also muddies the waters.

Ah sure he's a great gentleman, let's throw another million at him.

**jbyrne** · 02/04/2020, 12:39 PM

would like to see kenny finish out this u21 campaign in full for the longer term benefit of the senior team.
To be fair to mick he should be given the opportunity to finish off the job he was employed to do, ie. the Euro 2020 campaign and hopefully finals tournament.

i don't want kennys first game in charge to be an away play off in Slovakia. very far from ideal

**IsMiseSean** · 03/04/2020, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by jbyrne

To be fair to mick he should be given the opportunity to finish off the job he was employed to do, ie. the Euro 2020 campaign and hopefully finals tournament.
l

Can the FAI afford to keep him on until the Euro campaign comes to an end?

**Fixer82** · 03/04/2020, 12:49 PM

For all the Kennyites out there who are mad for Kenny to start asap, the truth is Mick's campaign is still underway. He's brought this group of players together, picked them, motivated them, picked the formation, organised them to his liking.

It would be mad for a different manager to come in and take over for the play-offs. I'm sure some of the players might not be too happy either.
I'd imagine Mick would be happy to see out the Euros regardless of whether his contract is up or not. He'd like to see the job through. If we qualify, he'll want to continue his work with this group of players and then hand it over after the Euros.

Hopefully our Euros campaign will still be underway next summer.

**geysir** · 03/04/2020, 4:01 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

For all the Kennyites out there who are mad for Kenny to start asap, the truth is Mick's campaign is still underway. He's brought this group of players together, picked them, motivated them, picked the formation, organised them to his liking.

It would be mad for a different manager to come in and take over for the play-offs. I'm sure some of the players might not be too happy either.
I'd imagine Mick would be happy to see out the Euros regardless of whether his contract is up or not. He'd like to see the job through. If we qualify, he'll want to continue his work with this group of players and then hand it over after the Euros.

Hopefully our Euros campaign will still be underway next summer.

We are now all about pleasing Mick and seeing to his every needs. Whatever Mick wants, or what we think he wants, or whatever he thinks he's entitled to, we shall throw millions at it to make it happen. For Mick, all for Mick!!
Meanwhile a conspiracy of silence in the Irish media about the excessive financial terms of Mick's contract.
The media are also ignoring the terms of Kenny's contract and allude that he'd be a bounder and a cad to actually expect the written oaths in his contract to be honoured.
Stephen Kenny November 2018
"In August 2020 I'm taking over and that's been decided. It's in writing," Kenny told a news conference on Monday.

"If Mick gets Ireland to the Euros and performs well, I'll be delighted."
Kenny, 47, insists that McCarthy and the governing body are in full agreement that he will take over in 2020.
"It's already been decided, the decisions have already been made.

Mick McCarthy November 2018
McCarthy said 'it makes perfect sense and he has no problem with Kenny being guaranteed to take over in two years no matter what happens between now and then'

Just the mere matter of the the FAI bankruptcy/bailout and the indefinite postponement of all football competition (no income).