Originally Posted by Calcio Jack
utter nonsense.
Tonight went about as well as it could: our goal difference isn't hurt too much, and Greece got spanked. I wish we could scrap with France, but we can't.
You can't spell failure without FAI
Yeah I don’t get the McClean hate at all on this one was a significant improvement on our left flank and put in at least 3 good balls (at least two of which lead to headers on target, Ogbene and Duffy).
For all that having a 4th tier in England player called up is embarrassing and hard to take (although I feel James might be the first but won’t be the last)there isn’t too much to fault him on from last night.
Ogbene's continued development in an Irish jersey, with 2 MoM performances against France, is the only major plus from these games. He could have passed earlier a couple of times, but he was still the danger man.
Bazunu looked jittery. Hopefully a blip, but I get the sense that his confidence has been dented by his experience at Southampton.
Stevens was out of it. Debutant didn't shine. Knight industrious. Collins good. Duffy's return a good thing. The rest a bit meh, neither good nor awful.
Defnitely, absolutely, categorically, Kenny's last chance saloon on Sunday. (And even if we win, I think he's done his best and had long enough.)
Why would Kenny be fired if we lose against the Dutch?
I'd expect the same again - another defensive performance where superior opposition eventually get a goal and we don't have the quality to get back into it.
A loss to the Dutch (unless it's 7-0 or something) wouldn't be even close to our worst result under him.
The mildly viral social media images of an Irish fan taunting French fans with an Argentina Messi shirt is some sad stuff.
That's generally my sentiment too. I think the goalposts for this campaign were decisively moved in the minds of too many people in charge after the draw was made. Third is the real aim now, even if the usual types in the media are already talking about the team potentially beating the Dutch. As long as Kenny is in a position to get third he'll be safe. Which I don't agree with at all of course, but this is how the FAI seems to want to play it.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
The way we still talk about that home victory over the Dutch when McAteer scored shows how rare these moments are for Irish teams.. and much better, more experienced teams than out current one at that. So I tend to agree.
But nothing about Kenny's tenure is rational any more.
So, I'm thinking a loss to the Dutch, despite that being predictable at any stage in Irish soccer history will be the final nail for Kenny. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part coz it's really time for someone else to come in and I'd like the new manager to get a few games to experiment with in a group that we're already out of.
That part I'd agree with. Let a new manager have a few games to experiment with, but after the two games against France.
I don't see Kenny leaving before the end of the campaign though.
Btw on a side note
If you are looking for a big screen venue we watched the game in " the Camden"
It's not a classy joint, but does exactly what it says on the tin
If Israel beat Romania tomorrow, as I understand it we have a real chance of a playoff and we obviously need a new guy to have some time before those playoffs
Nations League doesn't start until next September though. We won't be in the Euros playoff in March (or it's increasingly likely anyway as other results aren't working out) and we won't be at the Euros in the summer of course.
So looks like March window - two friendlies. June window - probably two friendlies against sides warming up for the Euros. That all ties in with Kenny quietly moving on after the New Zealand game in November.
I still maintain McCarthy should have been allowed see out his campaign. It's been all over the place since Kenny took over
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Yeah, even though more time for a new manager is better, there's enough time for a new manager to experiment without cutting Kenny's time short.
Yep
If Israel lose tomorrow its curtains
All the talk after the Greece game was that he had a break clause in his contract that meant we could get rid once qualification was gone. I really hope this is the case.
I wonder sometimes what we expect. The squad despite their best efforts are weak. Compare them to the team that beat Holland years ago. The idea that a change of manager will somehow bring about a transformation is delusional. We are not great and will not be for the next while.
The real change has to come at home and (again a subject battered to death) a realistic academy program put in place by the FAI (LOI clubs cannot afford it) in order to maximise the talent in the country. This has been done by English clubs in the past.
This is a project that has to be addressd if we are to progress.
Agree about the change of manager not being a magic fix. That said it is long past time Kenny should have departed. And then what? Do we keep fighting with our fingernails as a nation or do we study how other successful small nations do it and emulate?
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