Next Senior Men's Team Manager - Runners and Riders

**backstothewall** · 16/10/2023, 11:58 PM

It seems to me that it's time to take a look at the papabile, and maybe get a poll going. Stephen Kenny might not be gone, but there's surely no way back from here.

Sam Allardyce - Ka-Ching!

Steve Bruce - Currently second favorite with the bookies, which can only be because they think Bruce and the FAI might be as desperate as each other.

Lee Carsley (40 Ireland caps) - Highly successful with England u21 and highly regarded as a coach. Might prefer to stay where he is or make a move to a full time club role. After working with the FA and being based in St George's Park, he might struggle to adapt to the cardboard and sticky tape approach of the FAI.

Damian Duff (100 Ireland caps) - Very little relevent experience. Would surely get a fair crack of the whip from fans but has potential to be Steve Staunton v2.0.

Chris Hughton (53 Ireland caps) - Currently managing Ghana. May be available in January after African Cup of Nations.

Roy Keane (67 Ireland caps) - It's Roy Keane.

Neil Lennon - Currently bookies favorite. I think I'd rather give Stephen Kenny one more campaign.

Kieron McKenna - Doing well with Ipswich but would probably be the candidate most likely to be looking to stay in full time league football. On current trajectory could well be managing in the Premier League in the next few years.

Gus Poyet - Has seemingly thrown his hat into the ring, but to me it seems more likely he's trying to stiff the Greek FA for a new contract with improved terms. An interesting option none the less.

Steven Reid (23 Ireland caps) - Previously acted as assistant to Steve Clarke with Scotland. Currently on coaching staff with Forest. Similar profile to Carsley, but working for Scotland rather than England would likely mean a move the the FAI would be less of a culture shock.

Non-runners: Jim Goodwin, didn't work out with Aberdeen; Rafa Benitez, the FAI can't afford him.

Anyone else anyone would suggest as a potential candidate?

**Razors left peg** · 17/10/2023, 12:04 AM

Carsley the only one on that list Id like to give it too realistically (McKenna wont leave club football just yet).

Brian Barry Murphy could be interesting. Currently in the role at Man City that Carsley once occupied. Not a fantastic record at Rochdale... but not many would have there!

Before this weekend no one would have thought about Gus Poyet, so I think there should be a wide net cast to see whats available out there. Postecouglou was unheard of before Celtic, as was Di Zerbi before Brighton.

Edit: In response to ruling out Jim Goodwin in above post.... was a favorite of mine before things went badly at Aberdeen, but a lot of managers have 1 or 2 clubs where it didnt work out for some reason. He has at least responded well and has Dundee UTD top of Scottish Championship. Not great level obviously, but Id rather him than most on the above list

**joey B** · 17/10/2023, 12:16 AM

I’ve seen people fire Vladimir Petkovic’s name around over the last couple of days and I’d not be against that profile of manager,vast international experience at a good level and presumably great knowledge of football on the continent,we tend to suggest a lot of UK and Irish options where they tend to operate in similar circles and maybe casting the net further a field again might be the way to go…..

**Razors left peg** · 17/10/2023, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by joey B

I’ve seen people fire Vladimir Petkovic’s name around over the last couple of days and I’d not be against that profile of manager,vast international experience at a good level and presumably great knowledge of football on the continent,we tend to suggest a lot of UK and Irish options where they tend to operate in similar circles and maybe casting the net further a field again might be the way to go…..

Andre Villas-Boas could be worth looking at. Chelsea probably came too soon for him, but he did ok at Spurs, Zenit and more recently Marseille. Hes available too

**Demesne Lad** · 17/10/2023, 12:48 AM

van Nistelrooy? Glasner?

**seanfhear** · 17/10/2023, 1:30 AM

Steve Clarke ~ But we would have to engineer some terrible falling out between Steve Clarke and the Scottish FA !

**elatedscum** · 17/10/2023, 1:33 AM

There’s certainly an argument for the FAI to take their time. Bar the Dutch game, the next competitive game is gonna be 11 months from now. A lot of good managers will become available in that time. Just using Poyet as an example, he’s not gonna be available until after the March playoffs - or after the euros in June if they qualify for it.

There’ll equally be a lot of club managers who are currently under contract but 11 months is such a long time in management that the pool of options available will continue to change. So unless there’s someone you really want like Lee Carsley or whoever, you might be better to hold out. To me, beyond him, there’s no outstanding candidate right now.

Obviously, on the other hand, there’s an advantage to getting someone in sooner, so they can have two camps with the players before World Cup qualification. But if there’s a bad appointment, it’s another 2-4 years down the drain

**ontheotherhand** · 17/10/2023, 2:14 AM

I think we need to keep giving it to LoI managers until one works (I don't really).

But if I did think that (I don't), here's my list in order:

1. Duff and O'Brien - I'm not sure who is having the bigger impact there....Joey will be a manager someday and they are very well organized defensively. But the combo is doing great work despite all the noise. Duff would be the only reasonably acceptable appointment from the league and it would be great to see him running up and down the wings again....as he does....every week in the technical area.

2. Kevin Doherty - Drogs would be way higher up the table if Evan Ferguson was up top.....Could he be temped away from Drogs soon-to-be full time set up though?

3. Bradley - not sure he could make international mgmt work but it would **** a load of people off so that'd be fun.

4. Ollie Horgan - I'd love to see what international refs would make of him.

5. Jon Daly - Has Pat's top of the form table but people keep telling me they are playing ****e. It'd be nice to play ****e and win for a change.

Realistically we will get what we can afford. So who's looking good in the LSL these days?

**samhaydenjr** · 17/10/2023, 2:36 AM

Pundit at Sky Sports Italia claiming that The Special One will be available at the end of the season: https://football-italia.net/mourinho...of-the-season/

**Razors left peg** · 17/10/2023, 3:38 AM

I'm half serious, half joking here....

Thierry Henry. Has been an assistant in Belgium, currently France u21 manager. The headlines write themselves

**ontheotherhand** · 17/10/2023, 5:22 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I'm half serious, half joking here....

Thierry Henry. Has been an assistant in Belgium, currently France u21 manager. The headlines write themselves

There's joking and then there's this. How dare you.

**Olé Olé** · 17/10/2023, 6:00 AM

Roy Keane would probably guarantee securing a sponsor and a sell out of season tickets...

**Razors left peg** · 17/10/2023, 6:16 AM

/

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

There's joking and then there's this. How dare you.

I'm sure he'd be willing to lend a hand....

**Dermobohs** · 17/10/2023, 6:16 AM

Mark kennedy?

**seanfhear** · 17/10/2023, 7:23 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I'm half serious, half joking here....

Thierry Henry. Has been an assistant in Belgium, currently France u21 manager. The headlines write themselves

Please present yourself for a mental health evaluation ( tis a joke )

**backstothewall** · 17/10/2023, 8:11 AM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

There’s certainly an argument for the FAI to take their time. Bar the Dutch game, the next competitive game is gonna be 11 months from now. A lot of good managers will become available in that time. Just using Poyet as an example, he’s not gonna be available until after the March playoffs - or after the euros in June if they qualify for it.

We could always appoint John O'Shea as a caretaker and see how he gets on.

For me the next manager could do with that 11 months of friendlies etc would be helpful for the next to get to grips with the job etc.

The fact that there is a bit of time and space there is a good arguement for throwing the net a bit wider and considering a more exoric choice. They will have time to familiarise themselves with the players before the real work begins.

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Edit: In response to ruling out Jim Goodwin in above post.... was a favorite of mine before things went badly at Aberdeen, but a lot of managers have 1 or 2 clubs where it didnt work out for some reason. He has at least responded well and has Dundee UTD top of Scottish Championship. Not great level obviously, but Id rather him than most on the above list

Given how things have gone with Kenny I think there would be a uprising among elements of the support and media if we appointed a manager from the Scottish second tier (or the League of Ireland for that matter).

**ifk101** · 17/10/2023, 8:49 AM

Gary Dicker? He knows the players and how we play, and he's been to Greece (for the exotic element).

**dynamo kerry** · 17/10/2023, 9:24 AM

Carsley, Reid and kennedy are all interesting as coaches. I don't know if they have the "managerial" nous too. Carsley probably has a huge team of people.
There's risk everywhere. Keane is a manager and while I like the idea, a really good coach would be needed who was happy to play second fiddle. It could be now or never because these guys are the generation that were 3 or 4 when keane retired.

Lennon, no thanks. Hughton, if he has a particular vision.

Duff would be interesting.

The good news is Duffy and Doherty are the only old dudes left so whoever comes in has to pick youth. In some ways Kennys legacy is all the debuts he handed out.. I prefer to focus on those positives.

**Jolly Red Giant** · 17/10/2023, 9:50 AM

Carsley is interesting - but dynamo could be right with him having a team of people around him

Reid in underrated in my opinion

Kennedy always struck me as not being the most intelligent of people - I think lower leagues is his limit.

The Poyet stuff is nonsense.

I wouldn't fancy Lennon - I think he is a bit too one dimensional - and Bruce is similar

We are not getting McKenna - he is a rising star in England - and I would touch Keane with a barge-pole (he wouldn't have the patience to work with the kids).

Vladimir Petkovic would be an interesting possibility - a lot of experience, including a decent spell as Swiss manager.

The obvious choice would by Hughton - who, from my sources, has indicated that he has learned a lot about international football in comparison to club management over the past couple of years. Steven Reid (or Brian Barry Murphy) as his assistant would be a good option.

But I could see the FAI going for someone like Duff - who has done nothing to warrant consideration. It would be PR appointment - and probably end in disaster. If we were staying local I would much prefer to have Jim Crawford.