We really don't. We're at an all-time low the last couple of years. Relegation candidates (all bottom six, within three points of the drop at best) are Ogbene, Omobamidele, Coleman, Egan, Collins, Cullen, O'Shea, Ebosele and O'Brien (plus Obafemi who has gotten ahead of the game and already dropped a division). Promotion candidates (top four, within three points of automatic promotion at worst) are Bazunu, Manning, Smallbone and Taylor. So we're looking at smaller again next year (transfers pending of course, and we may get something out of the play-offs too). McAteer hasn't switched yet so far as I can see, and I wouldn't count him.
RLP said the best case was eight points, which you called staggeringly pessimistic. All you've done is changed the best case from a draw in Finland to a win (and our away record isn't exactly stellar) - that's hardly enough of a difference for the former to be staggeringly pessimistic. RLP is not known for his pessimism remember - he reckoned we should be looking at going unbeaten in the last Nations League.
Foot.ie is full of people likening Adam Idah to Didier Drogba, reckoning we have a few 45-goal international forwards in the squad, and arguing that any mistake by an Irish player must be the fault of someone else.
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