Well yeah, but thats my point - HH didn't have with wit to call off the long throws, even after Festy failed to reach the targets on at least 2 back to back attempts. Festy was even waving at the team to get closer by about the 2nd or 3rd throw. It wasn't just one throw that he happened to pick up because he was closest to it.Originally Posted by backstothewall
Nice memory all the same. Might go watch that one again too now.
22 leagues and 26 cups and....well....none of you will ever catch up if we're being honest.
And you might have had a point. There was a change at halftime which may have helped him improve in the second (Scales was also criticised but the change helped him) and Azaz has credit in the bank from Bulgaria in particular, and from some good club performances (fewer this season).
I just don't see Festy has that. I'm not buying into the chaos theory unless he actually does something tangible
Yeah the shift in role for azaz helped a lot but he still wasn't great outside the moments he was! đ
Four days on from Sunday and we are debating Festy. đ
Who would you rather have as a bench option stu? That's what Festy is after all. As opposed to Azaz now. Can't think of anyone similar to Festy if we need a bit of pace and power.
Oh I don't dispute that it was missed and that HH should have changed the approach. All I'm saying is that if his biggest mistake is one we've also seen made by World Cup winning coach Joachim LĂśw, it's probably not that big a deal. Especially if we won the game and it didn't cost us in any way.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
I fupping hate any specialised set-piece undertaken poorly - it shows a lack of prep, a lack of skill and makes a team look underwhelming.
However, there's one factor that we all are aware of with long throws, the chaos it introduces, but also, even if the function itself isn't great, it pins the defending team back into the crowded area and ensures that if the ball remains live, that there's no real escape for a secondary or tertiary play - which is ultimately what led to our winner.
I think it's a fair position to take.
If I question Liam Scales ability to play intl football, refer me to this signature & his peformance at home at lb vs Port on Nov 13 2025.
Signed
Kingdom.
At least he had the moments where he wasn't great though
Who would I rather have as a bench option? Johnston is the obvious choice, but he's not been great the last couple of games. Sykes maybe. I just don't rate Festy at all - and I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean there's better out there at the moment. If it's pace and power we want, Usain Bolt would have made it as a footballer, and he didn't. I want a bit of end product.
Ah but isn't it great to see the bit of buzz about the place again!
And by and large it's very cordial debate even when views differ, which is great
Yeah it is good to have the place buzzing.At least he had the moments where he wasn't great though
Who would I rather have as a bench option? Johnston is the obvious choice, but he's not been great the last couple of games. Sykes maybe. I just don't rate Festy at all - and I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean there's better out there at the moment. If it's pace and power we want, Usain Bolt would have made it as a footballer, and he didn't. I want a bit of end product.
Ah but isn't it great to see the bit of buzz about the place again!
And by and large it's very cordial debate even when views differ, which is great
Johnston was also on the bench so you can have him and Festy. I'm not going to die on the Festy hill here btw. He was brutal against Portugal. Always liked him for the 21s though and think there is more to come from him in a way that I probably don't believe for the likes of Johnston or Sykes.
Sykes was called up but missed out through injury. Jamie McGrath was called up to replace him.At least he had the moments where he wasn't great though
Who would I rather have as a bench option? Johnston is the obvious choice, but he's not been great the last couple of games. Sykes maybe. I just don't rate Festy at all - and I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean there's better out there at the moment. If it's pace and power we want, Usain Bolt would have made it as a footballer, and he didn't. I want a bit of end product.
the weird thing was for at least two of the failed long throws, the hungarian player defended it really poorly and basically did the job you'd want an irish player to do, where their header flicked it on into the box
You wouldn't blame Heimir if he was having a little chuckle at Stephen Bradley's expense.this evening, that has been quite the self-inflicted humiliation by Bradley up in Iceland this week.
Bradley making himself look like a clown with his latest comments
Why on earth would it be a bad idea to have a LOI camp? I really don't understand Bradley at all..he's like the Eamonn Dunphy of Irish managers...
Its a good idea but not in January in the middle of pre season preparations.
It'll be the only time that Rovers and Shels players will have an opportunity to rest before starting back into a new season. Bradley was annoyed that nobody mentioned it to Rovers or Shels or any other manager first and just told the media instead.
I'm with Bradley on this one.
They'd be going on camp to have a look, play small sided games, do some tactical work and training 11v11, they're not off on an ultratriathlon bootcamp! If associations asked clubs for permission to take their players for international camps or games every one would refuse!
Clubs only have to release players for international windows, so they are within their rights to refuse a random training camp in January
Leaving aside his nonsensical argument against the training camp proposal, the fact that he dealt with his unhappiness about Heimir talking about it to the media by running straight to the media himself was the icing on the cake for me.
And then to top it off his team were beaten up in, of all places, Iceland.
Last edited by Eirambler; 12/12/2025 at 8:55 PM.
What's up with this 'humiliation' in Iceland nonsense, that's the 3rd time in a row that Breidablik have deservedly beaten SR. Well perhaps the manner of the wind assisted 3rd goal was rubbing it in
From the little of what I heard about this mooted training camp it does sound flaky and with very questionable benefit to all involved, LOI clubs/players/ senior squad. For years now the Iceland FA have arranged for a senior squad to participate in 2 game friendly tournaments in distant warmer parts (Turkey, USA, SE Asia etc) in early to mid january. Usually the squad has about a 50/50 blend of the best local league players and a selection of what's available from out of season Nordic leagues. The local players not only get a bit of cash, get a chance to be noticed and can get capped at senior level. I don't know about the attitude of those involved clubs but would an out of season club prevent an aspiring player from attending?
Last edited by geysir; 13/12/2025 at 5:30 PM.
Would you refue a player to join a camp when out of season. At the very least the players will have ambition and want to go and impress. How is it that we want LoI to get recognition and then dismiss it when its mooted. Now not all camps are equal, maybe not having LoI called up to a full camp can be dismissed as token but we do have to start somewhere. As a player, if I was capped in a full interational but as a LoI only development squad Id take it and Im sure most would. We may even get a few lads that cut it in way we set up even if its strength in depth. We know for years that we wouldnt be able to rely on British clubs developing our players, we know that LoI will have to have an ongoing and growing role in player development and pathways. We want to retrieve players cut loose from top club academies as kids and keep them in the game. Ths sort of thing helps where players can see options that are not 5th or 6th tier England.
Itsnot new, we had LoI X1 sides train and play the Ireland side under Charlton, league sides have toured, Olympics and B caps. Regardless a few days away from the drudgery of preseason wont do any harm. Bradley is entitled to his opinion but when he was playing I doubt he would have turned down the chance of being involved in such a camp - pure curiosity, different perspectives and analysis, s+c and analytics insights, seeing the rate at which physical and psychological performance needs to be, taking on board instruction etc. It might bore them...
Rovers and Shelbourne will play their last game of this season on December 18th, seven weeks later the new season begins. I'd be telling the FAI to shove their Ireland B team training camp
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