So where do we go from here?

**Plastic Paddy** · 12/10/2005, 8:58 PM

My second epic question of the last five minutes. Views?

PP

**Closed Account 2** · 12/10/2005, 9:00 PM

Time to merge with the IFA ???

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Waits for the hail of abuse that's sure to follow.

**dancinpants** · 12/10/2005, 9:04 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Time to merge with the IFA ???

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Waits for the hail of abuse that's sure to follow.

You mightn't be far wrong in fairness...time for a whole new approach. The Irish set-up has just gone pure stale, there's absolutely no imagination there whatsoever.

**hoopy** · 12/10/2005, 9:04 PM

The only bright spark on the evening is the thought that we'll never see the Corkman in an Ireland jersey again

**Jon'o** · 12/10/2005, 9:05 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Time to merge with the IFA ???

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Waits for the hail of abuse that's sure to follow.

i fail to see any benifit, unless you can tell me something im missing?

**FarBeag** · 12/10/2005, 9:06 PM

Steven Ireland is a Cork man isnt he.

**�anna** · 12/10/2005, 9:07 PM

Originally Posted by hoopy

The only bright spark on the evening is the thought that we'll never see the Corkman in an Ireland jersey again

i take it you mean the guy from manchester?

**sligoman** · 12/10/2005, 9:07 PM

Originally Posted by Jon'o

i fail to see any benifit, unless you can tell me something im missing?

I agree, I cant see any good that would do

**thejollyrodger** · 12/10/2005, 9:09 PM

firstly i dont really blame kerr as much as the media will. WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH WORLD CLASS PLAYERS.

Time to rebuild. Time to properly invest in youth. Time to finance the technical development plan. Time for EL clubs to break into Europe and for Irish players to make it. Time to stop taking the easy way out and blaming the manager. Time for John o Shea to learn how to play football.

**Closed Account 2** · 12/10/2005, 9:09 PM

Just think we need a major, major change to whole system - not only the national team but the domestic leagues too... anyway it wont happen.

**dancinpants** · 12/10/2005, 9:11 PM

At least we won't be getting embarassed on the greatest stage of them all.

**robbie_B** · 12/10/2005, 9:13 PM

Good question. The FAI are a joke, although I don't agree with Keane walking out when he did he certainly had some very good points. The appointment of Kerr and all the talk of contract and whispers from within the FAI havn't helped put much stability into our national team.

I think Kerr has to go. I didn't know all that much of him before he took the job other than he had a decent record with the underage teams. I was expecting some attractive, quality football but from the games I have seen and the reports in the press and from the people on this board he really hasn't delivered. I think Martin O'Neill would be great.

Some of the players need to take a good look at themselves and their level of performances. Keane is obviously gone now and Cunnigham, Breen and maybe a few others might be considering international retirement. The last 8 results fromn the U21s doesn't exactly inspire confidence for the future but hopefully a few can break through.

World cup sure won't be as interesting without us.

**Dan K** · 12/10/2005, 9:15 PM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

firstly i dont really blame kerr as much as the media will. WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH WORLD CLASS PLAYERS.

How many do the Swiss have? Or Israel? Or Poland? Serbia? Slovakia? Norway?

All have done better than us, all would love a Duff, Given, Robbie or Roy in their side.

**djdaz** · 12/10/2005, 9:16 PM

Originally Posted by hoopy

The only bright spark on the evening is the thought that we'll never see the Corkman in an Ireland jersey again

Yeah it's a positive that out ONLY proven world class player (even now when he's not as good as he was) might never play for us again.

**�anna** · 12/10/2005, 9:19 PM

Originally Posted by Dan K

How many do the Swiss have? Or Israel? Or Poland? Serbia? Slovakia? Norway?

All have done better than us, all would love a Duff, Given, Robbie or Roy in their side.

Would they? Really? How do you know? Look at the facts here: Duff is a world class player, no doubt, but he doesn't perform for Ireland. Given is, IMO, as good a keeper as anyone in the world right now bar Dida and Buffon. Robbie was once a young guy with loads of potential, who scored goals, now he's ............. well I dunno, but he can't even get in the Spurs team. Roy, once the best midfielder in Europe, now just living on his reputation. The Swiss may not have one player in the same class as Duff or Given, they have plenty as good as any of the others you mention, and here's the key difference- they have better squad players. Once you take away the top few players in the Ireland squad, you're left with very very average players, most of whem wouldn't get into other international squads. Thats the difference.

**dynamo kerry** · 12/10/2005, 9:21 PM

I don't particularly want o'neill. I didn't particularly like the brand of football he played at leicster or celtic.

I'd press for roy (look at klinsmann - he can do it) or possibly say yes it's time for aldo or o'leary

at least the football would be decent.

**tricky_colour** · 12/10/2005, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by dancinpants

At least we won't be getting embarassed on the greatest stage of them all.

True we couldn't contrive to beat an egg at the moment and not
many of the players deserve a holiday in Germany.

**Dan K** · 12/10/2005, 9:24 PM

Originally Posted by �anna

Would they? Really? How do you know? Look at the facts here: Duff is a world class player, no doubt, but he doesn't perform for Ireland. Given is, IMO, as good a keeper as anyone in the world right now bar Dida and Buffon. Robbie was once a young guy with loads of potential, who scored goals, now he's ............. well I dunno, but he can't even get in the Spurs team. Roy, once the best midfielder in Europe, now just living on his reputation. The Swiss may not have one player in the same class as Duff or Given, they have plenty as good as any of the others you mention, and here's the key difference- they have better squad players. Once you take away the top few players in the Ireland squad, you're left with very very average players, most of whem wouldn't get into other international squads. Thats the difference.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but squad players are - by definition - NOT world class, ergo, you've actually backed up what I was saying in a strange way.

It's not about the number of World class players you've got, it's about the team, which the manager is responsible for. If they consistently don't perform, the buck stops there.

**brine3** · 12/10/2005, 9:33 PM

I would add that we desperately need more of our players to move out of England and to the continent. There is literally a whole continent of football teams out there and they have a lot to teach us.

Yeah, Robbie Keane could do with some tactical awareness.

Should have stayed in Italy.