Venables new favourite. Good or bad choice?

**Adrianovic** · 08/11/2005, 7:40 PM

Put it this way, I will be supporting Uruguay in the upcoming play-off and then crossing my fingers for some intelligence and spare cash at the FAI.

Ade

**cullenswood** · 09/11/2005, 7:52 AM

Why would we want a manager that can't guide Australia to the World Cup. They are virtually guaranteed to get to the play off because their group is so bad, so all they have to do is win at two legged game against the fifth best team in South America to get through. Do we want a manager who can't achieve this?

**Tired&Emotional** · 09/11/2005, 8:02 AM

Rubbished by the FAI apparently according to sports reports on Today FM.....must be an orchestrated distraction by the FAI to push their choosen man out to long odds so they can make some cash!

Surely there is no way even the muppet Delaney could make an appointment like this....he must know how the Irish footballing public would react, no??!!

All this has to be expected - it's the usual circus antics that surrounds appointment of Intl manager!!

**Clifford** · 09/11/2005, 8:11 AM

Originally Posted by Tired&Emotional

Rubbished by the FAI apparently according to sports reports on Today FM.....must be an orchestrated distraction by the FAI to push their choosen man out to long odds so they can make some cash!

Surely there is no way even the muppet Delaney could make an appointment like this....he must know how the Irish footballing public would react, no??!!

All this has to be expected - it's the usual circus antics that surrounds appointment of Intl manager!!

Agreed totally, the total silence on the subject from the clowns is going to lay them hole open for jokes like this. This needs to be put to bed with a statement straight away. That man cannot be allowed to manage my country.

**Tired&Emotional** · 09/11/2005, 8:21 AM

......all this also begs the question who are the idiots putting wads of cash on the El Vegetable??!!

The lads from Apres Match could have some great sketches though....remember the ITV studio team sketches from a few years back with him, Gazza and Gabby Yorath...!!!!

**Dodge** · 09/11/2005, 8:38 AM

Originally Posted by Tired&Emotional

Surely there is no way even the muppet Delaney could make an appointment like this....he must know how the Irish footballing public would react, no??!!

You're talking about the man who voted for Bryan Robson last time out...

**Dodge** · 09/11/2005, 8:39 AM

Originally Posted by Tired&Emotional

......all this also begs the question who are the idiots putting wads of cash on the El Vegetable??!!

The lads from Apres Match could have some great sketches though....remember the ITV studio team sketches from a few years back with him, Gazza and Gabby Yorath...!!!!

The actual Gazza on ITV was far funnier. Tragicomedy maybe...

**Hither green** · 09/11/2005, 8:44 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You're talking about the man who voted for Bryan Robson last time out...

Yes, in fairness to the FAI they've not gone for the worst choice, pretty close but he's definitely kept off the bottom of the table by Bryan Robson and Troussier.

**Tired&Emotional** · 09/11/2005, 8:44 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You're talking about the man who voted for Bryan Robson last time out...

fair enough.........sh1te, this would be disatrous. Hopefully the other two on the committee (it's three wisemen,i think) will go against that IF it came to it...but i honestly don't think they would "headhunt" Venables.....

**Dublin12** · 09/11/2005, 8:48 AM

Verry Terribles

**Tired&Emotional** · 09/11/2005, 8:52 AM

Originally Posted by Dublin12

Verry Terribles

I can see the tabloid headlines now!!

**NeilMcD** · 10/11/2005, 9:12 AM

Originally Posted by cullenswood

Why would we want a manager that can't guide Australia to the World Cup. They are virtually guaranteed to get to the play off because their group is so bad, so all they have to do is win at two legged game against the fifth best team in South America to get through. Do we want a manager who can't achieve this?

Well the fact that they dont play any other matches of note is a hindrance to them hence the reason they are joining the Asia Confederation after this World Cup. Also a managers job is to make the team play to the best of their ability, if that is not good enough to beat Uruguay well then so be it. Australia do not have much strength and depth after about 5 players and they would not have as much team spirit or used to playing top teams together as much as Uruguay.

I would rather judge Hiddink on what he has done at PSV and South Korea.

**Slash/ED** · 10/11/2005, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by cullenswood

Why would we want a manager that can't guide Australia to the World Cup. They are virtually guaranteed to get to the play off because their group is so bad, so all they have to do is win at two legged game against the fifth best team in South America to get through. Do we want a manager who can't achieve this?

Christ yes. He's roughly one billion times better/more qualified than every other contender.

**geysir** · 10/11/2005, 4:46 PM

Originally Posted by Slash/ED

Christ yes. He's roughly one billion times better/more qualified than every other contender.

That's why I would expect him/Australia to beat Uruguay and end their tortuous play off record.

**colster** · 11/11/2005, 10:09 AM

The more I think about it. If we can't get O'Neill or Hiddink then is Venables such a bad choice? I think Venables along with someone like Staunton could be a good appointment.

**Tired&Emotional** · 11/11/2005, 10:12 AM

.....as a last resort, it may well be the best of a bad lot, yes!

**Pat O' Banton** · 11/11/2005, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

The England team he brought to Dublin was awful.

Euro96 was as follows:

Switzerland - poor
Scotland - good in parts
Holland - excellent
Spain - ordinary at best
Germany - good but then who wouldn't be playing a major semi-final at home?

Pretty accurate summing up. You should have also noted that an average Scotland outplayed them in periods of the game, Holland had a side who seemed intent on going home at the eariest opportunity and had spent large parts of the trip arguing amoungst itself, Spain two good goals ruled out. And finally Venables got Ingerland to the semi finals of a tournament while they were playing at home, I mean that's right up there with the likes of South Korea - So overall this campaign shows international quality, how? No to Venables.

**Stuttgart88** · 11/11/2005, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by colster

The more I think about it. If we can't get O'Neill or Hiddink then is Venables such a bad choice? I think Venables along with someone like Staunton could be a good appointment.

I hate Venables. I hate the smug cockney nonsense he spouts as a pundit & he's disreputable beyond belief.

I would not want him to be the permanent manager of the Irish side.

But, as I've said elsewhere, I think the next 10 months or so is critical in reshaping the team. If the FAI do need to wait to get their man, be it Hiddink or O'Neill, and if this is going to take until after WC06, then Venables would be a far better candidate than Givens to be a caretaker manager. I wouldn't be averse to him being given a short-term contract with a mandate to begin the transition from the McCarthy / Kerr era to our World-Cup winning side of 2010

. My preference for this intermediate role would be Liam Brady though.

If O'Neill & Hiddink are unavailble next summer, the likes of Stan, Aldridge etc will still all be available then anyway so there's no need for a panic appointment.

**Stuttgart88** · 11/11/2005, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Pat O' Banton

Spain two good goals ruled out.

And Spain had a stonewall peno turned down in extra time. I was at the game & I nearly got decapitated when I jumped out of my seat claiming a penalty in among all the English!

**colster** · 11/11/2005, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I hate Venables. I hate the smug cockney nonsense he spouts as a pundit & he's disreputable beyond belief.

I would not want him to be the permanent manager of the Irish side.

But, as I've said elsewhere, I think the next 10 months or so is critical in reshaping the team. If the FAI do need to wait to get their man, be it Hiddink or O'Neill, and if this is going to take until after WC06, then Venables would be a far better candidate than Givens to be a caretaker manager. I wouldn't be averse to him being given a short-term contract with a mandate to begin the transition from the McCarthy / Kerr era to our World-Cup winning side of 2010

. My preference for this intermediate role would be Liam Brady though.

If O'Neill & Hiddink are unavailble next summer, the likes of Stan, Aldridge etc will still all be available then anyway so there's no need for a panic appointment.

I don't like Venables all that much but compared to most of the others named he's got a lot more experience and has had some success in his career. Venables as an analyst always strikes as someone who doesn't want to criticise a player/club as he may have to manage them one day. The big problem with him is the chance of him hitting the front pages for his dodgy dealings so he's probably not the best option.

I'd take Hiddink in a heart beat. After that O'Neill. Peter Taylor is someone I mentioned before. He's done an excellent job with Hull and England U21s. It's probably someone like him that the FAI will turn to. He'll come with a good record and no baggage.

I can't see Liam Brady being appointed as interim manager. I think Bonner/Givens will do that.