Stan's Warm Weather Training Camp

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 9:36 AM

Also part of soccer is team building and building a team spirit. What is wrong with taking the lads away on a trip to Portugal for some training and working on set plays etc and at teh same time letting them play some golf and build up team spirit etc.

**Dodge** · 31/03/2006, 11:02 AM

Its not a club side Neil, that team spirit has to be built before evry game. They only see each other 8-10 times a year

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 11:20 AM

Shirt and there was me thinking Ireland was a club side. **** as a bellboy said to Georgie Best "where did it all go wrong".

I believe team spirit is built up over a period of time with both club sides and international sides, in the same way its lost over a period of time.

It is pretty clear that the irish team spirt had gone from the latter stages of the last campaign. This was the fault of both the players and managment.

Now for the last game some team spirit seemed to have been restored. However I would say if you cant get the players playing for you for your first game you are well and truly ****ed. This happens all the time with teams they they have a brief honeymoon period and then the problems kick in. It happened a bit with Kerr, its happening with Glenn Roeder now and it may happen with Staunton.

However I cannot see why bringing the players to Portugal for a week to work on set pieces, tactics and team spirit is not a good call by the manager. He will get good pitches with good weather to work on all the things that go into preparing a team for international football As Staunton has said this will not be available to him before the Holland or Germany games to much extent.

**klein4** · 31/03/2006, 11:39 AM

Bet your house on a taboid scandal emanating from this trip. different times now and they will go looking for it....its probably the first thing a lot of editors thought when they heard about trip...
As well it will be interesting to see how many FAI officials go on trip.....
surely they have all their "set pieces" sorted by now.....???

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 11:41 AM

How would they have all their set pieces sorted out by now after 2 or 3 days of training a few weeks ago.

**klein4** · 31/03/2006, 11:45 AM

the fai!!!

**Dodge** · 31/03/2006, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

However I cannot see why bringing the players to Portugal for a week to work on set pieces, tactics and team spirit is not a good call by the manager. He will get good pitches with good weather to work on all the things that go into preparing a team for international football As Staunton has said this will not be available to him before the Holland or Germany games to much extent.

He's preparing them in May (when they want to get some rest) for game coming up in September and after. Working on set pieces is stupid as as soon as thye back to their clubs they'll revert to what their employers want. It sounds like an unnecessary jolly up to me. Would prefer if he brought a B team on tour if he wants to learn about the future. No point in having a look at the likes of Carr et al

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 11:54 AM

Sorry Klein what set pieces do the FAI work on. As far as I know none of them are available for slection for the Senior International Squad. You have lost me there.

**klein4** · 31/03/2006, 12:00 PM

They dont.
Hence they dont need to be on a tour thats aim is to improve set pieces.
comprawndey?????????????????????????

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

He's preparing them in May (when they want to get some rest) for game coming up in September and after. Working on set pieces is stupid as as soon as thye back to their clubs they'll revert to what their employers want. It sounds like an unnecessary jolly up to me. Would prefer if he brought a B team on tour if he wants to learn about the future. No point in having a look at the likes of Carr et al

Dodge how do you know the players do not want to go on this. How do you know that he did not consult with the senior players before arranging it. Also he is a new manager that wants to have a look in training at his full options before the serious work starts. So what qualifications have you got to say that working on set pieces is stupid in May. I woudl rather trust someone who has played for Ireland over 100 times and a coach who has coached at the highest lever for the best part of 30 years. Do you honestly think that players have to be remined how to play for Ireland ever time they come over and then forget it again when they go back to their clubs. These thins are a slow burning process. Just like The Irish players in the 80s and early 90s were able to play Jack Charltons way and then revert back to a passing game with Liverpool or Man Utd etc etc.

What is wrong with Staunton wanting to learn about the pool of players that he has at his disposal and at the same time the players learning about the style of management that Staunton will have. They will learn what they can and cant do. They will learn certain things about how players lay off the ball or which side they like the ball to be played too. All this comes from work on the training ground. The more time you have on the training ground the better. International managers are always claiming that they dont have enough time with their players to work on such things. Here is Staunton atteimpting to solve this and he is being criticised with very little reasons to back this up.

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by klein4

They dont.
Hence they dont need to be on a tour thats aim is to improve set pieces.
comprawndey?????????????????????????

Who said they were going.

**klein4** · 31/03/2006, 12:02 PM

the bees are in the What now????????

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 12:08 PM

What the **** are you talking about.

**drinkfeckarse** · 31/03/2006, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Peadar

It's quite reasonable to assume that it would be cheaper to spend a week in Spain than it would in Ireland.

All those first class tickets for the suits will disprove that theory

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 12:19 PM

How do you know all the suits are going to this, where are the facts to suggest that.

**drinkfeckarse** · 31/03/2006, 12:40 PM

Do I need a statement from them or something Neil, this IS the F.A.I. we're talking about

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 1:02 PM

I know but I have seen no evidence that this will be a jolly up for FAI suits and officials. So therefore it is just speculation. If it comes out that this is the case then the should be slagged and criticised for it. Before then its just speculation which is unfounded.

**geysir** · 31/03/2006, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

He's preparing them in May (when they want to get some rest) for game coming up in September and after.

If it was Kerr it would be regarded as meticulous preparation as its Staunton even before a ball has been kicked in anger let the nitpicking begin.
The camp precedes a friendly with Chile. Presumably they would be gathered together someplace before that game. Staunton has already gone on record saying there would be no more friendlies after that date precisely because players need rest, something which previous managers ignored at this point of their tenure

Would prefer if he brought a B team on tour if he wants to learn about the future. No point in having a look at the likes of Carr

Looks like its an extended squad he is bringing which presumably includes the 2nd string

**pete** · 31/03/2006, 1:03 PM

Don't players usually complain about end of season games when they tired & just want to get off to their summer holidays?

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2006, 1:06 PM

Totally agree with you there Geysir. There seems to be an awful lot of double standards about and people are letting their personal opinions of managers cloud their judgement in my view. As I said every manager should be treated equally.