Matt Doherty was interviewed on RTE2FM a little earlier and was asked about the setup. He said, 'When you played with Ireland, you didn't really have that much coaching. It was more go and play a little five-a-side game or an eleven side game and then that would be it. So you could lead all the way up to the game, maybe the day before a game and you would do a few set-pieces here and there and then you would go into a game and you were thinking to yourself 'what shape we are going to play.'
You'd have a few players thinking, 'aw, I think we are going to play this shape' or you might have someone else thinking 'I think it might be this one.' You can't really have that, especially at international football, people not really sure on what their role is the next day.'
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
Two million a year
Doherty’s few sound bites a few months ago suggested he was pi$$ed off with O’Neill anyway.
But if this is true, then it’s really bad for the money O’Neill was getting.
Makes me wonder how he produced such big performances up to and including the Euros.
Is it fair to assume now that O'Neill knew Doherty thought he was a spoofer and didn't rate his methods, and that goes a long way to explaining why he was always so slow to pick him? I suppose Doherty didn't really have much exposure to MON until recently though because he was rarely even picked for the final squads.
Would be interested to hear what Cyrus Christie has to say. Was stuck by his performance for the first 10 minutes or so against Denmark, totally lost - evidently given no direction. And as said elsewhere, the "tactics" on Monday were retreat and retreating on mass. There was no discernible defensive organisation - just a haphazard, winging it approach.
The highlights of MON time in charge got played up yesterday - Brady's goal against Italy in particular. That goal was created by a pass out of defence into midfield, where the midfielder turned and played a forward pass out to the wing, which was subsequently crossed into the box. No linkage like that was done against Denmark ie ball from defence, and subsequent forward pass and momentum from midfield.
Really hope Roy takes whatever championship or league one job comes up. He needs to get back in and show he has learned get the head down and graft get some respect back. None of this waiting for the right job nonsense that ship has sailed
Doherty comes across as fierce cocky in that interview. Doesn’t endear himself to the fans
I've not liked the narrative that's been around the ONeill tenure in the last few hours. "Best ever performance at a Euro's" - wrong. "Denmark defeat turning point" - wrong.
The turning point was the first game of the World cup qualifiers. The spin coming out of Euro2016 was that we were back, we are playing good football, and are ready to march again. As ever with football, there are asterixes beside all the opinions whether its an amateur opinion or a pro opinion. We got the ideal start away in the type of fixture that we've always struggled in. This time we were playing a team on their knees confidence wise, and we buckled. We buckled because despite the ****e that's been thrown about in platitudes in the last 12 hours, we were never encouraged to do the basics in football and retain possession. It's broken out on occasion, but generally it's been route one. Don't forget having played two of the tough games in the group and come away with 4 points, we were leading the group coming out of 2016. Everyone seems to have lost sight of that, and focussed on the Denmark game in Lansdowne. It unravelled in the Spring and summer, when with a nice run of games, we completely shut down and capitulated. Wales, Austria and Serbia at home were three of the worst home performances by an Irish side in a long time. The win away to Wales was super, but it wasn't a masterclass or anything like it. We defended deep, gave Wales no space in behind, and snatched our only real opportunity. You have to respect a defensive performance when it's required, but what we did away to Wales, and what we did in those German games, was what we've always hated from weaker teams doing to us, showing no interest in engaging in football and stifling the opposition and hoping for a lucky break.
I would have no problem in doing that against a much superior team, but the problem is that has become our norm, our standard, so that when faced with teams who are not superior, that when we have to take the initiative, we are unable to do so. That this hasn't been highlighted seriously bugs me, as if crowd numbers should be the deciding point on a managers tenure. Irish sports "fans" are fickle mofo's. Generally it's all about the event. Ask me b
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Best performance at a Euros ? That has to be 1988.
Anyway, I salute Martin O'Neill. If he is responsible for the current bad times then I have to thank him for some of the greatest moments he has given me when following Ireland:
Shane Long's goal against Germany resulting in the victory.
John O'Shea's last minute goal for the draw in Gelsenkirchen.
The win over Italy in the Euros.
The long awaited away win in Austria.
The win in Cardiff.
These are amazing achievements/moments which I will carry with me to my grave. While his time had come, I will also remember (dementia aside) the good.
Amusing tribute on Gift Grub this am https://www.todayfm.com/podcasts/934...-Sing-Farewell (I love the bit: MON "We each had our roles". RK "How do you like your tea, Mayortin ?"
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Unfortunately it does endear him to an awful lot of the fans that want to throw as much sh!t at MON as possible. Realistically he isn't saying anything that we didn't already know or assume though. It wasn't good enough but, like you, I'd have a lot more respect for Doherty if he was seen and not heard.
In fairness to Doherty he was treated very shabbily by Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane . It was a mystery to fans here why he was ignored time and time again .
It just did not make any sense when you consider the lack of strength and depth we have .
It was just one of many bizarre actions by the O’Neill /Keane team . You may get away with bizarre if you have success but bizarre is just bizarre when you are not getting results .
Roy Keane was a disastrous Assistant for O’ Neill . He was just too much like O’ Neill without the Charm (lol) . If as a manger you are not going to do the coaching you surely need an assistant that will do it .
They didn’t really treat him badly.
They just didn’t pick him when he merited being picked. He trained with them. Some managers just don’t fancy certain players for their team. And a team is often more than the sum of its parts, a mix of the players skills as well as the right personalities to get the right blend of spirit and skill.
Maybe they felt he wasn’t a team player. Maybe they were right judging by his comments.
If that’s what it is based on then Cyrus Christie must be the ultimate team player.
Not picking you when you are ( ok , opinions ) good enough is bad treatment .I hope every Irish Player rates themselves . Its a tough competitive game , Self Belief is vitally important .
I suggest that Doherty thinks that they treated him badly by not picking him . I agree with him .
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