The Football Thread

[Blizzard Beast]

So who do we want as the new boss,do we really want Mick McCarthy again ?
In other news Roy Keane Released Back Into Wild
http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/shutterstock_1189028452.jpg

[astfgyl]

I think McCarthy is about the best of what is on offer. I don't think Kenny is the man, having zero big-game experience (unless you count a Europa League first qualifying round double header vs the 4th placed team from the liechtenstein league) and god help us all if Allardyce gets a go at it.

Hopefully whoever it is won't take the "We're not good enough to actually play soccer" view of things again and actually get fans excited again because I know myself it has been more of a sentence than anything watching them the last while.

[leoos]

This article in the Irish Independent quoting Niall Quinn talks a lot of sense in my opinion https://goo.gl/DXv7Kn

The structure of Irish football is not even broken, its non existent.
I've been to a good few Cork City games over the last few years, the standard is pretty low compared to what gets pumped into every pub with Premier League and Champions League. For an island our size what more should we expect perhaps? Probably a bit more than can be seen from a cold stand in the autumn around the country.
The model has been and probably in John Delaney's mind will always be, export them to English clubs, let them turn them into functioning pro's and then bring them back here to play for the national team. Why try to make a functioning model in Irish football when you can piggyback and get a few scraps from the functioning English football pyramid
I'd say give the job to Stephen Kenny and support him if they do. Give him time and resources to attempt to make it work.
Mick McCarthy's been there, done that, he's a fine coach that is under appreciated got what he's done with lower level teams in England. But in a way he is the past, not the future.
I doubt we would have qualified for Euro 2020 with O'Neill at the helm. Maybe its time for some hard reality and accept maybe it won't happen whoever is in the hotseat, and chasing a month in the sun for 'the lads' in not the be all and end all of Irish football, and should not be.
Getting the whole show right via a few Stalin style 4 year plans might be more beneficial (without the attendant famines, but maybe a bit of purging where required), think more toward Euro 2024, World Cup 2026, get things right and get there to make a go of it.
Looking at a country like Iceland and what they have managed with their resources, one could only say, what the fuck has been going on in Irish football, and if jumping on a bandwagon like that would improve the lot of Irish football from top to bottom, that is only to be applauded and could only lead to improvements.
But that is much too slow for anyone's liking.
So it won't happen.
Snd we're condemned to watching a ball of shite on tv for qualifying campaigns, a shell shocked team if it manages to qualify. And hiding behind the couch for the whole lot because you have no confidence in the ability of the players on the pitch or the man on the sideline

[astfgyl]

I would accept not making a couple of tournaments if the standard was to improve along the way. Because what we have at the moment is just painful. It will take a long time no matter what because we don't have the players, or as you point out, we don't have the structure at national level.

[Emphyrio]

It's all a big fuckin shitheap at the moment.

[Blizzard Beast]

Hey Leo,some fair points raised.
Shame we didnt try someone else and be a bit more adventurous with our appointment as McCarthy is a backward step I feel.
Not sure what to make of Robbie Keane as his number two  either if rumors are true?

[Paul keohane]

I think McCarthy is about the best of what is on offer. I don't think Kenny is the man, having zero big-game experience (unless you count a Europa League first qualifying round double header vs the 4th placed team from the liechtenstein league) and god help us all if Allardyce gets a go at it.

Hopefully whoever it is won't take the "We're not good enough to actually play soccer" view of things again and actually get fans excited again because I know myself it has been more of a sentence than anything watching them the last while.

Kenny got Dundalk to the group stages of the Europa league,do you have any idea how difficult that is given the tiny budget irish sides have,?
In the group stages did you watch any of the matches?,Dundalk played a brand of  football ,especially away from home that i have never seen before from any Irish side,and i include the great jack charlton era in that.

Go back and watch the matches,Dundalk gave as good as they got against sides on budgets vastly bigger.The knocked out Bate Borisov (turn over €40 million) in Qualifying,Were desperately unlucky in tbe Aviva against Legia Warsaw (turn over €60 million)after that ,In the group stages they had .Zenith st Petersburg ,budget in 2016 was €170 million,Dundalks would have been€2 million,AZ Alkmar and Maccabie Tel aviv also in the group.Dundalk didnt look out of place.They had a good side and Kenny had them playing with no fear,none of this sit and defend bollox we're used to.

I like Mick,but this is a sideways move,the fai are desperate
To qualify for 2020 given theres games penciled in for Dublin,they went with  mick because he was available and he does what it says on the tin.
Irish football needs a massive overhaul,,a new young manager with the correct philosophy.Kenny would have been a risk,but id rather take a risk that go back to the tried and tested  usual bollox.
An oppertunity missed imo.

[KingBuddha]

McCarthy to be confirmed later today, apparently.

Finding it difficult to drum up much enthusiasm for this appointment, I don't see how Mick is the right man to get us playing a decent brand of football while also improving our results.

[astfgyl]

I think McCarthy is about the best of what is on offer. I don't think Kenny is the man, having zero big-game experience (unless you count a Europa League first qualifying round double header vs the 4th placed team from the liechtenstein league) and god help us all if Allardyce gets a go at it.

Hopefully whoever it is won't take the "We're not good enough to actually play soccer" view of things again and actually get fans excited again because I know myself it has been more of a sentence than anything watching them the last while.

Kenny got Dundalk to the group stages of the Europa league,do you have any idea how difficult that is given the tiny budget irish sides have,?
In the group stages did you watch any of the matches?,Dundalk played a brand of  football ,especially away from home that i have never seen before from any Irish side,and i include the great jack charlton era in that.

Go back and watch the matches,Dundalk gave as good as they got against sides on budgets vastly bigger.The knocked out Bate Borisov (turn over €40 million) in Qualifying,Were desperately unlucky in tbe Aviva against Legia Warsaw (turn over €60 million)after that ,In the group stages they had .Zenith st Petersburg ,budget in 2016 was €170 million,Dundalks would have been€2 million,AZ Alkmar and Maccabie Tel aviv also in the group.Dundalk didnt look out of place.They had a good side and Kenny had them playing with no fear,none of this sit and defend bollox we're used to.

I like Mick,but this is a sideways move,the fai are desperate
To qualify for 2020 given theres games penciled in for Dublin,they went with  mick because he was available and he does what it says on the tin.
Irish football needs a massive overhaul,,a new young manager with the correct philosophy.Kenny would have been a risk,but id rather take a risk that go back to the tried and tested  usual bollox.
An oppertunity missed imo.

Sort of puts me back in my box reading that. Sort of, because Kenny wouldn't have been under the pressure of unrealistic expectations while achieving those results against bigger teams. It would be the times we are losing to the likes of Georgia that would really be the test of his mettle.

Anyway, we will find out soon enough.

[astfgyl]

It is a bit of a pity that the premier league is going to be another procession for city this year.

I would be amazed if they lost 2 games this season while everybody below them drops points too regularly to keep any pressure on them.

As I've a soft spot for Chelsea I hope they get a result at the weekend if only to give Liverpool a chance to keep it interesting.

Remember the old top 4? It's more like 2nd to 4th place race these days.

[Mower Liberation Front]

Go back and watch the matches,Dundalk gave as good as they got against sides on budgets vastly bigger.The knocked out Bate Borisov (turn over €40 million) in Qualifying,Were desperately unlucky in tbe Aviva against Legia Warsaw (turn over €60 million)after that ,In the group stages they had .Zenith st Petersburg ,budget in 2016 was €170 million,Dundalks would have been€2 million,AZ Alkmar and Maccabie Tel aviv also in the group.Dundalk didnt look out of place.They had a good side and Kenny had them playing with no fear,none of this sit and defend bollox we're used to.

Dundalk should have qualified from that group. Gartland made a couple of crucial errors which cost them.

[Blizzard Beast]

Utd are absolutely woeful to watch for some time,I was initially happy with the JM appointment but he his football is awful to watch.The sooner this season is over and we part company the better.

[Caomhaoin]

Dreadful stuff from United.

Since the plucky performance at Anfield, Everton have been stinking the place out and we're lucky to get the two home draws they did get. Supporting the blues has never been easy and Monday mornings at school were usually slagfests in the 90's, so I'm hoping this 'blip' is short lived. Watching the Watford game at 1-0, went out to make a cup of tea and came back to 1-2. Sucks the soul clean out of ya.

[Emphyrio]

It's been a great season so far. Granted, I say that as a Liverpool fan but still. Huge game tomorrow! I remember on the MI thread a few years ago, lads were convinced Liverpool had the league wrapped up. All until that fateful game against Chelsea. City are a more formidable side the last 18 months and to see them chasing is fantastic to behold. It's too early to get my hopes up. I'd happily take a draw. My only concern is Liverpool haven't had their blip in the league yet, and you'd feel it has to happen, realistically. When the Champions League kicks on again it could really scupper all the good work done in the League. I don't think they'll even reach the final of CL so I'd love the premier league to take precedence.

[Trev]

I'm an Arsenal fan but I wouldn't begrudge Liverpool winning it. They've sold and bought well, given Klopp the time and backing he needed and now it's all coming together for them.

The only problem will be how fucking unbearable the ex-Liverpool pundits will be, but they're insufferable as it is already