ATTENDANCES AT THE Aviva Stadium have gradually been falling in recent years. Although the recession is partially to blame, the dour football that the side usually served up under Trap certainly did not help matters. Football is a results-based business and though fans won’t mind how the team play provided they are winning, the new boss might do well to heed calls to at least experiment with a more enterprising brand of football in the coming months, in an attempt to shake off the apathy surrounding the team which exists within large sections of the footballing public. Watching Wales and Scotland home matches in recent years, it’s often noticeable that their magnificent stadiums are only half full at best. Ireland’s future could be similar if a drastic shake-up isn’t implemented urgently.
2. The Robbie Keane question
Are we better with or without Robbie Keane in our first XI? That is the question which many critical observers have been asking for some time now. And while the striker remains our one genuine goalscorer, there are games where he contributes next to nothing apart from these sporadic strikes. Hence, for all his occasional brilliance, there is a feeling that having Keane in the side represents an unnecessary indulgence. Certainly, he still merits a spot on the bench at the very least, but for tough away trips, when 4-5-1 seems the essential formation to adopt, the new man will surely regard the aging striker as too much of a luxury to accommodate in the starting line-up.
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3. The side’s goal-shy tendencies
One of the big problems under Trapattoni was goals, as they rarely managed more than one or two per game and they usually came from the one source – Robbie Keane. The fact that in the most recent squad, Richard Dunne was the third top scorer says it all and epitomises the innate conservatism of the Trapattoni era. While a better attacking plan and more ambition will go a considerable way towards improving matters, the team also patently lack an abundance of goalscorers. Trying out Anthony Stokes might be a good place to start.
4. The ostensible lack of young players coming through
(Seamus Coleman is one of the few promising young Irish players. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie)
This is arguably the biggest concern of all for the new manager. The Irish youth sides have consistently failed to show any real promise in recent years and the senior team has suffered as a result. While they do have some young players with much promise (such as James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman), in other areas, there is an apparent lack of talent coming through – there is no real sign, for instance, of the next Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne or Damien Duff. As crucial as this point is, it is conceivably the one problem that the new man has little to no chance of directly influencing. Instead, he must simply encourage the FAI to invest in youth development and make significant changes at grass-roots level in the hope of emulating other burgeoning footballing countries with relatively modest populations such as Belgium.
5. Style
Ireland will presumably seek to abandon Trap’s increasingly tiresome Catenaccio approach and adopt a new tactical style in the hope of acquiring further success under the new man. Few people are suggesting the Boys in Green have the capability to emulate Spain, but neither is there a fundamental need to replicate the overwhelming negativity of the Trapattoni era. Instead, surely a happy medium is achievable with the right man in charge, retaining Ireland’s defensive solidity shown under the Italian, while yielding a more ambitious and cohesive attacking approach. Mick McCarthy, during his tenure, managed to employ a style of football that was highly watchable, while still accommodating ordinary players such as Gary Breen and Mark Kinsella. Surely, this can be achieved once more.
6. Player selection
The new manager needs to make an impact immediately by conducting an overhaul of the squad. Players such as Paul Green, Conor Sammon, Paul McShane, Andy Keogh and Darren O’Dea should all be ditched indefinitely, having had their chances. On the other hand, Anthony Stokes, Joey O’Brien, Damien Delaney, Darron Gibson and Stephen Ireland should all at least be given a chance to prove themselves. Wes Hoolahan needs to be rewarded for his patience with a proper run in the first team, as does Keiren Westwood now that he’s a regular Premier League starter. We’re a small nation with limited resources and consequently, need to explore every vaguely promising option between now and the start of the Euros, so that it becomes much more apparent what Ireland’s best team is.
And of course the elephant in the room Delaney need to pack his bags. How long has he been standing in the shadows making far sweeping wrong decisions. Lets have a real fresh start. Go Now Delaney!
Getting rid of Delaney would be a great start. However, no matter who comes into manage the side, the players just aren’t there to be competing at major tournaments. Major changes are needed if football is to improve in this country.
Irish people spent €100 million plus on the Premiership alone last season. Until we start supporting our own teams and our own league then we are always going to have these problems.
If just some of that money could be re-invested back into grass roots football and proper coaching for our children then we would have a chance.
Sadly, the average Irish person, much like the previous Ireland manager doesn’t even recognise that there is a league in their own country.
Agreed Ronan….I think the vast majority of people with an interest in the domestic league is well aware that there needs to be a major overhaul of the League of Ireland.
You can’t blame the recession for falling attendances when the rugby team sell out the stadium with pricier tickets…It was purely down to the team and the way it was playing.
Exactly it’s all down to the quality of the product on offer. Look at the attendances the GAA are getting recently. As someone who used to regularly go to Ireland matches I have found it hard to even watch them on tv of late! I think a lot of fans are not going to go back to the Aviva until Delaney is gone!
Delaney is the biggest cowboy in ireland .. doing soccer in ireland no favours and earning 300k per annum. He needs the bullet ASAP and someone with a bit of fresh ideas to be appointed.
As long as that awful pastime masquerading for sport that goes by the name of Gaelic Football is deemed legal, real football in Ireland will never be of a half decent standard!
I reckon we should get the likes of Brian Kerr back on the scene. Almost all the good players we had in the last 15 years came through his youth squads. And even David oleary he brought leeds to the champions league semi finals. We have talent out there in the coaching world but the FAI won’t tap into it.
Rodrigo if your trolling, it’s worked if not, why not try giving the “pastime” a try or even try watching a full game it’s 10 times the game football is faster more skill involved & played by men who don’t wear diamond ear rings.
Stephen Ireland? Darron Gibson? Anthony Stokes? What- Is Oliver Cromwell not available? All three declined to wear the green shirt when called. They should not be allowed sully it by wearing it again. We need 100% committed proud Irishmen lining out at the Aviva. Not pre-madonnas lining out because their agent told them it would increase their value? Roy Keane for Manager then so, yeah?
Ireland was 21 when he quit the team and that was largely down to bullying from members of a squad, plenty of 21 year olds out of the public eye cant handle that as it is, Gibson was screwed completely at the euros, he should have still answered the call but in fairness I think it was more out of point for not playing for Trap and Stokes was recovering from an injury. This kind of stuff happens with a lot of national teams but the management and fans welcome players back if it brings improvement to the team, its not like you have to share a room with these lads come international games
having said that though they will still have to prove a lot of people wrong before they pull on a green jersey again but im sure all three will and will push us on to euro 2016
Nick- I’d prefer any proud Irishman to those cretins. How many opportunities did Stephen Ireland get to come back? He’s created trouble at every club he went to, so don’t blame “bullying” in the Irish camp. He’s a nut job who’s a traitor to his country. Darron Gibson doesn’t get to pick the Republic of Ireland team. He just petulantly stormed off because he didn’t get a game. You & I might agree that he should have, but that’s not the point. What if every player who’s not included in the first 11 pulled that stunt. As for Stokes, Mr. Hard Ass nationalist. Too tired to line out for your country? What other country’s do is up to them. An Irish team should be made up of proud Irishmen honoured to wear the shirt.
In other countries fans would be protesting outside footy hq to get rid of Delaney, until some real pressure is put on him to leave then he won’t leave and we will have a very hard time improving
Agreed, regardless of circumstances, he had a hissey fit and walked out on the country. I imagine tantrums are standard practice for Keane, before every game we’d be preoccupied with whether he’d show up or bring his dog for a walk!
Having said that, I would add that Keane has several important positive attributes, he expresses genuine passion and humility, he has exceptional concern for the game in this country.
And certainly wouldn’t be shy to standing up to the FAI. Lets not forget the reason he left Saipan…. Because the powers that be were completely amateurish in the booking of facilities and logistics of having a team compete on the world stage.
Im pretty sure he knew what he was talking about seeing as he played with the biggest club in the world at the time.
I think he would have the right attitude and ambition to succeed and also knows the players floating around in both Ireland and England.
With a name like Rodrigo, it explains it all , if u don’t like our national sport . Ie Gaelic games , u know what to do, go somewhere where soccer is the national sport
Did you see Kerry v Dublin? Any open minded sports fan would have enjoyed that. Why are you going out of your way to prove that you are narrow minded or closed minded? It’s nothing to be proud of.
Rodrigo, why would anyone want to ban a sport that pulls in over 80,000 people for the big games every year? I suggest you try to play it before discrediting the skill level involved.
I think a complete overhaul of the FAI needs to be made especially at the top. We need inspirational leaders with solid plans to not only improve our senior international team but to also develop a strategy for our youth development. One of my proposals would be to introduce a youth academy based In Ireland, identify as many talented kids from witin and hire some decent coaches to give them a real chance to achieve over in England and other countries. We are daft if we think it will happen magically.
Relatively small populations such as Belgium… I would argue that Belgium has a population 4 times as large as Ireland. Belgian teams continuously appear in the group stages of the champions league, they have a fully professional league and while some may argue the standard of said league it is still 2 or 3 steps ahead of the LOI and the perfect standard for developing young talents, in fact the standard has declined in the 20 years or so from the days you saw the likes of Brugge, Anderlecht and Antwerp contesting European finals. The LOI has never had any pedigree and has to build its reputation almost from scratch. Football is also the most popular sport in Belgium with every town and village having a local team, the same cannot be said for rural Ireland where GAA holds sway! I think Ireland should concentrate on their domestic football 1st and wait for those improvements to pay dividends in the National team. Proving Shamrock rovers run to the Europa league group stages wasn’t a once off and hopefully an Irish appearance in the champions league proper!
Two solutions ! One – Niall Quinn in instead of Delaney , Two – Roy Keane in as manager .They have worked together before, they came up through the youth system and have a vast amount of caps and experience between them .
Interesting that the author makes note that Stephen Ireland, who has shown no desire to play for his country in 6 years, is deserving of a chance to prove himself. Yet there is no mention of Andy Reid, a man who was cast aside 5 years ago by a petulant Trapattoni, who is now playing the best football of his career, and who has stated on many occasions he would swim the Irish Sea to wear the green shirt again.
There are great Irish football people knocking around that need to be involved in the international scene at under age level. The likes of David O’Leary, John Aldridge, Ronnie Whelan, Liam Brady and Frank Stapleton need to be given positions in areas that improve the game. Instead of the likes of Noel king or Pat Devlin.
Good article, balance seems to be the key message in it. What about Glenn whelan? Part of the problem, I suggest. Will James mcCarthy improve as an international player? Robbie should be on the bench for special occasions for the next 4-5 games, after that ?
I just don’t get the mc carthy hype. He has always been rubbish for Ireland and he has had plenty of chances. Please don’t use the “but the style of football trap plays didn’t suit him”.
Genuine top class players impose themselves on a game and stand out regardless of the style of football being played. I think he’s useless, I honestly don’t get why he’s talked up so much
Yep, Robbie won’t be around forever. And I wasn’t saying Stokes should be a nailed-on starter, just suggesting it would be no harm trying him out in a meaningless friendly. He certainly merits a place in the squad more so than Sammon, for instance.
What is needed is to go right back down to the core of the association and like other countries have regulations regarding our best young promising players for instance they can’t sign for any club outside of Ireland until 20 tht way it will improve the league of Ireland, better coaching structures and subsidized badges and promotion from within, study other smaller nations and how they do things and take from everyone and make our own stance on it, none of this small country stuff if anything that should mean we fight harder, there’s plenty of players out there they just need a manager who makes them believe they can like the time with donegal winning the all Ireland
Stop young players from signing for a club outside of there country until there 20? And what? Potentially slow down there development which in the long run wouldn’t be good for the national team. 18 maybe, but 20 is too long.
Terrible article. Firstly Mark Kinsella was way above being an ordinary player, great passer of the ball and an eye for goal, streets ahead of what’s there currently. Stephen Ireland to be brought back, he doesnt want to brought back, as for Stokes, with the odd goal in a useless Scottish league, I don’t think so? Im sick and tired reading about Ireland, Reid, Hoolahan, theyre all only average and they are not the answer to our problems. Then the point about Belgium, what a load of rubbish, when have Belgium last qualified for anything? Yeah currently they have a good team, but their football teams don’t have rugby, GAA, etc to contend with and they have a population of 11 million not 4, do your bloody research mate!!
Have to say theres so much wrong with Irish football right now and there is no quick fix. Trap was a quick fix, he got us to the Euros playing a terrible brand of football, but that game is up now.
What to change.
1. Restructure the LOI. Amalgamating teams and decreasing the size of the league. Generating interest with the local populous, and getting people behind their team like the rugby provinces have done. Find investors and aim for a run in international competitions (Shels and Cork City a few years back did it) and stick with playing an exciting style of football. Watch some of the recent goals scored in the LOI and youll see some crackers, so there is potential there. This interest would increase revenue to pay bigger name players, ie like Sammon, Green or some of the kids like Carruthers to play in Ireland.
Number 2, Open a school of Excellence. To nurture and train home grown talent and not have them leave for England and getting lost in the crowd. Dennis O’Brien has stepped in with the senior managers wages, why cant some other big names that jump on the bandwagon when were performing like U2, Paddy Power, or Michael O’Leary (who was quick off the mark flogging flights to Milan on the back of Traps sacking)
3. Get Rid of Don Givens, Noel King etc at under age level. Were simply not performing at that level, and we only ever have when Brian Kerr was at the helm. Somebody else mentioned some of the ex Charlton players or recently retired players to be given roles here, Id agree as young fellas would look up to them.
4. Look at how Germany overhauled their structure from grassroots to professional level. One key thing they did was to embrace all levels of race and community something were starting to do now with some of the Nigerian and Polish community.
5. Dissuade young boys not to see emigrating to English clubs as the only option. Doyle, McClean, Hoolahan are testament that you don’t need to move to the UK at 14 years of age.
6. Bring in new thinking and direction in the FAI. Far too many old school football traditionalists from FAI clubs with backward thinking, get rid of the old football blazers and bring in some visionaries. Liam Brady or Niall Quinn has been mentioned all day.
7. Lastly I think that young kids from 5 and up should be only playing in 5 or 7 aside games and not 11 aside teams which is based on a physical game. This is what Spain and Holland and most of Europe has done and it vastly improves skills and technique.
Please God we can bring pride back into the game!
Gibson refused to play for ireland under Trapattoni. He may return now that Trapattoni is gone. As for Stephen Ireland, he can’t seem to make up his mind if he wants to play for Ireland or not. One minute he does and the next he doesn’t. He used to be a very good player but has never been quite the same since he left City.
For me, Niall Quinn is an obvious choice to succeed Delaney if he ever gets the push. He’s just as bad as most of the politicians in this country. No clue whats going on, no continengency plan and probably on in it for the over inflated wages.
As for manager, I think Martin O’Neill is the obvious choice. He’s available so the FAI wouldn’t have to compensation, we’d probably get him for less money than trapattoni was paid, he can communicate with the media and the players, he has lots of experience and apart from a bad stint at Sunderland, he has a good record.
As for Robbie Keane, we may not be scoring many goals but when we do, he is usually the one who scores them even if he does go missing far too often in games. I suggest we put someone up there alongside him who can also get goals. Its not fair to rely on him to do it alone. The midfield should be contributing more goals too. Okay he’s 33 now but i reckon he has another couple of years in him if he keeps himself fit. If the new manager comes in and starts leaving him on the bench, sooner or later he is going to say to himself there is no point coming all that way from America just to warm the bench.
Any truth that Delaney is considering Micky Joe Fitz, Manager of the U7 Ballygobackwards Girls team for the job? I hear he has a subscription to FourFourTwo which is Delaneys number one criteria for the person.
The future isn’t as bad as it is being made out to be. Even though the underage teams have not being setting the world alight it does not mean there is not quality players to be found coming through.
In defence we have Coleman, Clark, Duffy and Greg Cunningham. Midfield there is even more options, along with players who have already got some experience we have McCarthy, Meyler, Brady, Hendrick, Sean Murray and Samir Carruthers, that is not a bad bunch of players at all. Up front is a bit lighter, totally agree that Stokes should get his chance, James Collins has just signed for Hibs and could turn out to be a very good player.
Hard to believe in this day and age that we don’t have a national academy though, It is badly needed, we can’t rely on the Premier League clubs to develop our players any more. A national academy is a must.
People seem to be blaming the pool of players available, but we do have a good group of players there to be chosen from Trap just refused to use them, bringing on Sammon with Wes Holohan sitting on the bench? Come on. Robbie Brady, another great player who can actually cross a half decent ball unlike, McClean, McGeady etc. Hos long where we trying to get him to play McCarthy before he finally gave into the pressure, sure he still needs to improve and I think he will now that he’s gone to Everton who play better stuff than Wigan did. I Know I gave out about McClean’s crossing but he does work hard and puts a good shift in. Seamus Coleman is probably one of the best players who’s come into the team since Trap was in charge, I must admit I really like him, good defender and likes to get forward and attack. Again playing for Everton, same for Gibson, I know there’s been some comments about lack of commitment or whatever but I genuinely believe it was because of Trap (AGAIN) Andy Reid is another one who should be brought back into the fold aswell. But we do have some problems which will come to the fore in the next year or two, or right now, 1. Robbie Keane – I’m not sure how I feel about Keane, I mean he scores goals but doesn’t really do a whole lot else, but whats our other option? I’ll admit I don’t Know a whole lot about Stokes so can’t comment on him. 2. WHAT are we going to do when Richard Dunne and John O’shea retire? Ciaran Clark and……..? Opinions? COYBIG
Surely we don’t need to worry about encouraging underage talent. All of our best players are growing up in Easy Croyden and Burnage. Let’s do our usual Irish thing of just stealing them, ignoring the lack of development of players on this island, and going to the English for help when things fail.
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And of course the elephant in the room Delaney need to pack his bags. How long has he been standing in the shadows making far sweeping wrong decisions. Lets have a real fresh start. Go Now Delaney!
Getting rid of Delaney would be a great start. However, no matter who comes into manage the side, the players just aren’t there to be competing at major tournaments. Major changes are needed if football is to improve in this country.
Irish people spent €100 million plus on the Premiership alone last season. Until we start supporting our own teams and our own league then we are always going to have these problems.
If just some of that money could be re-invested back into grass roots football and proper coaching for our children then we would have a chance.
Sadly, the average Irish person, much like the previous Ireland manager doesn’t even recognise that there is a league in their own country.
Fair point rodney
because the corner boys running LOI clubs would invest that money into coaching kids yeah? Like f**k they would.
Very true Rodney but there would have to be a big change in the current structure of the league. Reduce the amount of clubs for a start.
Agreed Ronan….I think the vast majority of people with an interest in the domestic league is well aware that there needs to be a major overhaul of the League of Ireland.
Who do you support Whistler?
You can’t blame the recession for falling attendances when the rugby team sell out the stadium with pricier tickets…It was purely down to the team and the way it was playing.
Exactly it’s all down to the quality of the product on offer. Look at the attendances the GAA are getting recently. As someone who used to regularly go to Ireland matches I have found it hard to even watch them on tv of late! I think a lot of fans are not going to go back to the Aviva until Delaney is gone!
Tell delaney to p*** off?
Delaney is the biggest cowboy in ireland .. doing soccer in ireland no favours and earning 300k per annum. He needs the bullet ASAP and someone with a bit of fresh ideas to be appointed.
May I suggest puttibg liam brady in charge of youth development
Yes!!!!
As long as that awful pastime masquerading for sport that goes by the name of Gaelic Football is deemed legal, real football in Ireland will never be of a half decent standard!
I reckon we should get the likes of Brian Kerr back on the scene. Almost all the good players we had in the last 15 years came through his youth squads. And even David oleary he brought leeds to the champions league semi finals. We have talent out there in the coaching world but the FAI won’t tap into it.
And John Giles for Delaney’s job
Brady or Kerr in youth development would be very welcome
Rodrigo if your trolling, it’s worked if not, why not try giving the “pastime” a try or even try watching a full game it’s 10 times the game football is faster more skill involved & played by men who don’t wear diamond ear rings.
Skill and Gaelic Football mentioned in the same sentence. Now that must be a first!
Rodrigo I liked your comment because your a legend & also because your argument is flawless. What a guy!
We play football, you play soccer. Ask your association..FIFA
Kind Regards
The assimilation committee
Rodrigo is a tosser
Good man rodrigo, with that many red thumbs, you’re right on the money..
can someone please explain to me why forde was time wasting last night??
Said that last night, started in the first half, ludicrous
I think he was trying to confuse the Austrians…and us.
Ya I couldn’t for the life of me make sense of it. We needed to win! And there they were playing for a draw. They deserved to lose with that approach
Niall Quinn for Delaneys job.and Roy Keane as manager..best thing for the young players..
Niall Quinn for Delaney’s Job is close to a no brainer.
Think niall quinn may be preoccupied with his broadband company unfortunatly.
Your kidding
Stephen Ireland? Darron Gibson? Anthony Stokes? What- Is Oliver Cromwell not available? All three declined to wear the green shirt when called. They should not be allowed sully it by wearing it again. We need 100% committed proud Irishmen lining out at the Aviva. Not pre-madonnas lining out because their agent told them it would increase their value? Roy Keane for Manager then so, yeah?
so youd prefer Sammon, Whelan and Green then?
Ireland was 21 when he quit the team and that was largely down to bullying from members of a squad, plenty of 21 year olds out of the public eye cant handle that as it is, Gibson was screwed completely at the euros, he should have still answered the call but in fairness I think it was more out of point for not playing for Trap and Stokes was recovering from an injury. This kind of stuff happens with a lot of national teams but the management and fans welcome players back if it brings improvement to the team, its not like you have to share a room with these lads come international games
having said that though they will still have to prove a lot of people wrong before they pull on a green jersey again but im sure all three will and will push us on to euro 2016
Nick- I’d prefer any proud Irishman to those cretins. How many opportunities did Stephen Ireland get to come back? He’s created trouble at every club he went to, so don’t blame “bullying” in the Irish camp. He’s a nut job who’s a traitor to his country. Darron Gibson doesn’t get to pick the Republic of Ireland team. He just petulantly stormed off because he didn’t get a game. You & I might agree that he should have, but that’s not the point. What if every player who’s not included in the first 11 pulled that stunt. As for Stokes, Mr. Hard Ass nationalist. Too tired to line out for your country? What other country’s do is up to them. An Irish team should be made up of proud Irishmen honoured to wear the shirt.
In other countries fans would be protesting outside footy hq to get rid of Delaney, until some real pressure is put on him to leave then he won’t leave and we will have a very hard time improving
The whole country is on it’s knees and people don’t protest
Roy keane as manager???…a man who walked out on his country during the world cup…he sets a great example alright!!
Agreed, regardless of circumstances, he had a hissey fit and walked out on the country. I imagine tantrums are standard practice for Keane, before every game we’d be preoccupied with whether he’d show up or bring his dog for a walk!
Oh for gods sake Darren change the record !!
Having said that, I would add that Keane has several important positive attributes, he expresses genuine passion and humility, he has exceptional concern for the game in this country.
And certainly wouldn’t be shy to standing up to the FAI. Lets not forget the reason he left Saipan…. Because the powers that be were completely amateurish in the booking of facilities and logistics of having a team compete on the world stage.
Im pretty sure he knew what he was talking about seeing as he played with the biggest club in the world at the time.
I think he would have the right attitude and ambition to succeed and also knows the players floating around in both Ireland and England.
With a name like Rodrigo, it explains it all , if u don’t like our national sport . Ie Gaelic games , u know what to do, go somewhere where soccer is the national sport
Nah he’s right, poxy bogball
Didn’t say I don’t like Gaelic games. It’s Gaelic football that needs to be banned. It’s nothing more than a pushing and pulling contest.
Did you see Kerry v Dublin? Any open minded sports fan would have enjoyed that. Why are you going out of your way to prove that you are narrow minded or closed minded? It’s nothing to be proud of.
Rodrigo, why would anyone want to ban a sport that pulls in over 80,000 people for the big games every year? I suggest you try to play it before discrediting the skill level involved.
most kids want to play gaa and soccer if only clubs could work together we could produce some great players …
I think a complete overhaul of the FAI needs to be made especially at the top. We need inspirational leaders with solid plans to not only improve our senior international team but to also develop a strategy for our youth development. One of my proposals would be to introduce a youth academy based In Ireland, identify as many talented kids from witin and hire some decent coaches to give them a real chance to achieve over in England and other countries. We are daft if we think it will happen magically.
Why dont we hire the chief exec’s of both Spain and Italy, we could get them both for less than what Delaneys on.
Relatively small populations such as Belgium… I would argue that Belgium has a population 4 times as large as Ireland. Belgian teams continuously appear in the group stages of the champions league, they have a fully professional league and while some may argue the standard of said league it is still 2 or 3 steps ahead of the LOI and the perfect standard for developing young talents, in fact the standard has declined in the 20 years or so from the days you saw the likes of Brugge, Anderlecht and Antwerp contesting European finals. The LOI has never had any pedigree and has to build its reputation almost from scratch. Football is also the most popular sport in Belgium with every town and village having a local team, the same cannot be said for rural Ireland where GAA holds sway! I think Ireland should concentrate on their domestic football 1st and wait for those improvements to pay dividends in the National team. Proving Shamrock rovers run to the Europa league group stages wasn’t a once off and hopefully an Irish appearance in the champions league proper!
Stephan Ireland should be given a chance to prove himself??
Robbie Keane is a great addition to our side.As long as he is scoring goals he is a valuable asset to the national team
He scores goals but he needs 12 shots to get that 1 goal.
Two solutions ! One – Niall Quinn in instead of Delaney , Two – Roy Keane in as manager .They have worked together before, they came up through the youth system and have a vast amount of caps and experience between them .
Be helpful if he could speak English without an interpreter!
That’s Keane out so…….
Interesting that the author makes note that Stephen Ireland, who has shown no desire to play for his country in 6 years, is deserving of a chance to prove himself. Yet there is no mention of Andy Reid, a man who was cast aside 5 years ago by a petulant Trapattoni, who is now playing the best football of his career, and who has stated on many occasions he would swim the Irish Sea to wear the green shirt again.
For shame.
There are great Irish football people knocking around that need to be involved in the international scene at under age level. The likes of David O’Leary, John Aldridge, Ronnie Whelan, Liam Brady and Frank Stapleton need to be given positions in areas that improve the game. Instead of the likes of Noel king or Pat Devlin.
Good article, balance seems to be the key message in it. What about Glenn whelan? Part of the problem, I suggest. Will James mcCarthy improve as an international player? Robbie should be on the bench for special occasions for the next 4-5 games, after that ?
Team should be built around mc carthy
I just don’t get the mc carthy hype. He has always been rubbish for Ireland and he has had plenty of chances. Please don’t use the “but the style of football trap plays didn’t suit him”.
Genuine top class players impose themselves on a game and stand out regardless of the style of football being played. I think he’s useless, I honestly don’t get why he’s talked up so much
Gave up when I saw drop Robbie and bring in Stokes… really?
Robbie is close to the retirement age from football let alone international football. He’s to old to be playing for Euros 2016.
Yep, Robbie won’t be around forever. And I wasn’t saying Stokes should be a nailed-on starter, just suggesting it would be no harm trying him out in a meaningless friendly. He certainly merits a place in the squad more so than Sammon, for instance.
What is needed is to go right back down to the core of the association and like other countries have regulations regarding our best young promising players for instance they can’t sign for any club outside of Ireland until 20 tht way it will improve the league of Ireland, better coaching structures and subsidized badges and promotion from within, study other smaller nations and how they do things and take from everyone and make our own stance on it, none of this small country stuff if anything that should mean we fight harder, there’s plenty of players out there they just need a manager who makes them believe they can like the time with donegal winning the all Ireland
Stop young players from signing for a club outside of there country until there 20? And what? Potentially slow down there development which in the long run wouldn’t be good for the national team. 18 maybe, but 20 is too long.
Terrible article. Firstly Mark Kinsella was way above being an ordinary player, great passer of the ball and an eye for goal, streets ahead of what’s there currently. Stephen Ireland to be brought back, he doesnt want to brought back, as for Stokes, with the odd goal in a useless Scottish league, I don’t think so? Im sick and tired reading about Ireland, Reid, Hoolahan, theyre all only average and they are not the answer to our problems. Then the point about Belgium, what a load of rubbish, when have Belgium last qualified for anything? Yeah currently they have a good team, but their football teams don’t have rugby, GAA, etc to contend with and they have a population of 11 million not 4, do your bloody research mate!!
Have to say theres so much wrong with Irish football right now and there is no quick fix. Trap was a quick fix, he got us to the Euros playing a terrible brand of football, but that game is up now.
What to change.
1. Restructure the LOI. Amalgamating teams and decreasing the size of the league. Generating interest with the local populous, and getting people behind their team like the rugby provinces have done. Find investors and aim for a run in international competitions (Shels and Cork City a few years back did it) and stick with playing an exciting style of football. Watch some of the recent goals scored in the LOI and youll see some crackers, so there is potential there. This interest would increase revenue to pay bigger name players, ie like Sammon, Green or some of the kids like Carruthers to play in Ireland.
Number 2, Open a school of Excellence. To nurture and train home grown talent and not have them leave for England and getting lost in the crowd. Dennis O’Brien has stepped in with the senior managers wages, why cant some other big names that jump on the bandwagon when were performing like U2, Paddy Power, or Michael O’Leary (who was quick off the mark flogging flights to Milan on the back of Traps sacking)
3. Get Rid of Don Givens, Noel King etc at under age level. Were simply not performing at that level, and we only ever have when Brian Kerr was at the helm. Somebody else mentioned some of the ex Charlton players or recently retired players to be given roles here, Id agree as young fellas would look up to them.
4. Look at how Germany overhauled their structure from grassroots to professional level. One key thing they did was to embrace all levels of race and community something were starting to do now with some of the Nigerian and Polish community.
5. Dissuade young boys not to see emigrating to English clubs as the only option. Doyle, McClean, Hoolahan are testament that you don’t need to move to the UK at 14 years of age.
6. Bring in new thinking and direction in the FAI. Far too many old school football traditionalists from FAI clubs with backward thinking, get rid of the old football blazers and bring in some visionaries. Liam Brady or Niall Quinn has been mentioned all day.
7. Lastly I think that young kids from 5 and up should be only playing in 5 or 7 aside games and not 11 aside teams which is based on a physical game. This is what Spain and Holland and most of Europe has done and it vastly improves skills and technique.
Please God we can bring pride back into the game!
Lets not forget Robbie Brady, very talented and regular starter for Hull. Andy Reid also performing well with Forest.
Without Robbie Keane we dont have a hope in hell.shane long is horrible when he plays for us
Darren Gibson and Stephen Ireland have refused to play for us so…
Gibson refused to play for ireland under Trapattoni. He may return now that Trapattoni is gone. As for Stephen Ireland, he can’t seem to make up his mind if he wants to play for Ireland or not. One minute he does and the next he doesn’t. He used to be a very good player but has never been quite the same since he left City.
For me, Niall Quinn is an obvious choice to succeed Delaney if he ever gets the push. He’s just as bad as most of the politicians in this country. No clue whats going on, no continengency plan and probably on in it for the over inflated wages.
As for manager, I think Martin O’Neill is the obvious choice. He’s available so the FAI wouldn’t have to compensation, we’d probably get him for less money than trapattoni was paid, he can communicate with the media and the players, he has lots of experience and apart from a bad stint at Sunderland, he has a good record.
As for Robbie Keane, we may not be scoring many goals but when we do, he is usually the one who scores them even if he does go missing far too often in games. I suggest we put someone up there alongside him who can also get goals. Its not fair to rely on him to do it alone. The midfield should be contributing more goals too. Okay he’s 33 now but i reckon he has another couple of years in him if he keeps himself fit. If the new manager comes in and starts leaving him on the bench, sooner or later he is going to say to himself there is no point coming all that way from America just to warm the bench.
How about plastic paddys
We all knew a new manager was needed but Delaney has to go too, Complete restart!
Westwood is shocking
Any truth that Delaney is considering Micky Joe Fitz, Manager of the U7 Ballygobackwards Girls team for the job? I hear he has a subscription to FourFourTwo which is Delaneys number one criteria for the person.
The future isn’t as bad as it is being made out to be. Even though the underage teams have not being setting the world alight it does not mean there is not quality players to be found coming through.
In defence we have Coleman, Clark, Duffy and Greg Cunningham. Midfield there is even more options, along with players who have already got some experience we have McCarthy, Meyler, Brady, Hendrick, Sean Murray and Samir Carruthers, that is not a bad bunch of players at all. Up front is a bit lighter, totally agree that Stokes should get his chance, James Collins has just signed for Hibs and could turn out to be a very good player.
Hard to believe in this day and age that we don’t have a national academy though, It is badly needed, we can’t rely on the Premier League clubs to develop our players any more. A national academy is a must.
People seem to be blaming the pool of players available, but we do have a good group of players there to be chosen from Trap just refused to use them, bringing on Sammon with Wes Holohan sitting on the bench? Come on. Robbie Brady, another great player who can actually cross a half decent ball unlike, McClean, McGeady etc. Hos long where we trying to get him to play McCarthy before he finally gave into the pressure, sure he still needs to improve and I think he will now that he’s gone to Everton who play better stuff than Wigan did. I Know I gave out about McClean’s crossing but he does work hard and puts a good shift in. Seamus Coleman is probably one of the best players who’s come into the team since Trap was in charge, I must admit I really like him, good defender and likes to get forward and attack. Again playing for Everton, same for Gibson, I know there’s been some comments about lack of commitment or whatever but I genuinely believe it was because of Trap (AGAIN) Andy Reid is another one who should be brought back into the fold aswell. But we do have some problems which will come to the fore in the next year or two, or right now, 1. Robbie Keane – I’m not sure how I feel about Keane, I mean he scores goals but doesn’t really do a whole lot else, but whats our other option? I’ll admit I don’t Know a whole lot about Stokes so can’t comment on him. 2. WHAT are we going to do when Richard Dunne and John O’shea retire? Ciaran Clark and……..? Opinions? COYBIG
Surely we don’t need to worry about encouraging underage talent. All of our best players are growing up in Easy Croyden and Burnage. Let’s do our usual Irish thing of just stealing them, ignoring the lack of development of players on this island, and going to the English for help when things fail.
Get another contract straight away and bleed the FAI dry like the last regime