Stephen Kenny Reign

One

Banned
Mick is gone, time for a new thread.

Damien Duff will be joining Stephen Kenny's staff - job share with Celtic initially but his long term future in Scotland was unclear prior to this

Alan Kelly staying on from Mick McCarthy's coaching staff. Robbie Keane won't be a part of Kenny's team.

https://t.co/mIG9dEPT4K
 
Andrews has been excellent with the u21s. A real arm over the shoulder type of a coach who is very vocal on the sidelines.
 
It'll be interesting to see how Kenny sets up the team. Not since Brian Kerr and parts of McCarthy's first period in charge have we had a team that made any sort of consistent attempt to play ball. Sure, there were exceptions like the WC 2010 qualifier in Stade De France and some of the games from Euro 2016 but you really have to go back to Eoin Hand to find an Ireland team consistently going out to play decent football. Hand had Brady, Lawrenson, Galvin, O'Leary, Stapleton, Langan, Hughton, Robinson, Grealish etc. - all playing at a considerably higher level than our current team.

Apart from the Charlton years, we've almost invariably been set up to play without the ball and to "try not to lose". Once Robbie Keane retired that meant pretty much no goals getting scored - in fairness, generally not many conceded either but it all made for turgid stuff.

Presumably the fear in all managers was that we would be ripped open if we tried anything adventurous - best to keep it robust, muscular and tight and hang in until the last game or two of the group. This was clear in the way we consistently failed to hang on to early leads and were at our best chasing down an equaliser or a winner in the last 10 minutes.

In fairness Kenny has ploughed a very different furrow with the U21s and has delivered more good than bad performances with them. Given the talent at his disposal, I wonder will he have the confidence in the players to allow them to go for it.
 
FAI CEO Gary Owens has confirmed that November is most likely date for playoffs - with the possibility of nine international games for Ireland later this year if football resumes in September. Triple headers for playoff sides on the cards.
 
Molumby, Dara O'Shea, Idah, Lee O Connor, Parrot, Jason Knight and Connolly the likeliest from the current u21 squad to feature initially.
Nathan Collins and Conor Coventry would be a good outside bets to push their way into it if they can get regular gametine at their clubs or out on loan next season.
I'd say we've seen the last o the likes of Whelan, Clarke, Arter, Christie, Collins, Curtis and a few more.
I think hell keep McLean around, certainly won't be a starter though. They have a good relationship from LOI days.
 
It'll be interesting to see how Kenny sets up the team. Not since Brian Kerr and parts of McCarthy's first period in charge have we had a team that made any sort of consistent attempt to play ball. Sure, there were exceptions like the WC 2010 qualifier in Stade De France and some of the games from Euro 2016 but you really have to go back to Eoin Hand to find an Ireland team consistently going out to play decent football. Hand had Brady, Lawrenson, Galvin, O'Leary, Stapleton, Langan, Hughton, Robinson, Grealish etc. - all playing at a considerably higher level than our current team.

Apart from the Charlton years, we've almost invariably been set up to play without the ball and to "try not to lose". Once Robbie Keane retired that meant pretty much no goals getting scored - in fairness, generally not many conceded either but it all made for turgid stuff.

Presumably the fear in all managers was that we would be ripped open if we tried anything adventurous - best to keep it robust, muscular and tight and hang in until the last game or two of the group. This was clear in the way we consistently failed to hang on to early leads and were at our best chasing down an equaliser or a winner in the last 10 minutes.

In fairness Kenny has ploughed a very different furrow with the U21s and has delivered more good than bad performances with them. Given the talent at his disposal, I wonder will he have the confidence in the players to allow them to go for it.

Good post.

We have been playing garbage football for the last few years. Lets at least get it on the ground and get the fundamentals right.

0-1 and 2-0 against Gibraltar is embarrassing for a team of professional footballers.

Micks tactics were a pity. Going to Georgia and playing for a draw against a side who were a out 80 places below us in the rankings.

At least now theres a chance we might go out and try to win games.
 
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