Last night’s performance from the Boys in Green in Tbilisi typified an underage game of football played in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, a bunch of kids who are learning to play football so they just kick the ball anywhere and chase after it. It was borderline pathetic, embarrassing and all comes down from the management. It’s not acceptable to play that type of football against a team who are 112th in the FIFA world rankings.
Martin O’Neill has a lot to answer for in his tenure as Irish manager, he’s has some successes in terms of getting the Ireland to the Euro’s where we put up a good fight against some of the best nations in European football. We are second in qualifying group for the World Cup in 2018. Comparing that to Giovanni’s Trapattoni’s time in charge of Emerald Isle football team, boring, kick it long and hope it for the best type of football. Oh wait, was the game last night and previous games not the same?
Let’s take last night’s performance for example, ROI who are currently ranked 29th in FIFA world rankings going into the match level on points with top spot Serbia. With three minutes into the game, Ireland couldn’t have asked for a better start with Shane Duffy scoring a header from about 13 yards out from a long ball pumped into the Georgia box. The keeper as in no man’s land and also got an elbow into the face from Ciaran Clark. However, the game went downhill from there. Georgia played some really good football, pressuring the Irish onto their own penalty area however didn’t have that extra bit of class until the 34th minute where they got a great goal through Kazaishvilli.
The game ended with a score 1-1 draw, however this doesn’t paint the picture. Ireland didn’t want to play football, every time someone had time on the ball, kick it long, when under pressure, kick it long, that’s the mentality. I’m sorry Martin, but this is international football and football has moved on from the 90’s! If I apart of the FAI, I would be refunding the travelling supporters who made the trip with the team to Georgia because they paid a lot of money to support their team and where left with something they could have watched in their local park.
His continued non selection of Wes Hoolahan is perplexing to say the least, when he starts Ireland’s average points per game is 2.15 versus 1.32 without him. Seems like a no brainer. He is the only player in the Irish team who can play the no 10 role, get on the ball and play them killer passes which opens teams up. Glenn Whelan is awful; he offers nothing to the team other than holding onto the jersey. Why can’t Harry Arter play that defensive midfield role and put Hoolahan beside him. What Wes offers is someone who is not afraid to get on the ball and make the opposition defend differently instead of preparing to head the ball. It’s too easy to defend against that type of football.
According to RTE’s stat wizards, it was reported that Ireland had a miserable 62 passes completed in the first half of the match versus Georgia who completed over 300 passes, that equated to 24% possession in the first half. Let’s put that into perspective, that equates to a completed pass every 43 seconds on average!
For those who don’t support the Republic of Ireland and wonder what’s all the fuss, we’re a small island on the edge of Europe possibly punching above your weight, all we want to see is a team trying to play good football. The philosophy of the manager is a schoolboy manager’s tactics and I really feel it’s time for Martin to go.