Next Republic of Ireland soccer manager.....

[Hocker]

Ok lads, Now I know this isn't exactly GAA related, but just said I'd start a debate on who will be the next manager of Irelands soccer team.. Just seeing as things have been fairly quiet on this board in the past few weeks.
Personally, I feel that it may need to be a non-Irish individual, someone like George Graham or Steve Coppell, Martin Jol perhaps?. Any thoughts?

[the rat]

they need a strong strong character to take over. I liken the situation to when Bertie Vogts was in charge of Scotland and they were in a mess, then Walter Smith came in and got them playing with pride and passion, and now under McCleish they are on the brink of the Euro's. Id like to see Liam Brady working alongside Chris Houghton.

[Sydthebeat]

a Hughton / Jol partnership may be accessible right now...

personally i would like to see a tactically strong manager like Bekenhakker (sic) or Otto Rehhegal.....

[the bare biffo]

What will the criteria be.

Does ability to scrap in the lower reaches of the premiership a la Paul Jewel represent enough quality. Or will Delaneys safety net require a proven international track record ?

What about Terry Venables with Chris Hughton at number 2.

[DD]

Whoever they get should be in it for the long haul - they shouldn't go for a candidate that sees it as a stepping stone back into the Premier League or another high profile position a year or two down the road.

[Archangel]

Whoever they get should be in it for the long haul - they shouldn't go for a candidate that sees it as a stepping stone back into the Premier League or another high profile position a year or two down the road.

Given those criteria, then Gerard Houllier is yer man.

[corner back]

chris hughton has a load of qualifications but is he any good? We weren't that great when he was assisting Brian Kerr

[Hocker]

Hughton isn't worth a shite... possibly as an assistant but no more. I'm supporting Spurs all my life and he's the sort of a lad that players might like but not have enough respect for him to be manager.
I hear Souness is interested in the job, I'd like him to get it. Forget all that "he used to manage & play for Rangers horse bollocks"... Players would repect him because he commands as such. One thing the new manager whoever comes in has to do, is replace Robbie Keane as captain with Richard Dunne, Instill confidence back in the players and get all the supporters back behind the team!

[The Biff]

An International Manager would require some quite different skills than a Club Manager. Your panel is probably going to choose itself for each match, working through these criteria:
1. Who is eligible?
2. Who is fit?
3. Who is close enough to the right standard?

After that, you're getting a bunch of quite different players together for a short time and you've got to make them play like a decent team. So the most important skill by far is your Man-Management Inter-personal manner. Forget the wheeler-dealers, or the Impersonal Technical Gurus, or the guys-just-in-it-for-money. What we need is a man who knows the game itself, who can analyse a match while it is going on and make changes quickly.

Jack Charlton's greatest traits were his ability to win the players undying support (through Guinness and Harry Ramsden's) and a bloody-mindedness to pick the right players to make a game-plan work. Steve Staunton may have verged on a similar bloody-mindedness, but he could do nothing in Charlton's other forte. Brian Kerr was good on the game plans and possibly not bloody-minded enough.

On this basis, I would also think someone like Souness could be exactly what we need. The traits that did not help him in Club Management could well work wonders in the International setup.

[the bare biffo]

On this basis, I would also think someone like Souness could be exactly what we need. The traits that did not help him in Club Management could well work wonders in the International setup.

I think that same reasoning would apply equally well to Liam Brady.

[Bord na Mona man]

On this basis, I would also think someone like Souness could be exactly what we need. The traits that did not help him in Club Management could well work wonders in the International setup.

I think that same reasoning would apply equally well to Liam Brady.

The problem I see with Brady is that he wasn't/isn't liked very well. Either by his peers (in the Charlton setup anyway) or by the players who worked under him at club level.

Also he doesn't come across as an inspiring character. He'd be more of a Staunton than a Martin O'Neill. International football is so much getting players motivated for one off performances.

[the bare biffo]

One thing, apart from his footbal ability, that has always earned admiration from me, by Brady was his forthright manner. What do they say in the westerns, honry.

The story about his reply to someone at Arsenal when he was looking at the move to Italy is a classic.

"...... but Liam your going to be playing abroad, is that what you really want ? I am already playing abroad" was Brady's reply.

Crazy selections aside I thought Stauntons biggest problem was his inability to sell himself to the media and the supporters. You might get some leeway if you can explain some reasoning behind what you are doing, but Stans "Dalglish school" communications style made his actions look even worse rather the other way round.

I'm sort of warming to Brady, but I don't think theres a snowball in hells chance he'll be offered the job.