STAUNTON MUST GO BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!

That may be a sweeping statement but surely even a this stage it is clearly obvious that Steve Staunton is not capable of managing the Irish team!  Last night we crumbled 5-2 to Cyrpus.  Cyprus!  This is the same Cyprus that are currently 103rd in the world!  That is where we are heading!  But rather than just ranting, lets just try and look at the situation objectively.  Or, in other words, justify my sweeping statement.

Lets first look at the team that Staunton put out last night.  Initially on paper it seemed brave and attack minded, but ultimately proved to be flawed.  Why?  Ok, lets start at the beginning. 

Paddy Kenny is definitely no. 2 to Given, seeing as we are not blessed with a huge number of keepers.  He made one mistake last night and it cost us  goal, but he is pretty much blameless overall.  Although, excuse makers will say that he was a disruptive influence on the 4 in front of them who were not used to him being behind them.

Steve Finnan, best right back in the Premiership who plays like a demented muppet for Ireland, but still our best option there.

John O’Shea should never be handed a green jersey again, unless its to work in a Bennetton store!  He is an absolute waste of space.  Contributes nothing to the team and should be dropped immediately!

Richard Dunne, like Finnan is a good defender being made to look useless by the muppets surrounding him!

Andy O’Brien, cannot get a game with Portsmouth, and is playing for Ireland!  We must surely have at least 1 regularly playing centre half who’s up to the job.  Paddy McCarthy comes to mind.

Damien Duff, is not a leader of men and does his best, but he needs someone inside him pushing him along.

Aidan McGeady, was the only glimmer of light to come from last night.  A bit slow to see the pass sometimes but he will get better.

Kevin Kilbane, should retire.  Seriously, how has he gotten to this level?  He cannot dribble, tackle or pass, and resembles a poor Sunday league player in possession.  I’m guessing that he was picked as the holding  midfielder last night.  He can’t do it, never could.

Stephen Ireland, will be good but was out of his depth last night.

Clinton Morrisson, tried hard, but just isn’t good enough and was playing up front on his own.

Robbie Keane doesn’t try hard enough for Ireland and is not a leader.  He should be stripped of the captaincy.

So, what more can we say?  Firstly, Staunton picked a team that had no driving/holding force in midfield.  Of our current players the ones best suited to breaking up the play and inspiring others are Graeme Kavanagh, Stephen Reid, and I expect someday, Liam Miller.  As these were all injured on this occasion if further baffles me as to why Lee Carsley was left out.  He could have done that job last night and would have made a major difference.  Also, I dread to think who Staunton will replace the suspended Richard Dunne with.  The sight of Kevin Kilbane at centre back last night may not be as temporary as we all hope it will be!

But the crux of the matter is this.  The team that was put out last night should have been good enough to beat Cyprus, comfortably.  Yes, the players have to take some of the blame.  But, ultimately, it is the managers fault that a team that good on paper goes out and plays like a poor under 10’s team!  Does he coach them at all, or talk tactics at all?  If he does, he’s obviously not very good at it!  He goes on about his 4 year plan.  At this rate in 4 years we will be below even the Bahamas in the world rankings!  The things he was supposed to bring to the team, passion, pride etc. are the very things now missing.  There are plenty of good managers out there that could do the job, if the FAI weren’t so intent on cutting costs with a yellow pack manager!  Steven Kenny or Pat Fenlon would be better than Staunton.  And personally, I’ d like to see them open it to a middle of the road English based manager, who would know the players.  Someone like Paul Jewell or Alan Pardew would be  a breath of fresh air.

The good days are gone, but we can still be competititve but we need a new leader to instill new pride into the team before we are brought to new depths.

~ by knightfall on October 8, 2006.