Breaking news - Nigel Worthington is resigning as manager of the North. Possibly due to the disgraceful scenes of booing from the Windsor Park faithful at the end of Nirelands latest defeat - 2-1 at home to an average Estonian side.
Lets look at NIrelands record under Nigel. To be honest its not bad considering the players he had at his disposal
P 40 W 9 D 10 L 21!! I can't really see any other manager bettering this record with the current players in the Nireland squad. Keeping this side from sliding back below out of the top 100 of the FIFA rankings should be his main priority. As for making a serious go of qualifying for major tournaments don't make me laugh!!!
I am sure the IFA will now contact Shamrock Rovers manager Michael O'Neill with a view to him taking over the NIreland side now.
This i believe would be a big mistake for O'Neill. He is doing a great job with the Rovers and has made history by being the first manager to lead an Irish club (North or South) to the qualifying stages of a major European club tournament.
Obviously O'Neill has ambitions of going on to bigger and better things i believe he should keep doing what he is doing at Rovers and hold out for an offer from a Championship side in England instead.
Former NIreland manager Lawrie Sanchez for all his talk about wanting to return as NIreland manager (something i would take with a pinch of salt) realised a few years ago that he taken this side as far as it could go and took the sensible decision of stepping down . He knew that the creditable victories over the likes of England and Spain only served to paper over the cracks of the obvious limitations of the Norths side.
Any future NIreland manager will be well aware of the limitations of the current squad. With Hughes now retired they only have 4 players in the entire squad who are actually Premiership regulars. Evans, Mc Auley, Brunt and the error prone Chris Baird.
The rest of the squad is made up of journeymen players plying their trade in the SPl, the Championship and League 1 in England.
I don't think Brian Kerr will accept the Nireland job either as he is obviously looking forward to pitting his wits against his former employers the FAI when his Faroes Islands side will be up against us in the upcoming WC 2014 qualifiers.
What kind of wages as well will the cash strapped IFA offer a new manager as well. A poor squad of players to work with made even more difficult by unrealistic expectations from a lot of NIreland fans makes this job even more unattractive for a prospective manager.
Selling sand to the Arabs would be an easir job in my opinion!!
To quote Noel Coward "Don't put your son on the stage Mrs Worthington" or Mrs O'Neill for that matter!!!!
Michael O'Neill next NIreland manager?
posted on 10/10/11
Now Robbie , where do i begin to desect that classic anti-NI statement that spews from your fingers.
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Quoting Robbie "Lets look at NIrelands record under Nigel. To be honest its not bad considering the players he had at his disposal
P 40 W 9 D 10 L 21!! I can't really see any other manager bettering this record with the current players in the Nireland squad. Keeping this side from sliding back below out of the top 100 of the FIFA rankings should be his main priority. As for making a serious go of qualifying for major tournaments don't make me laugh!!!"
What would you be laughing at Robbie , surely all teams and their managers set out to qualify for a major tournament? Sure , we havent qualified for a major tournament since 1986 in mexico but that doesnt stop fans,players and managers from believing.
Did your fans stop believing pre-Euro 1988 when you had NEVER qualifed for a major tournament and were in the international wilderness for decades? No they probably didnt.
The players didnt want to play for NW , i believe there is some talented players that could be a handful for opposition teams if managed correctly tactically. Sanchez did it for a few years.
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2nd Robbie quote "am sure the IFA will now contact Shamrock Rovers manager Michael O'Neill with a view to him taking over the NIreland side now.
This i believe would be a big mistake for O'Neill. He is doing a great job with the Rovers and has made history by being the first manager to lead an Irish club (North or South) to the qualifying stages of a major European club tournament.
Obviously O'Neill has ambitions of going on to bigger and better things i believe he should keep doing what he is doing at Rovers and hold out for an offer from a Championship side in England instead. "
Right first of all as much as i respect what Shamrock Rovers have achieved , i think it would be a mistake to even ponder going for O'Neill , too much inexperience. Big difference going from LOI to the Championship NEVERMIND International football Robbie. NW did wonders for a few years with Norwich City but i think he just didnt realise how much harder the internation game is. So i think O'Neill will be ruled out.
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Quote 3 from Robbie "Former NIreland manager Lawrie Sanchez for all his talk about wanting to return as NIreland manager (something i would take with a pinch of salt) realised a few years ago that he taken this side as far as it could go and took the sensible decision of stepping down . He knew that the creditable victories over the likes of England and Spain only served to paper over the cracks of the obvious limitations of the Norths side."
That is rubbish Robbie. Greed got the better of Sanchez , nothing else. Fulham offered a bigger paycheque and he seen the pound signs. Funny he is looking back with us after failing so hard with Fulham. So why would he be looking back Robbie? Surely if he left YEARS ago if he felt it was as far as he could take the team , and this team is deemed worse than the one he left, then why would he want back? Strange one.
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Last quote from Robbie "What kind of wages as well will the cash strapped IFA offer a new manager as well. A poor squad of players to work with made even more difficult by unrealistic expectations from a lot of NIreland fans makes this job even more unattractive for a prospective manager. "
I think NW was on decent wages , so i think the guy could well be too. What are these unrealistic expectations you speak of Robbie? How many NI do you actually know , having not even set foot across the border? Im guessing....hmmmmmm... zilch.
I will tell you the expectations of the NI fans in a group with Italy and Serbia with NW at the helm. None. And any win/draw is a bonus.
What is this obsession you have with all things NI ? As you have stated, you hate the place , you hate the NI football team and you hate NI in bloody general. Are you banned from the NI board? Probably because every thing you posted on it was a WUM attempt.
I really hope ROI qualify for EURO 12 and i know i will support them all the way and a lot of NI fans will be too. Sorry for the long post , good luck.
posted on 10/10/11
Cheers Alex, sounds like you're another fully paid up member of the Keep M.O.N. in Tallaght movement,and thanks for the good wishes.
posted on 10/10/11
Cheers for the goodwishes Alex. Believe it or not my article is not an attack on your team. It is just my honest assesment based on how things stand at the moment
posted on 11/10/11
Yeah Robbie sure its not. Suppose its not like this one either.
http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewArticle/46246
Life must be boring in the little backwater place you live today Robbie eh
posted on 11/10/11
No probs U7501 - I wasnt slagging him off at all , just believe he can develop more with Shamrock at the minute. Seems to be working wonders down there and long may it continue bud.
posted on 11/10/11
Alex, hopefully we can hang onto Mr Magilton too.I'm enjoying the success, but am also happy that we're not running away with everything.The more teams in the mix for honours at season's end,the healthier the league, and that's the most important thing.As Mel Brooks would say,, support your local club,, but ,, blue is still the colooouuur, football's still the game.
posted on 11/10/11
Blue is indeed the colour!
I do try to get over to see the mighty West London Blues as much as possible (my dad is from Fulham) , although technically not my local team but have blue blood running through the old veins. My local team up here would be Crusaders but due to playing football every saturday, i cant make it to Seaview as much as id like.
Do you think Shamrocks recent success has given the fans more expection from the team and O'Neill??
posted on 11/10/11
Ah Alex no need to be getting personal your better than that. Its only a bit of Football banter
That said i'm proud of the little backwater i call home.
posted on 11/10/11
Apologies Robbie. Im still proud of Northern Ireland , the place i call home
posted on 11/10/11
Looks like you lads could be getting either Magilton or Dowie as manager . Either of these would be a good appointment for your team because if nothing else they would get the players playing for the shirt again