Martin O'Neill...

kearney304 wrote: Time isn't really a problem is it? When is our next competitive game? Nearly 12 months.

Not when you put it like that no but just saying hope it’s sorted well before even the next friendly in March, give the new manager time

Baldrick wrote: stokeirish wrote: I wonder when he will make a decision. Have to respect he is entitled to give this some thought but if he is going, I hope it’s sooner rather than later to give the new manager time to bed in   Our next friendly is March at the earliest with maybe a couple of friendlies in May/June   Followed by the Nations League in Sep Oct and November.   I do not think there is any rush.   He could announce it anytime between now and April and it wouldn't make a  difference.

Hope the FAI see this post and get thinking now cos it’s going to be very hard sell the next season ticket! I’ll renew cos I have no friends or social life lol but think we might take a hit on sales next time sadly

kearney304 wrote: Next years season ticket will be around half of this years I would say at a guess. What did we have this year? 18K? Be no where near that.

Think it was 16 k

I hope he announces quickly that he is staying so as all this shoite can be put to bed on here, and the players can be safe in the knowledge that there will be no upheaval in staff and no new regime, we will be in the next euros regardless, keep the faith

kearney304 wrote: stokeirish wrote: kearney304 wrote: Next years season ticket will be around half of this years I would say at a guess. What did we have this year? 18K? Be no where near that. Think it was 16 k   Point being - we won't touch that next time round.

Sorry mate, wasn’t disagreeing with your point. Just saying I’m pretty sure it was 16k

The O'Shea wrote: People will be happy until he's replaced with someone else in the exact same mould/a 3rd or 4th rate "progressive" manager. There question isn't so much has O'Neill taken the team as far as he can (he almost certainly has), but rather can we find a useful replacement (more debatable).

That depends where you want to look I suppose, and what parameters are defined by the FAI in the event we do need a new manager. Being the FAI, they probably won't look too far, and uppermost in their mind will be the short term ST sales, which likely rules out any foreign candidate that the majority would be unaware of, therefore yer stuck with Mick, Chris, Sam, Tony the hat etc, or whatever manager happens to get the sack around that time. But to their credit, nobody really saw the last 2 appointments coming, Trap or MON, so maybe they could surprise us again. 

To appoint a good manager for us requires a little imagination, background research and making an attractive offer.  The Irish press and the FAI and fans don't have much of an imagination and reflexively think the only managers available to us are C list managers from the UK.  Irish football fans and media think the EPL is the only league in the world.

We have a lot to offer.  Firstly an attractive salary. Secondly the Irish players are known for their fighting spirit and love of playing for their country, which is not a given in many countries, so coaches would see that as a plus.  The job can be a stepping stone to the EPL or Championship for a relatively unknown foreigner looking to break into the UK.  Marco Silva took the Hull job for example.  Why would he choose a team that were doomed already to relegation?  Thirdly to be a success with us you just have to get us to the 2020 Euros which is very very achievable so its not all doom and gloom.

The only fear is the FAI having no imagination and plumping for a Pulis or Allardyce or someother UK reject.  Now they may well qualify us but the football would not be good and would be another 'lets kick the can down the road' appointment. And in 4 years we have been destroyed again because we play the worst football in Europe.

KUDOS TO  NEILL LENNON.....this a way to defend a friend and former boss...