International standard and Ireland

I don't know. Looking back now if McClean had scored his chance around the 20 minute mark it could have been so different. The first goal I don't know how Christie didn't keep it out. The 2nd Stephen Ward has had a nightmare and Eriksen hits a top class goal. 2nd half was a disaster. We went all in far too soon. We left a world class player with as much space as he wanted. Chaotic second half duly punished by a world class player 

Right lads. Heres another pointless hypothetical argument to consider. 

If we could jump into a time machine and transport our 1990 - 1994 era team into the present day, how would they get on? Factor in that we would be playing the same style and system. Also, modern rules would be in play (passback, offside etc).

Obviously we would need a fairly liberal referee to take charge of our games. 

I think our high pressure game would suit and the calibre of player available to us would be much better. 

We have no brain. Players are just not football intelligent and neither is the manager and his assistant. They can whip the lads up no problem but cant solve any tactical problems .  They are like a school kid motivated to the 9's to do well in the leaving cert without having done any study whatsoever.

1990 Qualified

1992 Runner Up (No playoffs)

1994 Qualified 

1996 Playoffs 

1998 Playoffs

2000 Playoffs

2002 Qualified

2004 Missed

2006 Missed

2008 Missed

2010 Playoffs (Robbed)

2012 Qualified

2014 Missed 

2016 Qualified

2018 Playoffs

The Past 30 Years of qualifying consisted of only 4 campaigns where we were no near making the tournament in hand the other 12 we were within a 180 mins of Qualification. If you where foreign to Ireland knew very little about our style or previous MON performance but knew that we had a tiny pool of 4.7 million to choose from knew that a large chunk of the Island up north play for a different nation (unfortunately). Also Taking into account the nations listed by the OP as playing in far easier continents to qualify from I'd say you would say Irish football is where its meant to be also to factor in Association football not even being the native sport here. I'm guilty of it too of expecting to much not to say to be satisfied with the current regime who would but looking at the bigger picture of Irish football it is what it is and I wouldn't bet on us qualifying for the world cup until its increased to 48 teams which by then I don't feel we will miss out on many. 

Can we please put this irrelevant argument to bed once and for all? If it was down to populations then India would be playing China in the World Cup Final.

Also Iceland (pop: 334,000) and Uruguay (3,400,000) should not be getting to any World Cups.

Success has nothing to do with your population size (hell, even the Faroes can pull off the odd draw). It's what you do with the players at your disposal that counts. 

 

In a nutshell CH.   We don't need Dunphy to be headlined telling us we're the worst football nation in the world (we're not of course).  But our philosophy is definitely one of the worst and if I hear "we don't have the players" anymore..........

 

Iran nearly topped the group with Spain and Portugal.  Australia have at least attempted to play, drew one and lost unluckily to France who absolutely anhillated us in a friendly.

 

We're going nowhere fast under O'Neill (I leave Keane out of the combination cos he clearly does fook all technically) and fook knows what Sockless Steve is contributing.  Money for old rope.