Mick McCarthy sacked as Cardiff manager

This is something that people forget. In many respects it was our best performance in a game since Austria in 2016. The smash and grab result in Cardiff in 2017 was better on paper, but we had a few rubs of the green that night. Luck deserted us in Slovakia, especially as McGoldrick was the best play on the pitch, and Browne and Hourihane had exceptional chances to put the game to bed. After that, the squad was decimated by injury and illness

I was quite critical of Mick Mack in his time for us but make no mistake I was equally as critical of the players. He was no excuse to not be able to pass the ball two yards. 

Football clubs/national teams are very much a reflection on the pitch of what’s happening off it and for Ireland really we are a stark reflection of what’s been happening off it the last 15-20 years now. Man Utd a bit similar at the moment at club level in England just a reflection of the owners bit inconsistent and drifting nowhere. 

When’s the last time we have produced a volume of home grown quality of any description underage? Now we are producing talent again noticeable from the 99 year group on it just might take time to see this come to fruition. 

Jim Goodwin is doing a good job at St Mirren, and has spoken about his ambitions of managing Ireland, but aside from him, McCarthy and Hughton, there is a shocking lack of Irishmen managing at a decent level - which is generally the case.

I've always wondered why that is. Irish lads with leadership skills and high level experience like John O'Shea, Robbie Keane and Shay Given tend to go into coaching roles whereas there's always an abundance of Scottish and Welsh former players, say, managing at a strong level.

Whenever there's a vacancy for the Scotland job there's always a good few young Scots linked with the role. Beyond the usual three or four, whenever the Ireland job is available we have to look to people like Sam Allardyce or Tony Pulis.

Jim Goodwin is doing a good job at St Mirren, and has spoken about his ambitions of managing Ireland, but aside from him, McCarthy and Hughton, there is a shocking lack of Irishmen managing at a decent level - which is generally the case.

I've always wondered why that is. Irish lads with leadership skills and high level experience like John O'Shea, Robbie Keane and Shay Given tend to go into coaching roles whereas there's always an abundance of Scottish and Welsh former players, say, managing at a strong level.

Whenever there's a vacancy for the Scotland job there's always a good few young Scots linked with the role. Beyond the usual three or four, whenever the Ireland job is available we have to look to people like Sam Allardyce or Tony Pulis.

Couldn't disagree with any of that. There's obviously a deficit there, for whatever reason.

Allardyce and Pulis would little doubt improve us, however.

You say it as if we're in a position to headhunt top level managers.

The reality is the complete opposite, someone like Goodwin, on his current trajectory, would be well out of our reach in five years time. People need to wake up with regard to what market we're shopping in when it comes to managers. If the job was going tomorrow he'd easily be one of the favourites.

Our current manager has only managed for one year in a fully professional league in his whole career, it was well over a decade ago, he finished last in the division and was sacked.