So if not the manager, what’s their decent run over the past few years down to? MON has done a fantastic job with an average at best set of players.
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Anyone that can get Lafferty scoring regular deserves a shot at it.
I'd have thought John Collins was more suited to the Performance Director (or whatever he's called) gig that Malky's in.
I just think sometimes managers can find themselves fortunate to be managing the right team at the right time. I look at that Norn Iron team and question how much the likes of Hughes, Evans, Brunt, Mccaffrey and Davis need 'managed'? These guys all have around 100 caps and are approaching the end of their career. They won't need managed and will set the tone for the whole changing room, if anyone isn't pulling their weight MoN probably wont even need to get involved to an extent.
I'm not saying Michael O'neill would definitely fail, I just think sometimes there is a bigger picture to be looked at rather than just assuming good (or improved) team= Good manager.
To be fair to him I forgot about the excellent job he did at Shamrock Rovers but also worth remembering he lost his first 9 games at Norn Ireland, he simply wouldn't get that sort of time with Scotland.
Good luck to him if he does get it though.
Craig Levein did.
Northern Ireland are p1sh, and he made a brilliant fist of what he had. If that came after a poor run of form after he first came-in.. does that not suggest he did come in and turn things round? Surely the experienced players above didn't suddenly become able to manage the team themselves half way through O'Neill's tenure?
O'Neill has done very well with Northern Ireland. Absolutely no doubt.
He has, and i'm not saying otherwise.
I am saying though that just because he did such a good job there he may not be able to replicate that with Scotland.
Terry Butcher did a great job with Inverness but was dreadful for us. It happens, that's why I'm saying you need to probe further than just how well they've done in a recent job. As it happens he also did a great job with Shamrock Rovers that I forgot about when making my original post so I maybe did him a diss-service, I don't have faith in the SFA asking the right questions to establish if he is the right man for the job or not though.
Approach made today for Michael O Neill by the SFA
Few media outlets on twitter saying deal been agreed and Scotland allowed to talk to Michael O’Neill.
https://youtu.be/dvgDNxueTtA
All the best to him if he becomes Scotland manager but my gut feeling is he won't be a success unfortunately. Mostly due to our chronic lack of central defenders good enough to play international football.
Incidentally would this be the first time a manager has left one of the home nations to take over at another? In fact has anyone else ever managed more than one of England Scotland Wales or NI in their career?
Slightly off topic but I see Chris Coleman is leaving Wales to take the Sunderland job.
Malky McKay. About time we had a sexist Nazi homophobe in the post. If we are to progress as a liberal society we have to show our tolerance by appointing such people to key posts.
It's either on this thread or the other one I've given my thoughts. My gut feel right now is he's not the man for the job.
The strengths of the NI side and ours are completely different, as are the expectations (he won't get the freedom he got at the start of his NI reign with us)
I'd love MON, a former Hibee to come in and be the man to take us to an international tournament, for me personally it'd be great and certainly make the last 5 or 6 campaigns I've followed the country home and away worthwhile.
What is clear is the SFA appear to have got the man they wanted in the first place so that can only be a positive
Scotland have some of the best group of young players we've had for quite a while, if he can get the defence sorted he'll do well.
I don't rate him as a manager. I know he got to the semi's at the euro's.
Wales are a very good side and should of been capable of winning their group for the WC. 3rd place was shocking finish for them.
Sunderland is a poisonous chalice just now. Wrong choice for him.
Will be interesting to see who Wales appoint.
Both squads are completely different. NI are fairly strong in the centre of defence and will head in to most games knowing they can sneak a 1-0.
Our squad, probably our best in a number of years has many talented players going forward but we lack that imposing centre half.
Strachan certainly over achieved with some of the results in the 2nd half of the campaign imo.
People are trying to use the fact NI qualified as a barometer and whilst that's the objective th3 circumstances are entirely different. Would Brendan Rodgers do a better job than MON for NI? Not imo they'd be cut open by most but yet in England and Scotland he's been relatively successful
michael o neills goal v motherwell on the counter attack at easter road was a peach ⚽
I would welcome his appointment if for no other reason than it would be a break from the usual suspects who want their turn on the gravy train. He would view this as a step up in his career which is far better motivation than Lambert or Moyes who would be keeping their hand in until something better pops up.