Subject: Ireland Vs...

As it's an afternoon game this week I'll probably have some pre-match report up tomorrow.
I'm actually looking forward to this one despite it probably being one-sided. This will be our last game in the Copa America though, regardless of the result.
(edited)

Today, Friday night late for those in the Americas, nin, Ireland NT coach, announced that Ireland was withdrawing from the Copa América in spite of the fact that the Copa América had been thought as a tournament with winners and losers berths, so all participants will play 6 matches during the whole tournament.

Nin claimed that he was not aware of the format of the Cup when he agreed, that he realized the format later and decided to continue, and that it was today that he thought that it would be "best in the interest of Ireland" not to participate in the tournament if they lose a match (namely, to go on in the tournament as long as Ireland won but to leave if Ireland lost).

This attitude shows lack of ethics and lack of consideration:

1) Nin knew at the latest after the draw of the first stage pools that the second phase would include winners' and losers' berths. Assuming he accepted the invitation to participate in the tournament without knowing that, that became clear even before the first match was played.

If he considered that the format adopted was not convenient for Ireland, he had three weeks to raise the issue with the organization and the rest of the participants to discuss either a modification in the format (there was still time, since we were talking about the second phase of the tournament) or to even withdraw of the tournament.

Instead, Nin chose not to say anything and to remain in the tournament. This, of course, that he accepted the rules of the tournament as they were and that he committed Ireland's participation in the whole tournament.

An egoist "last minute" consideration has made him change his mind and leave the tournament. Given the fact that when one has a commitment, one either honors it or one dis-honors it, Nin chose the second path.

Nin has seriously jeopardized Ireland's reputation in the Americas.

2) Lack of consideration, because all participants made plans under the assumption that they will play 6 matches, no matter if they were in the losing or winning side. None of the coaches was making plans for friendlies (not even "tentatively") for these 6 weeks.

Nin's unilateral decision shows contempt for whoever would have to face Ireland in the second phase. Ireland's withdrawal forces now a team to search for a friendly outside the tournament and in a last minute decision. This is going to happen next week and the following one, since the format was for 6 matches in 6 weeks for 16 teams and now there will be just 15 and still 2 weeks to go.
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This account only intends to give the point of view of the Copa America's organization about the regrettable decision taken by Nin as Ireland NT's coach and to make clear for all those interested in what happened.

I am personally fully disappointed by the lack of seriousness and consideration showed by your coach. What happened this night is really annoying and undeserved: we have been working throughout this cup based in the honesty of all participants and in good faith.

Due to its coach, Ireland has become the exception.

can you please provide a summary ? You may as well be right catenaccio, but you post is just too long to read, sorry.

hehe, i just read first few lines

Basically, he is saying the tourney lasts 6 weeks and every team in the group stages will play another 3 games after the group stages.

Nin has now pulled out leaving an odd number of teams in the tourney and screwed it up.

p.s. this aint my opinion, I am only simplifying his post so lazy readers can read it ;)

Basically i dont see the point in continuing with the tournament after we've been knocked out when it would be detrimental to us. I'm acting in the best interests of Ireland instead of continuing with something that would damage our chances of qualifying for the world cup.
When i joined up it was in the believe that we'd play until we were knocked out. I had intended on doing just that but Cate has p**sed me off and i'm no longer interested in taking any further part, regardless of whether we win today.

How exactly is plugging out of the tournament in the best interests of Ireland??

The teams we'd be facing would be fairly difficult, entirely possible that we would lose the next 3 games. That would completely screw up our ranking and cost us a place in the 3rd group of seeds for world cup qualification next season.

If we're 3rd seeds we'd be playing 1 of

Srbija
Crna Gora
Ghana
Cameroun
Daehan Minguk
Kenya
Sénégal
Moldova
Sverige
Australia
Rossiya

If we drop into the 4th group we get

Canada
México
Norge
Chile
Magyarország
New Zealand
Colombia
Perú
Österreich
Belarus
Portugal
Srbija

I know which i'd rather have and i'm not going to sabotage 3 seasons work playing games in a tournament we've been knocked out of.

Right, Argentina. I dont know exactly how good they are but looking at their ratings we're fairly even until you look at their ferocious strikers. There were two approaches i could have taken with them, we could attack, take posession and try to outscore them or we could concentrate on trying to stop them scoring and hope Matthews is in the mood. I've gone with the second option. We're playing a 5-4-1. This game has enforced a change in philosophy about our midfield. With pretty much all of our defensive mids out of form i've decided to play to our current strength and use the centre to attack instead of defend. As a backup if that fails miserably, we've got our sweeper (Neville) pushed up a bit further to deal with them getting through the centre. Otherwise it's pretty much business as usual. i've tried to position Matthews in their gaps but it's been fairly difficult to predict their formation as they're not consistent in previous games. I'm expecting a 4-4-2 of some sort from them, maybe with 3 defensive mids or a diamond.

Cryan should have saved that. The injury to Hanranhan is going to cost us

Greatest.result.ever

Hmmm now they've accepted my resignation. Oh well

i think we deserved the win

I think we deserved a draw probably. I was very very impressed with our defence, they were magnificent, even with Hanrahan injured. Argetina did a pretty good job of marking us, they were in control in the centre and marked us out completely at throwins.
I wasnt happy with our midfield. They were far too slow to distribute the ball and Matthews didnt look like scoring in the first half. Second half, we got 2 chances and buried them.

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Try again

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You can enter players here http://sokkereire.freehostia.com/

Or

Download and install Greasemonkey http://www.greasespot.net/
And then install this
http://sokker.awardspace.com/ntdb/sokkerntdatabase.user.js
We will look at any Irish player.

Player Requirements

Keepers
Keeper – Formidable (11)
Passing – Average (5)
Pace – Good (7)

Defenders
Stamina – Very Good (9)
Defending – Formidable (11)
Technique – Adequate (6)
Pace – Very Good (9)
Passing & Playmaking (7)

Midfielders
Stamina - Very Good (9)
Playmaking – Excellent (10)
Passing - Good (7)
Technique – Adequate (6)
Pace – Solid (7)
Defending or Striking - Average (5)

Forwards
Stamina – Very Good (9)
Striking – Formidable (11)
Pace – Excellent (10)
Technique – Adequate (6)

U-21 Requirements
Defenders, Midfielders and Strikers - Very Good (9)
Pace (7)
Technique (6)
Midfielders Passing (7)
Stamina (8)

Ireland 5-0 Hellas 4077323 – Week 2
Ireland 2-0 Rep Dominica 4088172 – Week 3
Israel 2-2 Ireland 4102146 – Week 4
Ireland 2-0 Nigeria 4128729 – Week 5
Sweden 3-2 Ireland 4134547 – Week 6
Ireland 1-0 Australia 4149802 – Week 7
Paraguay 0-5 Ireland 4167259 – Week 8
Ireland 2-1 Slovenija 4175377 – Week 9
Ireland 6-1 Ecuador 4181290 – Week 10
Ireland 2-2 Venezuela 4189225 – Week 11
Canada 1-1 Ireland 4197193 – Week 12
Argentina 1-2 Ireland 4204075 – Week 13
Ireland – Week 14
Ireland – Week 15
Ireland - Week 0
Ireland - Week 1

That'll do
(edited)