Richard Dunne Interview

[Pulixifer]

Ireland were somewhat humbled in their own backyard tonight as Russia thundered to a 3-0 lead at the Aviva stadium in Dublin. The hosts claw two goals back, one through a Robbie Keane penalty and the other through a goalmouth scramble eventually converted by Shane Long.

Unhappy with the way his side performed, Irish centre-back Richard Dunne was quick to comment on the sub-par show his team put on for the national fans.

"Over the 90 minutes, we didn't deserve anything from the game," admitted the visibly irritated Aston Villa defender, quoted by ESPN.

"We didn't close them down and our only game plan seemed to be hitting it long. When that didn't work, we didn't have an answer. We were not brave enough to have confidence in passing the ball tonight. Going long is the easy way out for some people and it is never going to be good enough."

He was then asked if hitting it long was the game plan from Trap, he insisted they have "total creative freedom in how we want to attack".

Fact is its terribly similar to ourselves, the tense atmosphere in the stands is transferring itself over to players.

IMO we need to get a more positive atmosphere going in Hillsborough were people are a little more tolerant of a mistake or two and clap positive passing moves or moves with good intent, until some confidence at home can be instilled.

[nevthelodgemoorowl]

Ireland were somewhat humbled in their own backyard tonight as Russia thundered to a 3-0 lead at the Aviva stadium in Dublin. The hosts claw two goals back, one through a Robbie Keane penalty and the other through a goalmouth scramble eventually converted by Shane Long.

Unhappy with the way his side performed, Irish centre-back Richard Dunne was quick to comment on the sub-par show his team put on for the national fans.

"Over the 90 minutes, we didn't deserve anything from the game," admitted the visibly irritated Aston Villa defender, quoted by ESPN.

"We didn't close them down and our only game plan seemed to be hitting it long. When that didn't work, we didn't have an answer. We were not brave enough to have confidence in passing the ball tonight. Going long is the easy way out for some people and it is never going to be good enough."

He was then asked if hitting it long was the game plan from Trap, he insisted they have "total creative freedom in how we want to attack".

Fact is its terribly similar to ourselves, the tense atmosphere in the stands is transferring itself over to players.

IMO we need to get a more positive atmosphere going in Hillsborough were people are a little more tolerant of a mistake or two and clap positive passing moves or moves with good intent, until some confidence at home can be instilled.

Spot on mate I love to see Potter when he's spraying the ball about, I think JJ's influence will be good because he's one player not affraid of making the odd mistake I recall he was unphased by his couple of bloopers at full back but went on to still have decent games even though he was visibly upset by his couple of mistakes.

[scram]

The difference being that Ireland were giving the ball to world and international class footballers with their long ball - and watching pretty lethal footballers play when they decided to stand off and let them play.

When we do that it's against players who can just about tie up their own bootlaces and most can't hit a cows arse with a banjo - as we've seen enough times - they are low quality players who given the chances can't take them and can't help but give chances away - which is why we cannot keep making excuses for the ineptness of our own play against the crap we're generally up against.

[Will Kirby]

The crap we're up against will keep Irvine in a job indefinitely regardless of whether he fixes the completely obvious problems in his approach to the game.

[BRADDAZ]

Blame the atmosphere at Hillsborough.

What total poo poo.

How about blame the manager, who's plans, style, approach is bloody rubbish.

Agree with Will Kirby... The shitness of this league will keep Irvine in a job, but that still may not be good enough to get us up. Irvine needs a complete rethink on his total approach, from the team selected, when we don't have possession and when we do have possession, becuase they're all poo poo at the minute.

[mark1982]

I love to see Potter when he's spraying the ball about

When has that EVER happened?!

[Nookiebear]

Attack attack!

UFO TCP WWF

[Pulixifer]

The difference being that Ireland were giving the ball to world and international class footballers with their long ball

Ya I guess thats true, but the fundamentals remain the same, if you are being indecisive and standing off anyone can punish you, and if you are playing not to make a mistake you are much more likely to play hoof ball.

Blame the atmosphere at Hillsborough.

What total poo poo.

How about blame the manager, who's plans, style, approach is bloody rubbish.

Agree with Will Kirby... The shitness of this league will keep Irvine in a job, but that still may not be good enough to get us up. Irvine needs a complete rethink on his total approach, from the team selected, when we don't have possession and when we do have possession, becuase they're all poo poo at the minute.

Try reading the post before vomiting your first thoughts at the keyboard.

My point (which you clearly missed) is that Richard Dunne said the players didn't have a the confidence to play the passing game.

That players shirked responsibility on the ball my just hoofing it long, even though that wasn't even part of the game plan.

It wouldn't surprise me if something similar was happened at Hillsborough.

[Last_Great_Hope]

Blame the atmosphere at Hillsborough.

What total poo poo.

How about blame the manager, who's plans, style, approach is bloody rubbish.

Agree with Will Kirby... The shitness of this league will keep Irvine in a job, but that still may not be good enough to get us up. Irvine needs a complete rethink on his total approach, from the team selected, when we don't have possession and when we do have possession, becuase they're all poo poo at the minute.

My two-pence worth from a Different thread:

Stay for me. Im not convinced the "hoofball" that we see is all down to AI. I sit south stand lower (yeah, yeah, prawn sarnies etc etc) and from there I get a good view idea of what is going on in the technical area.

On Saturday AI was doing his nut in with Buxton and Purse when they lumped it to Tudgay - he was also bollocking Potter for not going to collect the ball more, and Otsemobor for "hiding" behind the left winger when Purse had it. Lets face it, you've got to give Purse the most chance you can to be able to pass the ball even over 10 yards.

From what I can see, the defenders we have are not comfortable with the ball, and when we play JOC and Potter together they are both prone to going missing.

This leads to the ball being lumped forward to Tudgay and the other forwards / wingers to try to get to it. My opinion is that the Forward players get "conditioned" to expect the lumped ball so they wont drop back / move for it as they know that 8 out of 10 times its going to be launched.

Is that all the fault of AI? No. Its partly his fault as its his job to try and coach the team to play. But whenver we have Purse, Beevers, Buxton, Spurr, Hinds, Sedgewick or O'Connor in the same side (or a combination thereof) this will happen as none of these players can pass / control a ball. What do most of the aforementioned players have in common?

Barring Sedgewick - none of them are AI signings.

[trev]

^^^ Spot on.