Keith Andrews is sick of Martin O’Neill clinging to the same tired, old excuse.
Just like he always does, O’Neill played the ‘don’t have the players’ card in the aftermath of Ireland’s hapless and jaded 1-0 defeat to Wales in their third group game of the Nations League.
Like our last thronging by the same opposition a month ago and like our dreary draw with Denmark on Saturday night, the Republic of Ireland team looked confused, flattened and completely disorientated as they tumbled to almost certain relegation to division three of the Nations League now and also look set for nothing better than a drop from second to third seeds for the Euro 2020 draw in December.
And it gets worse before it gets better.
With the players all over the shop and with every one of them confused, you’d think that the manager would accept that the buck stops with him.
But Martin O’Neill isn’t really having that. Instead, he complains about what he doesn’t have and gives out about what he has.
He shrugs his shoulders and seems frustrated by any sort of question that this could be something to do with him.
He kicks his players when they’re already down and he basically gives up the fight.
Everybody knows that this Ireland team aren’t world beaters but Ireland teams have never been world beaters when it comes to technical ability. They’ve always been work-man-like and they’ve always been dogged to go with a little bit of a plan but these lads don’ look to have a plan.
And former Irish international Keith Andrews is sick of it all, to the extent that he feels Martin O’Neill and his management team should be gotten rid of, and probably would be gotten rid of were it not for financial reasons.
“I can’t see it changing, but do I think it should? probably,” he said on Sky Sports after the game.
“You just don’t know what you’re going to get every single game…I would be amazed if the hierarchy are happy with that but if we change now, it would be too much of an outlay, so for now, we keep going
“I think if the two of them were to go their opposite ways, I would be amazed if the FAI didn’t want that because I don’t see it getting better any time soon. What’s giving the impression that it’s going to get any better? It’s the same-old, same old.
Andrews sees a team without direction.
“He’s mentioned about technical ability…we do lack in certain areas, there’s no doubt about that, but they don’t have a clue what they’re doing…”
And one player, in Matt Doherty, sums it up in a nutshell. With his club Wolves, he was voted voted player of the month ahead of Eden Hazard, with Ireland, he had the least touches of any outfield player in the first half.
“Matt Doherty in a Wolves shirt, he drives down the right hand side, he has two or three options…(he doesn’t have that with Ireland)…
“They need options on the ball, everything is off the cuff…he (O’Neill) keeps going on about Robbie Keane…leave it…Robbie Keane was a one off, you have to stop moaning about what you have, you have to try and create a team spirit because the more they keep hearing that, what’s it going to do for their confidence…
“The players are on the floor, it’s been one of the worst years in living memory…a lot of it is down to Martin,” he continued.
Phil Babb, who was alongside Andrews in the Sky Sports studio, wrapped up Ireland’s problems with one brilliant analogy.
“I think there’s an atmosphere, I won’t say it’s toxic but there’s something wrong…Martin O’Neill said the team played fine against Denmark but if you ask your partner how she’s feeling and she says she’s fine, then you know something’s not right.”
Everything is fine and dandy.
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