bossman4

My NI supporting work colleagues have all accepted he would leave at the end of this campaign, the 3/4 deal he signed last year was to ensure the IFA get the right compensation. I thought Regans press conference today was also pointing away from the usual out of work suspects.

Just heard Roddy Forstyh (5 live) on Radio Ulster over here. They had him on asking him about Michael O'Neill. Forsyth indicated he's the man the SFA want and that they will be prepared to pay the compensation money, spoke of bonus incentives and offering a better salary than he's on currently. Would certainly add weight to what Tom English said last night that the SFA really do need to splash the cash to get the right man. NI made about £9mil from the Euros

I dont understand the negativity about Moyes (not that I'm bigging him up for the job) he got hung out to dry at United, as good a record as jose and van gal had in season 1 and compare that to what those two spent since Moyes left. Sunderland were just a clusterf**k from day one and had been on the brink for years. His stint in Spain you could argue was his worst but at least he had the balls to give it a go, many other managers would have sat on the sofa.

4-6-0, I dont think I need to say much more.

Tom English said tonight on Radio Scotland tonight that he'd be suprised if he gets it. SFA had a job justifying him for performance director never mind the managers role. Said they also cant be seen to be hiring again for performance director.

Thats the same role MacKay has got with SFA. IFA are copying the SFA template with the performance schools. I live in NI and have an involvment in youth football here, first performance school just opened up here a few weeks ago. Friend of mine is the Vice Princiapal at the school.

STV have listed him as a potential, best I've seen so far mentioned. Him with someone like a Gary Mac as assistant or something.

Should at least be asking.

Not sure if you heard Gordon Smith on Radio Scotland the other night but he spoke about that appointment. Said he was asked to compile a list of names bu George Peat and the board, list had various option on it Scottish, English, Scottish in work and Foreign. Never mentioned Lagerback by name but mentioned a Sweedish manager. Peat scored the Foreign list out saying it was still too soon after Bertie.

He wouldn't be working under him, its a totally seperate role. Sorry edited to add, he does. Jim Magilton.

Suprised Klinsmann is not on any betting list I've seen.

You would go into B

League A has a semi final and final in June 2019 to find the overall winners, they also still have a play off spot in March 2020. The semi final play off spot from League A would drop down to the next best in League B and so on, there could easily be 15 teams from the A&B qualyfing. So you could have a scenario where we are in Group 1 in League C, finish 2nd to Serbia but they qualify automatically, we would then get their semi-final spot.

Not suggesting manager of the year for a second, purley playing devils advocat. As I say I'm on the fence probably more teetering for him to go but the run of form had been good, Slovenia at home we totally deserved the win and probably last Thursday as well. We could easily have beat England if a couple of players make different decisions so it works both ways There is always that element of risk in replacing any manager but Moyes fills me with dread.

I'm totally on the fence at the moment with GS but what if they dont go for the younger guy? What if the plump for an ego like Moyes who could just blow apart the last 9 months of progress cause he wants to put his 'own stamp' on it.

Think you've Switzerland and Greece mixed up

Yeah it was, Norway and us both had 10 points, Norway pipped us on goal difference. Norway missed out similiar in that had we beat Norway at home we would have got a playoff then as I think there was another group on 11 points.

Yeah, ROI winning last night put them out.

I was sitting next to a Slovakia fan on Friday on flight to Gatwick, they were far from happy with him to say the least, used some rather colourful language!!

Michael Stewart was talking a lot of sense last night, Boyd was an idiot.

It reads to me that they are criticising his planning. He appears to plan well for the first game then just wings it for the second one. There was something mentioned somewhere that they dont discuss anything with the players on Friday because their to 'tired' to think about it ??

Sky buy the rights for qualifiers from UEFA, ITV then buy the England games from Sky I'm sure. RTE do similar in ROI to show their games. I dont think ITV buy England games alone from UEFA, as has been said its a central deal with UEFA similar to the way the Champions League is sold.

I wouldn't say Michael O'Neill is of the same vein as Martin O'Neill. He has NI playing to their strengths, he doesn't play like that through choice they dont have the attacking players we do. He was interviewed last week in paper over here saying he is reluctant to move into club management due to lack of control, chief execs, chairman etc getting rid of you at a drop of a hat. His planning and prepartion is meticulous, clearly mile ahead of GS. He may well see Scotland as a different kind of challange from NI. I for one would welcome him to the job.

That report about the players on being told has certainly now made my mind up, he has to go. Wasn't sure what to think until now, the run over this year has been good, the players appear to want to play for him but to go into our biggest game in 10 years and only tell the players 6 hours before kick off about the formation is scandalous.

Whoever the manager is going forward we need friendlies over the next 11 months and as many as we can get, starting in November. Two years ago we sat for 6 months feeling sorry for ourselves. We need to try the likes of McGinn, Mcgregor, Burke, Fraser, Lindsay. Get Patterson back in the fold and try Robertson at left mid. The bulk of the squad is there, just need a few tweaks here and there and start to properly intergrate those above and others.