Eamon Dunphy feels the Republic of Ireland should endeavour to move away from their “agricultural” style and attempt to replicate the model which is serving Dundalk so well this season.
A second half goal from captain Seamus Coleman helped Ireland to a laboured 1-0 win over Georgia in front of 39,793 spectators at the Aviva Stadium that leaves Martin O’Neill’s side on four points after two games.
The visitors hit the woodwork twice in the opening period and while James McClean hit the crossbar in injury-time, it was another nervy display from the Boys in Green.
Reflecting on the game post-match, the RTÉ analyst lamented a “shocking” first-half and suggested the presence of a creative player such as Wes Hoolahan could have made a difference against such limited opposition.
“We lacked that bit of poise, that bit of subtlety and guile that you need to sense and sniff out ‘this isn’t working, we need to change what we’re doing’,” he said.
“That’s what we failed to do in the first half.
“Whatever was said at half-time, it was a little better when we didn’t have the ball, we pressurised and made it a little more difficult for them.
"But that’s not where the bar should be.”
Pressed on Ireland’s inability to retain possession even against a lowly ranked team such as Georgia, Dunphy dismissed the notion Ireland lack the players to keep the ball, citing the example of high-flying Dundalk as a model that could be incorporated at international level.
“They [Dundalk] are absolutely superb...They came here, they played Legia Warsaw, they were robbed with a penalty,” he said.
'Maybe we should get Stephen Kenny to manage the Irish team' - Dunphy on Ireland & Dundalk #IREGEO #RTESoccer https://t.co/cv7k44R58u
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 6, 2016
“They were great, they passed the ball home and away. They play football, great football. Nobody looks afraid, they look confident on the ball.
“That is induced by having a good coach who encourages players to do what really is the sensible thing.
“Ireland could play like that. They could mix it up. You don’t have to accept this agricultural stuff that is being offered up.
“Maybe we should get Stephen Kenny to manage the Irish team.”
