Can they get their Euro 2004 campaign back on track?

This debate is now closed.

Mick McCarthy's men paid the price for an uncharacteristically sloppy performance against a well organised Russian side.

Andrei Kariaka Vladimire Beschastnykn the home side two goals up at half time, and Ireland never recovered.

Gary Doherty and Clinton Morrison found the net in the second half, but the Irish were again exposed at the back and their defensive lapses cost them dear.

Were McCarthy's men too complacent? And can they recover from their crushing defeat?

Forget the whole Roy Keane issue. The problem is that McCarthy has stuck with the "loyalty" scheme for far too long. He must start playing form players like O'Shea and Butler (who has ousted Kilbane from the Sundarland squad, yet still finds himself in the Irish U21s.)

The team lacked the unity they displayed in the World Cup and if McCarthy doesn't start playing form players, he'll be found out over the coming season. I'm not a Roy Keane fanatic - he's a terrific, if stubborn player. But if the displays continue as they were on Saturday, it'll soon be time for a change.
Karl, Dublin

Why is everybody attacking Mick McCarthy? A couple of months ago he was the best thing since sliced bread, and now he has gone from hero to villain in one game! Keane shouldn't be back in the side, he is a disgrace to football, and more importantly Ireland. Oh you are all so quick to mock!
Gary Owen, England

Apart from the Roy Keane saga, Mick is pretty poor when it comes to tactical decisions. Why is Kilbane still playing? Why is Harte still playing? Duff should be on the wing in his natural position, with Morrison or Doherty joining Keane. Gary Breen or John O'Shea? Hard decision there. Bringing on Phil Babb was another wonderful decision. Mick just isn't good enough, he has to be more flexible and forget this loyalty rubbish.
Philip, Ireland

Roy Keane is a 31-year-old and he is not the future of Irish football. Mick McCarthy has done wonders with the Irish national team - look at the quality players that are coming through the youth ranks and the way the team plays with style now.

You would think it was the end of the world reading some of these posts. One loss, big deal. I remember England thrashing Germany about a year ago and the Germans went onto the World Cup final and didn't Brazil just about qualify?

Just to remind all the McCarthy knockers, even if Roy Keane decided to play for the Republic he would not have been playing against Russia as he is injured for three months. Now quit your whining and get behind the team.
JJ, Ireland

I find it extraordinary that people are now siding with Keane when it is clear most people in the Ireland set-up (Quinn, McAteer) have as much contempt for him as he has for them. Strange.
Jason, England

I'm not saying that McCarthy is a bad manager. But the performance lacked a class midfielder. It's time for McCarthy, the FAI and Roy Keane to talk.

Things were said but if McCarthy was a great manager things could also be forgotten about. I still hope Ireland get through to the European finals but it will be no surprise if they don't with their world- class midfielder Roy.
Niamh, Ireland

Patraic, Ireland, we are not here to cheer on at all costs. The sooner Irish fans get rid of their happy-go-lucky attitude the better. Keane was right all along. MaCarthy should have taken off while the going was good.
Michael, USA

Spare us the Keano saga again, please. Roy Keane refuses to play for his country...let's not forget that and leave it at that. 4-2 was a bad result but how many bad days have teams like England, Germany and the Netherlands had?

And let's not forget that the third and fourth goals were rather gratuitous and that we came back with two goals...in Moscow.
Jim Moran, Netherlands

Reading the comments that so-called Eire supporters are writing about Roy Keane makes my blood boil. Mick McCarthy did not take us to the World Cup, Roy Keane did.

Roy Keane did not desert his country, Mick McCarthy did. I also believe McCarthy was jealous that he wasn't the fans' and media's favourite.

McCarthy couldnt handle the fact that Keano was more important to Ireland than he was and is. No offence to any previuos Ireland managers but we have never had a top-class manager and we definitely don't have one now.
Dee Malone, Ireland

Having been to all away games for the past 10 years, I stood in the stand on Saturday night and could not believe what I was watching. Midfield and defence seemed not to know each other.

Russia were poor at the back and should have been punished. We need to get ourselves sorted for the Swiss game in Dublin. How can you watch a game like that and not raise the Roy issue?

He should be back in an Irish shirt as soon as he is recovered. McCarthy now HAS to try and put this right and get him back.
Brian Fitzpatrick, ROI

The only ridiculous comments, Patraic, are coming from the likes of you. You clearly don't understand football, for anyone who has seen Ireland play with Keane in the side knows that we are a different team.

He's different class - how we can afford not to bring him back is beyond me. If he doesn't play in these qualifiers, we'll be sitting at home in two years time wondering how Russia won the group while France are battering them.
Morten, Norway

To see so many comments calling for McCarthy's head makes my blood boil. Mick has taken Ireland to new heights, and the Russia game was always going to be the toughest of the lot. Irish fans are rightly regarded as the best in the world, which makes some of the ridiculous comments on this page all the more difficult to believe.
Patraic, Ireland

Bad management caused Roy Keane to walk out and bad management caused the Russian defeat! Bring in David O'Leary and bring back Roy Keane!
Gerard Reid, Germany

What's the sound? Clucking? It must be the chickens coming home to roost. McCarthy let the Irish team go to Moscow with complacency in their psyche and the shadow of Roy Keane hanging over the side. Ireland have won only one competitive match without Keane in the last year - against Saudi Arabia.

The fear of looking bad in front of the great one was noticeably missing on Saturday. I am an advocate of Keane returning, giving O'Shea a chance and removing McCarthy and his yes men such as Jason McAteer. Bring in a man like David O'Leary to manage our team.
Dermot Brennan, Corcaigh, Eire

Ireland were a joke. After all the hype of World cup 2002 we were brought back to earth. Bring back Roy Keane.
Jimmy Donnelly, Ireland

We got to the World Cup partly due to tremendous performances by Roy Keane in crucial games. We got knocked out in the second round and many people thought that was a great achievement. Let's face it, we should have gone further in the World Cup but we lacked the drive, ambition and experience of a truly world class midfielder, and were happy to settle for what we got.

Ireland need a world-class player in the same way they need a world- class manager. I have nothing against Mick McCarthy, but I thought he should have gone after the World Cup. I hope now that some sense will finally permeate through Merrion Square and the difficult but inevitable decision will be made. Time for Mick to move on.
Ronan, Ireland

Don't worry about this unhappy start. We all know that once we start our campaign on home turf in the atmospheric Landsdowne Road, maximum points will be collected. We have never been good travellers in previous campaigns so, although it wasn't desirable, we will bounce back from this. We have too much spirit for this to keep us down.
Ciaran McCabe, Ireland

Saturday's result merely confirms that Keano was spot on. I can't say I particularly like the way he has conducted himself over the last few months, but if you read his book you got to see he has a point regarding the whole Irish set up.

How McCarthy can play Kilbane, yet leave Andy O'Brien out of the squad and start Babb in front of O'Shea is bizarre. We can not afford to be without Roy Keane. The sooner the FAI wake up and smell the coffee the better!
David Tierney, USA

Ironic and sad, isn't it? At school, in church, at home, at work, we're told to be honest. Yet when a man is asked for his honest opinion, and gives it honestly, he's sacked for it. The man's passion, honesty and sincerity for truth at the abysmal Irish preparations is held against him, when all he wants is the best for his country.

What better sign of total commitment would you wish for? So now, Mr Keane, you know the truth. It is an offence to be honest and tell the truth - lie and please the authorities instead! Never again tell Mr McCarthy that he was a lousy player and is now a lousy manager.
Mario Calafato, Hong Kong

What a disappointment. A poor performance all round brought to life only by occasional Keane skill and the gritty spirit we will always have. O'Shea needs to be brought in, Harte should be shown that his place in the team is not guaranteed and we as an Irish nation need to start making noises over a Keane return.
Garret Phelan, Ireland

One poor result, and the pro-Roy Keane lot have got the daggers out. Pathetic - these people are a disgrace to the Irish, and so is Roy Keane. It's scary how they fail to see what's blindingly obvious to any of us with the ability to see reason.
Tim Hughes, UK

I think there was too much expected from the boys today. Russia were always going to be tough opposition. I don't think the team was complacent but maybe a bit too experimental. I did feel sorry for Phil Babb - what a nightmare return for him - but I hope he gets another chance at international level.

I'm not sure that Kenny Cunningham - nice guy that he is - is the right man to be captain. Like him or loath him, we miss Roy Keane.
Cathy G, UK

One defeat and the band wagon has started for McCarthy's head. Get real out there. Who are Ireland going to get as a future manager on the money they are offering? We played badly and were beaten by a better team. End of story, time to move on.
TA Reilly, Finland

Mick McCarthy should have left when on top (immediately after the World Cup), and his decision to replace Roy Keane with Kenny Cunningham will be disaster. After Saturday's performance it's an uphill battle all the way to Euro 2004.
Garrett Finnerty, Germany

It's so amusing to see all the comments relating to Mick McCarthy out - Roy Keane back in. Keane is a liability and a thug, while McCarthy has taken a mediocre bunch of players a great distance in the last two years. Stop your whinging guys - Keane would have thrown his rattle out of the pram before half time in Moscow.
Matt, USA

Every team should go to the World Cup with the intention of winning it. Ireland go there to make the numbers, and everything Roy Keane said about them is true. Saturday's result just proved that Roy Keane is the most important person in the Irish camp, more so than Mick McCarthy.

So if you want to start winning, maybe Mick needs to go and a good Manager who can cope with the pressure of management needs to come in
Mohammed Surty, England

Frankly, it's probably a good result to shake the team up. Sacking Mick McCarthy or bringing Roy Keane back are not the answers. Mick is a solid manager and Roy has assured his own exile through his imbecilic behaviour.

Give the team time to build on the World Cup experience and we'll find out just how much potential they have - there's nothing like to bad loss to do bring them together. The future is still bright.
Liam de Paor, USA

Mick has to go. Brought on Doherty, and all we did for the last twenty minutes was lump long balls in on top of him. Which the giant Onopko won every time. And Kinsella and Holland together are not as good as Keane by himself.
Liam Murphy, Ireland

We must get Keano back, he's is needed badly.
Zeeshan Akhtar, Ireland

McCarthy has been found out today for the incompetent manager that he is. Pesisting with Breen and Kilbane, playing Duff out of position yet again and the absence of Roy Keane, the outcome of his inability to manage a world class player. Mick, it's time to go.
Brian Russell, Ireland

Time for Mick to go. Today proved to even his most avid supporters that Keano is far more important to the side. Kilbane started and came off after an hour as usual, Harte played his usual sloppy stuff and the entry of Phill 'Badd' at the end compounded everything. John O'Shea was still on the bench. We need Mick out and our captain back.
Conor Moore, Ireland