Gary Connaughton reporting from the Aviva Stadium
While there may have been a different manager in charge, Ireland fans would have walked away from last night's game against Switzerland with a familiar feeling.
A middling performance, some poor pieces of play, and yet another defeat for this Irish team.
It is a story that has played out time and time again over the last couple of years, especially towards the latter end of the Stephen Kenny era. It was something that ultimately cost the previous manager his job.
Of course, it could be argued that there was even more apathy towards this particular international window. There were a multitude of reasons for that.
The crowds at both the Belgium and Switzerland games were underwhelming, with officials attendances of around 38,000 and 35,000 respectively. Those were present at the Aviva Stadium will tell you that those numbers feel a tad on the generous side.
The FAI's ticketing strategy probably had something to do with that, with supporters required to buy a package with tickets for both games if they wanted to attend either fixture. That no doubt would have turned many off, especially those who live outside Dublin and would have been faced with two trips to the capital in the space of three days to watch a pair of friendly games.
It is hardly surprising that these two fixtures failed to capture the imagination of the supporters. In fact, the ticketing issue was not the only error made by the FAI when it came to the March international window.
READ HERE: John O'Shea Reveals Ireland Pair's Halftime Fury At Decision That Led To Swiss Winner
Ireland could not afford to waste this March international window
Ireland have now been without a manager since the end of November, a four-month period after which we still have no idea who will be in charge of the side for the remainder of 2024.
The process to appoint Stephen Kenny's successor has been a laborious one, with both media and supporters growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress made. The FAI have argued that they were in no rush to make an appointment, despite initially saying a manager would be in place by mid-February at the latest.
After that deadline passed, they quickly brought in John O'Shea as a stopgap solution and said a permanent boss would be announced in early April.
It could be argued that it made little difference that no appointment was made in time for the March international window. After all, it contained only a pair of friendly games, with Ireland's next competitive fixture not taking place until September.
However, such suggestions completely miss the point.
After a couple of years in which this Ireland side has failed to progress, they could not afford to kick the can down the road any further. Make no mistake about, this international window has been one that was very much wasted.
A new manager should have been in place in order to get a head start on the retooling that this team clearly needs. John O'Shea employed system that was very similar to the one used by Stephen Kenny, with the only real change coming in the form of a more rigid defensive structure and the addition of the impressive Sammie Szmodics to the team.
There were few risks taken by the Waterford man, something that was understandable considering the circumstances in which he stepped into the role. If he was to maintain any outside chance of getting the job on a full-time basis, he clearly felt that a more conservative approach was needed in order to secure two positive results. After all, he only had a few days to work with the players ahead of the Belgium game.
O'Shea himself admitted in recent days that he may well have approached these fixtures slightly differently had he been appointed as the full-time manager.
The team has essentially wasted two games in which to develop, something they could not afford after the last couple of years. A new manager will now come in (assuming there is not a u-turn and O'Shea gets the job permanently) and get only two games to experiment ahead of a vital UEFA Nations League campaign.
It is also difficult to imagine that there would not have been a bigger crowd at the two games this month had a permanent manager been announced in the buildup to the window.
Two meaningless games against non-glamorous opposition, using a confusing ticketing policy, featuring a team very much in a state of limbo. Is it any wonder fans opted to stay away?
Both on and off the pitch, this month was essentially a waste for everyone involved.
SEE ALSO: Ireland Player Ratings As O'Shea's Men Produce Damp Squib In Poor Swiss Loss
