With Trapattoni gone, I guess that Martin O'Neil will be in the frame. However, so surely will be the current NI assistant manager, our own Billy McKinlay. Frankly, some of their recent poor results are bound to rub off on him as well as Trapattoni and anyway would have thought his chances of getting the job were slim. However, just from a Fulham perspective, I wonder if it might be advantageous if he were successful? There's no doubt he was good with the youngsters but since taking over the main squad from Ray Lew he seems pretty anonymous. Obviously I don't know what goes on in training sessions at Motspur Park but in all the mini-clips, galleries, profiles and other stuff put out by the Club's PR people you never see or hear anything from or about Billy Mac. Questions have been raised whether our recent form and inability to gel as a team are down to coaching (or lack of). Perhaps McKinlay getting the NI job would be good all round and give Jol the opportunity to freshen things up.
I personally have great admiration for Billy Mac,but somehow feel that the Northern Ireland, job is a bit of a poisioned chalice,and trying to serve 2 masters does not realy work. I have had him earmarked as our next manager,with say someone like danny Murphy as his assistant. My reservation about MJ bringing in a new assistant is he could be an anonymous Dutchman,or worse another relation. But saying that if, whoever brings success to FFC who could complain.
You guys are aware that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are not the same, right? Trapattoni has left his job as the manager of the Republic of Ireland, whereas Billy Mac is assistant to Michael O'Neill in Northern Ireland. I don't think Billy Mac is really a contender for the Republic of Ireland job at all.
Cannot see anyone who has been so much a part of youth development wanting to leave Fulham at the moment. In 4/5 years time we are going to have an outrageous team with plenty more talent lying in the wings. Big MO's vision of the ' Manchester United ' of the south will happen !!!!! Billy will want to be a part of that.
Yeah, for some reason I had in my mind that Chris Baird had fallen out with Trapattoni and made the NI connection. It was of course Stephen Kelly that fell out with him, so you are right on all counts Surly. I still think the questions, why Billy Mac is so anonymous at Fulham and whether Jol needs to freshen up his coaching staff, are valid though.
