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Alan O'Brien @alanob2112

University Teacher and Tutorial Coordinator, Dept. of Maths and Stats, @UL.

Joined June 2009
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Alan O'Brien@alanob2112
15 Apr 2019
John Delaney is still dodging the dustbin of history, but he is only the tip of a very large iceberg. How my grassroots experience taught me that Irish football is rotten to the core - any reforms imposed on the #FAI board must apply to affiliates, too. tacticstruck2.com/2019/04/15…

OPINION: Delaney is just the tip of the iceberg

Alan O’Brien  Just under two years have passed since the night I reluctantly resolved to stop covering grassroots football. Hours removed from a skirmish with two officers of the Limerick Dis…

tacticstruck2.com
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One manager, Armenia's Eghishe Melikyan, learned the lessons of Matchday One. The other, Ireland's Heimir Halgrimsson, did not: tacticstruck2.com/2025/09/10… #ARMIRL #ARMIRE #COYBIG
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Heimir Hallgrímsson lost the tactical battle to Hungary's Marco Rossi on Saturday night. Here's how and why: tacticstruck2.com/2025/09/08… #IRLHUN #COYBIG
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City's equaliser results from Grealish getting to the byline, the first time City even tried to do that in the second half. A baffling approach from Pep that cried out for traditional fullbacks and wingers. Arsenal's 6-3-0 packed the centre and Pep played into their hands #MCIARS
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"Although the FAI introduced an eight-year term limit for its own directors, no such limits apply to leagues or bodies affiliated to the FAI." The key line in this utterly unsurprising article. Five years ago, the government missed a huge opportunity to force grassroots reform.
Mark Tighe@MarkLTighe
8 Sep 2024
Girls soccer in Dublin left in crisis after bitter row over governance sparks legal clash independent.ie/irish-news/gi…
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Ireland desperately need another body in central midfield as it's essentially 4 v 2 in England's favour at the moment with Trent dropping in. Will be interesting to see if Heimar can do what Kenny couldn't — make appropriate in-game changes. #IREvENG
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I don't understand Croatia's shape late on. The back five made sense against Italy's front two, but it appeared to be Brozovic on his own in central midfield, with Majer higher and close to the striker. No surprise that Calafiori waltzed through the middle to set up the leveller.
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Any chance someone on the RTÉ production team can teach Cawley the handball rule at half time? 🙄
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The Greens need a lot more of this. Too timid and non-confrontational, the party's disastrous comms strategy under Eamon Ryan allowed opponents to control the narrative and spread misinformation. Ryan's successor must address this on day one; Garvey provides the blueprint here.
RTÉ Prime Time@RTE_PrimeTime
18 Jun 2024
Following @EamonRyan’s announcement today that he is to step down as leader of the @greenparty_ie, @MiriamOCal is joined in studio by his party colleague @RoisinGarvey and Independent TD @MHealyRae. WATCH: @rtenews | #rtept
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This directly contradicts last week's Ipsos poll, which showed a roughly 2:1 majority in favour of retaining our current neutrality model. Proof that a national conversation on defence is long overdue -- however much those with fringe views would like to shut it down.
Ireland Votes
@Ireland_Votes
25 Jun 2023
Poll/Pobalbhreith Q. “Do you support or oppose Ireland joining NATO?” Oppose: 38% Support: 34% Unsure: 28% Via Red C Research June 2023 Note: Reposted to correct earlier typo.
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Serious questions to answer for Catherine Martin, who learned in March of an investigation into payments flagged by RTÉ auditors. Did she ask further questions of RTÉ at the time? Why didn't she apprise Cabinet of this at the time? And when did she hear of Forbes' suspension?
Jack Horgan-Jones@JackHoJo
23 Jun 2023
TDs rush to organise hearings on RTÉ pay scandal to seek answers from management irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/…
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Asking this question yet again this evening. Three centre-backs against a Gibraltarian 5-4-1?!
Alan O'Brien@alanob2112
17 Jun 2023
Replying to @alanob2112
The rest of the game saw Greece adopt an extremely defensive and compact posture, prompting the question I've asked so often during Kenny's reign: "Why are we STILL playing with three centre-backs?" Obafemi for Molumby (rather than one of the CBs) on 81' was indefensible. [7/12]
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It's difficult to understand why Stephen Kenny opted for a 3-5-2 last night. Primarily a defensive formation, it doesn't exactly lend itself to pressing a 4-3-3 as the opposition full-backs are free in build-up play, representing easy out-balls that are tough to cut out. [1/12]
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Fans and media who pilloried McCarthy and lionised Kenny need to acknowledge the hypocrisy writ large in their reactions to results secured by both men. For me, the nadir saw Eamonn Sweeney, Kenny cheerleader-in-chief, refer to McCarthy as a "professional Yorkshireman". [11/12]
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The Irish team needs a pragmatic, flexible manager who doesn't believe "there is only one style of play", as Kenny once told @emmetmalone. Attractive football takes many guises -- it can be reactive and direct, too. What we saw last night was anything but attractive. [12/12]
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