Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has the second lowest win ratio of the last six Ireland managers.
Ireland were relegated from their UEFA Nations League group on Tuesday following a 1-0 loss to Wales in Dublin. A second-half free-kick from Harry Wilson was the difference between the two sides at the Aviva Stadium and the defeat leaves Ireland with just one win from their last eight games.
O’Neill now has the second worst win ratio of the last six managers with his 19 wins, 18 draws and 16 losses accumulating to a 35.8% win record which edges Steve Staunton’s ill-fated reign that saw Ireland win just six times from 17 games during his tenure.
Brian Kerr has the best win ratio of any of the last six managers with the former Ireland underage coach winning 18 of his 33 games in charge of the senior national team.
Win percentage of the last six Ireland managers
Brian Kerr (33 games; 18 wins, 11 draws, 4 losses) – 55%
Jack Charlton (94 games; 47 wins, 29 draws, 16 losses) – 50%
Mick McCarthy (68 games; 28 wins, 19 draws, 21 losses) – 43%
Giovanni Trapattoni (64 games; 26 wins, 22 draws, 16 losses) – 41%
Martin O’Neill (53 games; 19 wins, 18 draws and 16 losses) – 36%
Steve Staunton (17 games; 6 wins, 6 draws, 5 losses) – 35%
*Statistics compiled by Aidan Fitzmaurice in The Herald
Kerr was unceremoniously dumped by the FAI after he failed to guide the team to the 2006 FIFA World Cup but he feels that the brand of football that Ireland are currently playing may turn supporters away.
“I don’t think the Irish public are going to continue to go and watch this team if we’re playing on the back foot against middle-ranked teams,” Kerr told Virign Media One.
“Wales are a middle-ranking team, they’ve come to Dublin previously, and until the sending off with the terrible challenge on Seamus Coleman, they dominated the game and took the game to us.
“They had Gareth Bale that time but were without him on Tuesday. They were demolished by Spain so they’re not in great form at all. They were well beaten by Denmark in their previous game so why wouldn’t we go and press on Wales in their own half, and get players into their half, and try and create some chances and get some balls into the box.”
"I don't think the Irish public are going to continue to go and watch this team if we're playing on the back foot against middle ranked teams!"
Brian Kerr looking ahead to Ireland vs Wales… #VMSport pic.twitter.com/Hxjpzovcrs
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) October 14, 2018
