Does Ian Baraclough deserve more time?

After consecutive losses, the Northern Irish national side find themselves sitting in a disappointed fourth place in their World Cup Qualifying group after just six games that has left many to question the position of Ian Baraclough as the national team gaffer with only a select few matchdays left of the 2022 World Cup Qualification.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Northern Ireland were drawn into a group featuring Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Lithuania with the clear aims of progressing through to a first World Cup appearance since 1958, back when they were solely reliant on the consensus best player in the world at the time, George Best, for any sort of progression through the qualifying stages.

Since this long absence, the national team has not truly given fans much to cheer about apart from their impressive displays in the 2016 UEFA Euros which saw the side qualify and progress through the group stage before losing to neighbouring rivals Wales in the Knockout stage, marking the first time that the national side had ever qualified for the European Championship.

In the years since their immaculate success at Euro 2016, they had once again failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and for the recent 2021 European Championship.

With the 2022 Qatar World Cup now dawning on the horizon, time is running out to end their horrendous near 65-year drought of World Cup qualification success with the side struggling to keep up to pace with the likes of Italy and Switzerland who currently occupy the two automatic qualification spots in their group.

After drawing their opening game of the World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria back in March, Northern Ireland thrashed Lithuania 4-1 away from home in September and fought valiantly in a respectable goalless draw against Switzerland, who famously knocked 2018 World Cup winners France out of the recent Euros knockouts on penalties.

Despite such a promising opening to their group campaign, Switzerland would win the reverse fixture back in Geneva and the Northern Irish side were then beaten 2-1 by Bulgaria only days later.

The results have left the side outside the automatic qualification places on five points and a negative two goal difference, with games against the Euros champions Italy soon to commence in the next international break matchdays in November.

After a string over poor results, many fans have begun to question Ian Baraclough’s position as manager and whether he’ll be able to guide the North to a first World Cup appearance in over 60 years.

Baraclough was formerly the manager of the Northern Ireland under 21s side from 2017 up until 2020 where he was appointed to the job as manager of the national team following Michael O’Neill’s departure after he was named as the new Stoke City manager in the Championship.

Since his appointment, fans have been debating on whether he is fully capable of bringing World Cup or European Championship football back to Windsor Park but has since been met with a mix-bag of results during qualification.

Given that they are set to embark on their toughest fixture yet against Italy in November, Baraclough’s position could be further under the cosh should they fail to win their next two games which are vital towards their qualification status.

Should any fans be interested in wagering on any of the upcoming fixtures that the Northern Irish side face in the coming weeks, a number of betting firms will be happy to take your bets from the bookmakers listed on OLBG.

These encounters are expected to be the most difficult and most influential of Baraclough’s tenure as manager of the National side with the Italy game expected to be a major uphill struggle for the Northern Irish side with many predicting a comfortable Italian win.

Baraclough has only been in charge for just over a year and given that his squad is vastly inexperienced and without the overall talent that Italy and Switzerland currently bolster, it may seem unfair to judge his time at the helm as a failure.

It also seems that the Irish Football Association are currently satisfied with any sort of current progress made by Baraclough and his side, with reports stating that they are willing to offer him a further extension as manager with his contract set to be announced in the coming weeks.

While this job was always going to be a monumental challenge for the former Scunthorpe, Sligo Rovers and Motherwell coach, it seems that fans remain split on Baraclough’s position in charge with some willing to give him more time at the helm, while others demanding his marching orders.

The next upcoming games against Italy and Lithuania are the most crucial for the current Irish squad, with any further losses likely confirming that they will once again miss out on playing at football’s premier international competition that only commences every four years.