I don't think Whelan was really good in the last campaign. The midfield rarely imposed itself and it was one of the weakest links in the team. He was ok say 6/7 out of 10.
not in every match - but he had some stand out performances. some goal v italy aswell.Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
on another note, anyone got a link to highlights of last night's match? i need to take another look at that dunne clearance. as good as any goal we've scored this campaign!
Highlights here
Edit: Just watched that link, not a great clip
6 or 7 out of 10 for a player who was not really good, who rarely imposed himself and one of the weakest links in the team??
I'd say you were a tad generous with your rating.
I always had the impression you were a fan of Whelan Geysir? I don't know why I thought that?!
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
I think his point in this case was more related to the rating Paddy gave after saying he basically did nothing the last campaign
Whelan was a 6 out of 10 last campaign!
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
I assumed it was a fraction (6/7ths out of 10)
sounds about right
I'm not sure if this is discussed elsewhere but did anyone else read David Kelly's article in the Indo today? My god it was purile stuff. Pat Spillane mentioned puke football in the GAA, this was puke journalism. How does he still have a job?
Here are a few snippets;
"Lucky general ain't the half of it.
But, then, such is the often strange beauty of this sport. Even when pock-marked with the ugly imprint of an inflexible utilitarian like Trapattoni, there's always a chance for those who don't want to play the game.
The Rugby World Cup will not allow such a mismatch to be unrepresentative on the scoreboard. Nor would hurling. Nor any field sport for that matter.
Soccer is the only field game where one can get absolutely battered for 90 minutes, cede twice as much possession to the opposition, lose the corner count 12-1, conceded 28 attempts on goal, and still blithely skip away beneath the cover of darkness with a 0-0 draw."
"His utter control of his team has extended to all reaches of his squad, with captain Robbie Keane the chief cheerleader for his leader's soulless approach to the game.
An interesting vignette before Tuesday's game reflects the vast gulf that exists between the players and management.
Kevin Doyle (pictured below) and Stephen Hunt were walking from the plastic pitch after a little stroll some 90 minutes before kick-off. Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli were standing in congress at the side of the pitch. Doyle and Hunt walked past the Italian duo, heads bowed, not even inviting a greeting or deigning to offer the briefest word.
The context of this (non) exchange came later. Doyle was withdrawn -- Trapattoni had bizarrely replaced him with another striker -- and the Wexford man afterwards spoke in clipped, disconsolate tones to the radio reporters in the mixed zone."
"This Ireland team remains an affront to those of us who appreciate freedom of expression in our sport, but there is still time for some of its leading characters to help us enjoy the ride a little more.
If this past week represents the future of Irish football, it seems like a pretty dull place. Sport isn't always about fables, it is true. But does the real world have to be so pallid?"
What a load of cow dung. He talks about the Rugby World Cup being fair. There's a max of ten competitive rugby nations in the world. Then he has his customary pointless dig at Keane over nothing. After that, he states that because Doyle and Hunt didn't high five Trap on their way past him, there must be trouble brewing in the camp!
Give me a break.
That was a difficult read Lionel. sort your quoting out. But I take your point.
It has all been said before about Kelly. This article is bad, but the one about Keane was worse.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
This is the very point that makes "Soccer" the best sport of them all. Shocks and real upsets can often on a more than infrequent basis. How the RWC would love more than even one surprise result in the whole of the competition!!! Similarly hurling.
You could argue that soccer is in such a nature that not always the best teams win. I think that certainly has a point on a one off game but generally over a tournament/league the best team wins. Some might point to Greece in 2004. Yes Greece were not the most skillful or had the most flair but they were the most tactically astute and best organised given their resources.
Freedom of expression in sport. Yes we would love to express ourselves more and attack Russia away from home but for what to get hammered 5-0. Id sooner take an organised defensive performance and a result. (Im not saying Tuesday night was organised, that was alot of luck also). But the one thing that Trap has is an organised team - for many of us with a few improvements in midfield in particular, this team could reach further heights - remains to be seen.
The rugby world cup does tend to have surprise results to be fair. Argentina's entire campaign in 2007, along with England beating Australia, France beating New Zealand and Argentina slaughtering France for the second time. His point was that a game can't be so spectacularly lopsided and not be reflected on the scoreboard, which is a fair point considering that Robbie could have won it for us at the death were it not for a great Shirakov interception.
Apologies about the quoting. I've never got the hang of it!
Well said. The beauty of soccer is that the underdog can win or draw. High scoring sports don't have that factor, for the most part.
We expressed ourselves under Stan. The players high-fived Stan.
None of us can deny that we lack enterprise, and it's becoming a worry for me, but Kelly just can't let this point go. He's been banging on about it when it hasn't been warranted, and just because we put in two unenterprising performances in a row he thinks he's flippin Socrates with his worldly insights.
Random point, but I think that Andrews would be a much better contributor with a better midfielder alongside him, moreso than the other way round with Whelan.
You've got no fans.
Gibson or Fahey?
I'm glad Meyler was mentioned in another thread. Wilson is another who could play deep midfield.
I would be tempted to play O'Shea in midfield again.
So having read Kelly's rant about soccer in comparison to other sports, I started to think to myself; If Ireland were a team/player in any other sport, who would they be?
Heres who I came up with:
GAA: The Donegal footballers
Irish football resembles whats great about Ulster football. Combatitive, dogged, relentless work rate and continual pressurising of opponents. When it comes to creative inspiration, we are lacking. Determination and work rate alone, will insure you go far but will always inevitably come up short for the big prize.
Rugby: The Georgians
Formidable opponents (as we learned in 2007). Play with spirit and tenacity, strong in the challenge and defend for their lives but still remain on the fringes of the elite teams in the world.
Snooker: Peter Ebdon
Hard on the eye for the purists of the sport. Patient, methodical, conservative style and at times very predictable, yet still extremely frustrating to play against and eternally difficult to grind down.
Horse Racing: Ruby Walsh
Battered and bruised from battle but still never give up and will be comepetive for the entire duration of the game.
Golf: Sergio Garcia
Solid and consistant but when it comes to the crunch, does not possess the mental strenght to beat the best.
Tennis: Ivo Karlovic
A one trick pony and extremely predictable, yet still difficult to play against. Aggressive from the off (serve) yet often lacks imagination when the ball is returned to him.
Athletics: The sport of Athletics
Subject of much media scrutiny and criticism and many fans have turned their back on the sport. Yet still the sport prevails and continues to provide enjoyment to the loyal fans who have been there through thick and thin.
Anyone have any other analogies? Was trying to find a boxing anology but fell short there?
I'd go along with that, I think he would improve things. Trap is quoted in the I-Paper today as realising how very lucky we were, how he had hoped we could win but as it panned out, were highly fortunate with a point, so maybe we will see a change in there. It's going to cost us soon, a side who just cant gain a foothold in the middle will surely take a hiding at some point, we couldnt even do it to a point where our back four get a breather to line up again the other night, let alone to an extent where we could ask some questions of the opponent.
I would like to hear what Trap really thinks of his midfield options, I realise he cannot say this publicly as it would not be a team bonding moment, but I bet he knows better than anyone. Will he look at the alternatives though?
Wayne mccullough.
Or Matthew macklin.
Any sport really that a Irish person participates in.its just an Irish trait or traits what you have pointed out. Good analogies though.
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks