QuoteWho are Kelly and Benson? Think mcgeady will go as well he went straight down tunnel at end which is bad form we were all sick but still stayed to clap team off mcgeady should have stayed on pitch and clapped fans.Originally Posted by pineapple stu
So what can we expect? 22 months till our next competitive game, if you count the Nations League as only pseudo-competitive.
O'Shea anyway; talked out of it 18 months ago; not getting a look in now.
Hoolahan probably. 36 by the end of the season.
Walters? Just gone 34 and injured.
Daryl Murphy? 35 by May, in the team because of Long's loss of form and didn't did anything the last three games. Not entirely his fault of course.
Whelan? 34 in January. Derided but consistent, trusted (until recently) and experienced.
Westwood? What's the point for him any more?
How to replace all in the squad if worst comes to worst? Something like
Randolph
Coleman---Clark---Duffy---Brady
McClean---McCarthy---Hendrick---Arter--- O'Dowda
Long
Not sure if that midfield works though.
Subs then
Elliot
Christie---Keogh---Long/Boyle---Doherty
McGeady---Meyler---Hourihane---O'Kane---Horgan
Maguire
That's a very weak second XI. There's obviously others - Judge, Hogan, Egan, Rice, Scannell, Kelly, maybe Benson - but it's getting to be very slim pickings. The jury is very much out on some of the players named too (Long has 30 games for Burnley in 8 years for example)
But we'll surely have an inexperienced squad for the next qualifiers.
Thoughts?
Who are Kelly and Benson? Think mcgeady will go as well he went straight down tunnel at end which is bad form we were all sick but still stayed to clap team off mcgeady should have stayed on pitch and clapped fans.
Liam Kelly, midfielder at Reading. Broke into their first team last season.
Robbie Benson, attacking mid at Dundalk; currently linked with a move cross-channel a la Horgan. Put him in because partly I'm biased and partly we really don't have anyone coming through
Martin O'Neill turned 65 this year.
Terrible shame for some decent players to end their account in this manner. Walters might keep going for one more campaign.
16 month or so?? Doesn't qualification start in March 2019?
I didn't realise that Euro 2020 qualifiers weren't due to start until March 2019, which gives us a little bit more time to get reinforcements bedded in - so here's where we'll probably stand by then:
Goalkeepers: Current options will likely still be available - Elliot should probably get a run in friendlies as he is our only Premier League first choice keeper. Ian Lawlor might put himself into the frame if he can get into The Championship next season. For our other young keepers it might be a bit soon but it's worth watching to see if they can get decent loan moves or get into their respective first-team squads - Kieran O'Hara, Caoimhin Kelleher, Liam Bossin and Conor O'Malley
Defenders - O'Shea will surely retire, but at least we have two Premier League Central defenders in there already. Declan Rice, Matt Doherty and maybe Conor O'Shaughnessy should be blooded in during the coming months. If Andy Boyle and Kevin O'Connor can maintain their places at Preston, they should get some time, as should another late-bloomer, Enda Stevens, who is now playing regularly for high-flying Sheffield united. Corey O'Keeffe has been close to the Birmingham first team so he could possible break through by the end of this season. And of course, Seamus Coleman will be back from injury.
Midfielders - Yes, Hoolahan will retire - it's ridiculous for Richard Sadlier to pin our hopes on getting him to play for another campaign; Whelan will also likely go. O'Dowda is already settled in; Hourihane, Horgan, Browne, Judge and O'Kane are the most experienced (and most immediate) options. Liam Kelly should be given a chance in upcoming friendlies. Youngsters who could put themselves in the frame over the next sixteen months would include Cullen, Ronan, Barrett, Byrne, Lenihan, Manning, Shodipo, Doyle-Hayes and Molumby
Forwards - this is definitely the problem area, with Doyle already gone and Murphy and Walters almost certain to retire also. And six months ago it was looking like a looming crisis. Since then, fortunately, Maguire has transitioned successfully to The Championship, Hogan has declared for us, McGoldrick has found his form again and even Aiden o'Brien is now a serious option. We have a lot of exciting young strikers at underage level but they might take another couple of years to come through. There are, however, a few who are within sight of their respective first teams and could break through next season (although it's probably an outside chance at this point) - Connolly at Brighton, McDonagh at Forest, Grego-Cox at QPR, Hale at Birmingham. So it is going to be a difficult transition but hopefully we'll have enough firepower to qualify for a 24-team Euro 2020 and by the next World Cup rolls around we'll have a much stronger forward line
You're right; sorry. I thought it was Sept 19-Mar 20 for some reason. (If they're compressing the calendar, I think it makes sense to get rid of the 8 month gap between the end of qualifying and the start of the finals)
But it's the Nations League play-offs in Mar 20.
Still a longer pre-season than normal.
Agree on all the above. In defence and midfield we have a few options that are well down the tracks or on the cusp of the road to progression into our squad. Clearly, the striker situation is the one where there aren't many clear options coming on the horizon. The ones you mentioned may be a bit off. It is very hard to know in relation to Hogan and O'Brien. Hogan probably needs to move. O'Brien needs more games up front. Seani has all out hopes up and hopefully delivers.
A lot of Championship players in there though. It will be interesting to see who can do something the PL.
One thing I would say is that the entire starting line up last night will be around for the next campaign, potentially Murphy aside. And we have a long-standing issue up front anyway. So I don't think retirements impact the narrative here all that much. I think bringing through a couple of more players to add guile and goals is much more important. I know we conceded 5 last night but I'm just writing that off against the Goodwill our defence has accumulated.
You're right. Last night was an omnishambles. They lost the head but as a rule we have a good defence.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
I'm 50 now and am calling it a day.
Ha, I came in to announce my international retirement.
After these awful playoffs that saw International football continue slowly bleeding to death is anyone excited about the World Cup at all? Honestly I might not watch one second.
Give it time, the enthusiasm will return. I actually started my research on getting over for a game today.
I'll watch every second. The World Cup is the greatest event in sport. That's why last night hurts so badly.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
Well we do have the sanity around New Zealand and Peru to get back in the mood of high quality soccer:
http://www.news.com.au/sport/footbal...612490d738ae1e
You're going to fly to Russia for one game?
Is there any rule changes that could be brought in to make football a more attacking game .
Football ( particularly international football and the likes of Mourinho ) is way to defensive at the moment . If it takes a few subtle rule change to make for more attacking football then so be it .
I could not agree more! Horrible play is rewarded!
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