USA end of season trip

[bwagner]

In todays star it mentions this trip is looking more likely to happen now.
I just wonder what players would you guys include in this training camp and 2 internationals trip.

[pineapple stu]

Gary Dicker and Conor Sammon.

[SwanVsDalton]

Dicker and Sammon definitely. Dave McAllister, Stephen O'Halloran, Wes Hoolahan, David Forde, Darren Randolph, Caleb Folan, Conor Henderson, Conor Clifford. See if Stearman or Anthony Gerrard want to go as well, if they're eligible and willing.

[bwagner]

O'Halloran,Hoolahan and Maguire would be good picks. Id also like to see Anthony Pilkington Joe Mason and hopefully Adam Hammill.

[CraftyToePoke]

Adam Rooney, Shane Duffy, Darren Ambrose, Richard Keogh, Mark O'Brien, Conor Doyle, Aaron Doran and maybe Robbie Brady.

[theworm2345]

This makes no sense, we've matches at the end of May and in early June...when would this happen? Anyway, Delaney, Aldo, and Packie were in Chicago last year (as I found out the day after :mad:) so hopefully if this is true they'll have a match here.

[Sullivinho]

All those mentioned above sound good to me. If I'm not mistaken, the last time O'Halloran played for Ireland was the previous USA jaunt.

[gspain]

When can this happen? Surely not after the Macedonia game on June 4th. I can't see any window beforehand given the Nations Cup games.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Agreed, unless an entire 'B' team or squad.

[irishultra]

why do they go 2 america...cudnt they really just go to like spain or portugal

[theworm2345]

why do they go 2 america...cudnt they really just go to like spain or portugal
More Irish (and "Irish") people here to pay for tickets and thus put money in the FAI's pockets. Again, though, theres no time to do it this year unless they do a preseason trip instead which wouldn't work due to club preseason.

[EastTerracer]

When can this happen? Surely not after the Macedonia game on June 4th. I can't see any window beforehand given the Nations Cup games.

According to the Daily Mail it would happen after the Macedonia game - it will definitely make it difficult to get a squad together considering most English clubs will expect their players back for pre-season in early July. Players and clubs alike want to ensure that they get sufficient rest between seasons.

"Meanwhile, Trapattoni is set to lead an Irish squad on a post- season tour to the United States. Arrangements are being finalised for an American trip immediately after the Euro 2012 qualifier away to Macedonia in Skopje on June 4."

[gspain]

The Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off on June 5th hosted by the U.S. I can't see games being allowed in competition with that even if we were to play South American opposition.

We could be ideal warmup opposition but I can't see dates before Macedonia.

[TrapAPony]

Shane Duffy
Wes Hoolahan
Ciarran Clark
Seamus Coleman
Jon Walters
Leon Best
Greg Cunningham
James McCarthy
Dave Meyler
Marc Wilson
Darren Ambrose
Richard Stearman
Jamie O'Hara
Adam Hammill
Jermaine Pennant
Anthony Gerrard
Conor Henderson
Conor Sammon
Barry Maguire
Shane Long
Stephen Ward
Steven Reid
Paddy Kenny
Keiren Westwood

[SwanVsDalton]

That's a good squad though not certain Clark, Coleman, Best and Reid would make it due to long seasons/fitness. Also not sure Cunningham would be back. Plenty of other options to look at too, like O'Halloran, Stokes, Clifford etc.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Assuming they'd all be available to go....or even want to?

[Park_Lane]

We should bring Stephen Ireland. Drop him off in L.A and leave the cnut there.

[Sullivinho]

We should bring Stephen Ireland. Drop him off in L.A and leave the cnut there.

Sure, sure, he like it there. Compton. Mentalitee.

[tetsujin1979]

David Forde
Graham Stack
Darren Randolph

Stephen O'Halloran
Ciaran Clark
Paddy McCarthy
Richard Stearman (assuming he's available/eligible)
Gavin Gunning
Matt Doherty
Seamus Coleman
Alan Dunne

Keith Treacy
JJ O'Toole (assuming his club is willing to release him)
David Meyler
Aaron Doran
Conor Clifford
Conor Henderson
Michael Doyle
Thomas Butler (just back in training with Swansea, depending on his form until the end of the season)

Sean Scannell
Anthony Stokes
Conor Sammon
Adam Rooney

Very much a B team, collective cap total would barely break double figures, but it would definitely give us options going into the autumn as well as keeping the clubs of our big players on side

[theworm2345]

Considering the Gold Cup dates, the only real options for teams to play would be South American opposition or possibly Trinidad and Tobago or Haiti from CONCACAF. Its too bad the Gold Cup doesn't start a week later.

We'll basically have three games in eleven days with the Celtic Cup and Macedonia and the players will already be tired from the season...even though I would benefit from this I don't see how the team would profit.

[Fergie's Son]

This makes no sense, we've matches at the end of May and in early June...when would this happen? Anyway, Delaney, Aldo, and Packie were in Chicago last year (as I found out the day after :mad:) so hopefully if this is true they'll have a match here.

Only Packie showed up and it was a debacle. Very poorly organized though I don't think it was the FAI's fault. I'd be delighted if there was a game in Chicago.

[theworm2345]

Only Packie showed up and it was a debacle. Very poorly organized though I don't think it was the FAI's fault. I'd be delighted if there was a game in Chicago.
****, I'm guessing that hurts our chances of having a game here (at least in the odds off chance this does materialize). Was there at least a decent turnout? I think it was a two day thing, one informal sort of clinic down at Gaelic Park and one formal dinner that was expensive.

[sean r]

what about joe laperia!!!!!!!!!!!!

[macdermesser]

Jermaine Pennant!! ;-)

[Paddy Garcia]

Great opportunity - we should call up 22 Irish Americans.

Let me find my cousins number ..........

[Crosby87]

Who are they going to play? I was reading that Cantona is in charge of the Cosmos development now or something. I would love to try to goad him into kicking me while watching an Irish team comprised of tired, hung over 21 year olds in front of a half full stadium... Not sure that there is actually a Cosmos team either yet mind you. Last time they came here they played Ecuador, one of the most boring events I have ever attended. Right up there with Bon Jovi. Still, I do enjoy tailgating.

[Alf Honn]

FAI could hardly afford to bring a team to New Ross, never mind New York, such is their dire current financial state.

[Kingdom]

Maybe Dinny is paying for them?

[the bear]

funds for a one way ticket for paul green and paul mcshane should be made available

[sean r]

22 irish americans!!! then there is still hope for me yet

[Dodge]

FAI could hardly afford to bring a team to New Ross, never mind New York, such is their dire current financial state.

You realise they'll be going to the US because they're paid to? You think they go there for the laugh?

[theworm2345]

You realise they'll be going to the US because they're paid to? You think they go there for the laugh?
Yes.
http://www.nscaa.com/site_img/lapirajoseph2007.gif

[mark12345]

Great opportunity - we should call up 22 Irish Americans.

Let me find my cousins number ..........


It won't be long now before that's the case. Forty million Americans of Irish descent and soccer being the biggest participation sport in the US.

[theworm2345]

It won't be long now before that's the case. Forty million Americans of Irish descent and soccer being the biggest participation sport in the US.
Most of those people would have to go back to great great grandparents to find a relative from Ireland so they wouldn't be eligible anyway.

[CraftyToePoke]

Most of those people would have to go back to great great grandparents to find a relative from Ireland so they wouldn't be eligible anyway.

I dont know, there was a fairly sustained period of emigration th the US from Ireland again as recently as the 1980's. I realise what you mean though 'Irish America' as we traditionally view it would be several generations back however Conor Doyle shows there are more recent examples as well.

[theworm2345]

I dont know, there was a fairly sustained period of emigration th the US from Ireland again as recently as the 1980's. I realise what you mean though 'Irish America' as we traditionally view it would be several generations back however Conor Doyle shows there are more recent examples as well.
Of course there will always be immigrants coming in as there are with any nationality and America. However, the noteworthy immigration of Irish immigrants ended long enough ago that the last big group of people with Irish grandparents are probably mainly in their 40s now. Here's (http://www.mccormickfamily.com/mccormicks/pics/immigrantChart.gif) immigration by decade. There is a way to get an Irish passport through a great-grandparent, but only if your parent got their nationality before you were born. Essentially, at this point I doubt there are any more Irish-eligible players born here than, for example, players eligible for countries like Ghana or Korea. Irish American as a term is almost like African American at this point in that the people who are labelled as such probably have to go back deep in to the "great greats" to find an ancestor actually from the place for which they are labelled.

[EastTerracer]

However, the noteworthy immigration of Irish immigrants ended long enough ago that the last big group of people with Irish grandparents are probably mainly in their 40s now.

Thanks worm! The chart you showed only seems to show up to 1970 but the largest post-war emigration actually happened from 1986-1993. This is an interesting article http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-2435.00045/pdf but just two lines actually gives you a good picture....

"Due mainly to the diversity visas, annual Irish immigration averaged about 8,600 during 1985-1987, the highest in the post-World War II era".
"Nearly 8,600 entered annually between 1987-95, with diversity visas accounting for 79 per cent of the flow".

The immigration numbers were not on the same scale as at the turn of the last century but the numbers above indicate about 80,000 Irish immigrants into the US in a 10 year period. Many people did return to Ireland during the boom years but I'd estimate that at least 30,000 of them remain here in the US and are likely to have had kids in the meantime - those kids are also more likely to have been brought up with an interest in football given what was going on at Italia 90, USA 94 etc. It's a big pool to choose from and one that we should be looking into.

It looks like the next round of the search in 15-20 years will be in New Zealand, Canada and Australia given the recent emigration patterns at home.

[Wolfie]

According to the Daily Mail it would happen after the Macedonia game - it will definitely make it difficult to get a squad together considering most English clubs will expect their players back for pre-season in early July. Players and clubs alike want to ensure that they get sufficient rest between seasons.

"Meanwhile, Trapattoni is set to lead an Irish squad on a post- season tour to the United States. Arrangements are being finalised for an American trip immediately after the Euro 2012 qualifier away to Macedonia in Skopje on June 4."

Great. I can see it now. McCarthy is called up to the squad. McCarthy is knackered and doesn't turn up. Trapp has a ready made excuse to exile him from the squad in the autumn.