Liam Lawrence

[Bowsy]

Anyone know anything more about this lad? How good is he? How does he qualify for Ireland? Could be an all irish front line at Stadium of Light next year(not to mention the rest of the team).

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrossthewater/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=12119

[only1kilbane]

yeah hes very good player scored 22 goals last year for mansfield though 12 of them pens. Plays either on the wing or centre mid so right mid for sunderland will prob where he will get his game as we have a few centre midfielders. Good to see a good few irish at sunderland again at least mick will give them a good chance. Hopefully elliott and lawrence will prosper this season as well as seanny thornton

[Closed Account 2]

i saw him play about 18 months ago hes not bad, i wouldnt rate him as a great player but maybe if it goes well for him at sunderland he might improve technically.

Sean Thorntons a great player, he'll be superb in a year or two. Its a shame he walked out of my club under rather mercinary clouds as he'd had a great end to that season, and was basically going to replace Koumas when we sold him to West Brum. In the end the Canadian lad Hume played came thru for us, but Thornton did look like a decent player. I also rated Alan Mahon but he seems to have dissappeared since going to Sporting Lisbon and then leaving.

[zinedineontour]

I really think we should give Liam a call up soon as he qualifies to play for us . Only if to give him a run in a friendly. Hes having a cracking season for Sunderland and offers an attacking treat from the right something we sorely lack. Scored 20 for Mansfield last year ( i know low league ) but has already scored 3 for sunderland this year and has looked the part.

[Donal81]

Does he want to play for us or is he just called Liam?

[Plastic Paddy]

Does he want to play for us or is he just called Liam?

:D :D :D

:D PP

[zinedineontour]

Some people are great with there jokes at this time of the morning ! He wants to play for us yeah and with deffo be a good asset rather than knobs like jon macken

[thejollyrodger]

why not , if he is any good then give me a crack. There seems to a lot more players eligible for Ireland IMO. I wonder should Kerr enter the Unity Cup again with a B team ?

[Donal81]

Some people are great with there jokes at this time of the morning ! He wants to play for us yeah and with deffo be a good asset rather than knobs like jon macken

Apologies for possibly unwarranted cynicism, early morning grumpiness! If he genuinely wants to play for us - as opposed to realising that he's not good enough or famous enough for the England team - then I don't see the harm in calling him up for a friendly if he's better than the options already at our disposal.

[Bowsy]

there's been noises about Lawrence declaring for Ireland since he was at Mansfield. Worth a shot. We aren't blessed with right sided midfielders and he's only 22 or 23 i think.

[thejollyrodger]

what about mc geady last night ? I know he was playing on the left but his favourite side is right. I thought he did quite well !

[zinedineontour]

Yeah he looked good if a bit like willo flood a little weak. The game like that croatia ones are the games where the likes of mcgeady, ellioot flood and lawrence should be introduced . Even just to have them in the squad for the experience first time out and deffo elliott deserves a run. Brian Kerr was at sunderland last night so think elliott call up is on the way and hopefully he had a chat with lawrence. Hes gonna be a great player .. Stephen reid will hopefully come back into the frame as well

[thejollyrodger]

Personally I think Elliot should start both games and play the full 90 minutes on each game. He is going to be really needed in 2005 !

Mc Geady is only 18 and players that age are not fuly developed physically so I wouldnt worry to much about that. Same with Flood.

I agree Both those players should get a run out from the bench at some stage.

[Closed Account 2]

someone posted this trick by McGeedy on another site, he looks like a decent player, hope he develops his physically presence a bit more.

http://www.fudgiebhoy.co.uk/McGeadyTrick.mpg
http://www.daviebhoy67.pwp.blueyond...cGeadyTrick.mpg

[barglee]

Some people are great with there jokes at this time of the morning ! He wants to play for us yeah and with deffo be a good asset rather than knobs like jon macken


what makes Macken a knob........

dunno why people seem to have something against him playing for ireland.
is he any different that morrison in terms or birth etc......
only difference i can see is that hes a better striker.

[Slash/ED]

only difference i can see is that hes a better striker.

No he isn't and shouldn't be in our squad. Nothing to do with nationality, he just isn't good enough.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

No he isn't and shouldn't be in our squad. Nothing to do with nationality, he just isn't good enough.

Would have to agree with you. He has a poor workrate on the field, isnt as good in the air as he should be and his technique can be quite poor. Contrast this to Clinton who covers every blade of grass, holds the ball up well and scored his two most recent goals for Ireland with his head.

[eirebhoy]

Lads, Macken has only recently returned to the City first team after 2 years out (he has been injured for the last couple of weeks too), give him time. He got man of the match against Chelsea.

[Slash/ED]

Lads, Macken has only recently returned to the City first team after 2 years out (he has been injured for the last couple of weeks too), give him time. He got man of the match against Chelsea.

Well if he goes on to prove himself then fine but until then he shouldn't be in our squad.

[eirebhoy]

Well if he goes on to prove himself then fine but until then he shouldn't be in our squad.
Agreed.

But this is the quote this all started over:

"He wants to play for us yeah and with deffo be a good asset rather than knobs like jon macken"

Macken is proven to be one of the best strikers in the Championship when he played there (injuries have so far halted his progress in the Premiership). Liam Lawrence has started about 3 or 4 games in the championship and is far from proven even at that level.

I'm not saying Macken should be in the squad. Well with Clinton out of the Croatia squad I'd have him in for that including Elliott. He actually has better stats then Clinton too but I'd still have Clinton ahead as Macken hasn't been the same since injury.

/edit: actually what the hell am I saying, I'd have Macken in the squad with everyone available. My four strikers would be Keane-Morrison-Elliott-Macken.

[zinedineontour]

what makes Macken a knob........

dunno why people seem to have something against him playing for ireland.
is he any different that morrison in terms or birth etc......
only difference i can see is that hes a better striker.

the fact macken is more average than alan lee and couldnt score in a brothel. Nothing to do with nationality that doesnt bother me its just macken is average and not needed in our squad whereas lawrence has the potential to be a lot more than that. IF lads like martin rowlands get a call why not ?

[eirebhoy]

the fact macken is more average than alan lee and couldnt score in a brothel.
Lee's best season in the Championship was 16 goals and that was the only time he scored more than 10 in that league. Macken scored 22 Championship goals in his last full season with Preston. Macken scored a total of 62 goals in his last 3 seasons before injury. I'd personally have Macken in ahead of Lee.

[barglee]

i reckon the fact that Macken is a premiership player and Lee is a championship player counts for a lot.

look at all the players who've done well in first division but at the end of the day arent up to it at top level.e.g. mark kennedy, david connoly......

[Slash/ED]

Macken may be a premiership player but he's done nothing to suggest he can play at this level. Even Doherty has managed a goal in the league this season, and Morrison has scored before and played well for Birmingham.

[Plastic Paddy]

Macken v Lee is all academic right now. Target men merely provide options in a Kerr world. I just want to see the latest hot property in Irish football put on the senior green.

Stephen Elliot, do your thing. Everything else can wait.

(Even Aiden McGeady. Heresy. :eek: ;) )

:D PP

[Plastic Paddy]

And as for the subject of the thread? I'd love to see him in a 'B' squad sometime soon. Somebody else on this site suggested entering a 'B' team into this year's Unity Cup. I'd be all for that. Perhaps that 'B' team should be the subject of another thread?

:) PP

[Slash/ED]

Yeah I'd love to see us start using a B team, really what are the arguments against one? It could only be a good thing.

[ken foree]

Yeah I'd love to see us start using a B team, really what are the arguments against one? It could only be a good thing.

maybe clubs would get p i s s y?

[Condex]

Went along to the den hoping to see Elliott, who didn't play because of injury.

From what I saw of Liam Lawrence hes slow, can't control the ball and lazy and was eventually subsituted. Hardly the making of an international player.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

Macken is better than Lee/Lawrence end of.......my mackem pal says Elliott is currently better than Lawrence.....but Elliott was sold by Man.C.,due to the return to fitness :rolleyes: ........of Jon Macken ;)

Ultimately,these are all average,glorified journeymen,so let's see how they do in terms of consistency....

Fair point Davros. Was disappointed with Lawrence last night. Think Elliot has bundles of ability, despite the fact that he seems injury prone. At the end of the day, these are young lads with a lot of potential. It took the likes of Damien Duff and Stephen Carr some time before they were able to establish themselves as international-class players. Lets give them time.
With regard to Macken, he has had a good run of games in the City first team this season. Would be nice to see him getting one or two goals, starting with tomorrow!

[eirebhoy]

Would be nice to see him getting one or two goals, starting with tomorrow!
He's still injured so won't play tomorrow. Flood will play.

[4tothefloor]

Alan Lee, the worst Irish striker I've seen since Mickey Evans. The man is awkward and completely useless, and as Plastic Paddy said, the only reason he is in the squads is because he is an option as a target man......The only thing i'd use him for is target practice! Even Gary Doherty is better than him :eek:

Macken and Elliott should definately be in the upcoming squads. A quartet of Keane, Morrison, Elliott and Macken would be much better than the $hite that Lee, Connolly and Doherty currently offer as alternatives. I think Rory Delap should also be seriously considered for a role as a centre forward, very effective at set pieces and when he drops deep.

For the future, you have Flood, McGeady, Stokes and hopefully Best to look forward to, although i'd start to call up McGeady straight away, he's beginning to get goals for Celtic, what have we to lose? I'd rather him than Lee or Connolly.

Haven't been impressed with Liam Lawerence, don't think he is good enough, or in any way better than Steven Reid or Jonathan Douglas for that matter.

[Plastic Paddy]

Fair point Davros

I needed to highlight this. Dav, when's the last time anybody accused you of being fair? It's a bloody scandal, I tells yer... :eek: :D

:D PP

[zinedineontour]

from what ive seen of liam lawrence looks real quality what we need on the right. Had a superb game against wolves and if he gets a good run with sunderland could get a call up maybe in feb

[TerryPhelan]

At the end of the day, these are young lads with a lot of potential.

:) David O' Leary eat your heart out (as I say). :p

[JoeSemi]

from what ive seen of liam lawrence looks real quality what we need on the right. Had a superb game against wolves and if he gets a good run with sunderland could get a call up maybe in feb

One fine day doesn't make a summer! Two great goals against Wolves from Lawrence, but Wolves are in a mess with players' confidence shot to pieces.......not much to write home about really. Secondly, any player who is still carrying the dyed blonde Beckham look after all these years needs to examine himself :( Or get a new bird to point him the right direction!! :)

[tetsujin1979]

from what ive seen of liam lawrence looks real quality what we need on the right. Had a superb game against wolves and if he gets a good run with sunderland could get a call up maybe in feb

Sorry Zizou, but I reckon the february game will be a warm up for Israel away, not a chance to try out new players, the next time will be the end of season friendlies in June

[skbio_toronto]

i reckon the fact that Macken is a premiership player and Lee is a championship player counts for a lot.

look at all the players who've done well in first division but at the end of the day arent up to it at top level.e.g. mark kennedy, david connoly......

Just for the record...David Connolly has never been given the opportunity to play for a Premiership team.

At the end of the day, judge the player in front of you when he wears the green. Your only concern for the players club career is that he's getting his game. Really, this 'Premiership or bust' attitude really gets up my nerves sometimes.

Obviously, its better for a given player to be playing at a high level of football to hone his skills. But its certainly not the end all and be all. Better to have a fella playing regular first divsion football as opposed to Prem reserve football ala Morrison, at the moment, unfortunately.

By the way, not for a second would I consider Connolly for the current Ireland squad. His track record playing for Ireland has burnt too many bridges already!

SKBIO-TOR

[gufct]

He is a player we should get sorted quickly hes a smashing player who gets and sets up his share of Goals and has been touted since his Mansfield days as a future International.

Anyone agree with me on Lee Carsley being one of the in form midfielders in the premiership and that he could still do a job for Ireland in the troublesome right hand side of midfield position.

[Peadar]

Anyone agree with me on Lee Carsley being one of the in form midfielders in the premiership and that he could still do a job for Ireland in the troublesome right hand side of midfield position.

He's retired, let it go!

[roboyle]

He's retired, let it go!

You'd have to be up early in the day to see Lee Carsley in an Ireland jersey again! :p

[Stuttgart88]

Anyone agree with me on Lee Carsley being one of the in form midfielders in the premiership [YES] and that he could still do a job for Ireland in the troublesome right hand side of midfield position [NO!] .

Carsley has retired so it's academic. But under no circumstances would I ever consider him an option at RHM just because he's playing very well in a defensive central position.

I also don't think that RHM is that problematic. Finnan has looked very accomplished in this role. If Andy Reid gets a good move & Steven Reid continues to get back on track we have more than adequate cover. And young McGeady is getting closer & closer.

[livehead1]

andy reid don't need a 'good' move yet. i see forest regular and although there struggling he always looks good for them and has proven that he can cut it at international level. he will move eventually but hes still improving at forest and he will not be a 'cover' player, hes gonna be central to our qualification

[Peadar]

He is a player we should get sorted quickly hes a smashing player who gets and sets up his share of Goals and has been touted since his Mansfield days as a future International.

He got another goal at the weekend.

[Adrianovic]

You'd have to be up early in the day to see Lee Carsley in an Ireland jersey again! :p

Why?

Does he wear one to bed like Dougal in Father Ted?

Ade

[ken foree]

Why?

Does he wear one to bed like Dougal in Father Ted?

Ade


"simply the best.."

"doing the ol' rock star thing there dougal, heh-heh."

[zinedineontour]

great player and getting a good run on the right for sunderland now.. starting to score his share of goals as well.

[1MickCollins]

And his Irish credentials are what exactly? Being called Liam and maybe having a great-Grandmother born in Ireland? I thought he was unable to get an Irish passport when Givens was sniffing about a couple of years ago.

[Peadar]

Full story on BreakingNews.ie (http://breakingnews.ie/2005/01/20/story185585.html)

Black Cats lose Lawrence
20/01/2005 - 14:42:06

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy has been dealt a huge blow by the news that midfielder Liam Lawrence will undergo ankle surgery on Monday.

The 23-year-old, a summer signing from Mansfield, has missed the last four games through injury, and McCarthy confirmed today an operation is the only course of action open to the club.

“Liam’s having an operation on Monday and however long his rehabilitation takes, that’s how long he’ll be out,” he said. “But if you are having an operation on an ankle, you will be out for a while.

[beautifulrock]

“Liam’s having an operation on Monday and however long his rehabilitation takes, that’s how long he’ll be out,” he said. “But if you are having an operation on an ankle, you will be out for a while.

Bad news for Liam and nice to see a typical lucid comment from Mick