Friendly 11th Sept ROI vs. Oman (Craven Cottage, London)

[Junior]

Appears to be going ahead though nothing confirmed on the FAI Website as yet.

Plenty of talk on it on YBIG and http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Sports/Oman-to-play-Ireland-in-London-1lhz (Though I am not sure how reliable that link is).

If it was 1st April I would have my doubts but 9-11 I dont know what to make of it!!!

[ifk101]

Need to test new players in games if Trapattoni is serious about shaking things up. Could be a good workout for players on the fringes.

[Stuttgart88]

11/9 is a Tuesday...

[paul_oshea]

oman, how many omens will there be?

[Stuttgart88]

Is Ken going to play us by himself?

[SkStu]

This was played a few times when i had FIFA 95/96. Should be very easy with plenty of identical goals from halfway.

I hope we play Qatar too. Similar result and performance expected.

[Sullivinho]

Apart from the goalkeeper Ali-Habiabasi, I don't know much about these fellas, Bill.

[Lionel Ritchie]

This was played a few times when i had FIFA 95/96. Should be very easy with plenty of identical goals from halfway.

I hope we play Qatar too. Similar result and performance expected.

I dunno. I managed Spain on that game and we faced an ignominious exit thanks to them. Newspapers were not kind ..."Spain Rocked by Electric Qatar!"

[DannyInvincible]

Have we ever played Oman before? Peculiar choice of opponent.

[Serb]

They're ranked 96th in the world, four below Bulgaria, one above Georgia and six above Northern Ireland. They're managed by Paul Le Guen, and recent results have seen them lose by two and three goal margins to Australia and Japan.

I don't know if that gives us an idea of relative strength, but it looks like this team should be weak enough, giving us a good opportunity to experiment and hopefully bring back that winning feeling, even if it is in a friendly.

[SwanVsDalton]

I hope we treat it like a B International. With the timing and location, I get the feeling it'll be second string regardless.

[Charlie Darwin]

They're ranked 96th in the world, four below Bulgaria, one above Georgia and six above Northern Ireland. They're managed by Paul Le Guen, and recent results have seen them lose by two and three goal margins to Australia and Japan.

I don't know if that gives us an idea of relative strength, but it looks like this team should be weak enough, giving us a good opportunity to experiment and hopefully bring back that winning feeling, even if it is in a friendly.
Bulgaria have slipped to 92? Mein Gott.

[Crosby87]

Supposedly James McCarthy can't make it, He's washing his hair that day.

[DannyInvincible]

Supposedly James McCarthy can't make it, He's washing his hair that day.

Eh? James is in the squad for the Serbia friendly.

[IsMiseSean]

Eh? James is in the squad for the Serbia friendly.

For the time being... I'm sure Martinez is hatching some plan to get James to stay home as we speak.

[DannyInvincible]

Why the cynicism? He's had a recurring threat of injury in the past and his father was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. The former was a valid reason to pull out of the friendly games he missed whilst the latter was certainly a valid reason to pull out of the squad for a major finals. There has been no indication whatsoever that James will have any issue with joining up with the squad for the Serbia game. If Trap doubted his commitment, he wouldn't have so much time and respect for the lad. I say, give James a break. He went through a lot of sectarian-related stuff in Scotland after declaring for us and still stuck with us in spite of it. He's now cap-tied to us. He's obviously very proud of his Irish heritage. It's annoying that his commitment continues to come under question and that he actually felt the need to explicitly re-state it in the letter explaining why he was set to miss the Euros as a result of the hysterical cynicism the media and some fans still stir up with regard to his every inclusion and supposedly-impending pulling out.

[Spudulika]

It'll mean extra money for the FAI coffers, so why not.

[Noelys Guitar]

I don't like the omens for our opening match against Kazakhstan. Possibly missing both first choice central defenders and the team coming off the back of a very poor Euros. And this friendly reeks of the old days. It serves no footballing purpose playing Oman with Germany as our October 11th opponents.

[Murfinator]

Why is it abroad? Why can't we use the tallaght stadium or some such for these smaller games or B internationals.

[Colbert Report]

Why is it abroad? Why can't we use the tallaght stadium or some such for these smaller games or B internationals.

All about money. There's a lot more money to be made playing it in England than Tallaght.

[Charlie Darwin]

The TV company that organises the friendlies likes to base them in London. For some reason there is more money in these friendlies than there is a bigger one at home.

[Junior]

Fixture Confirmed by FAI (on twitter) Tues 11th, 7:30pm at Craven Cottage

http://www.fai.ie/home/news-centre.html

[p2011]

Have to agree with those wondering why we play games in London. Why play in a foreign country? Why not play it in Tallaght or Thomond? How can there be more money to be made in Craven Cottage? Surely the venue is irrelevant for TV coverage and it's not like Ireland v Oman is exactly going to set neutral fans' pulses racing in London.

I know there are a lot of Irish in London, but so what – there are a lot of Irish in plenty of other places too! Any why not give fans in Munster or in Tallaght the chance to see the team locally? Why make people fly to London and stay over, all so that some promoter company can "fumble in the greasy till" and make a few quid while fans fork out hundreds.

I think this sort of thing is an embarrassment!

[gastric]

Have to agree with those wondering why we play games in London. Why play in a foreign country? Why not play it in Tallaght or Thomond? How can there be more money to be made in Craven Cottage? Surely the venue is irrelevant for TV coverage and it's not like Ireland v Oman is exactly going to set neutral fans' pulses racing in London.

I know there are a lot of Irish in London, but so what – there are a lot of Irish in plenty of other places too! Any why not give fans in Munster or in Tallaght the chance to see the team locally? Why make people fly to London and stay over, all so that some promoter company can "fumble in the greasy till" and make a few quid while fans fork out hundreds.

I think this sort of thing is an embarrassment!

You're wrong if you listen to Russell Barwick the Aussie ESPN so called sporting commentator who riduculed us for refusing to compete with Britain in the Olympics! There are so some prize d**kheads over here.

[jbyrne]

I think this sort of thing is an embarrassment!

international friendlies are played in neutral venues all the time. no big deal

[tetsujin1979]

Have to agree with those wondering why we play games in London. Why play in a foreign country? Why not play it in Tallaght or Thomond? How can there be more money to be made in Craven Cottage? Surely the venue is irrelevant for TV coverage and it's not like Ireland v Oman is exactly going to set neutral fans' pulses racing in London.

I know there are a lot of Irish in London, but so what – there are a lot of Irish in plenty of other places too! Any why not give fans in Munster or in Tallaght the chance to see the team locally? Why make people fly to London and stay over, all so that some promoter company can "fumble in the greasy till" and make a few quid while fans fork out hundreds.

I think this sort of thing is an embarrassment!Munster are at home that weekend VS Treviso, so the stadium wouldn't be ready

[Mr A]

Plus the last friendlies played at Thomand weren't exactly a roaring success. If this generates a few quid for the FAI and gives us a chance to try out fringe players I have no problem with it.

[Crosby87]

Is Notre Dame playing at Aviva? They are going to have some speed and depth finally to chew up the field.

[p2011]

international friendlies are played in neutral venues all the time. no big deal

Friendlies are played at neutral venues "all the time" nowadays, I will give you that, but to my mind this is a fairly recent development (last 5 years) and doesn't make it any better.

It drives Brazilians and Argentinians mad that their teams now almost never play home friendlies and that their friendlies are now corporate events in soulless locations like Geneva and the Emirates. I know that it's a long flight back from Europe to Arg/Bra, but the players are still representing real actual countries in South America and not just the corporate Nike swish or Adidas stripes. I don't see why we should be in the same boat, especially given that we're nowhere near as attractive or marketable as Arg and Bra.

I think it's a sad embarrassment and a sell-out. Play the games in Ireland or else away, i.e. in the away country.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Plus the last friendlies played at Thomand weren't exactly a roaring success. If this generates a few quid for the FAI and gives us a chance to try out fringe players I have no problem with it.I'd be interested in comparing the ticket prices that were charged by the FAI for the two TP games and those charged (by the promoting company? Flat fee for FAI?)
for the London game(s) if anyone has that info handy. Certainly cost of admission for the TP games was a factor.

[SkStu]

I don't see why we should be in the same boat, especially given that we're nowhere near as attractive or marketable as Arg and Bra.

I think it's a sad embarrassment and a sell-out. Play the games in Ireland or else away, i.e. in the away country.

i believe it is because they are being organised by thrid parties and not association to association e.g. third party is approached by Oman FA to arrange a friendly on a certain date, they secure a location for that date and put a call out to any interested associations. Association is picked and friendly is announced. Im presuming the company receives a fixed fee from the requesting Association and pays to the cheapest bidder...

If it was association to association then it would be played in either associations choice of venue, typically somewhere in their jurisdiction.

[p2011]

I also realise these games are organised by third-parties... which doesn't make things any better.

Any what is to be gained by playing Oman? Is there no decent European/South American opposition available?

The idea of these games in London and Geneva stinks and symbolizes everything that is wrong with football in 2012.