Republic of Ireland V Poland - Wednesday, 6th February 2013 - Friendly

[Charlie Darwin]

International standard is an odd concept. Does it mean up to the standard of other players in the national squad, or is it some sort of broader standard across the international game, or a mixture of both?

[pineapple stu]

Is it not really an out-dated concept, going back to when international football was arguably stronger than club football? Makes sense if you consider club teams comprising almost entirely of players from that country, so the national team was the best of the best. Now club teams are stronger than international teams because they can be the best of the best, without any nationality rules.

There was always this thing that even the top young players needed time to adjust to the pace of international football, but I don't think that holds any more really.

"International quality" these days I suppose means "good enough to play for Ireland", whatever that means. Improving the team, I suppose.

[geysir]

The current bog standard for a forward would be - is he better than Andy Keogh?
And if you have to think about the answer for longer than 5 seconds, then you don't think such and such a player is up to our intl standard.

[wonder88]

Bit of surprise Joey O Brien not in squad. Will there be a big crowd at this game ? I hope to go, but will leave ticket purchase to the day of match.

[osarusan]

I hate the phrase 'international standard'. "He's not international standard" - yes he is, if there is nobody else who is better than him.

[Bungle]

Have to say when you look at the individual players we have, I would say man for man we are generally better than Sweden (bar them having Ibra obviously) and certainly a good bit better than Austria. Coleman and McCarthy are imo two of the best young players in the premiership, Long is a very good striker even if he isn't playing much for WBA at the moment, Walters is very decent, Pilkington and Hoolahan are Norwich's two best players, while Wilson and O'Brien are comfortably good premiership players. McGeady plays for a good team in Russia, while O'Shea has played at the very highest level for one of the biggest clubs in the world. McClean is the kind of fella that is predictable, but I still think he is going to cause the vast majority of premiership/international players a headache. If Dunney comes back, he won't be or is unlikely to be what he was, but he still brings so much to the table.

I know a number of those guys mightn't play in March because of injury or not being considered experienced enough for big competitive games by Trap, but I really do think that we have the bones of a very decent team. I appreciate we don't have a Ronnie Whelan or Brady, a Lawro, Beglin or McGrath, but I do think that we are seriously setting our standards low, if we accept that those players shouldn't be able to compete for 2nd with Sweden.

[Paddy Garcia]

There might be a situation where we do need to call him up, just as we could have done with a good keeper when we played without Shay against the Czech Rep at Croke Pk. So he is available for that call.
Apart from the debate about whether he is good enough, he has a value even if he is just called into the squad as back up, as he is (imo) our most prized example of a consummate professional. I'd leave it up to Trap to adjudicate on whether that is needed. I'd say Trap's inclination is to go with what we have.

I agree with all of that.

My question is that the motivation is about Shay's needs not Ireland's - otherwise he would have left the door open when he retired. And the crux is if he was playing first team football then I don't believe we would have received any offer from him.

On a broader issue many players from more successful era's were willing to play until they (almost) dropped - I guess I always expected the same from Shay - especially as a goalkeeper.

[geysir]

Thing is, we don't know the whys and we don't know about the injuries that Shay has been picking up.
Could be that Shay should have been resting his injured body over the summer instead of getting match fit for the Euros. Could be, he knows he's lost a few degrees. He has always been motivated to a point of obsession to play, even in useless friendlies, much the discomfort of Kiely. You can be cynical about his motivation in making himself available for selection due to the timing, but you have to admit it does not fit in with the player's conduct except the part where he's obsessed to play for his country and now perhaps wants it back.

[Paddy Garcia]

True - more skeptical than cynical!

[Bungle]

I never understand why players retire from international football. I mean I'd personally have Westwood as our number 1, even if Shay did return, but if I was Shay I wouldn't have retired. Duffer if he was available would still be one of our best players and would be essential in places like Stockholm or Vienna, where a cool experienced head is needed. His decision is even more baffling.

I don't want to be critical of either of those lads, because they have been great players for us and by all accounts they are both sound lads. However, I find it hard to listen to this thing of them wanting to spend more time with their families, when they are home from training by 1 every day (not like most of us fans) or them wanting younger lads to come through and not be in the way of them becoming international players. If you ask me, this goes against the competitive nature that made both of these fellas the world class players that they were. Anyhow, I'd love Duffer to come back and I wouldn't mind Shay being back in the squad, if he was fit.

[Charlie Darwin]

I never understand why players retire from international football. I mean I'd personally have Westwood as our number 1, even if Shay did return, but if I was Shay I wouldn't have retired. Duffer if he was available would still be one of our best players and would be essential in places like Stockholm or Vienna, where a cool experienced head is needed. His decision is even more baffling.
For a player in his thirties, opting out of international football essentially equates to being rested for 4 or 5 games, which can be the difference between optimum performance and sub-optimum, which is understandable when you've got a younger keeper breathing down your neck. Other players will have young families by that stage and realise their priority lies with spending as much time at home as they can. In Shay's case, it might just have been motivated by the knowledge he was slipping a bit and wanted to step aside for the good of the team.

[tetsujin1979]

Alex Pearce called up, Darren O'Dea to stay in Canada for pre season training: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/statuses/294388964670963712

Alex Pearce called up to replace Darren O'Dea. Trap spoke to club and O'Dea and has agreed to let him stay in Canada for pre season training

[BonnieShels]

Wahey!

[TrapAPony]

Alex Pearce called up, Darren O'Dea to stay in Canada for pre season training: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/statuses/294388964670963712

Good. That is the way it should have been in the first place

[geysir]

Would Trap be open for a few more suggestions?

[Grafter]

Nice that Pearce was called up but when you get official twitter posts from FAI calling the manager "Trap" I squirm!

[SolitudeRed]

Will Coleman make it or will he be injured? O'Brien or Kelly could get a call up after all, come to think of it there are no other RB options in that squad that fill me with confidence could probably do with calling both of them up!

[tetsujin1979]

Nice that Pearce was called up but when you get official twitter posts from FAI calling the manager "Trap" I squirm!
I'm not thrilled about using "Trap" either, but it's understandable in this case. The tweet is 140 characters exactly, if they had used "Trapattoni", it wouldn't be under the limit.

[Crosby87]

Maybe they think they have to pay by the letter.

[Closed Account]

Will Coleman make it or will he be injured? O'Brien or Kelly could get a call up after all, come to think of it there are no other RB options in that squad that fill me with confidence could probably do with calling both of them up!
Richard Keogh has plenty of experience of experience at right back, albeit at a significantly lower level but he's an option.

[SwanVsDalton]

Will Coleman make it or will he be injured? O'Brien or Kelly could get a call up after all, come to think of it there are no other RB options in that squad that fill me with confidence could probably do with calling both of them up!

I got the feeling from picking a lack of RB's, Trap is intending to play O'Shea at RB for at least a half to look at CB options. Maybe with Coleman missing he'll just put O'Shea there for the 90.

[SolitudeRed]

I got the feeling from picking a lack of RB's, Trap is intending to play O'Shea at RB for at least a half to look at CB options. Maybe with Coleman missing he'll just put O'Shea there for the 90.

Would be a backward step like O'Shea has had his day at RB and at 31 pushing 32 I don't think he has the pace for it any longer, but alas such is life under Il Trap.

[AlaskaFox]

Preliminary Poland squad:
http://greenscene.me/2013/01/waldemar-fornalik-names-poland-squad-to-face-ireland/

Goalkeepers:
1. Wojciech Szczęsny (ARSENAL)
2. Przemysław Tytoń (PSV EINDHOVEN)
Defenders:
3. Łukasz Piszczek (BORUSSIA DORTMUND)
4. Damien Perquis (REAL BETIS SEVILLA)
5. Marcin Wasilewski (ANDERLECHT BRUKSELA)
6. Kamil Glik (FC TORINO)
7. Sebastian Boenisch (BAYER LEVERKUSEN)
8. Marcin Komorowski (TEREK GROZNY)
Midfielders:
9. Jakub Błaszczykowski (BORUSSIA DORTMUND)
10. Ariel Borysiuk (1. FC KAISERSLAUTERN)
11. Adrian Mierzejewski (TRABZONSPOR)
12. Grzegorz Krychowiak (STADE DE REIMS)
13. Kamil Grosicki (SIVASSPOR)
14. Ludovic Obraniak (GIRONDINS BORDEAUX)
Forwards:
15. Robert Lewandowski (BORUSSIA DORTMUND)
16. Artur Sobiech (HANNOVER 96)
17. Arkadiusz Milik (BAYER LEVERKUSEN)

[EastTerracer]

No live TV coverage of Ireland-Poland in the US or Canada (apart from some online sources) but Gol TV will be showing the full match delayed at 4.30pm EST on Wednesday after live coverage of the Sweden-Argentina friendly.

At home the game is live on Sky Sports with RTE showing highlights later that night.

[the doc]

I got the feeling from picking a lack of RB's, Trap is intending to play O'Shea at RB for at least a half to look at CB options. Maybe with Coleman missing he'll just put O'Shea there for the 90.

Maybe SSL will play CB, with JOSH for a half? 😜

Or maybe a Pint? 🍺

[DeNiro]

West Lower ticket wanted for Wednesday's game. PM please if you have one available.

[SkStu]

David Meyler and Richard Keogh both on the mark in the championship today so far...

[SolitudeRed]

Right the usual frustrating injury withdrawals strike again, both Pilkington and McGeady are out now! so that leaves us with only 2 wingers in the team although I suppose Walters can play on the right and he seems to do it a fair bit at stoke these days. In defence Dunne and Coleman won't be fit either so you would expect Trap to call in someone to bolster the defensive options particularly at RB.

[Crosby87]

Artur Sobiech is vowing to celebrate with a few of these after hitting us for 3. Unfortunately, they are not twist offs which should complicate things.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQA-T4mHSo2I0dsCIPuUe_KWAkeOsAvY5YDLPs5qaiWyoQwcoTTRw

[IsMiseSean]

I was a Warka man in Poznan

[Crosby87]

I thought you drank Belvedere martinis?

[ArdeeBhoy]

I drunk pretty much anything wet in Polska, until the last few days when it was just water...

[Junior]

I drunk pretty much anything wet in Polska, until the last few days when it was just water...

Which wasn't wet?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye, but you know what I mean. Had to endure extended meds by that stage, hence the H2O 'diet'.

[Crosby87]

Dysentery?

[tetsujin1979]

I was sweating lech after two weeks in Poznan

[ArdeeBhoy]

No dysentery, Crosby. A trapped nerve.

And the group stages lasted 2 weeks? I barely recall.

[Crosby87]

I was sweating lech after two weeks in Poznan

And to think POSH said you danced like an Angel.

[Charlie Darwin]

Meyler out due to the knock he picked up on Saturday playing for Hull. I was particularly looking forward to seeing him and Pilkington play. Hopefully we'll see Hendrick and McCarthy start in the centre now.

[pateen]

Anyone have link(s) for this game been show live

[Crosby87]

http://cricfree.tv/live/live_football_streaming/ireland_vs_poland_friendly/1795

This worked for me a few times.

[DannyInvincible]

Links will be sure to appear on these sites on the day of the game:

http://www.footballstreaming.info/streams/todays-links/index.html

http://www.lshunter.net/

[Charlie Darwin]

Gibson turned down an invitation to replace Meyler, according to Emmett Malone. Says he's not fully fit, aka fully committed.

[geysir]

Fekin nordies, you'd wonder are they worth the hassle (McClean excepted of course) :)
The (supposed)Scots we have, are more Irish than some of the Irish.

[BonnieShels]

I was sweating lech after two weeks in Poznan

Have you touched any of it since ya got back?

I was transfused with Lech and Zubr by the time I returned.

[tetsujin1979]

Have you touched any of it since ya got back?

I was transfused with Lech and Zubr by the time I returned.
not a lot to be honest, but I've been using the small bit of Polish I picked up with some of the Poles who work in shops, takeaways, etc around
One guy in the Londis on the quays lit up when I said dziękuję after he served me
and there's a guy who works in a pizza joint near me I say cześć to now instead of hello

[BonnieShels]

not a lot to be honest, but I've been using the small bit of Polish I picked up with some of the Poles who work in shops, takeaways, etc around
One guy in the Londis on the quays lit up when I said dziękuję after he served me
and there's a guy who works in a pizza joint near me I say cześć to now instead of hello

I lost all my Polish. It could come in handy for the game this week. LADIES!!!!

[tetsujin1979]

I lost all my Polish. It could come in handy for the game this week. LADIES!!!!
still have the guidebook they were handing out in Poznan, must brush up beforehand

Oh, and Paul Green's just been called up to replace Meyler, since Gibson refused the call.

[geysir]

The Examiner article (http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/exiled-gibson-set-to-return-to-republic-of-ireland-fold-583603.html) has a 'slightly' more positive interpretation about Gibson's willingness to make himself available for the Sweden game.

But the most telling part of the article comes at the end, after a discussion about the goalkeepers Westwood and Forde.
Tardelli adds "We know Shay Given loves to play with us and this is very important because other players, maybe they don't love to play for the Irish team.
"This is very important. If we need him, maybe it's possible."

[Crosby87]

Yikes.