Republic of Ireland V Switzerland 25th March & Slovakia 29th March 2016 - Friendlies

[DeLorean]

I got an email off the FAI there saying we'll have a second friendly at Lansdowne the Tuesday after the Good Friday meeting with Switzerland. The opposition will be announced following the Euro 2016 draw on Saturday. Season ticket holders are covered for the 'bonus' fixture. (http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/bonus-game-for-fai-season-ticket-holders)

[pineapple stu]

Poor Swiss fans, getting stuck with a Good Friday away game in Dublin.

They're in for a shock anyway.

[Yard of Pace]

Poor Swiss fans, getting stuck with a Good Friday away game in Dublin.

They're in for a shock anyway.

What was the nature of the exemption that was made for some poxy Leinster rugby match a few years ago? Was it just that the RDS could serve booze?

Surely a deal could be struck for a match involving Euro 2016 qualifiers, the Republic of Ireland football team.

Better yet, maybe it could be the catalyst in abolishing the ridiculous law anyway.

And if someone replies with the tired old line of "can you not go a day without booze", can they please be banned for a week. It's not about that at all and it's an utterly moronic thing to post. (Retaliation in first, always)

[Yard of Pace]

And just saw the ticket prices. I can bring the nipper to his first and second Ireland match for €15. Well played the FAI.

[jbyrne]

What was the nature of the exemption that was made for some poxy Leinster rugby match a few years ago? Was it just that the RDS could serve booze?


it was for Thomond Park in 2010 for munster v leinster. the publicans argued the law would cost them between €6m and €10m.... the equivalent of 1.2m and 2.0m pints or 230 and 384 pints per spectator attending

[Kingdom]

it was for Thomond Park in 2010 for munster v leinster. the publicans argued the law would cost them between €6m and €10m.... or 230 and 384 pints per spectator attending

pffft, West-Brit lightweights....

[Yard of Pace]

it was for Thomond Park in 2010 for munster v leinster. the publicans argued the law would cost them between €6m and €10m.... the equivalent of 1.2m and 2.0m pints or 230 and 384 pints per spectator attending

Pints? These are rugger chaps. I'd be basing it mostly on how much their most expensive bottles of champagne, cognac and wine are.

And I'm sure there was a premium placed on the price of a pint of Heino for the day.

[harry crumb]

Can you not go one day without booze?

[BonnieShels]

Can you not go one day without booze?

Off-licences at 950 on Holy Thursday suggest not.

[Stuttgart88]

Pints? These are rugger chaps. I'd be basing it mostly on how much their most expensive bottles of champagne, cognac and wine are.

And I'm sure there was a premium placed on the price of a pint of Heino for the day.They sell wine at Craven Cottage under the main stands. I suppose West London is different, a bit D4ish.

[Crosby87]

The Swiss favor a nice Fondue while about their matches.

http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M956f478e09fc11d703b242d66459a432o0&w=300&h=199&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0

[colonelwest]

Far as I know Landsdowne is on the exempt list for Good Friday as well so we should be able to get several pints of overpriced pish no bother.

[geysir]

it was for Thomond Park in 2010 for munster v leinster. the publicans argued the law would cost them between €6m and €10m.... the equivalent of 1.2m and 2.0m pints or 230 and 384 pints per spectator attending
That 1.2 -2m pints drunk is the equivalent of a stone cold sober estimate of 48 - 80 pints per average belly attending. That's if the publicans were talking gross.
If we think like Ruud Gullit does and understand the cost figure mentioned to be net, then we are talking serious Listowel levels of drink consumption.

[BonnieShels]

What was the nature of the exemption that was made for some poxy Leinster rugby match a few years ago? Was it just that the RDS could serve booze?

Surely a deal could be struck for a match involving Euro 2016 qualifiers, the Republic of Ireland football team.

Better yet, maybe it could be the catalyst in abolishing the ridiculous law anyway.

And if someone replies with the tired old line of "can you not go a day without booze", can they please be banned for a week. It's not about that at all and it's an utterly moronic thing to post. (Retaliation in first, always)

I do have a bit of a grá for the idiosyncratic nature of the law itself.

[punkrocket]

Can you not go one day without booze?

But match days are different.

[backstothewall]

I'm assuming that if we should draw Switzerland a new opponent will be found for the game on the 25th??

[dantheman]

Poor Swiss fans, getting stuck with a Good Friday away game in Dublin.

They're in for a shock anyway.

Not too many of them tbh....

[colonelwest]

Slovakia on the 29th with a TBA in May then to finish up

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2015/1213/753212-republic-of-ireland-line-up-friendly-with-slovakia/

[DeLorean]

Underwhelming.

[nigel-harps1954]

Hauld on a minute...just realised, Ireland are playing on Good Friday? Feck.

[elroy]

Who should we play in the May friendly? Denmark, Netherlands?

[geysir]

Underwhelming.
At least we are not playing NI, what a boring drama that would be.
Slovakia have a serious team at present. The onus is on us to approach the game as a good preparation, rather than a meaningless doddle in the park.
There are one or 2 positions up for grabs in the first 11 and a player like Arter deserves an opportunity.
The responsibility to make use of this friendly is ours.

[osarusan]

Hauld on a minute...just realised, Ireland are playing on Good Friday? Feck.
It was a good Friday, not a great Friday, Darragh.

[DeLorean]

At least we are not playing NI, what a boring drama that would be.
Slovakia have a serious team at present. The onus is on us to approach the game as a good preparation, rather than a meaningless doddle in the park.
There are one or 2 positions up for grabs in the first 11 and a player like Arter deserves an opportunity.
The responsibility to make use of this friendly is ours.

Yeah it just feels like we've played them over and over and they wouldn't be the most glamorous of opponents regardless. In a completely practical sense the game should serve as decent preparation which is the most important thing.

[jbyrne]

Holland confirmed for Friday 27th May. decent friendly to get as preparation for the euros

[DeLorean]

That's more like it! Even better that it's a Friday.

FAI confirm Aviva friendly with Netherlands (http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2015/1215/753580-fai-lining-up-friendly/)

[Stuttgart88]

Usual dross of 4th placed also-rans forming our friendly fodder.

[BonnieShels]

Usual dross of 4th placed also-rans forming our friendly fodder.

Hoy-yo

[DeLorean]

Some decent ranking points on offer I presume, with Switzerland and Netherlands ranked 12th and 14th in the world respectively. Slovakia a few places ahead of us too at 26th.

[DeLorean]

So are Judge and Arter the only two we need to take a look at in these games? Too early for Jack Byrne? I don't think there'd be any harm in taking a look at him.

Can the thread title be updated to include Slovakia please?

[Kingdom]

No; he has to look at a left-back as well, whether it's Cunningham, Christie or A.N. Other. We know what Ward offers, Brady is better utilised further upfield, so let's look at alternatives.

Alternatively he could look at the wing-back option too.

[DeLorean]

True, although I can't say I'm overly concerned about that. With Keogh and O'Shea seemingly our first choice centre backs it means that Wilson or Clark could also do a job there.

[Stuttgart88]

And Brady seemed better when restored to LB than he did at LM, no?

[Charlie Darwin]

And Brady seemed better when restored to LB than he did at LM, no?
Dunno, he and Ward got a bit of a hammering in Bosnia. Would put it more down to being away from home and a particularly good performance from his opposite number than him being a better defender.

Still, Brady is better utilised out wide and we don't seem to play with wingers so LB is his best position for us now.

[DeLorean]

Heard of a bit of O'Neill's interview on Newstalk yesterday. As expected, he indicated that Judge and Arter would definitely get a run in the upcoming friendlies. He said Arter is a terrific little player who's always looking to get on the ball and make things happen. He added that Judge is eager to play and his attitude is A1 or top class, something like that anyway. I also read that he told Towell some months back that he has no intention of travelling down to Brighton to watch him play for their reserves! He softened it by saying we'll wait until he gets involved properly with the first team and take it from there.

The Netherlands friendly is actually the day before the Championship Playoff final but I presume the squad will be pretty much decided by then anyway.

[DeLorean]

It's knickers in a twist time again...

Politician slams Easter Rising tribute on Ireland football jerseys (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/politician-slams-easter-rising-tribute-on-ireland-football-jerseys-34507574.html)

[Fixer82]

I'm not going to look at the link and go out on a whim and say it's either a northern Unionist or John Bruton...right off I go to look....

[Fixer82]

Ha ha I knew it!!!

[DeLorean]

This is the football team of another country, and in that regard it is a matter for that country

He should have really just left it at that.

[Fixer82]

He should have really just left it at that.

His big issue is that it may no longer be the team of another country.

#sinkingship

[SolitudeRed]

It seems that Nelson McCausland's little tirade did a good job of deflecting attention from his DUP colleague Sammy Wilson's faux pas whilst filming for a BBC documentary about the EU referendum I am not sure if that was the intention but that picture of the 1916-2016 crest was released a while back IIRC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35693195

Amazingly Nelson's take on the Ireland Jersey was on the front page of a local Unionist daily the Belfast Telegraph! (ironically the telegraph is owned by Independent News and Media)

However I doubt they will they be giving this story about politics being brought into football such prevalent coverage...

http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/03/04/news/east-belfast-fc-claims-uvf-mural-concerns-a-political-agenda--438725/

[Charlie Darwin]

Unionists are such bad liars. You'd think they'd have learned SOMETHING from Sinn Féin after all these years.

[DeLorean]

Independent.ie - Hopefuls waiting for Ireland debut call from O'Neill
(http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/hopefuls-waiting-for-ireland-debut-call-from-oneill-34519729.html)

[Closed Account]

Squad to be named Friday:
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2016/0307/773099-irish-abroad-injuries-mount-for-oneill/

On Friday, Martin O’Neill is scheduled to announce the Ireland squad for the friendlies against Switzerland and Slovakia at the end of March.

[tetsujin1979]

squad announced: http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/oneill-announces-provisional-squad-for-three-international-friendlies


Goalkeepers
Darren Randolph (West Ham United)
David Forde (Millwall)
Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday)
Rob Elliot (Newcastle United)
Defenders
Cyrus Christie (Derby County)
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
Richard Keogh (Derby County)
John O'Shea (Sunderland)
Alex Pearce (Bristol City*)
Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers)
Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa)
Paul McShane (Reading)
Stephen Ward (Burnley)
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End)
Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Midfielders
Robbie Brady (Norwich City)
James McCarthy (Everton)
Jeff Hendrick (Derby County)
Darron Gibson (Everton)
Harry Arter (Bournemouth)
Eunan O'Kane (Bournemouth)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Paul Green (Rotherham United)
Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City)
David Meyler (Hull City)
Stephen Quinn (Reading)
Aiden McGeady (Sheffield Wednesday*)
James McClean (West Bromwich Albion)
Alan Judge (Brentford)
Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen)
Chris Forrester (Peterborough United)
Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City)
Jonathan Walters (Stoke City)
Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)
Forwards
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Shane Long (Southampton)
Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town)
Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids)
Anthony Stokes (Celtic)
Simon Cox (Reading)
Little surprised to see Forrester in there if I'm honest. Really happy for Hayes, he's been in great form for Aberdeen this season

[DeLorean]

This extended squad thing has grown on me. It's handy for letting us and the players know who's in his mind, even if they don't make the trimmed down version.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Cox, Stokes, Green, O'Kane, Gibson and Pearce don't have any business being named in a squad.

We have plenty of midfield options. We don't need to be selecting two players who have barely played all season and one who is 33 years old & never realistically going to fulfill any kind of role for us again.

Cox has barely played all season and I can't remember the last time he scored a goal. Same thing with Pearce.

So you have to temper expectations for lads like Doherty, Judge and Forrester. They are in his plans but Doyle and Green are just window dressing and they are in the squad too.

Surprised about Hayes. Didn't he say he doesn't care about the national team and would be following Northern Ireland in France?

[DeLorean]

Some of the inclusions look like borderline teasing at this stage alright.

[DeLorean]

Surprised about Hayes. Didn't he say he doesn't care about the national team and would be following Northern Ireland in France?

Kind of, but not really... (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aberdeen-star-jonny-hayes-only-7008711#eo8vfJsfSToXuH7E.97)


When Ireland didn’t look as if they would qualify I planned a trip to France with a couple of pals to support Niall [McGinn] and I’ll probably still go as a fan.

We’ll maybe hire a van – and no doubt I’ll be left with the driving. We’ll go for a few days and I’m still pledging my allegiance to Niall, only because I can get match tickets from him.

It’s nice to think the Ireland manager might watch our games on TV but it’s not in my head – I forgot the game was even being shown on Sky. I’m only focused on my team and my own game.

If something ever came about then obviously I’d be happy but I don’t think about it. Why not? Probably because I’m a pessimist.

Look, if asked, you wouldn’t say no – you couldn’t. I’d get some amount of stick back home if I did.

However, it’s different if you’re playing well every week in the Premier League.

Previous management teams in Ireland didn’t watch the SPL at all, so maybe it has something to do with that. If it happened, it would be a bonus.

[Olé Olé]

Stephen Gleeson is one who raised my eyebrows a bit. Good season for Birmingham and could have something to offer as a defensive midfielder.

I don't expect Forrester to feature at all really. Given that he's playing at League One it would be difficult to throw him in at the Euros without the proper acclimatisation. They are well-aware that the chances are he'll be playing at a higher level next season. What harm if he's looking for a move and his CV has been endorsed by this also.