Republic of Ireland V Netherlands 27th May 2016 & Belarus 31st May 2016 Friendlies

[Closed Account]

Bored and laid up at home with a dislocated knee from a stupid tackle so thought I'd start this early.

Squad likely named on Friday 13th of May. Here's a look at the last 45 players called up and how they are doing this weekend.

http://i.imgur.com/ak1mac3.png

Ciaran Clark, Shane Duffy, Stephen Quinn, Johnny Hayes, David McGoldrick and Adam Rooney have all scored doing their chances of making the final squad a boost, although Rooney went off injured later on.

Keiren Westwood the only goalkeeper seeing any minutes has secured a playoff spot with a cleansheet. The semi finals are between the 13th and 17th of May. The Final however, should they get there, is on the 29th of May and would rule him out of both friendlies I would think.


Follow goals, assists, yellow, reds and substitutions here: (All credit to tetsujin1979)
https://twitter.com/irish_abroad
and here:
http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Live

[Stuttgart88]

Hope the recovery goes well. No bad ligament damage I hope?

[Closed Account]

Done it before, seems alright. Speaking of injuries, Anthony Pilkington and Greg Cunningham both gone off injured today so far.....

Adam Rooney another one to go off injured

[Closed Account]

http://i.imgur.com/xhgwFS4.png

Not a bad side of out injured/out of favour players
Given;
Coleman, O'Shea, Wilson,
McGeady, Hendrick, Meyler, Judge
Keane, Murphy

[paul_oshea]

Done it before, seems alright. Speaking of injuries, Anthony Pilkington and Greg Cunningham both gone off injured today so far.....

Adam Rooney another one to go off injured

Knee or Kneecap? Massive difference. I imagine if its kneecap there wont be much ligament damage if any.

If you've done it before, I'd recommend looknig at getting a TTT done.

[tetsujin1979]

Dutch squad named: https://twitter.com/OnsOranje/status/728572421826056192
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChxowcrWkAAt0v5.jpg

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It really is something to behold how crap their squad is compared to 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago.

[Fixer82]

Dutch squad named: https://twitter.com/OnsOranje/status/728572421826056192
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChxowcrWkAAt0v5.jpg


No Jack Byrne?? ;)

[Closed Account]

It really is something to behold how crap their squad is compared to 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago.
Startling really. I wouldn't even know who to get on the back of a jersey if I was 13 again and they had qualified. Nice jersey tbf tbs
http://images.nike.com/is/image/DotCom/pwp_sheet2?$NIKE_PWPx3$&$img0=724626_482

[Fixer82]

Startling really. I wouldn't even know who to get on the back of a jersey if I was 13 again and they had qualified. Nice jersey tbf tbs
http://images.nike.com/is/image/DotCom/pwp_sheet2?$NIKE_PWPx3$&$img0=724626_482

Lovely jersey. Really like our white away jersey which I saw today for the first time.

[CraftyToePoke]

Its great to think there will be Dutch followers looking covetously at the young Irish kid on loan in their league.

[Closed Account]

Randolph starts. No Given or Elliot obviously. Wilson not fit enough for bench. O'Shea still out of favour. Arter starts but Walters hasn't forced his way in yet.

Jeff Hendrick is fit enough for the bench.
Greg Cunningham hasn't recovered from last week and is not in the squad. David Meyler, Daryl Murphy and Stephen Henderson have not recovered either. Alan Judge obviously still out.

Kieren Westwood is rested? Not in the Squad. And Simon Cox has featured for the last time for Reading, not featuring today.

McGeady starts in a somewhat 2nd string Owls side.
http://i.imgur.com/WXqL4x9.png

[Closed Account]

An assist for Doyle, Long Starts (would prefer if he wrapped in cotton wool), Adam Rooney still injured, no token start for Fordey.
http://i.imgur.com/b4SqmWx.png

[tetsujin1979]

Squad to be named on thursday, according to the Independent: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/irelands-harry-arter-hits-back-at-tony-pulis-claims-he-should-have-saw-red-against-west-brom-34697842.html

Arter will be hoping to be a part of Martin O'Neill's squad for the upcoming friendly against the Netherlands on May 27 when it's announced on Thursday.

[Stuttgart88]

I’m quite excited by this squad announcement, although it could be cause for disappointment. People are always calling for changes at the fringes of the squad but I think now, more than in any time since 2012, there is a natural changing of the guard about to take place. The time is right and fringe players are in good form.

My guess is a large squad as usual, but this time making a statement that several players may not make the Euros but are in frame for WC18 qualification.

Obviously the Greens and Coxes (just released by Reading) would be a disappointment, probably also McShane and Pearce. Maybe too early for John Egan? Maybe Stephen Quinn's time has gone?

Names it would please me to see:
• Westwood
• Duffy
• Arter
• Hayes
• O’Kane
• Doherty
• Cunningham
• Jack Byrne
• Kevin Doyle – just in case there’s any doubt about his candidacy
• McGoldrick
• Scott Hogan – who I had barely heard of until recently!


Of these it would also please me if 3 or 4 made the Finals squad.

[Closed Account]

I'd be suprised if there were any uncapped players named. I can image a 40 man squad that includes everybody involved in the last 2 years. A couple more keeper injuries and Stutts might be called up.

Seems I was wrong as Tets has said. Callum O'Dowda the wildcard.
http://i.imgur.com/LqeTzKo.png


Cut: Elliot(i), Henderson(i), Cunningham, Doherty, Gleeson, Green, Judge(i), Forrester, Rooney(i), Stokes, Cox

[tetsujin1979]

Squad announced early: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/730706313051836416
http://i67.tinypic.com/3499k05.jpg
(https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/730706313051836416)Callum O'Dowda given a call up!

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?

[jbyrne]

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?

maybe the idea is to include a player per squad with a serious eye to the future. last time it was byrne and now its O'Dowda.

[DeLorean]

Wow... that's great to see. Hopefully avoid a Grealish situation although obviously he's a long way from being tied. Great that he's on the radar though, looks a super talent.

Slightly relieved Westwood is there. At least Henderson hasn't jumped in instead of Elliot or something silly like that.

A couple of minor disappointments, would have liked if Doherty was there anyway, but nothing too major.

[nigel-harps1954]

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?

100%. Not to blow the trumpet again, but League Two players being called up ahead of League of Ireland players again is just madness. Surely Chris Forrester deserves a call up ahead of O'Dowda as well?

Looking to the future, tying him down, or whatever you want to call it, regardless of this, he's a League Two player. It's the equivalent standard of a team at the bottom of the League of Ireland Premier Division and another slap in the face to those at teams like Dundalk in particular.

[DeLorean]

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?


100%. Not to blow the trumpet again, but League Two players being called up ahead of League of Ireland players again is just madness. Surely Chris Forrester deserves a call up ahead of O'Dowda as well?

Looking to the future, tying him down, or whatever you want to call it, regardless of this, he's a League Two player. It's the equivalent standard of a team at the bottom of the League of Ireland Premier Division and another slap in the face to those at teams like Dundalk in particular.

Ye're probably right but I'm still happy to see it. Nothing against him but I fail to see what the likes of Gleeson could add to the squad. We're well stocked with players of his type and even the likes of Meyler and Quinn are starting to slide down the pecking order a bit. O'Dowda's inclusion excites me far more than if Gleeson made it.

That doesn't make it fair but it'd be interesting to hear the reasoning. Byrne and even Forrester know they're on the radar to a certain extent, so maybe it's just another message being thrown out there. With McGeady's career in a bit of a shaky state and no guarantees that Hoolahan is going to stay on past the Euros, maybe they're looking to integrate a certain type of creative player and that he fits the bill better than some of the absentees.

O'Neill was at at least one of the recent U-21 games so maybe he just fancies him.

[Stuttgart88]

O'Dowda is a young player who by all accounts has been excellent at L2 level. Silly to say that just because he is L2 he is less deserving of someone at a higher level or LOI.

Definitely an exciting selection, and probably influenced by "politics", but by and large I'm disappointed that some other guys couldn't make a 35 man squad. Westwood is big relief. Glad to see Pilkington named too.

[DannyInvincible]

Happy to see Westwood named. I hope he makes the final cut, assuming there'll be a chop, and is given game-time. Had thought Scott Hogan might get a shout given the form he's in along with the fact that Roy watched him the other day. No Dan Crowley either, although I don't think anyone was really expecting him to feature despite what the Indo's online team were claiming the other week.

No major surprises really other than O'Dowda's inclusion. A senior appearance wouldn't tie him, of course, but if it helps bed him in and make him feel a part of the set-up, no harm.

[Closed Account]

Stand out performer for our U21s who's had a breakthrough season at his youth club, and being scouted by Premier League clubs, gets called up for a provisional international squad with a very small chance of making the final 23 and people are complaining?

Whingers.

[geysir]

Westwood's in, but he's alphabetically compromised into 4th place, is that ominous?
I thought Shay was out injured?
You'd have to admire Shay's unparalleled obsessiveness about playing for his country though.

[tetsujin1979]

Given is training fully according to O'Neill in the press conference

[Wangball]

I'm as excited at O'Dowda's inclusion as I am at Jack Byrne's exclusion

Also surprised at McShane being there, surely Matt Doherty is a better option as a covering full back (refusing to entertain the notion that McShane is being considered as cover for CB).

[DeLorean]

I thought Shay was out injured?

Hughes said this last week: “The knee was the worry but it is okay. He is not fit for this weekend but possibly next. He will be fit and available and well, if Ireland want him.”

I don't think short-term injuries matter too much with these extended squads anyway, Meyler's out at the moment too I think.

[DeLorean]

O'Neill indicates it's a Jack Byrne type situation with O'Dowda. Seems he wants to bring him in to get a feel for it. Presumably he'll train with the squad so even if he doesn't make the cut.

Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/euro-2016/video-martin-oneill-names-ireland-squad-check-out-new-boy-callum-odowda-in-action-34708666.html)

[CraftyToePoke]

I think Forrester, Byrne and now O'Dowda are clever nuggets of encouragement to these guys, which do no harm to the profile of these players seeking to move up you would assume also, which these extended squads allow nicely for. You can argue that certain home based lads are worthy if a L2 lad is, but those three could well have futures above where the present LOI lads are headed. Its a refreshing change from the rigidity of Traps squad announcements also.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It's ridiculous that a League Two player has been called up at the expense of Matt Doherty and Greg Cunningham who won POTY awards in the Championship.

And what of Jack Byrne, one of Cambuur's best players and acquitted himself so well against Feyenoord, Ajax and PSV.

Can't help feeling the overriding reason he has been called up is because he is eligible for England and they are attempting to assuage him.

The World Cup campaign is his platform to impress if he gets a move to the Championship and impresses.

Doherty and, in particular, Cunningham could be ready-made replacements this summer if anything happened to Christie and/or Ward.

Ominous news re: Given.

* DeLorean - Unfair comments re: Meyler. Hull play better with him in the team, proven PL performer and has deputised ably in several positions for us in the past.

[TrapAPony]

Martin O'Neill said he thought about bringing in Scott Hogan but left it alone at this minute. Probably did so as he is not too long back from a bad injury.

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brentford-striker-impressed-manchester-united-11322894

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

If he's eager and willing, call him up.

McGoldrick is not good enough IMO and Murphy will have outlived his usefulness by next campaign. Walters no spring chicken either.

[Closed Account]

So who's in your 23?

Randolph, Given, Westwood (between him and forde, they won't drop given)
Coleman, Christie, O'Shea, Clark, Keogh, Ward, Wilson (wilson might get the shout because of CB, LB, CM)
McGeady, Hendrick, Whelan, McCarthy, Hoolahan, McClean, Brady, Arter (between Arter/Quinn and Meyler), Pilkington (pilks might get the shout because of LM, RM, ST)
Long, Walters, Keane, Doyle (doyle might get the shout because he's sound.)

Probably only 5 places up for grabs at a stretch.

[Stuttgart88]

Looks about right to me. Arter is a better player than Meyler and Quinn, Pilks a better player than Murphy and more versatile. He can play game in game 2after McClean gets sent off in game 1 and McGeady can play game 3 when Pilks gets injured in game 2.

[TrapAPony]

Dan Crowley reject invitation?? Was it even asked about today?

[seanfhear]

Good to see Westwood in the squad. On current form he is probably our best keeper .

And no harm to see some adventure with Calum O'Dowda in the squad.

[Charlie Darwin]

Dan Crowley reject invitation?? Was it even asked about today?
John Fallon will have two contradictory stories in tomorrow's papers.

[DannyInvincible]

It's a no-win for O'Neill. When he calls up O'Dowda (presumably to bed him into the set-up with an eye to the future), he's accused of ignoring other players playing at a higher level or deemed to be more deserving. But if he had ignored O'Dowda and O'Dowda did "a Grealish" a few months down the line, O'Neill would be vilified by others (or maybe even the very same people) for having "let another talent escape".

[CraftyToePoke]

So, by calling this kid up is it an admission of sorts, or a change of course with these dual lads which suggests Grealish would have been an Ireland player if the FAI had played a different hand ?

[backstothewall]

I would have liked Byrne, but otherwise that's about right.

I suspect McShane may well be one of those who are cut

[Charlie Darwin]

So, by calling this kid up is it an admission of sorts, or a change of course with these dual lads which suggests Grealish would have been an Ireland player if the FAI had played a different hand ?
I think he's just bringing in players to see how they cope, same as he did with Byrne and tried to with Browne.

[DannyInvincible]

So, by calling this kid up is it an admission of sorts, or a change of course with these dual lads which suggests Grealish would have been an Ireland player if the FAI had played a different hand ?

I wouldn't necessarily say that. I think the FAI played it as best they could; any time we tried to call him up, he got cold feet, so the FAI gave him the time he needed as requested. It didn't go our way in the end, but what else can you do if the guy's priority is somewhere else? What other hand could the FAI plausibly have played?

I think this idea that "Grealish would be playing for us if only O'Neill had acted earlier" is overplayed somewhat in hindsight as it offers critics a convenient (but unfair, in my opinion) stick with which to beat O'Neill. The reality is that we don't know for certain if Grealish would have accepted a call-up for the US tour (Fallon claims he might/would have, but you just don't know), plus he'd been playing with Notts County at League Two level(?) for the season. He hadn't yet hit the Premier League and FA Cup semi-final headlines that captured the attention of casual observers. The only people really talking about him prior to that would have been staff and supporters keeping an eye on secondary and tertiary minutiae beyond the men's senior team. If I remember correctly, O'Neill (or anyone else in the staff set-up, for that matter) had absolutely no reason at the time to believe or fear Grealish, who'd been playing for us regularly, proudly and without issue from the age of 14, would make a switch to England a few months down the line either. So I think you can forgive O'Neill for having selected other players ahead of Grealish on that occasion. Well, unless you're Dunphy or someone who'll see fault in anything and everything with the "wisdom" of hindsight.

[CraftyToePoke]

I am not saying it's the case. But a guy in L1 (at the time) loan from a Prem side not included in the US tour, a non event of a squad. And now a guy in L2 full stop, in a key pre tournament squad announcement. I am all for seeing the colour of these guys intentions nice and early, and this represents that at least surely ?

[DeLorean]

* DeLorean - Unfair comments re: Meyler. Hull play better with him in the team, proven PL performer and has deputised ably in several positions for us in the past.

I was saying he seems to have slipped down the pecking order for us, not Hull. If anything I was defending him, saying I don't see much sense in calling up Gleeson when even Meyler is struggling to see game time for us.

[DeLorean]

I am not saying it's the case. But a guy in L1 (at the time) loan from a Prem side not included in the US tour, a non event of a squad. And now a guy in L2 full stop, in a key pre tournament squad announcement. I am all for seeing the colour of these guys intentions nice and early, and this represents that at least surely ?

There might be something in it, but it might also be a case of simply being impressed with him in the U-21 game and the "Paint Final" at Wembley which followed a week later, like he said. Even if it is a case of trying to ensure he doesn't switch to England, it's still probably because he was very impressed by him.

If O'Neill's intentions are a little cynical, the timing could be ingenious. Give the young fella a little flavour of being in and around the squad just before the Euros hype. Watching the lads he's trained with so recently going out and playing in front of a sea of green in Paris, etc. should definitely heighten his desire, if it even needs heightening.

I get the impression that O'Neill is far more educated in relation to his playing pool now than he was even 12-18 months ago. I got the feeling previously when he was asked about certain, less obvious players that he'd just reply with fairly generic answers. He seems to have a lot more information on everybody he's asked about now.

[Stuttgart88]

I'd like to have seen Doherty & Cunningham too, though neither would probably have made my final 23.

Coleman and Christie are the top 2 RBs, Ward, Brady and Christie are the current LB options. That doesn't even include O'Shea, Clark and Wilson who could do a job in those spots if required.

Moderate disappointment that they're not included in this squad but it's not anything more dramatic than that.

I think McShane and one or two others are being let down lightly by not being jettisoned completely.

[backstothewall]

I think McShane and one or two others are being let down lightly by not being jettisoned completely.

Yep. That's my thinking. I think the squad will be cut to 26 who will be the final 23 plus 3 to go on standby for france

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Political squad selections should not be imposed < than one month before a tournament begins.

Is anyone really fickle enough to think a player will make an Intl decision based on being cynically called up to "get a sense of the set-up".

If that is what someone is basing a decision like that on, I despair.

[Stuttgart88]

do...not...bite...the...bait