Squad Announcement

[Stuttgart88]

First reaction: Barrett again? He hasn't even been sub for Coventry. And no Delap even in an enlarged squad.

[Peadar]

Squad: Given (Newcastle United), Kenny (Sheffield United), Murphy (Walsall — On loan from West Bromwich Albion), Finnan (Liverpool), Carr (Newcastle United), Maybury (Leicester City), O’Shea (Manchester United), Cunningham (Birmingham City), O’Brien (Newcastle United), Breen (Sunderland), Dunne (Manchester City), Doherty (Norwich City), Holland (Charlton Athletic), Roy Keane (Manchester United), Kavanagh (Cardiff City), Quinn (Sheffield United), Miller (Manchester United), Reid (Nottingham Forest), Kilbane (Everton), Duff (Chelsea), Elliott (Sunderland), McGeady (Celtic), Macken (Manchester City), Barrett (Coventry City), Lee (Cardiff City), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Morrison (Birmingham City).

[eirebhoy]

The only change from the Croatia squad is Murphy for Colgan.

[Kingdom]

I am surprised again with the Delap situation. Surely he is worthy of at least a squad place ahead of Barrett/

[Hibs4Ever]

Delap has never delivered in green. At the risk of getting shot here . . . why isn't Hartey getting a look?!

I totally agree, Harte should AT LEAST be in the squad. O'Shea is nothing special

[eirebhoy]

why isn't Hartey getting a look?!
injured.

[Stuttgart88]

Delap has never delivered in green.
Delap has never been played in position in green!

[Kingdom]

Nice response Stuttgart

[eirebhoy]

Delap has been poor for Soton from what I've heard from a Boro fan.

[Peadar]

why isn't Hartey getting a look?!

He's injured.
He was back in Leeds for treatment and staying with uncle Gary.
He reckons that Kerr wont play him because he moved to Spain.

I've no doubt that Kerr will play him if he thinks he's good enough.
Ian, have a chat with Kerr about it.
Don't go blabbing to the media like Bellamy.

[Stuttgart88]

Nice response Stuttgart

I wasn't trying to be a smart-arse, but it's true. He's been played RHM and even centre-forward (in the Turkey play-off following Robbie's suspension)! But never central midfield.


Delap has been poor for Soton from what I've heard from a Boro fan.
Barrett hasn't even been playing for Coventry. Surely that's worse?

[Peadar]

Barrett hasn't even been playing for Coventry. Surely that's worse?

It certainly is and Delap showed against Arsenal that he does have a lot to give at a reasonably high level.
He warrants a squad place at least.

[NeilMcD]

yeah harte is injured so not srue why anybody is expecting him in the squad. Do people not keep up with what is going on with Irish players or not. Delap is the only mystery . Obviously Kerr has more faith in Barrett for a number of reason. Probably the fact that he has called Delap up before and he pulled out with dubious injuries. the only otehr player to do that is Kennedy and he is no where to be seen either. It seems that kerr has a rule that he is sticking to that if a player lets him down there is no comeback.

[Donal81]

yeah harte is injured so not srue why anybody is expecting him in the squad. Do people not keep up with what is going on with Irish players or not. Delap is the only mystery . Obviously Kerr has more faith in Barrett for a number of reason. Probably the fact that he has called Delap up before and he pulled out with dubious injuries. the only otehr player to do that is Kennedy and he is no where to be seen either. It seems that kerr has a rule that he is sticking to that if a player lets him down there is no comeback.

Could well be true. Also, why do I suspect that those who clamour so loudly for Harte's inclusion may include those who will call loudest for his removal if and when he plays terribly for us upon his return (which you know he will)?

He's a poor player lads and hasn't done himself too many favours with Kerr either.

Squad is fairly straightforward, right? The Delap thing is strange but where would he fit in anyway? Is it an argument over where he would sit on the bench, in a way? He's pulled out too many times, maybe he's just not trustworthy?

[eirebhoy]

Lads, Barrett isn't taking up Delap's place in the squad. Holland, Kavanagh, Keane, Miller and Kilbane are. Quinn is the creative central midfielder that's nice to have as an option on the bench if we're drawing 0-0 in Lansdowne with 20 minutes to play and Barrett is a right winger in Kerr's eyes.

[Stuttgart88]

All fair points. I suspect Kerr just got fed up with his constant withdrawal from previous squads anyway.

I think it's becoming increasingly easy to predict Kerr's squads now, certainly the enlarged ones.

He'll have enough on his plate finding the right opportunity to play people like Quinn, McGeady & Macken and maybe experimenting with JOS without having to worry about throwing Delap in to see how he fits in.

In a 27 man squad it's only splitting hairs when arguing over who gets the last few places.

[Metrostars]

One thing is that Delap is good at long throws, I don't think anyone else in the Irish squad is as good.

[eirebhoy]

One thing is that Delap is good at long throws, I don't think anyone else in the Irish squad is as good.
They rarely ever come off though. Its nice to see a long ball into the box but very few goals have came from his long throws.

[blobbyblob]

One of the boys here has just pointed it out - Why has Carr been selected - Thought he was out for the rest of the season?!?

[Peadar]

Why has Carr been selected - Thought he was out for the rest of the season?!?


Get with the programme, blobbyblob!
He started for Newcastle in the cup at the weekend.

[Stuttgart88]

Carr made a surprise return for Newcastle on Saturday. Good news I suppose.

[blobbyblob]

Get with the programme, blobbyblob!.

Muchos Apologinos Peadar

Some recovery in fairness. Better in than out i say. Anyone take a guess at how many will pull out?

[pineapple stu]

They rarely ever come off though. Its nice to see a long ball into the box but very few goals have came from his long throws.
Scored one himself, didn't he, against Croatia or someone? Course it didn't count, but the confusion it caused the defence proved that it's a nice extra attacking weapon to have. Don't think he's ever done that badly for Ireland - injuries have screwed him over though...

[Slash/ED]

How the hell does Barrett get into our squad? He can't make the bench of a struggling first division side ffs, it's a joke.

[skbio_toronto]

Personally I think Steven Reid should have merited an inclusion. There is no question that is performance against Russia in his last competitive fixture was derisory. But does that merit been left out of the squad (seemingly) in favour of a Coventry City reserve player.

Steven Reid is the only player of his kind we have in midfield. A young athletic strong and pacy player with a right foot thats been known to score from long range!

All Steven Reid has been lacking is a wee bit of confidence. Mark Hughes has been giving him plenty of first team football lately. (Though admittedly Thompson is currently keeping him out of )

Big mistake leaving this guy out, in my opinion. As its only going to discourage him more.

Cue the scornful comments. I'm ready for 'em!

SKBIO-TOR

[eirebhoy]

Just so people know, Barrett playing in the Coventry reserves has nothing to do with his ability. He see's himself as a striker and he's doing a bit of a Bellamy except this isn't (as) public. He's still only 23, younger than Miller. Just because Miller is at a bigger club doesn't mean he's automatically ahead of Barrett in our squad.

[Slash/ED]

Just so people know, Barrett playing in the Coventry reserves has nothing to do with his ability. He see's himself as a striker and he's doing a bit of a Bellamy except this isn't (as) public. He's still only 23, younger than Miller. Just because Miller is at a bigger club doesn't mean he's automatically ahead of Barrett in our squad.

Yes but Barrett isn't good enough and first division reserve players, for whatever reason they're first division reserve players, should not be considered for international football. A sign of his ability as a striker was shown with Brighton where his goals record was farcical. In fact, in his senior career, Barrett has never, not once, justified his position as an international player.

[Cowboy]

Y, Barrett has never, not once, justified his position as an international player.

what short memories we have, he was outstanding against Holland in the Amsterdam areana

[Slash/ED]

what short memories we have, he was outstanding against Holland in the Amsterdam areana

He worked hard yeah but he didn't show much by way of quality. Good performance though it doesn't even come close to justify his continued inclusion in our squads given his woeful club form for, well, his entire career.

[Cowboy]

He worked hard yeah but he didn't show much by way of quality. Good performance though it doesn't even come close to justify his continued inclusion in our squads given his woeful club form for, well, his entire career.


I heard a similar arguement used against a player years ago who did not have great club form............................ Kevin Kilbane. Perhaps Brian Kerr see's something in him for the future

[Slash/ED]

I heard a similar arguement used against a player years ago who did not have great club form............................ Kevin Kilbane. Perhaps Brian Kerr see's something in him for the future

Kevin Kilbane wasn't and never was a reserve player for a struggling first division club who had never had a run of form in his senior club career that came even close to justifying being constantly capped.

[eirebhoy]

Slash/ED - I'm sensing a bit of bias as you keep mentioning him as a reserve player. A load of players have had to play in the reserves because of their discipline.

[Slash/ED]

I don't think a player playing reserve team football for a struggling first division side is international quality, espically when they have never once in the past proved themselves to be international quality, I can't for the life of me see why he's constantly getting into our squads. If he moves/breaks into the Coventry team and starts putting in performances that justify his position I'd be delighted, there's no bias against him. I was equally critical of Alan Quinn getting capped while in the second division/not in the Sheffield United first team, he's since started performing really well for them and stood out against premiership opposition in Aston Villa and I'm delighted, he's more than worth his place in the squad. Until Barrett does something similar he shouldn't be near our squads and frankly I doubt he's capable of doing something similar because of what I've seen of him, he's far from being international class. He hasn't even proved himself to be division one quality yet.

[eirebhoy]

Whether Barrett likes it or not, Kerr still see's him as a right winger. Who would you prefer to see in the squad ahead of him? Willo Flood is also playing reserve football. Stephen Reid?

[Slash/ED]

Ideally Flood would be playing for Man City, he's good enough, but he's not so no. Reid is in and out of the Blackburn side and when he did play this season, played very well. Not a perfect choice, but I'd have him ahead of Barrett any day. Delap too is a premiership regular and can play right wing, he's not playing near his best for Southampton at the moment but I'd still have him before Barrett.

[tetsujin1979]

Scored one himself, didn't he, against Croatia or someone? Course it didn't count, but the confusion it caused the defence proved that it's a nice extra attacking weapon to have. Don't think he's ever done that badly for Ireland - injuries have screwed him over though...

That was the Czech Republic, I was on the south terrace, hadn't a clue what happened

[Peadar]

Muchos Apologinos Peadar

No worries. I wouldn't have believed it myself had I not seen him on the highlights.

[Risteard]

Lads, what know ye of the keeper Murphy?

[eirebhoy]

Lads, what know ye of the keeper Murphy?
He's young for a keeper. Saved a Michael Owen peno on his premiership debut. :) He's not rated very highly by the Walsall fans and is only in the squad because Colgan is playing crap and Stack is injured.

[tetsujin1979]

Ideally Flood would be playing for Man City, he's good enough, but he's not so no.

Flood's just recovered from a slight groin strain, hasn't played in either the reserves or senior side in over a month. He may be on the bench tomorrow for Newcastle at home, but with the recent additions to the squad, he may not. He is in the U-21 side for their game with Portugal on Tuesday though

[pineapple stu]

Lads, what know ye of the keeper Murphy?
Bit of a dodgy debut v. Turkey, I think (overshadowed though by the legendary Omer Catcin! :D ). Think that's about his only cap to date? Was keeper for the U-16s when they won the European Championships. Don't know much else than that. Where's Nicky Colgan these days? Was at Barnsley last I heard, but think he was moving on?

[tetsujin1979]

Bit of a dodgy debut v. Turkey, I think (overshadowed though by the legendary Omer Catcin! :D ). Think that's about his only cap to date? Was keeper for the U-16s when they won the European Championships. Don't know much else than that. Where's Nicky Colgan these days? Was at Barnsley last I heard, but think he was moving on?

Colgan's on loan at Dundee. I imagine Murphy only made the squad because Stack's injured. Saul Deeney could even push Colgan further down the lines the way things are going!

[pineapple stu]

Is he getting his game? SPL over Division Two surely, especially after Kerr's comments about the eL and Division Two players?

[Stuttgart88]

Colgan's on loan at Dundee. I imagine Murphy only made the squad because Stack's injured. Saul Deeney could even push Colgan further down the lines the way things are going!

I think Stack's impending trial is more the reason for his absence. Deeney's been getting great reviews alright.

[eirebhoy]

I think Stack's impending trial is more the reason for his absence.
Stack's out for 6 weeks mate.

Colgan has only played one match for United, only joined them last week.

[Stuttgart88]

Stack's out for 6 weeks mate.
Sure, but would he have been picked if fit? He's been left out of all squads since his "troubles" started, as we've discussed before on other threads. Though I think Colgan was preferred to him earlier in the year anyway, despite Stack's good early performances for Millwall. It's just my opinion but I think Kerr is overlooking him until his trial is over.

[Slash/ED]

Sad to see Murphy not doing so well atm, he was a superb propsect when he was a teenage regular for Tranmere and always impressed me alot for the youth teams, more so than Stack even. However, he's still very young for a keeper so has time to realise his potential I suppose.

[dr_peepee]

At the end of the day you can't keep everybody happy all the time, but you have to go some way to reward/acknowledged progress. And seemingly overlooking people who have undoubtedly made some progress of late out of some misplaced sense of loyaly for someone who's career's gone static, even backwards, can't bode well for relations in the future.

For me if a player on the fringes (especially one who could be an asset down the line) is excluded from a squad he should be fully aware of the reasoning behind it, if only to keep him in the loop and at the very least give him an aspect of his game that he needs to work on to oust the man in posession. That doesn't seem to be the case with these lads judging by the sounds being made from Ian Harte...

I have to admit though that the withdrawels from the Friendly squads have dramaticaly reduced in recent times... But someone like Steven Reid or Rory Delap should without a doubt in my mind be there ahead of Graham Barrett.

[Eirambler]

Colgan has only played one match for United, only joined them last week.

Was watching Rangers v Dundee Utd tonight, Colgan let in 7!

He was the cause of at least 3 of them, and probably should have saved 1 or 2 of the others.

If Kerr ever gets the tape of this game, we wont see Colgan in green for a while.

[1MickCollins]

Was watching Rangers v Dundee Utd tonight, Colgan let in 7!

He was the cause of at least 3 of them, and probably should have saved 1 or 2 of the others.

If Kerr ever gets the tape of this game, we wont see Colgan in green for a while.

This must be a record for the number of goals conceded by an Irish keeper in a top-flight game ( Is Rangers v Dundee really top-flight?? ) - who is the resident statistician??