Mexico v Republic of Ireland - Met Life Stadium NJ - Friday, 2nd June 2017 - Friendly

[Closed Account]

Rumours the squad for this will be named on Monday 15th.

O’Neill also confirmed that a Irish squad will train in Fota Island, Cork, ahead of the friendlies against Mexico in New Jersey on 1 June and Dublin on 4 June against Uruguay.

"There might be one or two Premier League players [in the squad for the games against Mexico and Uruguay] but we don't have that many at this minute," O’Neill continued.

"One or two lads who have not played or figured at Premier League level may feel this is what they want to do but mainly it will be some of the Championship players."

“We had the opportunity to play some players — who have been in and around the squad but haven’t really participated that much – after the Wales game,” he said, speaking at the launch of 2017 SportsDirect.com FAI Summer Soccer Schools today.

“I’m not so sure that it’s an ideal time for trying out very young players who have never been involved in the squad for the simple reason that it’s a lead-up to the World Cup qualifying game, which is most important.
The season ends this weekend for quite a number of players I will be choosing for these matches and therefore there is going to be a long time beforehand. So that’s the reason we organised the game against Uruguay.

“Then there was an opportunity to play against Mexico in the US and I think it’s ideal for those Championship players who are not involved in play-offs — and who’ve been in and around the scene — to participate in those games.”

The squad will gather in the week beginning 22 May for a couple of days of intensive training before heading Stateside. O’Neill went to speak about wanting players who get the chance to line out for Ireland to feel like they’ve worked hard to do so.

“I like to see young players coming through but I like to feel that they have earned it,” he said.

“I just don’t want to be handing things out to people who think that because they picked up a cap along the way they’ve made the grade. I’d like to make it slightly more difficult.”

He went on: “Overall, that’s the thought but if there’s a player who is outstanding and really making an impact at league level, then why shouldn’t he get an opportunity?”

[DeLorean]

K/O time for Uruguay game is 18:00.

[Closed Account]

K/O time for Uruguay game is 18:00.Dammit, Tets will tidy it up.....

[DeLorean]

Squad announced.

http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/oneill-selects-squad-for-june-games




Goalkeepers: Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Rob Elliot (Newcastle United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Darren Randolph (West Ham United)

Defenders: Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (Derby County), Paul McShane (Reading), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Andy Boyle (Preston North End), John Egan (Brentford), Marc Wilson (West Bromwich Albion), Kevin Long, Stephen Ward (Burnley), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Midfielders: Aiden McGeady (Everton), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady (Burnley), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), Darron Gibson (Sunderland), Liam Kelly (Reading), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Preston North End), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen)

Forwards: Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town), Daryl Murphy (Newcastle United), Shane Long (Southampton), Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen)

[DannyInvincible]

Wilson and Gibson are back for the first time in a while, if I'm not mistaken.

Is this Kevin Long's first senior call-up?

Good to see Matt Doherty in there too. I imagine he'll get game-time.

No place for Sean Maguire then, despite media reports a while back having claimed he'd be in the squad. Cork do have an important game against Dundalk on the 2nd of June, so it may be due to that that he's missed out or perhaps O'Neill isn't fully convinced by him.

No place for the in-form Cillian Sheridan either. Sheridan has crucial end-of-season games for title-chasing Jagiellonia right up until the 4th of June (the day of the Uruguay game), so he wouldn't be free to play in either of the friendlies, but he could have joined up with the squad after that and would certainly have offered something different up front against Austria, at least as an option off the bench.

I assume this squad will be whittled down as usual before flying to New York?

[Wangball]

The lack of striking options in that squad is heartbreaking. At this point would it be worth looking at Sean Maguire from Cork or Aidan O'Brien @ Millwall? Kevin Doyle was a great servant but at this point in time what does he bring to the squad? Same with Murphy.

I can't imagine Cork being too upset if he was called up to the squad. Yes he'd miss an important game but being a full international would surely up his price to any prospective buyer.

[DannyInvincible]

Same with Murphy.

I've been impressed with Murphy in the recent games he has played, including when he played at the Euros.


I can't imagine Cork being too upset if he was called up to the squad. Yes he'd miss an important game but being a full international would surely up his price to any prospective buyer.

He's got a release clause in his contract that will allow him to leave for €150,000. I get the impression interested clubs are already prepared to meet that.

[DeLorean]

Yes, it's Kevin long's first call up.

I can see why Maguire and Sheridan weren't considered to be honest, with their club commitments. I don't think Sheridan was ever going to be thrown straight in to a match day squad for a massive game having not even made provisional squads back along. As much as I'd like to see him involved, he needed to be available for the friendlies I think.

Ciaran Clark is a notable absentee due to a knee injury. I think Doherty is injured too at the moment (hamstring) but they obviously feel he'll be okay by then.

Re: Liam Kelly - the Championship playoff final is on Monday, 29th May, the same date the squad depart for the States. If Reading do make it there and he makes the final cut for us, I suppose he could be still involved for the Uruguay match or catch a later flight to America.

[DeLorean]

Some comments from O'Neill here - https://www.rte.ie/sport/other-sport/2017/0515/875177-live-your-morning-sports-updates-15-may-2017/


"I wanted the game in America against Mexico. It will give us a chance to get the players on the pitch and work together. It's not an inconvenience but it falls at a strange time...We want as much preparation as possible. The players have to come down from their season but we need to get it back up again."

"Maguire is a player we're monitoring, there are a couple of lads in front of him at the moment but we'll keep looking at him."

"Westwood is in great form at the moment and the competition between the two is great for the squad."

"I saw Kevin Long play last week. He really impressed me, don't discount him. It'll be good to have a look at him."

"Cillian Sheridan was definitely a consideration, we're keeping a close eye on his form."

[DannyInvincible]

O'Neill on Kevin Long and Sean Maguire: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0515/875236-ireland-squad/


"I saw Kevin Long play last week," O'Neill said. "He really impressed me, don't discount him. It'll be good to have a look at him."

The Leesiders' Sean Maguire has not been included, though O'Neill said the striker is a player "we are monitoring... if he continues to progress no reason why he can't make it but there are people ahead of him in terms of experience as much as anything."

[DeLorean]

Interesting little addition from the42.ie - http://www.the42.ie/ireland-squad-austria-world-cup-qualifier-martin-oneill-3389882-May2017/


This piece was updated to include James McCarthy (Everton) in the squad list. McCarthy was not named on the FAI’s original squad release, but an FAI spokesman subsequently confirmed that he is in the squad.

[DannyInvincible]

Were Anthony Pilkington and Stephen Quinn available?

[Stuttgart88]

I think Doherty is injured too at the moment (hamstring) but they obviously feel he'll be okay by then.I honestly don't think they even think of these things when they name the preliminary squads. They've named injured players who had little chance of recovery by the time the match came around.

Shame about Clark alright. Duffy will be a risk even if he plays in the friendlies. He's been out for quite a while.

[Stuttgart88]

Interesting little addition from the42.ie - http://www.the42.ie/ireland-squad-austria-world-cup-qualifier-martin-oneill-3389882-May2017/

They probably know he's out but included him just to wind Koeman up.

[DeLorean]

I honestly don't think they even think of these things when they name the preliminary squads. They've named injured players who had little chance of recovery by the time the match came around.

You're right there for sure. The only reason I thought is was worth mentioning about Doherty was because I read this yesterday, and it implied that he was ruled out. - http://www.the42.ie/3-players-wed-like-to-see-ireland-squad-3387659-May2017/


The former Stoke player [Marc Wilson] may not be the most glamorous name, but with Matt Doherty and Greg Cunningham both suffering season-ending injuries in recent times, coupled with Seamus Coleman’s well-documented setback of late, Ireland are short of options at full-back.

[Wangball]

Am I committing sacrilege by saying that John O'Shea has no place in that squad?

Have had the misfortune of having to watch Sunderland this season and in a team full of mediocrity & awfulness he's really managed to stand out as being especially awful

[DeLorean]

Am I committing sacrilege by saying that John O'Shea has no place in that squad?

With Clark unavailable and Duffy short of match fitness, yes, I think you are. Plus he was very solid against Wales.

[Wangball]

With Clark unavailable and Duffy short of match fitness, yes, I think you are. Plus he was very solid against Wales.

He's been especially putrid for Sunderland since that game though

[DeLorean]

He's been especially putrid for Sunderland since that game though

He's arguably not worth his place in the starting XI but he's clearly worth his place in the final squad, let alone this catch-all draft! Players regularly perform better at international level than for their clubs and he's worth his place for experience and leadership alone. And Sunderland as a whole are putrid, they'd make any defender look worse than they probably are.

[Stuttgart88]

...but a goalkeeper better than he actually is :)

In fairness, their keeper is a talented lad.

[tetsujin1979]

Wilson and Gibson are back for the first time in a while, if I'm not mistaken.Gibson was in the Wales/Iceland squad: http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/oneill-selects-squad-for-wales-iceland-games

Wilson was in the Moldova/Serbia squad: http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/oneill-selects-squad-for-qualifiers-against-georgia-and-moldova
I'm more surprised at Wilson to be honest, Gibson is an O'Neill favourite so once he proved he was fit he was always going to get in the squad

Other than the two strikers, there's no glaring omissions, we know players will be dropped over the coming weeks anyway, and of course there's going to be injuries in the final games of the domestic season.

[Stuttgart88]

And Harry Arter will have a stag party to go to

[DeLorean]

...but a goalkeeper better than he actually is :)

Yep. See Simon Mignolet.

[KrisLetang]

Do you guys think O'Kane will be coming to the US for the Mexico game? If so do any of you have any problem with me escorting him to Charleston for this event? I've already Tweeted at them and they say he is welcome. DannyInvincible has agreed to set up a kitty for me so we can pay for gas and stop at a Waffle House and then a Carl's Junior on the way back. I would also like to make a donation in Foot.ie's name to the Human Fund.

https://twitter.com/americnhumanist?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5E serp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[Diggs246]

Anyone know is the Mexico game on TV?

[DeLorean]

Anyone know is the Mexico game on TV?

I haven't seen anything confirmed but these types of fixtures are usually on Eir Sport (previously Setanta).

[DannyInvincible]

Anyone know is the Mexico game on TV?

According to LiveOnSat, the Uruguay game will be on Premier Sports (which usually means it's also shown on eir Sport, I think) but there's no indication that the Mexico game will be broadcast anywhere yet: http://liveonsat.com/los.soc_friend_intl_ALL.php

I'd imagine someone will cover it. I'd be surprised if it wasn't on eir Sport.

[DeLorean]

Yeah those sites rarely show Irish broadcasters anyway. I remember our match against Costa Rica wasn't televised a couple of years back so hopefully that's not the case this time.

[KrisLetang]

I can live tweet it I guess.
Welcome everyone to beautiful Eastern East Rutherford.

[Charlie Darwin]

Yeah those sites rarely show Irish broadcasters anyway. I remember our match against Costa Rica wasn't televised a couple of years back so hopefully that's not the case this time.
The Costa Rica match was on Setanta I'm fairly sure.

[samhaydenjr]

The lack of striking options in that squad is heartbreaking. At this point would it be worth looking at Sean Maguire from Cork or Aidan O'Brien @ Millwall? Kevin Doyle was a great servant but at this point in time what does he bring to the squad? Same with Murphy.


The benefits of living and playing at altitude? Don't get too downhearted Wangball - while none of our strikers are prolific and three are likely in their final campaign, they are all capable of grabbing a goal, plus we have some goalscoring potential in midfield. As I've stated elsewhere, it becomes a big worry for the next campaign, but we have a number of options in the pipeline and hopefully a few of them will start to make an impression next season (like Maguire)

[DeLorean]

The Costa Rica match was on Setanta I'm fairly sure.

Don't think so Charles - http://foot.ie/threads/187206-Republic-of-Ireland-V-Turkey-Italy-Costa-Rica-amp-Portugal-May-June-2014?p=1757741&viewfull=1#post1757741

And I don't think they're showing the Mexico game either. I saw Eir Sport's report on the the squad announcement on Facebook last night and it was specified that they're showing the Uruguay game live, but nothing about Mexico.

And the same thing here - https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/864107630377263106

[DeLorean]

Interesting take from Daniel McDonnell - http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/comment-long-and-wilson-calls-highlight-shortage-of-premier-options-for-ireland-35719338.html

He's got a point although it would have probably been worth pointing out that Duffy & Clark are now Premier League players again.

It does seem much easier to earn a call up as a centre back which doesn't make a lot of sense, seeing as we're fairly well stocked there with everybody fit.

Maguire and Sheridan's club commitments might have skewed things a bit though, perhaps one or both would have been called up if their circumstances were different. I'm not sure why O'Donnell suggests that O'Neill has reservations about Sheridan. That's obviously been the case back along but it remains to be seen whether his form at a higher level has changed that.

Edit - oh okay, I hadn't seen this comment from O'Neill on Sheridan, I can see why O'Donnell says the above now.

"He was in consideration, but other people are ahead of him at this moment," says O'Neill of Sheridan.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/martin-oneill-not-hopeful-of-scott-hogan-declaring-for-ireland-and-says-sean-maguire-and-cillian-sheridan-must-wait-35716214.html

[DannyInvincible]

Interesting take from Daniel McDonnell - http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/comment-long-and-wilson-calls-highlight-shortage-of-premier-options-for-ireland-35719338.html

He's got a point although it would have probably been worth pointing out that Duffy & Clark are now Premier League players again.

It does seem much easier to earn a call up as a centre back which doesn't make a lot of sense, seeing as we're fairly well stocked there with everybody fit.

McDonnell makes the following point:


O'Neill says he doesn't want to throw caps around like confetti, so it's striking when players [such as Kevin Long] are included on a long list off the strength of a handful of outings. That's the value of the Premier League stamp.

It does seem odd to me that, on account of two recent Premier League appearances where he's been brought into Burnley's starting line-up on account of injuries to other players in the centre-back position, Kevin Long is, in the mind of O'Neill, all of a sudden a player worthy of provisional-squad selection, whereas the player apparently wasn't deemed worthy of consideration, say, two months ago. Or was O'Neill somehow unaware of Long's existence or abilities until the recent spotlight was cast upon him by virtue of the player having made his EPL debut? (It's hardly as if Long has appeared on the scene out of nowhere though; he's 26.) If that is the case (although I personally don't think it is), we need to improve our scouting.

If O'Neill, on the other hand, has been aware of Long for quite some time (which is surely more likely), has he so little faith in his own judgment of the player that he needed Sean Dyche to give Long a chance first so as to "justify" or "give the green light" for the international call-up? Couldn't he or a subordinate have proactively made it their business to observe and evaluate Long themselves before this?

[tetsujin1979]

Couldn't he or a subordinate have proactively made it their business to observe and evaluate Long themselves before this?O'Neill He say that Roy Keane had been to see Long play

from https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0515/875236-ireland-squad/

Roy saw him play last week and he said that you shouldn’t discount him

[KrisLetang]

"We must get full price for him." Roy added.

[DannyInvincible]

O'Neill He say that Roy Keane had been to see Long play

from https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0515/875236-ireland-squad/

I'd been aware someone had watched Long within the past two weeks, but what I meant above was: couldn't someone have checked him out prior to this last fortnight? Was last week the first time someone from the set-up ever bothered to assess him? Was there no curiosity or interest in assessing his ability/potential before this considering he was an Irish player in an EPL squad?

Why did O'Neill have to wait for Dyche to first give the "rubber stamp" or "seal of international approval" by selecting him to start two EPL games? Did those two outings really render Long - seemingly regarded as unworthy of consideration two months ago - all-of-a-sudden worthy of consideration now? Even Long himself was surprised (http://www.the42.ie/kevin-long-ireland-call-up-wedding-3392560-May2017/) by how out-of-the-blue his selection was.

I acknowledge he hasn't seen much first-team action and, of course, it's easier to observe a player when they've been selected in an EPL starting line-up, but it's not the only means by which an international manager or his staff/scouts/contacts can observe or evaluate a potential player.

It just strikes me as odd that this guy, who is 26 and who has been in Burnley's squad all season, wasn't on O'Neill's radar a month or two ago, but he makes Burnley's starting line-up twice in the last fortnight - draws one game and loses the other whilst conceding four goals in the process, albeit to generally positive individual reviews - and he is suddenly "safe" to take a punt on and is named in our provisional squad. His naming in the provisional squad appears to have more to do with the fact he received an EPL manager's blessing than anything else.

I'm not saying he shouldn't be in the provisional squad either, by the way. It's great we have another viable and capable option. It's just the sudden manner of his selection is odd and has me wondering why he wasn't on the radar or assessed before now.

I think it's another example (http://foot.ie/threads/186367-Sean-Maguire?p=1915312&viewfull=1#post1915312) of O'Neill being somewhat hesitant or lacking the courage or initiative to go out on a limb himself. I accept that bringing O'Dowda (who only had fifteen minutes of senior international football against Belarus under his belt at the time) on against Moldova whilst the score was still 1-1 was a bold move (and it's also worth mentioning that I appreciate and greatly admire his motivational skills), but, generally, O'Neill seems to be more reactive and conservative in his selections than proactive. Am I being unfair on him? :o

[DeLorean]

O'Neill seems to be more reactive and conservative in his selections than proactive. Am I being unfair on him? :o

I'd imagine O'Neill knew little or nothing about Long before his recent appearances. It could very easily be a similar situation to the time Trap went to see Hendrick play and came back with Keogh as well.

There's no doubt O'Neill is an upgrade on Trap in terms of evaluating the players we have out there, but I don't get the impression he's overly thorough either. Bar O'Dowda, who I'd say he saw by fluke, and the Dundalk guys who became almost impossible to ignore, I think he's quite content to wait for players to pop up at what he considers the appropriate level to be assessed.

I don't think his selections have anything to do with lacking the courage to go out on a limb, I wouldn't see including somebody in a squad/provisional squad as going out on a limb anyway, it's not like it generates any hysteria amongst the media or supporters, or that he would need to trust the player in a big game straight away. If anything, the more obscure inclusions are always portrayed as a good news story.

There's no doubt O'Neill can be a pretty conservative manager when it comes to team selection & tactics, but I think that's a slightly different discussion.

[tetsujin1979]

Alan Browne called into the squad: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/866700216090726400

NEW ADDITION: Martin O'Neill has called up #IRLU21 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IRLU21?src=hash) international Alan Browne to his squad for the upcoming games. #COYBIG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/COYBIG?src=hash)
No word yet on who he's replacing, if anyone

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Bereft of strikers and overstocked with defensive midfielders, so he calls up a defensive midfielder.

He did the same thing against Iceland.

And just like Kevin Long, you have to question what Browne has done to deserve a call up; the lad has undoubted talent, but he hasn't pushed on this season.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if another striker is ruled out and he calls up someone like Stephen Dawson.

[tetsujin1979]

there's question marks over the availability of two midfielders and you're questioning the decision to call up another midfielder?

[Stuttgart88]

I think O'Neill is trying to wind TOWK up. He and Keane are ****ing themselves reading this.

[Wangball]

And just like Kevin Long, you have to question what Browne has done to deserve a call up; the lad has undoubted talent,

Surely having undoubted talent is a good starting place for a call up?? What exactly are you looking for in a squad player?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Whelan, Arter, Hendrick, Gibson, Gleeson and O'Kane play that role.

Then there's Kelly, Hourihane and Hoolahan.

If he was going to call up another midfielder, I would have went with Manning rather than Browne based on what they've accomplished this season.

I simply cannot understand why he won't take a look at a striker.

It's the perfect time for it.

If we are depleted of strikers in September, the pressure of four huge games in quick succession is not the right environment to bring them in.

[Olé Olé]

Delighted to hear Browne has got a call up. Very young but has stagnated slightly this season so I hope that coming in and training with Ireland gives him a push in the right direction. Any young player called into that environment would surely leave counting down the days to getting back to pre season.

Training beside players like McCarthy, Arter and Wes will surely teach him a thing or two. Preston aren't stock piling central midfield of top flight quality.

[Olé Olé]

Somewhat disappointed Manning hasn't been called in. That said, he only has half a season of first team football and little under 21 experience. Browne has been at that level a while so I'm thinking that might be why he's ahead of him in the queue.

[DannyInvincible]

With Shane Long set to miss out and with O'Neill demonstrating that he's prepared to call up further players who haven't been named in his provisional squad, I'm hopeful Sean Maguire might still get a nod over the next few days, even if it's just to have the player train with the squad during the Fota Island training camp. The camp will be less than 20 kilometres down the road from Cork city (where I assume Maguire lives), after all, so why not bring him in? What's there to lose?

Cillian Sheridan's Polish title-chasing Jagiellonia Białystok take on Nieciecza on Sunday the 28th of May and then play Lech Poznań in their final game of the season on the 4th of June, which happens to be the same day as the Uruguay friendly, so Sheridan obviously won't be free to be travelling to the US during next week, be that for training or game-time. That's unfortunate, although it's not to say that O'Neill would have called him up otherwise either; O'Neill's words suggest possibly not.

[pineapple stu]

Strange to add someone to a 38-man provisional squad?

[Charlie Darwin]

Whelan, Arter, Hendrick, Gibson, Gleeson and O'Kane play that role.

Then there's Kelly, Hourihane and Hoolahan.

If he was going to call up another midfielder, I would have went with Manning rather than Browne based on what they've accomplished this season.

I simply cannot understand why he won't take a look at a striker.

It's the perfect time for it.

If we are depleted of strikers in September, the pressure of four huge games in quick succession is not the right environment to bring them in.
You'd call up Manning based on his achievements this season, ie making a handful of appearances for a midtable Championship team, over a player who's played twice as often for a better team?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Browne hasn't really nailed down a first team spot though.

Manning has impressed me more, from what I have seen of him, and appears to have more upside.

More versatile too.

Gleeson and O'Kane are worthy of a greater look based on Iceland, so I don't see much scope for Browne to get a look in.