Republic of Ireland v Finland - Wednesday, 14th October 2020 - UEFA Nations League

[irishfan86]

That's laugh out loud funny Bielsa. Replay showed clear contact as McClean went down the Welsh guy's achilles from behind. McClean's indignant reaction was hilarious after seeing the replay.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Yeah he raked down the achilles with his left foot as he was chasing him. Very nasty one to be on the receiving end of.

[elatedscum]

Thankfully, there are no close contacts with the player... meaning it’ll just be one person missing out and not multiple

[Razors left peg]

Thankfully, there are no close contacts with the player... meaning it’ll just be one person missing out and not multiple

That still makes no sense, are they not in close contact on the training pitch. Was he not rooming with someone? Do we know who the player is yet?

[Razors left peg]

That's laugh out loud funny Bielsa. Replay showed clear contact as McClean went down the Welsh guy's achilles from behind. McClean's indignant reaction was hilarious after seeing the replay.
Guy is clearly on a wind up

[paul_oshea]

That's laugh out loud funny Bielsa. Replay showed clear contact as McClean went down the Welsh guy's achilles from behind. McClean's indignant reaction was hilarious after seeing the replay.

I get the impression kenny isnt happy with him, I wouldnt be surprised if that was the last we saw of James in the squad, certainly in the team even as a sub.

[paul_oshea]

Thankfully, there are no close contacts with the player... meaning it’ll just be one person missing out and not multiple

that can only mean its a player being brought back in or being brought in. HSE requires the person to go through all close contacts, outside of training, that theyve been in contact with.

[DCWA]

, I wouldnt be surprised if that was the last we saw of James in the squad, certainly in the team even as a sub.

That will certainly not be the case barring something new and extraordinary. SK/JMcC are fine post red card.

[Olé Olé]

that can only mean its a player being brought back in or being brought in. HSE requires the person to go through all close contacts, outside of training, that theyve been in contact with.

https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/1315696849718784001

It looks like all the players being brought in are in this video the FAI I have just shared. I see Idah, O'Shea, Knight, Manning, Curtis in this- but maybe this is the reason Connolly is in gloves?

[Bielsa´s irish]

That will certainly not be the case barring something new and extraordinary. SK/JMcC are fine post red card.
i am winding up , yesterday the southamerican broadcasters said that the 1st booking wasnt and ampadu overexaggerated the challenge. Its common sense of course McClean is not street wise, but the one to blame is the croocked greek ref, and u see that in no 2nd booking of Christie.
Christie should have been sent off, he didnt do it since ireland would be with 9 guys

[Razors left peg]

i am winding up , yesterday the southamerican broadcasters said that the 1st booking wasnt and ampadu overexaggerated the challenge. Its common sense of course McClean is not street wise, but the one to blame is the croocked greek ref, and u see that in no 2nd booking of Christie.
Christie should have been sent off, he didnt do it since ireland would be with 9 guys

That reads like a Donald Trump Tweet

[elatedscum]

https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/1315696849718784001

It looks like all the players being brought in are in this video the FAI I have just shared. I see Idah, O'Shea, Knight, Manning, Curtis in this- but maybe this is the reason Connolly is in gloves?

Could be wrong but: It’s not the lads they brought in I don’t think. Their tests results won’t have been in the first batch.

Training isn’t considered close contact

Close contacts are people who you’ve consistantly been within 2 metres of for 15 minutes or more.

Examples could be:

Transport (flights, buses, cars if 2 metres can’t be maintained)

Meetings (2 metres should be easy here)

Dining (similarly 2 metres should be easy here)

Rooming (was told that players have all been given individual rooms, so shouldn’t be an issue)

If a physio session or massage takes longer than 15 minutes, you could be in trouble I guess. But I guess they could break them up to meet the requirements...

Dressing rooms - no idea what they’re doing there, maybe they can space people out. Maybe if the players are moving about enough then, they’re not in breach...

[backstothewall]

That reads like a Donald Trump Tweet

I reckon it's not bad for someone speaking in their second language. I dare say it's damn sight better English than most of the users on here could manage in Spanish, or even more shamefully, in Irish (including me).

[seanfhear]

I reckon it's not bad for someone speaking in their second language. I dare say it's damn sight better English than most of the users on here could manage in Spanish, or even more shamefully, in Irish (including me).
Hole A !

[Bielsa´s irish]

That reads like a Donald Trump Tweet

mate, im not winding up, dont get the stick against McClean when he wasnt the one to blame, it was the ref, and as it was stated yesterday while broadcasting the match on direct tv, the evidence the foul Christie committed just outside the box, heavy foul, no yellow....the.ref balanced that

[jbyrne]

i wouldnt speak so soon..... another positive test from the playing squad this morning and its not one of the 4 that was ruled as a close contact yesterday

seems like it might now be a 2nd false positive as players 2nd test this afternoon came back negative

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/1012/1171076-second-ireland-player-tests-positive-for-covid-19/

[Bielsa´s irish]

I reckon it's not bad for someone speaking in their second language. I dare say it's damn sight better English than most of the users on here could manage in Spanish, or even more shamefully, in Irish (including me).
it is my mother tongue, and youve got to place your spanish expressions of football into english expressions of the beautiful game, here we are missing the point, this isnt about my lazy and messy writting in english, it is about the greek ref and the wrongly sending off of McClean.

[Bielsa´s irish]

That reads like a Donald Trump Tweet

i love it when Donny boy says the word ......tremendous,.... is so hispanic for a wasp

[elatedscum]

Reported that the second test was negative, so could be a false positive again...

[Bielsa´s irish]

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (Bournemouth).
Defenders: Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Shane Duffy (Celtic, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Kevin Long (Burnley), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Fulham), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion).
Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), James McCarthy (Crystal Palace), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Jason Knight (Derby County), Ryan Manning (Queens Park Rangers),Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers)Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth)
Forwards: Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), , Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Shane Long (Southampton), Adam Idah (Norwich City),

[eekers]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/6015874/covid-19-ireland-travel-squad-member-tests-positive-negative/

"The player - who did not feature against either Slovakia or Wales - will now undergo a THIRD test ahead of Tuesday morning’s flight in the hope that he can be allowed travel."

That narrows it down to the 2 sub keepers and the top midfielder from the greatest league in the world.

[paul_oshea]

He's living a lonely existence so. Because the others from Williams were all from just being around the hotel.

[geysir]

The only reason I can go along with for Jack B being included in this squad is that he will start the game and Kenny will adjust the side. Otherwise there's a case for Jack saying thanks but no thanks, i.e. from a footballing point of view, but maybe the match fee is decent considering he's on LOI wages.

[ColourfulPeanut]

You think Jack Byrne is in a position to say no to his country and return to Shamrock Rovers because he's not picked? Are you joking?

[seanfhear]

You think Jack Byrne is in a position to say no to his country and return to Shamrock Rovers because he's not picked? Are you joking?
Would Shamrock Rovers bust his nuts for that ?

[John83]

No, but he'd be a laughing stock among the rest of us.

[Bielsa´s irish]

2nd player it is positive again. according to FAI.., amazing stuff, this is tremendous

[geysir]

No, but he'd be a laughing stock among the rest of us.
Why would you laugh? and why do you think you speak for "rest of us"?

[Bielsa´s irish]

dont have info but the player may be James McCarthy i think or David McGoldrick

[irishfan86]

It goes to show the testing quality is not really where it needs to be. At my workplace in Canada there seems to be a recognition of this. If you have any need to have a COVID test due to symptoms, you have to work from home for two weeks, regardless of a positive or negative result.

I love watching Ireland play and would never advocate for a pause on international football but given the extensive cross border travel and flying in tight quarters required I wonder if pressure will rise to wait until a vaccine/treatment or at least more reliable testing is developed.

[Bielsa´s irish]

It goes to show the testing quality is not really where it needs to be. At my workplace in Canada there seems to be a recognition of this. If you have any need to have a COVID test due to symptoms, you have to work from home for two weeks, regardless of a positive or negative result.

I love watching Ireland play and would never advocate for a pause on international football but given the extensive cross border travel and flying in tight quarters required I wonder if pressure will rise to wait until a vaccine/treatment or at least more reliable testing is developed.

they are sport people, they are safer than anyone, lets beat finland this week

[elatedscum]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/6015874/covid-19-ireland-travel-squad-member-tests-positive-negative/

"The player - who did not feature against either Slovakia or Wales - will now undergo a THIRD test ahead of Tuesday morning’s flight in the hope that he can be allowed travel."

That narrows it down to the 2 sub keepers and the top midfielder from the greatest league in the world.

Travers is in the video from training today, so it’s either Kelleher or Byrne...

Total speculation but... Williams and Byrne signed for Blackburn at the same time. Seem to be friends from what I’ve seen on socials during the window, with Williams videoing Byrne’s physio session. Suspect that they were hanging out together without it being considered a close contact.

Alternative is that Kelleher is the 6th Liverpool player to test positive (Origi in pre-season, then Thiago, then Mane, then Shaqiri on international duty which is now a false positive I think, then Keita yesterday...)

[Olé Olé]

I love the detective work that goes on about COVID cases. I was speculating that the non-playing member of staff that tested positive before the Slovakia game must have been a physio and that this physio must have been treating Aaron Connolly because he missed a training session earlier in the week. And then that Idah was out because he was a close contact of Connolly's, maybe played a bit of FIFA in his room.

It turned out that the actually story was wildly different, particularly given that the non-playing staff worked on communications!

Both your guesses are plausible but it's a funny old game!

[seanfhear]

I love the detective work that goes on about COVID cases. I was speculating that the non-playing member of staff that tested positive before the Slovakia game must have been a physio and that this physio must have been treating Aaron Connolly because he missed a training session earlier in the week. And then that Idah was out because he was a close contact of Connolly's, maybe played a bit of FIFA in his room.

It turned out that the actually story was wildly different, particularly given that the non-playing staff worked on communications!

Both your guesses are plausible but it's a funny old game!And we can’t send in Miss Marple because she would be too vulnerable. Are there any good young detectives about ~ ~ Mrs Jessica Fletcher Out, Columbo out, Sherlock Holmes out ~ Maybe a Young Sherlock !

[Olé Olé]

Irish player returns second positive Covid-19 result on retest and will miss Finland game https://the42.ie/5231334

Fairly painful stuff for the player in question. Definitely out now. I think it was concluded here that it was Kelleher or Byrne. I assume we will figure out which it was soon enough. Another keeper being called in might be the best indicator before tomorrow.

[tetsujin1979]

I'm only going to say this once - any further speculation on the player's identity without evidence will be deleted

[paul_oshea]

Irish player returns second positive Covid-19 result on retest and will miss Finland game https://the42.ie/5231334

Fairly painful stuff for the player in question. Definitely out now. I think it was concluded here that it was Kelleher or Byrne. I assume we will figure out which it was soon enough. Another keeper being called in might be the best indicator before tomorrow.

i think he said yesterday they wouldnt be calling anyone else in regardless

[John83]

Why would you laugh? and why do you think you speak for "rest of us"?
If a League of Ireland through a strop and retired from international duty at 23 because he wasn't played in a handful of games, do you think that decision would be widely praised and admired?

[pineapple stu]

I'm only going to say this once - any further speculation on the player's identity without evidence will be deleted
Well given that he's been named as "not believed to be a goalkeeper (https://www.extratime.com/articles/25879/third-covid-19-test-returns-positive-diagnosis-as-squad-for-finland-tie-further-depleted/)" and "didn't play v Slovakia or Wales", it doesn't really take much to work out who it is.

But I agree as a general rule medical confidentiality should have some merit still.

[seanfhear]

Well given that he's been named as "not believed to be a goalkeeper (https://www.extratime.com/articles/25879/third-covid-19-test-returns-positive-diagnosis-as-squad-for-finland-tie-further-depleted/)" and "didn't play v Slovakia or Wales", it doesn't really take much to work out who it is.

But I agree as a general rule medical confidentiality should have some merit still.
I certainly hope they are not talking about one of Our Goalkeepers there !

[geysir]

If a League of Ireland through a strop and retired from international duty at 23 because he wasn't played in a handful of games, do you think that decision would be widely praised and admired?
I never mentioned retiring. And you don't answer the question.
Players well behind Jack in the squad queue, who were drafted in at the last minute got game time. There were 2 dud midfielders in Hourihana/Brady (a shadow of his former glory). Even Horgan posed more actual attacking threat in 2 mins, than those 2 did in the whole game. And considering the risks involved with such away international games, Jack would be risking his end of season club time just to be back-up fodder, to be used only in the event that Kenny runs out of all other player options, including those players called up after him.
There are considerations not strops.

[ColourfulPeanut]

They're all different players to Byrne. I imagine Byrne was called up to fill a specific niche for a specific situation and also for Kenny to take a look at him train with a higher calibre of player. The situation to play him didn't arise or Kenny didn't feel he was ready or good enough.

Regardless it'd be absolutely ridiculous for him to withdraw from a squad due to not playing when he's lucky to be there and I'm sure he sees it as the highest honour. What sort of message does that send to potential moves too? A player acting Billy Big Balls and pulling out of a squad because he didn't feature.

[zero]

He's in and around the squad. With injuries, covid & suspensions and everything else he's more likely than not to get game time as indeed any outfield player is in the coming months. If he takes his chance when it comes like Browne did in Slovakia then he'll be harder to leave out.

He is still only 24.

[Stuttgart88]

The capcvity for this site to create a situation where none exists is remarkable really.

[eekers]

If in the event the November internationals being cancelled because of the second wave in Europe. And if the world cup draw goes ahead as scheduled December without any further internationals then:

A win against Finland will get us guarantee us 2nd seeds:
Ireland (21st) would be on 1482.44 points, the most Slovakia(20nd) currently on 1,476.9 points would be able to get by beating Israel is 1,481.49.

A Draw for both Ireland and Slovakia would put Ireland on 1474.94 and Slovakia on 1,473.99.
In the case of these two draws. Only Iceland could overtake both Ireland and Slovakia by beating Belgium at home leaving them on 1,475.76.

If both Ireland and Slovakia lose. Ireland would be on 1467.44 ahead of Slovakia on 1,466.49.
But Northern Ireland could finish on 1,473.54 by beating Norway away.
Iceland could finish on 1,468.26 by drawing with Belgium at home.
Romania could finish on 1,470.28 by beating Austria at home.

[seanfhear]

The capcvity for this site to create a situation where none exists is remarkable really.
And yet we can’t get Byrne in the Team !

[Fixer82]

Hard to figure out why Byrne never got minutes, considering the players who were drafted in did

[Bielsa´s irish]

If in the event the November internationals being cancelled because of the second wave in Europe. And if the world cup draw goes ahead as scheduled December without any further internationals then:

A win against Finland will get us guarantee us 2nd seeds:
Ireland (21st) would be on 1482.44 points, the most Slovakia(20nd) currently on 1,476.9 points would be able to get by beating Israel is 1,481.49.

A Draw for both Ireland and Slovakia would put Ireland on 1474.94 and Slovakia on 1,473.99.
In the case of these two draws. Only Iceland could overtake both Ireland and Slovakia by beating Belgium at home leaving them on 1,475.76.

If both Ireland and Slovakia lose. Ireland would be on 1467.44 ahead of Slovakia on 1,466.49.
But Northern Ireland could finish on 1,473.54 by beating Norway away.
Iceland could finish on 1,468.26 by drawing with Belgium at home.
Romania could finish on 1,470.28 by beating Austria at home.
lets get a good ref tomorrow and a good pair of linesmen
and VAR.
we need to beat them tomorrow

[Razors left peg]

On Byrne, has anyone thought that when he was surrounded by Premiership players he might have looked like the player that didn't make it at Kilmarnock or Oldham. Could you imagine how good Hourihane or Brady would look in the LOI. When Daryl Horgan was playing in LOI there was similar calls to have him in the Ireland team but hes hardly set the world alight since. Cullen was called up after him and still got on the pitch, but Cullen is proven in the Championship and someone just paid a million quid for him. I don't see anyone looking to spend any money on Byrne.

We've all seen sparks from him in a position that we think could help us and I've previously thought that I'd like to see him play, but its also up to him to prove hes good enough and he obviously isn't doing that in training

[DCWA]

On Byrne, has anyone thought that when he was surrounded by Premiership players he might have looked like the player that didn't make it at Kilmarnock or Oldham. Could you imagine how good Hourihane or Brady would look in the LOI. When Daryl Horgan was playing in LOI there was similar calls to have him in the Ireland team but hes hardly set the world alight since. Cullen was called up after him and still got on the pitch, but Cullen is proven in the Championship and someone just paid a million quid for him. I don't see anyone looking to spend any money on Byrne.

We've all seen sparks from him in a position that we think could help us and I've previously thought that I'd like to see him play, but its also up to him to prove hes good enough and he obviously isn't doing that in training

That is a distinct possibility. Where Kenny not to play him against Finland and then not call him up next time round it would probably indicate he sees a gap in quality during training.

I think Byrne is a good footballer, and I must admit he looked comfortable and not out of place against Milan. He does however play at a much lower level than the rest of the squad each week and also plays for the side who are currently comfortably the best in that division.

I am very critical of both Hendrick and Hourihane for example and don’t think either of them are particularly strong players (for club or country). I would imagine however lining out against Finn Harps with 65-70% of the ball they would look like Xavi and Iniesta mk II