Next LoI player to play for Ireland?

[sean]

who will be the next league of ireland player to play for ireland? does anyone think crow will get picked again? i say he will get a cap

[tetsujin1979]

I would have said Doyle, but Kearney has a definite chance. What about JP Kelly? Scored twice at the weekend.

[eirebhoy]

Aye, Kelly seems most likely.

[stojkovic]

Excluding friendlies and mickey mouse tournaments, who was the last LOI player to play a competitive match for Ireland.

I can only think of Pearse O'Leary. Was there anyone since ?

[Junior]

Excluding friendlies and mickey mouse tournaments, who was the last LOI player to play a competitive match for Ireland.

I can only think of Pearse O'Leary. Was there anyone since ?

Was Pearse O'Leary playing in the EL when selected or for Celtic?

[Peadar]

What about JP Kelly?

Can't see him lasting too long in the eL on current form.
At the moment he doesn't have nearly enough experience for senior international football.

[jorge]

There wont be another LOI player playing for a while unless Kerr loses this must win frendlies.and crowe will NEVER get another cap.

[Slash/ED]

Owen Heary should already have 10 caps minimum. Hoolahan or Kearney could also get a call up, but Heary and O'Callaghan are the most deserving. O'Callaghan has really come on this season as a central mid fielder.

[Éanna]

Heary would probably be next I'd say. George O'Callaghan would have to be in with a shout too. I'd imagine Doyler will be in the squad soon, now that he's gone to england :mad:

[stojkovic]

Was Pearse O'Leary playing in the EL when selected or for Celtic?
I checked this out, its fcuking hard to find match statistics (apart from score) for Ireland. Pierce O'Leary was with Rovers when he played v N Ireland in Belfast in 1979 (0-1) in a Euro80 qualifier.

Anyone think of anyone else that played a competitive match since

Pat Byrne, Eccles, Barry Murphy, Liam O'Brien were all friendlies werent they ?

[Risteard]

Thought Liam O'Brien was after getting a good few caps.

Excluding friendlies and mickey mouse tournaments, who was the last LOI player to play a competitive match for Ireland.

I can only think of Pearse O'Leary. Was there anyone since ?
Stephen Gheoghan?

[Eirambler]

Geoghegan got a call up against Macedonia or someone. Pretty sure he wasn't capped though.

[Poor Student]

It's not going to happen for the remainder of this campaign for sure. Also if we qualify for the WC we won't experiment wth any eL players in friendlies after the qualification campaign. Also it's likely the player would be young. I don't know. I'll hazard a guess at JP Kelly assuming he continues to prefer to ply his trade domestically for the next few years.

[jorge]

It will also depend on how good EL teams do in Europe,if a couple of players stand out.

[pineapple stu]

Geoghegan got a call up against Macedonia or someone. Pretty sure he wasn't capped though.
Macedonia and Holland (1-0 friendly win in '94.) Don't think he even made the bench either time.

[superfrank]

They (the FAI) should introduce a ruling where the national manager must select at least three players for the 25-man squad. It would help raise the profile of the eircom League to the muppets that ignore it and it would, obviously increase the chance of an eircom League player playing for the national team.

[pineapple stu]

They (the FAI) should introduce a ruling where the national manager must select at least three players for the 25-man squad.
Nonsense.

a) It would devalue the league's standing in the eye of the barstooler - x is only in the squad because he's an eL player. Currently, if Crowe/Byrne/Hoolahan get in the squad, it's on merit.
b) The manager has to pick his best squad, and if he has to babysit some eL players, our form is going to suffer.
c) If any other national association interfered in the running of the national team like that (or a club, for that matter), the manager would (and has) instantly resign. You can't go undermining the manager and the squad like that.

[pete]

They (the FAI) should introduce a ruling where the national manager must select at least three players for the 25-man squad.


Totally crap idea. Has no value whatsoever. eL players ned to get in squad on merit otherwise no point.

[superfrank]

a) It would devalue the league's standing in the eye of the barstooler - x is only in the squad because he's an eL player. Currently, if Crowe/Byrne/Hoolahan get in the squad, it's on merit.

Totally crap idea. Has no value whatsoever. eL players ned to get in squad on merit otherwise no point.
Maybe so, but them being in the squad, training with players in bigger leagues and maybe even playing a few minutes of international football would surely help them improve.

[tiktok]

Maybe so, but them being in the squad, training with players in bigger leagues and maybe even playing a few minutes of international football would surely help them improve.

it would help the same three players (out of 22 squads) improve.
if an EL player is to make it, it has to be on merit, the league gets a bad enough press as it is without charity caps being awarded

[superfrank]

It would be on merit because the manager would be picking the best players from our league, not different players every time.

The only reason I never attack Brian Kerr is because he is based in Ireland and when he was appointed I thought he would open the door for eircom League players to play internationally.

[tiktok]

It would be on merit because the manager would be picking the best players from our league, not different players every time.

it wouldn't be onmerit because the manager wouldn't be able to neccessarily pick the best 25 players available

[Slash/ED]

There should be players in the squad on merit anyway, ruling or no ruling. Not the starting 11, but looking at some of the dross Kerr has selected in the squad time and time again who wouldn't be fit to lace the boots of the top players in the league.

[mypost]

I'd imagine Doyler will be in the squad soon, now that he's gone to england :mad:

Doyle was banned from selection for the squad when he was playing for Cork, but he will be automatically considered now that he has gone to play for Reading. Cork are a better side than Reading who play in a better league, ffs. :rolleyes: Likewise, Daryl Murphy. He couldn't play for Brian Kerr before, because he played for Waterford, but he can now that he has moved to Sunderland. You don't instantly become good enough to play international football because you crossed a stretch of water, it takes time.

We must be one of the very few countries where players are banned from representing their country if they play in their domestic league, or don't play their club football in the UK, regardless of their form, ability or availability. Apart from about 5 players, most of the Irish squad play for poor teams in England, gaining zero European experience with their clubs, of which several don't play in the top division. The one player who moved away from his English club was promptly banned from playing for the side for a year, described as "injured" for convenience.

[Plastic Paddy]

Cork are a better side than Reading who play in a better league, ffs. :rolleyes:

Er, no. I agree with the tenor of your argument but you don't do yourself any favours with nonsense like this. Reading have been knocking on the door of the Premiership for the last three years now. A successful pre-season Intertoto campaign does not come into quite the same category. Were they to play in the English set-up, I don't think Cork City would even be in the same division. But that's another debate entirely...

:ball: PP

[dynamo kerry]

. Apart from about 5 players, most of the Irish squad play for poor teams in England, gaining zero European experience with their clubs, of which several don't play in the top division.

Irish squad recently contained

SHay Given, Andy O'Brien, Steve Carr, Roy Keane, Damien Duff, John O'Shea, Miller (tenuous, I know) and steve finnan - all 8 played euruopean football this year

while holland, cuningham, morrison, reid, rob keane, steve reid, ian harte, kevin kilbane richie dunne (9) are all in the prermiership where cork would be bottom of the table if they played there - moderate european experience included (even fc vaduz made it a roupnd or two last year)

Then we have paddy kenny, gra kavanagh, and steve elliot who are 3 of the top performers in the championship and should be in the prem one way or the other next year.

don'tget me wrong. I'm happy for cork. I hope they do well but doyle is a young inexperienced player who is on his second chance in england who realistically should be loooking to replace the likes of alan lee in the squad.

our first team is pretty good by a lot of standards and doyle is nowhere near it . I've just named 20 players who are there on merit before doyle.

next season we'l have the following in europe:

finnan, keane, o'shea, miller(fnarr), duff, kilbane, potter (perhaps) and if the right moves happen - rob keane and shay given while the vast majority of the first team squad will be in the epl.

blinkers off, reality hat on - doyle has some way to go

[drinkfeckarse]

Doyle was banned from selection for the squad when he was playing for Cork, but he will be automatically considered now that he has gone to play for Reading. Cork are a better side than Reading who play in a better league,


Even the most staunch of City fans wouldn't agree with that. And how was he "banned" :confused:

Put simply, whether he's right or wrong, Kerr doesn't believe this league offers you a stern test. Move to a club at what he considers a decent level and you'll be considered. Surely though you don't think that Doyle will be considered until he is at least playing regularly for them, just because he's gone across the pond?? Because he won't....

[tetsujin1979]

I think by "banned" he means "excluded from consideration of selection into the senior squad by virtue of playing in the Eircom League", which is nonsense to be honest, all players are considered on merit before getting selected.

[TonyD]

I checked this out, its fcuking hard to find match statistics (apart from score) for Ireland. Pierce O'Leary was with Rovers when he played v N Ireland in Belfast in 1979 (0-1) in a Euro80 qualifier.

Anyone think of anyone else that played a competitive match since

Pat Byrne, Eccles, Barry Murphy, Liam O'Brien were all friendlies werent they ?

Pat Byrne came on as sub in Eoin Hands last game in charge, World Cup qualifyer v Denmark at Lansdowne Rd in 1985. He would be the last in a competitive game as far as I know.(We lost 4-1 btw)

[Éanna]

don'tget me wrong. I'm happy for cork. I hope they do well but doyle is a young inexperienced player who is on his second chance in england who realistically should be loooking to replace the likes of alan lee in the squad.first chance. doyle has never played in england before. As for the blinkers- if he wasn't good enough, I'd be the first to say so, but he is

[dancinpants]

Reading have been knocking on the door of the Premiership for the last three years now. A successful pre-season Intertoto campaign does not come into quite the same category. :ball: PP

Yeah but I think it would be fair to say that if Reading were lined up against some of the quality that Cork and Shels faced last season in Europe I'd be straight down the bookies wagin' serious money on Reading getting spanked. Just a thought lads :o . And to be quite honest if either team, this is hypothetical now, were drawn against Reading (or a team in a similar position) in Europe both Cork and Shels would be pretty confident of progressing.

[gypsydownunder]

Yeah but I think it would be fair to say that if Reading were lined up against some of the quality that Cork and Shels faced last season in Europe I'd be straight down the bookies wagin' serious money on Reading getting spanked. Just a thought lads . And to be quite honest if either team, this is hypothetical now, were drawn against Reading (or a team in a similar position) in Europe both Cork and Shels would be pretty confident of progressing.

Ehhhh... NO.
Big reality check here. Shelbourne just lost to Linfield, a part-time team from Belfast, in the Setanta cup final.

Any full time team in the English Championship (formerly known as Div 2) could comfortably expect to beat any team fromt he Eircom League.

[gypsydownunder]

Great answers to that age old question as to the last LOI player to play in a COMPETITIVE international match.

Pierce O Leary, Norn Iron, 1979
Pat Byrne, Denmark, 1985 (as sub).

Both are credible. Unitl now, I believed it was Mick Martin (before he moved from Bohemian FC to Manchester United).

[mypost]

Irish squad recently contained

SHay Given, Andy O'Brien, Steve Carr, Roy Keane, Damien Duff, John O'Shea, Miller (tenuous, I know) and steve finnan - all 8 played european football this year while holland, cunningham, morrison, reid, rob keane, steve reid, ian harte, kevin kilbane richie dunne (9) are all in the prermiership where cork would be bottom of the table if they played there - moderate european experience included (even fc vaduz made it a roupnd or two last year) Then we have paddy kenny, gra kavanagh, and steve elliot who are 3 of the top performers in the championship and should be in the prem one way or the other next year.

don'tget me wrong. I'm happy for cork. I hope they do well but doyle is a young inexperienced player who is on his second chance in england who realistically should be looking to replace the likes of alan lee in the squad. our first team is pretty good by a lot of standards and doyle is nowhere near it . I've just named 20 players who are there on merit before doyle.

next season we'l have the following in europe: finnan, keane, o'shea, miller(fnarr), duff, kilbane, potter (perhaps) and if the right moves happen - rob keane and shay given while the vast majority of the first team squad will be in the epl.

blinkers off, reality hat on - doyle has some way to go

Given, and Carr play for a poor side who finished 14th in the Premiership. Their former team-mate O'Brien has moved to a worse side, Portsmouth. Kenny Cunningham, and Clinton Morrison play for another bad side, Birmingham, as do Reid at Blackburn, and Kilbane at Everton. Holland plays for crappy Charlton, while Robbie Keane and Andy Reid play for persistent under-achievers, Spurs. Richard Dunne is a good player at a poor side, Manchester City. Miller can't get in the first team for the red-and-blacks. There's a reason for that, he's not good enough! Graham Kavanagh plays for Wigan, soon to struggle in the Premiership, while Paddy Kenny plays for the hackers of English football, Sheffield United. Gary Doherty, a mediocre utility player, can't get in a team who were recently relegated. Only Duff, Roy Keane, Finnan, and O'Shea, play for decent sides in the top division. McCarthy initially only took an interest in Morrison after he scored for Crystal Palace against Liverpool in a League Cup semi-final. Before then, it was a case of Clinton who?? :confused: Ian Harte left Leeds for Levante, but he can't play for BK as he's the poor unfortunate who plays his club football in Spain, out of sight, out of mind. He only plays when half the defenders in the team are suspended/unavailable.

Sheffield United against West Ham in last year's FA Cup was the worst game I watched anywhere last season. Neither team had heard of the word "passing", and the ball was continously hoofed up into the air. The quality of football is atrocious in the English lower divisions. It's only interesting in the last few weeks, when you discover who will replace the relegated premiership teams next season.

Sides from the English lower divisions will come here for their pre-season friendlies. I don't expect them to win many games, as they'll come up against teams with players who are match-fit, full-time, many of whom are in a stable position at their clubs. The same can't be said of their opponents, many of which are clubs experiencing financial problems, with players who have uncertain futures. That won't make a difference to BK, who will select them for Ireland anyway regardless. Expect Doyle, and Murphy to be in the International squad in the next 12 months, no matter if they're doing well, or struggling to settle with their new clubs, solely because they play in England. :rolleyes:

[ColinR]

Expect Doyle, and Murphy to be in the International squad in the next 12 months, no matter if they're doing well, or struggling to settle with their new clubs, solely because they play in England. :rolleyes:

that would be all well and good if it wasn't for there have been a number of soon to be internationals that left ireland and didn't become internationals - hawkins (failure at doncaster after being touted for ireland by pats fans), shaun maher at bournmouth etc.

if they prove they are good enough (firstly) to get into the starting line-up of their clubs, and (secondly) that they can score against higher quality opponents then maybe they will have earned a call-up to the seior squad.

As yet, neither has done anything to earn a call-up

[stojkovic]

Great answers to that age old question as to the last LOI player to play in a COMPETITIVE international match.

Pierce O Leary, Norn Iron, 1979
Pat Byrne, Denmark, 1985 (as sub).

Both are credible. Unitl now, I believed it was Mick Martin (before he moved from Bohemian FC to Manchester United).
Both those players were definately at Rovers a the time they got capped.
Surely Mick Martin left Bohs in the late 60s early 70s.

[Slash/ED]

Ehhhh... NO.
Big reality check here. Shelbourne just lost to Linfield, a part-time team from Belfast, in the Setanta cup final.

Any full time team in the English Championship (formerly known as Div 2) could comfortably expect to beat any team fromt he Eircom League.

Odd logic, a one off match, we've lost to some other sides who we'd consider ourselves better than in the last month or so...

I'd fancy Shels chances against some of the bottom teams in that division, but Reading over two legs you'd expect to beat us.

[stojkovic]

Pat Byrne came on as sub in Eoin Hands last game in charge, World Cup qualifyer v Denmark at Lansdowne Rd in 1985. He would be the last in a competitive game as far as I know.(We lost 4-1 btw)I remember it alright. We finished the game with about five centre halves on the pitch. Moran, McCarthy, O'Leary, McGrath and Lawrenson. John Sivebaek scored FFS.

[pineapple stu]

Expect Doyle, and Murphy to be in the International squad in the next 12 months, no matter if they're doing well, or struggling to settle with their new clubs, solely because they play in England. :rolleyes:
Are you seriously suggesting overall thaht Premiership and Division One players are worse than eL players?! :eek: :rolleyes:

Name the last player to leave the eL for a decent British side and be in the Irish squad within twelve months? Clive Delaney? Damien Delaney? Noel Hunt, Gary Dempsey or Richie Byrne in the SPL? Michael Reddy managed it only after he'd broken into the Sunderland team for a short spell and scored a couple of goals, but that was only once.


Odd logic, a one off match, we've lost to some other sides who we'd consider ourselves better than in the last month or so...
You also didn't beat Portadown at home, another part-time team. Not to mention twice failing to beat Reykjavik, yet another part-time team... And UCD are part-time too! :p It may grate, but I think gypsydownunder has it exactly right...

[Slash/ED]

You also didn't beat Portadown at home, another part-time team. Not to mention twice failing to beat Reykjavik, yet another part-time team... And UCD are part-time too! :p It may grate, but I think gypsydownunder has it exactly right...

Reykjavik aren't part time afaik, and we beat them over two legs which is all that matters.

And indeed, we failed to beat UCD in two times of asking, does that make us worse than UCD? Answer that honestly now :p

[Schumi]

And indeed, we failed to beat UCD in two times of asking, does that make us worse than UCD? Answer that honestly now :p
Obviously it makes you equal to us. :p

[pineapple stu]

Reykjavik aren't part time afaik, and we beat them over two legs which is all that matters.
Ah now - you drew 2-2 and 0-0. This against at best a barely pro team (average gates of c. 2000 in an 18-game league - I honestly don't see how they could be pro, but then you were there and I wasn't). There's a massive jump up from scraping by them and being confident against a Division One team. Players who draw against Icelandic opposition twice aren't much use to us in international football, where actual wins count.

You could make a case for the Hajduk game - or you could argue that that was the once-off. The Depor game was a good performance, but then take into account that they were in pre-season and how poor they turned out to be, etc.

I'm not arguing that maybe Heary doesn't deserve to be in the squad ahead of Maybury or someone like that, but you can't dismiss the Linfield game as a one-off, as it clearly isn't (the performances against Portadown were hardly convincing either). The league here has a long way to go before we can have players in the squad regularly. We're better off concentrating on that and the international call-ups will come when (if) the league reaches the required level.

[Slash/ED]

Ah now - you drew 2-2 and 0-0. This against at best a barely pro team (average gates of c. 2000 in an 18-game league - I honestly don't see how they could be pro, but then you were there and I wasn't). There's a massive jump up from scraping by them and being confident against a Division One team. Players who draw against Icelandic opposition twice aren't much use to us in international football, where actual wins count.

You could make a case for the Hajduk game - or you could argue that that was the once-off. The Depor game was a good performance, but then take into account that they were in pre-season and how poor they turned out to be, etc.

I'm not arguing that maybe Heary doesn't deserve to be in the squad ahead of Maybury or someone like that, but you can't dismiss the Linfield game as a one-off, as it clearly isn't (the performances against Portadown were hardly convincing either). The league here has a long way to go before we can have players in the squad regularly. We're better off concentrating on that and the international call-ups will come when (if) the league reaches the required level.

Well firstly a win is a win, also, you forgot Lille.

My point about Linfield was it's not an accuate sign of our standard, as we've been crap all month. We've lost to other sides in this league we'd consider ourselves better than, it doesn't mean we're now worse than them, just we're woefully out of form. Portadown at home was when the season had barely started, we outplayed them on their own pitch.

[gypsydownunder]

Both those players were definately at Rovers a the time they got capped. Surely Mick Martin left Bohs in the late 60s early 70s.


Mick Martin transfered to Manchester United in 1973. I remember as a kid being devastated. And trying to get the Da to explain why Mick would even consider moving away.

George Best appearing in the game at Dalymount which was part of the deal softened the blow somewhat, but then Gerry Daly left as well and it was the end.

[gypsydownunder]

Odd logic, a one off match, we've lost to some other sides who we'd consider ourselves better than in the last month or so...

I'd fancy Shels chances against some of the bottom teams in that division, but Reading over two legs you'd expect to beat us.


Look there's a few things here.

1. The group of die-hard Eircom League supporters (fair play to you by the way - I served my time at enough wind swept, god forsaken places, with only a Bovril between me and a state of frozen eternity) need to remove the rose tinted glasses. Yes the league is better than it was a decade ago (or appears to be). Yes the facilities are better (marginally). But the rest of the leagues in Europe have also improved. In other words, we haven’t really gained any ground.

2. There have been a few interesting runs recently – Bohemians (esp Aberdeen), Shelbourne (esp Hadjuk), Cork (albeit Inter Toto), but on the whole it’s still ****-weak. We’ve arrived when our 3 teams are regularly winning a round every year. And when our 3 representatives are the real ones competing for the Setanta. FFS Cork lost at home to Portadown, who were at the end of their season, in a game that DID matter, in front of their million passionate fans Zzzzzzzzz.

3. Shelbourne appears to be a well run club. They are certainly the current “force” in the League and perhaps a model for others to follow. Effectively they have the pick of every player they want (signing Crowe, Ryan from their recent closest rivals). But they’re still rubbish. And despite this they haven’t put any daylight between themselves and the rest.

4. I suppose that you could argue that Millwall (a Championship club, which DID play in Europe last season), faired no better than the Eircom League entrants. But this merely demonstrates, equality, at best and certainly not superiority. If you then take into account the “experienced in Europe every year line” then you might argue that Millwall did better (with their first ever european tie).

So in summary, yes the Eircom League is better than it was, but it’s (and the players that play in it) still not great. There’s a long way to go, before I’d be happy to see a home based player pull on a green shirt. And even if/when they do, I’d want the selection on true merit, rather than a bias towards a particular league.

Finally if you think Kerr is only picking players once they move to England, you’re wrong and probably younger than 25.

[mypost]

Are you seriously suggesting overall that Premiership and Division One players are worse than eL players?! :eek:

I think that some of them are better than players who play in the Championship. Do you rate David Connolly as international class? I don't. But BK will play him when we're short of strikers, whining that we have "nobody else". So, that attitude rules out Jason Byrne, and Glenn Crowe, and John O'Flynn, three of the best strikers in Ireland. We don't have to rely on Gary Doherty when Keane, Morrison, or even Elliot are not available. We have a number of strikers to call from our domestic league; ready, talented, and willing to show the country what they can do, but the coach won't consider them based on a perception that they play their club football in the wrong country, rather than a lack of individual ability. When Crowe was selected for the Greece game, Alan Lee was upset, claiming that he played at a higher level. He played for lousy Rotherham at the time but sorry, even Bohs are a better side than Rotherham.

[Mayo Red]

I think Owen Heary deserves a shot at the International setup, especially when you consider how low we were on defensive options during the recent qualifiers. He has been the best fullback in the league for a long time now, and was immense during Shels european run last year.

[pineapple stu]

Well firstly a win is a win, also, you forgot Lille.
Lille played youz off the park for 85% of that game and should have been 6-0 up by half-time in Lansdowne alone. If you're going to use that game to suggest you're as good as Lille, then we're as good as you and I want out players in the Ireland squad.


My point about Linfield was it's not an accuate sign of our standard, as we've been crap all month.
Even the worst Division One team would have trouble losing to Linfield, regardless of form. If an IL player gets into the NI squad, it's taken as a sign of how poor the NI team is. Yet we expect eL teams - who only had about a 50% record against the IL overall in the tournament - to get into a much better international team?


I think that some of them are better than players who play in the Championship. Do you rate David Connolly as international class? I don't. But BK will play him when we're short of strikers, whining that we have "nobody else". So, that attitude rules out Jason Byrne, and Glenn Crowe, and John O'Flynn, three of the best strikers in Ireland.
Brian Kerr hasn't played - or selected even - Connolly in months. He mightn't be international class, but by the same token, neither are any of the names you mentioned - and they're further away from the standard than Connolly is. Byrne for one was a flop in Europe - eight games and no goals. Playing against the likes of Finn Harps and Shamrock Rovers also isn't the best way to prepare for an international match, while at least playing against Division One clubs is a much better test on a regular basis.


but the coach won't consider them based on a perception that they play their club football in the wrong country, rather than a lack of individual ability.
I'm afraid that's pure blinkered conspiracy talk. If anyone knows the players in the eL, it's Kerr. If he isn't picking them...maybe - just maybe - they're not good enough...? The simplest explanation is often the right one and all that?

[Slash/ED]

Lille played youz off the park for 85% of that game and should have been 6-0 up by half-time in Lansdowne alone. If you're going to use that game to suggest you're as good as Lille, then we're as good as you and I want out players in the Ireland squad.

I never said we were as good as them



Even the worst Division One team would have trouble losing to Linfield, regardless of form. If an IL player gets into the NI squad, it's taken as a sign of how poor the NI team is. Yet we expect eL teams - who only had about a 50% record against the IL overall in the tournament - to get into a much better international team?

Compare and contrast our teams in Europe v theirs, that's the real judge of standard.


Byrne for one was a flop in Europe

That's simply not the case, he was one of our best players espically away to Deportivo where him and Ndo were head and shoulders above the rest for us, you don't have to score to play well.


If anyone knows the players in the eL, it's Kerr. If he isn't picking them...maybe - just maybe - they're not good enough...?

If he thinks Heary isn't good enough and Maybury is he needs his head examined.

[ColinR]

That's simply not the case, he was one of our best players espically away to Deportivo where him and Ndo were head and shoulders above the rest for us, you don't have to score to play well..

byrne was very poor in the big games. especially the lansdowne games he looked lost at sea, and never looked convincing imo




If he thinks Heary isn't good enough and Maybury is he needs his head examined.

i think you need to take of the rose tinted glasses. heary is good (excellent by eL standards), but by no means is he up to international squad standard. he'll probably never be either, unless he can test himself against a higher level week in week out - which maybury is doing