Ireland vs Italy

[cabo2005]

So this is the next game, Italy have announced their squad and it is a complete reserve aquad like we always have for friendlys, mostly Palermo players. I think Italy will win this one. Their 2 attacking players Toni and Di Michele should have alot of fun against the irish defence

[thejollyrodger]

Kerr should follow suit and play lots of fringe players

____________P.Kenny

Kelly_____Dunne______?________O Shea

MacGeady____Miller__Kavanagh_____Reid

__________Elliott____Clint


Does Kelly (spurs) play on that side ?

Mac Geady needs to be blooded properly at this level.

Miller, Dunne, Reid, O Shea needs more games.

Stephen Reid should get a game also, somewhere.

Rest - Duffer,Robbie,Keano,Given,Kilbane. We all know what they can do.

[Captain Tinrib]

who cares what score it is, its only a friendly :mad: i hate friendlys, :mad: :mad:

[Slash/ED]

Kerr should follow suit and play lots of fringe players


That'll be the day.

This is the one thing I really hate about Kerr, he treats these non event games v experimenting teams as competitive games and doesn't play fringe players. He then wont pick them in competitive games as they 'lack experience at this level'. That's why I hate seeing us playing Italy, at least against crap opposition he might just have the confidence to experiment.

I'd put money on Duff, Keane, Keane eile, Given and Cunningham starting this match.

And Elliot and McGeady getting very little time between themselves too.

[eirebhoy]

cabo, do you have the full Italy squad? It seems very early to announce the squad.

[thejollyrodger]

the game isnt until the middle of august is it /??? thats a bit too long to announce the squad

[cabo2005]

No sorry, i only read it in the Gazzetta della sport.

Its the same team that played against Equador and Serbia. Its quite a good team alot of talented players. They play very good football.
The starters should be

Roma

Oddo
Barzagli
Zaccardo
Chiellini

Mesto
Barone
Blasi
Brienza

Di Michele
Luca Toni

[dynamo kerry]

roy won't be playing- surely that was the deal with the return

the others I think slash may be correct

[Eire06]

roy won't be playing- surely that was the deal with the return

the others I think slash may be correct
He played against China! There is no deal with his return, he plays when he is required to play

[Kingdom]

No sorry, i only read it in the Gazzetta della sport.



Ah yes the Gazzetta della fullacrapo. The very same paper that broke the Gary Breen to Inter Milan story.

[tetsujin1979]

I'll be shocked if the starting XI against Italy isn't the same as the starting XI against France a month later. I reckon Italy are starting with a relatively inexperienced side because they've pretty much got their group won, so they're giving their fringe players a run out.

[cabo2005]

Ah yes the Gazzetta della fullacrapo. The very same paper that broke the Gary Breen to Inter Milan story.


They did that to sell papers. They don't announce the official squad to sell papers. They have spectacular stories thats not one of them. Gary Breen is rubbish anyway!

[sligoman]

I actually think Kerr should play a full team* as it is so close to the crucial France game. The players will not have played many big games as it will still be pre-season so a game against the Italians should give them a big test and get them back to full fitness.

*By full team, I dont mean the big players playing for the full 90 minutes!

[superfrank]

Luca Toni is pretty good. Would like to see Volpi of Sampdoria in it too, looks a good player.

In reply to an earlier question, Stephen Kelly plays at left back but definitiely not in the centre. He's too small for that. :D

[cabo2005]

Yeah Volpi may get a chance soon. Luca Toni in my opinion is Italys best striker. Class act

[Zidane]

Will Kerr pick Liam Lawerence in the squad. Not sure if he has all the boxes ticked on his qualification yet.

[superfrank]

Yeah Volpi may get a chance soon. Luca Toni in my opinion is Italys best striker. Class act
He must be getting old though I remember when he was at Brescia a few years ago. What about Lucarelli are Gilardino?


Will Kerr pick Liam Lawerence in the squad. Not sure if he has all the boxes ticked on his qualification yet.
Who does he play for? :confused:

[cabo2005]

Gilardino is a first teamer now. Very good player on his way out of Parma it looks

Lucarelli made his debut against Serbia last week and scored, then played against Equador missed 2 open goals and missed a peno! But no doubt he is a very good player. Top scorer in Italy with Livorno says alot

[superfrank]

Gilardino is a first teamer now. Very good player on his way out of Parma it looks
Where will he go? Will he stay in Italy?

[NeilMcD]

Luca Toni is pretty good. Would like to see Volpi of Sampdoria in it too, looks a good player.

In reply to an earlier question, Stephen Kelly plays at left back but definitiely not in the centre. He's too small for that. :D

Stephen Kelly plays right back for Spurs and he has played centre back a few times and he also plays centre back for the U21's. I think he has filled in at left back for spurs but his position is right back for them.

[cabo2005]

Where will he go? Will he stay in Italy?



Milan have been heavily linked with him as have Chelsea. Will most likely go to one of them my money is on Milan but I wouldnt be suprised if Chelsea got him

[superfrank]

Stephen Kelly plays right back for Spurs and he has played centre back a few times and he also plays centre back for the U21's. I think he has filled in at left back for spurs but his position is right back for them.
Thaks for clearing that up, knew it was left or right. Only match I remember him playing for Spurs he was at left back. :o


Milan have been heavily linked with him as have Chelsea. Will most likely go to one of them my money is on Milan but I wouldnt be suprised if Chelsea got him
Would like to see him at Chelsea cos we need a forward. Do Parma still have money problems?

[cabo2005]

Yep, but they will try and milk you for everything. Think he has a £35m tag according to the latest calcio italia magazine

[Kingdom]

Yeah Volpi may get a chance soon. Luca Toni in my opinion is Italys best striker. Class act
Are you bleedin mad? Gilardino. End of. Story.

[Kingdom]

Yep, but they will try and milk you for everything. Think he has a £35m tag according to the latest calcio italia magazine

They will !! And he does. He has already said he wouldn't go to England. No deal will be done till mid July as he has two relegation matches to play yet!! He will be a Milan player next season mark my words.

[brine3]

if italy play mauro esposito on the wing and stephen kelly gets the better of him then we know we have a top class rightback on our hands

[cabo2005]

Are you bleedin mad? Gilardino. End of. Story.



He plays off the front man

[eirebhoy]

I'm with those that think we should play our strongest available team for the Italy match. There's no real point in experimenting when Kerr has spent the best part of 2 years building this team.

[Irish Pride]

What is the story with tickets for the match. Ticketmaster arent selling them anymore. Is the match Sold Out or are the FAI going to wait until its closer to August to put them on sale?

[Eirambler]

I think they were a package with the china game, which sold out. So there wont be any more on sale. I'd say they'll still be easy enough to get closer to the game, if you know the right people.

[tetsujin1979]

There were extra tickets for the Italy game released after the China game, I picked one up for my brother.

[Peadar]

What is the story with tickets for the match.

I'd say there'll be loads available here in the run up to the game.
Should be no reason why you wont get your hands on one.

[carnstien]

In reply to an earlier question, Stephen Kelly plays at left back but definitiely not in the centre. He's too small for that. :D
No he doesn't he plays right back and he has played centre back on a number of occasions and he's over 6 foot so I'd say he's plenty big enough to play there.

[tetsujin1979]

No he doesn't he plays right back and he has played centre back on a number of occasions and he's over 6 foot so I'd say he's plenty big enough to play there.

only 5 foot 11 according to premierleague.com (http://www.premierleague.com/fapl.rac?command=forwardOnly&nextPage=enPlayerProfile&playerId=253711)

Tall enough to play at centre half, but Jol seems to like him at right full

[Curtains]

What is the story with tickets for the match. Ticketmaster arent selling them anymore. Is the match Sold Out or are the FAI going to wait until its closer to August to put them on sale?

They are still selling them on the FAI website through their credit line if that helps. Only South Terrace I think are left.

[boysingreen]

Field the France XI.

[onenilgameover]

I reckon we do some experimenting the team is gonna pick itself for the France match barring injuries. We need the likes of McGeady and Elliot to get more experience we know what the likes of Duff Keane x 2 can do...

Personally if we do qualify and McGeady is not on the plane to Germany that will be a tradgedy...He could be a huge star on the World stage he needs the time now! :eek: God I'm sick of playin Friendlies to win at all cost and then Fup up when it matters........... :mad:

[dynamo kerry]

bold statement tuff.

finnan may be outclassed by kelly at that age but carr was widely recieved as WORLD CLASS when he emerged under George Graham