Republic of Ireland V Norway - Thursday, 17th November 2022 - Friendly

[tetsujin1979]

Norway squad announced yesterday, Ireland squad expected tomorrow
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[tetsujin1979]

Just reading that the Maltese manger resigned on Monday - https://www.mfa.com.mt/news/general/malta-fa-accepts-national-teams-head-coach-resignation/ - and their U21 manager has been appointed interim manager for their two friendlies against Greece and ourselves - https://www.mfa.com.mt/news/national-teams/gilbert-agius-appointed-interim-national-coach-for-november-friendlies/

[ifk101]

Spurs are not releasing Kulusevski for Sweden's games next week. Might be an issue for us with Doherty.

[JR89]

It's an international window so doubt Spurs can stop a player whose fit from joining up with his country.

[ifk101]

Sweden has five players not being released by their respective clubs. Apparently outside FIFA international games dates? Norway's coach also making note of this.

[pineapple stu]

The Malta game is the same day as the World Cup opener, so it does seem an unusual time for matches and it's possible it's not a sanctioned week alright

[CraftyToePoke]

Are Sykes & Szmodics the more likely call ups ?
Both playing most weeks in the Championship.

[pineapple stu]

So are Cunningham and Manning, and that hasn't really helped them under Kenny.

But yeah, with most of our forwards either injured or not entirely in favour at club level, it's the obvious place to look for new options. Possibly Smallbone too?

Nobody jumps out from the 21s; Azaz and Kilkenny might be worth looking at but they're both injured I think. Is it worth giving Ferguson a call-up for the experience?

But slim pickings really.

[JR89]

If clubs can refuse any player they want there likely wouldn't be any friendlies whatsoever this month cause no club will want their players playing unnecessary games and picking up injuries when they could be at home relaxing.

[ifk101]

Celtic aren't releasing players. Not relevant to us but shows clubs can refuse.

[CraftyToePoke]

Possibly Smallbone too

Yeah, & Coventry if he plays the EFL Cup game against Blackburn I guess, at least that would be a 90 for his club where it didn't matter one bit if they lose, like the two European games he played, hardly a crunch fixture either though.

Slim pickings indeed, but we have to knit with the wool we have eh Pineappler.

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, maybe Coventry alright, though I wouldn't be in a rush based on some West Ham EL games as they don't tend to take them all that seriously. Wasn't that long ago they were playing Joey O'Brien in those games.

And we're trying to stop Haaland here. I mean, we're effectively 1-0 down already.

[JR89]

Celtic aren't releasing players. Not relevant to us but shows clubs can refuse.

Well hopefully a few of ours are refused and we get a proper experimental squad for the games.

[elatedscum]

Defensively wouldn't mind seeing McNamara involved, Manning too.

In terms of midfielders, I could see an argument for including Conor Coventry. Presumably he'll play tonight, which means he's starting 3 games in 3 weeks. Obviously, it's not the best games for West Ham but after 3 games, he should be pretty much up to speed. Certainly a better option than Conor Hourihane. Hodge is the only real alternative as far as I can see.

As for more attacking midfielders - any of Smallbone, Sykes, Szmodics, Mandriou or Ronan, I'd be willing to try. I'd like to see them all at some point, so not gonna argue about who we should see first, as long as one makes it.

Wingers, presumably Ogbene, Robinson and O'Dowda will be there. Personally, I like 4 wingers in my squad, maybe that's not really needed with the formation we play, but the lack of available strikers probably pushes the required number up. Not sure who the 4th would be, no outstanding options really. People who have been called up in the past are: CJ Hamilton, Marcus Harness, Michael Duffy, Festy Ebosele. Neil Farrugia has looked pretty good for Rovers in Europe whenever I've seen him play - probably as viable a name as anyone.

Strikers - we've got Obafemi, Hogan and Keane - you'd have to imagine all 3 will be called up. Ferguson might merit a call-up. Beggars, choosers etc. with Parrott, Kelly, Idah and Connolly injured

[tetsujin1979]

Press conference today at 1:45, squad should be announced around 1
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[pineapple stu]

Who are we confirmed missing for this? Is it mainly the forwards (Parrott, Idah, Connolly, the option of Kelly)? And Omabamidele too I think.

[JR89]

Parrott, Idah, and Omobamidele are definitely out. Don't think there's been any word yet on Keane's injury from Tuesday. Connolly sounds like he could be just about back but lack of games and probably so far down the list to begin with. Can't think of anyone else that realistically would have made it but is unavailable.

Will be interesting to see if clubs refuse any of ours to be called up. League One doesn't break so Derby could refuse Hourihane (hopefully) and Knight who only came on in the 91st last night. Rotherham are down to the bare bones with strikers and might not want Ogbene getting hurt on international duty. They were annoyed when he started and more or less played the full games against Belgium and Lithuania.

[Olé Olé]

If you're Ogbene in that situation then you very much have the upper hand. It would be incredibly ballsy for them to mention blocking given his importance, form, contract situation and the desire to play and exposure of playing for Ireland.

[Trequartista20]

None of Hodge, Coventry, Ronan or Szmodics. Is surprising and not a little disappointing.

No Hourihane is good, though I assume this is due to Derby not releasing him rather than Kenny overlooking him, because a knight is missing too.

Ferguson's inclusion is positive,though I feel bad for Ebosele

[CraftyToePoke]

Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth).

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Nathan Collins (Wolverhampton Wanderers), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough), Liam Scales (Aberdeen, on loan from Celtic), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Robbie Brady (Preston North End).

Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jeff Hendrick (Reading, on loan from Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Stoke City, on loan from Southampton), Jamie McGrath (Dundee United).

Forwards: Michael Obafemi (Swansea City), Callum Robinson (Cardiff City), Scott Hogan (Birmingham City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City).

[Jd2793]

constantly overlooking manning which i just dont understand. also not really keen on more of mcgrath in the national set up but its 2 nothing games so not much lost. happy other than that but wouldnt have minded coventry or hodge being included.

[pineapple stu]

Agree re Manning; we need new blood at wingback and there's not exactly a wealth of alternatives

Stevens left out - he's just back from three months out so don't know if his club asked for him to be left out or if he's being phased out.

Don't begrudge Smallbone or Ferguson their callups but wouldn't be expecting them to transform our fortunes either. (And ditto Manning and Stevens really)

The squad still hits you with "meh"ness when you see it written down

[tommy_c12000]

Apart from Manning omission, reasonable squad. Quality has not progressed at all this season which has been disappointing. Our green shoots are still failing to blossom. Smallbone is a nice player in patches, hasn’t done well in stoke by all accounts, I’m not a huge fan of him myself. Ferguson a potential crucial player for us in the future so nice to have him involved. I still don’t get fascination with McGrath

[Jd2793]

not too pushed re: stevens . not really done anything with ireland in the last 3 years IMO. its a tough one for kenny as he clearly likes brady and mcclean is already there. mcclean so close to 100 caps aswell. but at some stage he'll have to give manning games as hes been so good at championship level this year (according to swans fans) and as you say we need fresh blood there.
scales being kept in also doesnt make much sense to me but he'll likely get a run v malta so nothing lost. just dont particularly think hes good enough to even be a squad player when someone like manning is deemed not good enough. seems like he was waiting for mcgrath to get a move to call him back in. look the lad exceeded all expectations in his last apps but IMO hes not near good enough for international football. surely hodge would have been more deserving even tho both play in different midfield positions.

[pineapple stu]

Would tend to agree re Scales/McGrath (and almost any non-Celtic/Rangers SPL player) but Scales is in as a centre half I would say, so not keeping Manning out

[pineapple stu]

Duffy left out as well actually. The move to Fulham has been a disaster and it's hard to argue against it. But it still feels like losing a key option

[Stuttgart88]

I'm a bit underwhelmed by that. Yes it's good that Smallbone and Ferguson are in, and I do like Jamie McGrath but these are friendlies and we already know everything we'll ever need to know about Hendrick, for example. I'm not fussed about Manning but I'd like to have seen first signs of a changing of the guard in the middle, so at least one of Coventry, Ronan or Hodge.

Dan McD is saying Farrugia and Gaffney are on Standby.

[JR89]

Yeah Scales is in there as fifth choice CB and wouldn't have got in if Omobamidele was fit or Duffy was playing games. Probably a strong message to Duffy that he needs to leave Fulham in January or risk missing out on squads.

Still though would have called Manning up and tried Brady in midfield against Malta. Not too pushed on McGrath as he's looked decent in an Ireland shirt at times but would have preferred seeing a Hodge or Coventry. Even just bringing those lads with the squad named to train as I doubt Ferguson might get a run out. Fifth choice striker in that list and with O'Dowda named could see 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 used against Malta.

[third policeman]

There's a lack of consistency in promoting Ferguson, which is a progressive move, and not having a look at Hodge who is getting more minutes in a position where we are desperately short of quality. McGrath is a lazy pick for a friendly. He's not been included in recent squads and he's done nothing in the meantime to suggest his career is on an upward trajectory.

[pineapple stu]

Dan McD is saying Farrugia and Gaffney are on Standby.
Crumbs.

I'll never say no to more former UCD players in the squad, but do we really have no better attacking options than those?

Crafty seemed to nominate 3/4 on the previous page!

[JR89]

Farrugia likely named on standby as a WB though.

[Jd2793]

Crumbs.

I'll never say no to more former UCD players in the squad, but do we really have no better attacking options than those?

Crafty seemed to nominate 3/4 on the previous page!


i think those 2 are only options as they are local. bit like mceneff and burke getting called up in 2019 was it? probably tight on possible call ups too if he cant count on l1 players being released?

[pineapple stu]

We're away to Malta though, so that doesn't seem like a reason not to have, say, Szmodics or Sykes on standby instead. They seem more likely to have a medium-term presence in the squad than the Rovers two.

(Unless there's more in the list than just Farrugia/Gaffney of course)

[ifk101]

He mentioned Brian Maher is on standby as well. Might be others.

[DCWA]

Don’t see the harm in a handful of LOI players on standby. It’s convenience and a gesture to the league. Maher and Farrugia Kenny knows from u21s and Gaffney the leagues best player the last few months and playing plenty in Europe, granted his profile in terms of EFL past and age etc would make a call up more questionable whereas at least youth can justify the other two.

Overall the squad a bit meh as someone else pointed out but not sure we can expect anything but, the one glaring omission as of course has also been pointed out being Manning.

[pineapple stu]

Don’t see the harm in a handful of LOI players on standby. It’s convenience and a gesture to the league. Maher and Farrugia Kenny knows from u21s and Gaffney the leagues best player the last few months and playing plenty in Europe, granted his profile in terms of EFL past and age etc would make a call up more questionable whereas at least youth can justify the other two.

Overall the squad a bit meh as someone else pointed out but not sure we can expect anything but, the one glaring omission as of course has also been pointed out being Manning.
The bit in bold is no basis for naming a senior international squad though.

Gaffney was barely good enough for League One and at 33, I don't see what he adds, even on standby. Rovers scored one goal in the Conference League groups, fewer than anyone else in the competition.

[MylesNotMiley]

Isn't Farrugia eligible for Malta?

[pineapple stu]

I think so, yep.

Also France I think. But that's obviously not going to happen.

[JR89]

Shane Duffy wasn't selected for personal reasons and would have been selected otherwise going by Kenny's press conference. Knight and Hourihane it's been confirmed weren't released by Derby County.

[tetsujin1979]

Squad details
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[CraftyToePoke]

Gaffney / Farrugia / Maher & Dan Cleary on standby according to DMcD.

[ontheotherhand]

The midfield is depressing but what's new there? McGrath hasn't done enough in a green shirt or elsewhere to warrant more call ups imop but we are so short on creativity. Sykes and Szmodics would have been more interesting maybe. Conor Ronan and Hodge as well. Seem to have done ok for Wolves in the cup yesterday and Hodge is at least getting EPL minutes as said above.

Scales seems to be doing well for Aberdeen at centre half but I'd agree with pineapple in that non Celtic/Rangers players shouldn't really be getting in ahead of e.g. Manning who offers the same versatility at cb and lwb.

I can see the logic behind Farrugia being on standby but I'd hope it's as a midfielder. He's not a good enough defender to move up to international level (maybe Malta...) in that position but he has been excellent going forward from either side or through the middle recently. Kenny obviously knows him well. Gaffney makes less sense at 33 but that's just a token gesture to the league I think.

At least some of the strikers are in decent form although maybe it's the less exciting ones....

[tommy_c12000]

Gaffney / Farrugia / Maher & Dan Cleary on standby according to DMcD.

Shocking depth if that’s true

[Jd2793]

Shocking depth if that’s true

im not too worried about the lads on standby. even if they are called up they wont touch the pitch nor will any be options going into the next competitive window.

[tommy_c12000]

Agree but I just don’t see the point of it. These players will never play a meaningful game for Ireland senior team while in the league of Ireland. Our domestic league remains at too low a standard. Rovers are by far and away the most superior domestic team we have and they had a poor showing in the group stages of a 3rd tier European competition. Some possible progress has been made for sure, but far substantial process would need to be made for LOI players to be taken seriously as senior international contenders. Just a meaningless gesture in my books. There are young players abroad with far higher ceilings who should be placed on standby

[elatedscum]

in fairness, there's normally about 20 players on standby, but presumably with L1 out of the equation, some LOI lads come in. I'd imagine Hodge, Coventry, Szmodics, Ronan, Manning, McNamara, O'Leary, Sykes, Dunne would all be on the standby list too

[Diggs246]

I don't like kenny
But its a good squad guys

Mcgrath is a good player tidy and while in green has done very well

Smallbone is deserved and great to see him called up

Absolutely delighted about ferguson
We have zero to lose watching him play 45 against Malta ? Young strong and has ability

Scales v manning is a poor decision unfortunately

But I'm happy he is taking a few chances

[JR89]

I don't see Ferguson getting any minutes actually. Obafemi, Ogbene, Hogan, and Robinson likely all get minutes ahead of him and if Keane is fit that's five guys ahead of him.

Against Malta could see Obafemi, Robinson, and Ogbene/O'Dowda in a front three. 25 man squad he might not even make match day squads like Ronan didn't against Lithuania.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Kenny made some very poorly judged comments about Hodge recently and now he doesn't call him up. That's really poor management you have to say. A few others could have been called up but nothing really surprising or exciting about the squad.

[CraftyToePoke]

Kenny made some very poorly judged comments about Hodge recently and now he doesn't call him up. That's really poor management you have to say. A few others could have been called up but nothing really surprising or exciting about the squad.

Unless he's managing a situation where the player wants to wait & see what his international options are in time. That's one way to make sense of it, because it does go against his early press statements about not letting these dual situations go the way of others. Hodge not being called up is a marginal, but SK name dropping Jack Taylor this evening when speaking about midfield emerging options is strange when we have one getting top level minutes in Hodge in a problem position.