Republic of Ireland V Belgium - Saturday, 23rd March 2024 - Friendly

[JR89]

Probably to just train is all.

[ontheotherhand]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYjmi7x9IA

Ode to a Broken Stick.

It isn't Keane that's broken ya madman....... He's a far more useful type of stick!

Who would you drop for him? I wouldn't mind Parrot or Obafemi having to work a bit harder to get into a squad. I'd keep Idah.

Something about Keane might just not appeal to O'Shea though?

[pineapple stu]

Probably to just train is all.
What's the point of that though?

[elatedscum]

What's the point of that though?

I’d suspect someone has a knock or something and might not be able to train for a day or two

[CraftyToePoke]

Something about Keane might just not appeal to O'Shea though?

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?

Himself, Jon Macken & Paul Butler have a WhatsApp group I hear to help each other through those flashback days.

[OwlsFan]

The thing about keepers is that once they establish themselves, they are seldom dropped even for friendlies. I remember Kieren Westwood, player of the year in the Championship, couldn't get a game ahead of Given even though the latter was struggling at the time and eventually cost us in the Euros in Poland.

[seanfhear]

The thing about keepers is that once they establish themselves, they are seldom dropped even for friendlies. I remember Kieren Westwood, player of the year in the Championship, couldn't get a game ahead of Given even though the latter was struggling at the time and eventually cost us in the Euros in Poland.
It's not a given alright !

[SkStu]

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?

Himself, Jon Macken & Paul Butler have a WhatsApp group I hear to help each other through those flashback days.

Is Bernie Slaven too old for whatsapp?

[pineapple stu]

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?
He's had very limited chances in fairness. He was crap given an hour against Lithuania (when, in fairness, you don't really have much of an excuse for being crap) and then about half an hour between four other games, one of which was in Paris when we were so pegged back we literally couldn't get the ball up to him.

I think his club form suggests that at least in part (but not in full), the problem has been us, not him. I wouldn't be for discarding him quite yet - not while Obafemi/Connolly/Parrott/Idah are still struggling to get their careers motoring.

[Fixer82]

New kit will be worn for Belgium game

[Razors left peg]

New kit will be worn for Belgium game

The training jackets the players were wearing looked like a massive improvement. The badge didnt look like something stuck on as an after thought.

https://x.com/IrelandFootball/status/1769783616089825631?s=20

1769783616089825631

[ontheotherhand]

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?

Himself, Jon Macken & Paul Butler have a WhatsApp group I hear to help each other through those flashback days.

Lolz and all but I think there's arguments to be made that any Ireland manager should be trying to figure out how to harness a goalscorer at English Championship level. It's just really foot.ie to blame it on the only Irish manager to ever look twice at the lad.

[Snapshot]

Lolz and all but I think there's arguments to be made that any Ireland manager should be trying to figure out how to harness a goalscorer at English Championship level. It's just really foot.ie to blame it on the only Irish manager to ever look twice at the lad.
My recall is that Mick McCarthy spoke to Keane in 2019 and encouraged him to declare. Keane then suffered another long-term injury. At the time Mick also approached Patrick Bamford and apparently was encouraged by the response.

[Fixer82]

Will Keane is a good player and a proven goalscorer at Championship level who hasn't played a whole lot for us. Himself, Ferguson and Szmodicz are an exciting bunch of strikers.

Parrott, Idah, Connolly and Obafemi are next in line after those for me

[ontheotherhand]

My recall is that Mick McCarthy spoke to Keane in 2019 and encouraged him to declare. Keane then suffered another long-term injury. At the time Mick also approached Patrick Bamford and apparently was encouraged by the response.

Doesn't change the fact that Kenny was the one who capped him. Or that he didn't really take the chance.

Are you going to bring up Kenny every time a future manager doesn't pick Keane?

[Snapshot]

Doesn't change the fact that Kenny was the one who capped him. Or that he didn't really take the chance.

Are you going to bring up Kenny every time a future manager doesn't pick Keane?
It makes your comment wrong.

[ontheotherhand]

It makes your comment wrong.

Are you going to answer anything asked and have an actual conversation or just keep ploughing away?

[Snapshot]

Are you going to answer anything asked and have an actual conversation or just keep ploughing away?
Answer what precisely? I’m the one asking the questions about why a prolific goal scorer over the past three seasons has been afforded the minutes equivalent of one game. Stephen Kenny was manager during that time and as such is relevant to my contention.
As I stated previously, I’d currently place Ferguson, Szmodics and Ogdene ahead of Keane. No problem there but I’d have Keane on the bench.
What exactly am I avoiding? Throw it up and I’ll answer it. Does a conversation cease to be a conversation when one party disagrees?

[Razors left peg]

Arguing about Will Keane being left out is proof that some people will always just focus on who's out rather than in.

[Snapshot]

Arguing about Will Keane being left out is proof that some people will always just focus on who's out rather than in.
It’s called a paradox.

[Razors left peg]

It’s called a paradox.

It's called a load of nonsense

[ontheotherhand]

Arguing about Will Keane being left out is proof that some people will always just focus on who's out rather than in.

It's more the blaming of Kenny for a squad he didn't pick that I find funny Razor. Imagine scrolling through O'Sheas squad thinking "how did Kenny **** this one up?". I'd have Keane in probably. But yeah there's always a player who would have solved everything if included.

[Razors left peg]

Ive said it before, the only players in recent years that were consistently left out that we genuinely hard done by and could have made a big difference to us were Wes and Andy Reid in the Trap era. There have been times where I've thought certain players should be in a particular squad but they eventually showed they werent good enough or did make their way in. Last year Manning being left out was akin to Liam Brady be dropped by Jack... until he got in and everyone realized hes sh1te afterall. Then it became Szmodics, there have been little rumblings of Nathan Fraser should be in squad already and now we have the great Will Keane.

This is a good young squad we have now. There are gap.s that we need to fill in it that will hopefully happen in the near future, but every international window someone has to be b1tching about some discarded hero in their eyes.

[John83]

Oh, you know, people might discuss the decisions made about the national team on this discussion forum about the national team. That might be okay too.

[Crosby87]

Szmodics said today Hungary links were nonsense.

Can't a guy say he's hungry, without social media saying he is going to Hungary? Jeez.

[weldoninhio]

I don't think anyone's dismissing him - I think what we're saying is if someone breaks through at one of the top clubs in the world, then that has to give that player a huge boost in terms of a starting position for us. And we're also noting that he hasn't had a great season, which again isn't dismissing him.

Southampton have been winning games by dominating possession against teams - 70+% quite regularly, even away from home - and by battering teams into submission. 20 shots against Sunderland and 26 shots against Birmingham in their last two games for example. They're a bit Man City-esque in that regard - and I don't think many would say Ederson is "one of the main reasons that Man City are doing so well". His form certainly improved from the opening few games, but it can't be ignored that the outfield players were giving him less to do too.

He was decent in Amsterdam alright - I think it's worth noting he may have been our MotM, but he certainly wasn't overall MotM, which is quite a difference, and it would have been a different picture again had he not gotten lucky with the shot he let through his arms. I think there's feeling still though that you don't see many Southampton games where he's earned them a point.

The stats do take into account Raya's jittery opening btw - I'm not sure why you think they wouldn't. In fact, they show him with a poor PSxG figure this year (-2.5). But last year he was +5.0 (and so Arsenal signed him up) and this year Flekken is -7.3. Result is Brentford have already conceded ten more goals than last year, and are in a relegation battle whereas last year they were pushing for Europe. Obviously there's other factors in there too, and I would never argue the stats are correct to the decimal point. But like it or not, this sort of big data is very relevant.

Sorry, but who has "broken through at one of the biggest clubs in the world"?? Kelleher is in because of an injury. If that injury clears up tomorrow he's back out again and who knows when he'll get a run of games again.

[SkStu]

Szmodics said today Hungary links were nonsense.

Direct Quote: "Marco Rossi is nothing bud-a-pest"

I'm here all week.

[Razors left peg]

Oh, you know, people might discuss the decisions made about the national team on this discussion forum about the national team. That might be okay too.

Absolutely, but it usually spirals into a faux outrage and the manager doesnt know what hes doing. Discussion is one thing, but the guy being left out always seems to be the messiah

[Crosby87]

C'mon Razor, you have a Will Keane poster on your bedroom ceiling. Well, I've heard anyway.

[ontheotherhand]

Will Keane? Won't Keane?

Questions that will plague the Irish national side forever apparently.

[Razors left peg]

C'mon Razor, you have a Will Keane poster on your bedroom ceiling. Well, I've heard anyway.

Ive told your Mrs not to be telling stories again! (sorry couldnt resist :) )

[SkStu]

Will Keane? Won't Keane?

Questions that will plague the Irish national side forever apparently.

First Roy, then Johnser, now Will.

[elatedscum]

This is a stupidly attacking team but **** it.

This is the team I’d start against Belgium:

Kelleher

Doherty
O’Shea
Collins
Ebosele

Cullen
Knight

Ogbene
Szmodzics
Johnston

Ferguson

-
Probably makes more sense to play Coleman instead of Festy and moving Matt Doherty over to the left. But could see Doku rinse Coleman pace wise. The lack of game time after the injury worries me…

[Eminence Grise]

Direct Quote: "Marco Rossi is nothing bud-a-pest"

I'm here all week.

Don't know whether to laugh Orbán you.

[Crosby87]

This is a stupidly attacking team but **** it.



-
Probably makes more sense to play Coleman instead of Festy and moving Matt Doherty over to the left. But could see Doku rinse Coleman pace wise. The lack of game time after the injury worries me…

Yes we will Count Doku's goals I'm afraid.
The dark side of things.

[Snapshot]

Absolutely, but it usually spirals into a faux outrage and the manager doesnt know what hes doing. Discussion is one thing, but the guy being left out always seems to be the messiah
Absolute nonsense. I made a case for a player, provided facts and figures. Trying to do the right thing. Suddenly we're in your bedroom with Crosby's missus and a mirror on the ceiling. Chrissakes.

[Razors left peg]

Absolute nonsense. I made a case for a player, provided facts and figures. Trying to do the right thing. Suddenly we're in your bedroom with Crosby's missus and a mirror on the ceiling. Chrissakes.

Lads not allowed make jokes now?

Keep making your case for a 31 journeyman who has less pace than my dead grandmother if it makes you happy, but remember if you are allowed your opinion so are those of us who roll our eyes at someone getting annoyed over a nothing player

[Snapshot]

Lads not allowed make jokes now?

Keep making your case for a 31 journeyman who has less pace than my dead grandmother if it makes you happy, but remember if you are allowed your opinion so are those of us who roll our eyes at someone getting annoyed over a nothing player
Another disgraceful post from you. You're out of control.

[SkStu]

Relax the cacks.

[Razors left peg]

Another disgraceful post from you. You're out of control.

Think me and you have very different definitions of out of control and disgraceful. Jaysus, picking Will Keane as a hill to die on is an odd one, even by this forums standards. But fair play, keep fighting the good fight, its funny at least:D

[tetsujin1979]

Ok you two. Go to neutral corners.
There's been pages of debate on a player that isn't in the squad, and little interest in it, outside of both of you.
Either take it to your inboxes or let it go.

[John83]

Absolutely, but it usually spirals into a faux outrage and the manager doesnt know what hes doing. Discussion is one thing, but the guy being left out always seems to be the messiah
That certainly happens, but I don't see it with Keane. I think people who mention him suggest that his goalscoring record is consistent enough that his mediocre cameo isn't enough to dismiss him as a condender for the squad. They think he might be a decent option. That's a long way from him being the messiah, or even from the manager being a very naughty boy for leaving him out of the squad.

[JR89]

That certainly happens, but I don't see it with Keane. I think people who mention him suggest that his goalscoring record is consistent enough that his mediocre cameo isn't enough to dismiss him as a condender for the squad. They think he might be a decent option. That's a long way from him being the messiah, or even from the manager being a very naughty boy for leaving him out of the squad.

That's just the typical response from folk when anyone asks why isn't player A, B, or C in a squad. It was the response that was always given when people questioned why Szmodics isn't in squads.

[pineapple stu]

That certainly happens, but I don't see it with Keane. I think people who mention him suggest that his goalscoring record is consistent enough that his mediocre cameo isn't enough to dismiss him as a condender for the squad. They think he might be a decent option. That's a long way from him being the messiah, or even from the manager being a very naughty boy for leaving him out of the squad.
Exactly this.

Plus the options in the squad at his expense are distinctly mediocre too. Idah, Obafemi and Parrott have 22/23/23 senior club goals in their entire careers. Keane has 24 in the past 18 months.

And against that, you have the reasonable view put across by ifk101 that Idah and Obafemi in particular may offer something different up front, whereas Keane may be too close to Ferguson/Szmodics in style.

[Razors left peg]

That certainly happens, but I don't see it with Keane. I think people who mention him suggest that his goalscoring record is consistent enough that his mediocre cameo isn't enough to dismiss him as a condender for the squad. They think he might be a decent option. That's a long way from him being the messiah, or even from the manager being a very naughty boy for leaving him out of the squad.

I literally have a fella calling me a disgrace and out of control for making light of Keane.... think thats a bit OTT no?

[John83]

I literally have a fella calling me a disgrace and out of control for making light of Keane.... think thats a bit OTT no?
I think that was in distaste at the dead grandmother joke. In any case, tets has asked that that strand of the thread be taken elsewhere if it's to continue.

[tetsujin1979]

Ryan Manning called into squad after recovering from injury
1771122147089616938

[Supreme feet]

Game day, and it's been 25 hours since the last post on the dedicated match thread. For shame.

I'm going for a rousing 2-0 win today over a disinterested Belgium, evoking memories of Stan's win over Sweden eighteen years ago; Ferguson silencing the doubters with a good, scrappy poacher's goal, and Finn Azaz announcing himself with a Liam Miller-esque thunderbolt.

[Olé Olé]

Game day, and it's been 25 hours since the last post on the dedicated match thread. For shame.

I'm going for a rousing 2-0 win today over a disinterested Belgium, evoking memories of Stan's win over Sweden eighteen years ago; Ferguson silencing the doubters with a good, scrappy poacher's goal, and Finn Azaz announcing himself with a Liam Miller-esque thunderbolt.
But what are your views on Will Keane?

[Kingdom]

Haven't posted properly for a long time. The Kenny affair was awful in how it played out in the end.
Neither players, manager, coaches nor fans came out of it with any credit. I'll put my hand up and say that I probably went too far in debating the merits of SK at times. I'd imagine/hope that other posters would agree they went too far in the opposite direction, perhaps not.

It would be incorrect to say that nobody would have done better. We don't know, we couldn't know, but I think it is probably fair to say that this is the weakest period for Irish football in our lifetime (or in Stuttgart's case, two lifetimes) and by some distance.

Happy to let bygones be bygones, but I'm not going to engage with the exhausting nonsense most posters on the Ireland forum engaged in over the past 3 years).