Friendlies

[sligoman]

I see that Scotland are playing friendlies against the USA(November) and Switzerland(March). How come we haven't any planned until August/September next year?:confused:. Surely we need a bit of practice like? and also time to experiment with the squad?:confused:

[Dublin12]

You're a sucker for punishment:p

[sligoman]

You're a sucker for punishment:p:D, we do need it though:p

[as_i_say]

im sure there'll be some 3 team tournament in iceland we can compete in-who needs the world cup anyway

[gspain]

Shame Switzerland are taken. :rolleyes:

No point playing next month but we will need a game in March. We are also due a home game v the Dutch in May or August. Our sendoff game to Germany......:mad:

Not sure how many away friendlies we owe after our recent run of home games. Some would have been a cash fee and some would have involved a return fixture.

Anyone on the BB waiting list should be hoping for a China or Canada as I reckon it would clear another few hundred off the list.

[Green Tribe]

Shame Switzerland are taken. :rolleyes:

No point playing next month but we will need a game in March. We are also due a home game v the Dutch in May or August. Our sendoff game to Germany......:mad:

Not sure how many away friendlies we owe after our recent run of home games. Some would have been a cash fee and some would have involved a return fixture.

Anyone on the BB waiting list should be hoping for a China or Canada as I reckon it would clear another few hundred off the list.

:D :D

[thejollyrodger]

we should only use fringe players since these friendlies are completely and totally meaningless.

[eirebhoy]

we should only use fringe players since these friendlies are completely and totally meaningless.
No they're not. The European Championship qualifiers are coming up in September so we'll have 1 or 2 friendlies before then. There's no point playing 11 fringe players as we still then haven't a clue whether they're ready to play for Ireland. Its alright saying "Oh, he played well against Holland so he's good enough at this level". Its how he plays with the likes of Duffer that matters.

[Superhoops]

No they're not. The European Championship qualifiers are coming up in September so we'll have 1 or 2 friendlies before then. There's no point playing 11 fringe players as we still then haven't a clue whether they're ready to play for Ireland. Its alright saying "Oh, he played well against Holland so he's good enough at this level". Its how he plays with the likes of Duffer that matters.
Agree entirely.

Assuming our first Euro 2008 qualifier is in Sept 2006, we ought to be looking at playing at least four friendlies, one in March, one in August (v Holland) and two in May/June against teams going to WCF in Germany.

Bearing in mind we are starting from a point now where we have no manager and four or five or the nucleus of the team have retired from internationals, if we are to have any chance of getting through the qualifying, which would have been hard enough even with a settled team, we need to have some semblance of a team unit who have played a bit together rather than being thrown together.

There have been several comments that there is no rush to appoint a manager and that we could even wait until May or even after the WCFs. IMHO this is madness, we should have someone in within the next month or so, starting to prepare.

The draw for the Euro Qualifers in is January and the fixtures meeting is in February. If we dont have a manager appointed by them, you have to assume John Delaney will represent us at that meeting and he will make any decisions that need to be made (although as fourth seeds, we are not likely to have many choices), but nevertheless these are footballing decisions and should be made by the team manager and not the executive.

The lack of urgency in sorting this out has all the hallmarks of a fourth seeded team with little ambition.

[JoeSemi]

I saw today that Delaney is at a conference in Switzerland and is supposed to be looking into the possibility of England coming over to play us either next year or in 2007. Its a fixture that's long overdue and it could act as a springboard for any new manager if a good result was achieved.

[Superhoops]

I saw today that Delaney is at a conference in Switzerland and is supposed to be looking into the possibility of England coming over to play us either next year or in 2007. Its a fixture that's long overdue and it could act as a springboard for any new manager if a good result was achieved.
I doubt if English FA will want to risk it before WCF's. After that the only date is August if this is to be the springboard you talk about before the qualifiers start again.

[The Owls]

I heard the england rumour aswell and it seems the english fa are interested.Revenge in Croke Park.

[jbyrne]

I heard the england rumour aswell and it seems the english fa are interested.Revenge in Croke Park.

that rag the herald ran the story a week or so ago. probably made up so

[Thunderblaster]

A couple of friendlies to settle some old scores: Trinidad and Tobago, Macedonia (away), Algeria, Israel, Nigeria and Belgium. Nice to play them and whup their butts!!:D

[Drumcondra Red]

I heard the rumour about England, and the next day it was apparently in the herald, must've been sitting behind me on the bus or something!

[ifk101]

Apparently we had a November friendly with Denmark cancelled by the FAI yesterday.

We wont be playing a friendly against the Danes again any time soon...

[NY Hoop]

Apparently we had a November friendly with Denmark cancelled by the FAI yesterday.

We wont be playing a friendly against the Danes again any time soon...

FAIlure clowns. That would have been a good trip too. But wait being away would mean it wouldn't be economically viable:rolleyes:

KOH

[stickyjoe]

Danish match was meant to be in Landsdowne, FAI were probably right to cancel, I dont think a match in 2 weeks time would help us. I think we have Holland at home next august.

dont think there is a rush on appointing a manager. If we have one in place by February that will be fine with me. Gives the new man time to scout out euro 2008 opponents and also plenty of time to look at irish players with their clubs and in friendlies with the national side.

[NY Hoop]

Danish match was meant to be in Landsdowne, FAI were probably right to cancel, I dont think a match in 2 weeks time would help us. I think we have Holland at home next august.

dont think there is a rush on appointing a manager. If we have one in place by February that will be fine with me. Gives the new man time to scout out euro 2008 opponents and also plenty of time to look at irish players with their clubs and in friendlies with the national side.

Seeing as we played them only 3 years ago in a home friendly I would have thought this would be away?

Anyway the sooner they appoint a manager the better. Waiting til May, as has been suggested, is ridiculous.

KOH

[thejollyrodger]

No they're not. The European Championship qualifiers are coming up in September so we'll have 1 or 2 friendlies before then. There's no point playing 11 fringe players as we still then haven't a clue whether they're ready to play for Ireland. Its alright saying "Oh, he played well against Holland so he's good enough at this level". Its how he plays with the likes of Duffer that matters.

I disagree. There is no point in playing the usual suspects as it serves no purpose whatsoever bar a game or two before the competive matches. We all know what the likes of Duff, Robbie Keane, Kilbane, Given, Finnan and few other players are going to produce. Nothing new will be learnt and its just a waste of time.

Personally I would rather see the manager take the team by the balls and get the likes of Eliott and Doyle playing a lot more. In midfield Miller,S.Reid and A.Reid kavanagh and a few other players should be tried out and figure out where their best position is. We were too one dimesional and predictable in the last campaign and we need to try something new.

At the back I would like to see some of the younger players given a shot like Kelly plus finding out our best partnership. Plus I think Paddy kenny should be in goal for all of the friendlies bar one to give him a chance in case anything goes wrong with Given.

One of the best things a manager can do is give out caps to players and build up some loyality. Mc Carthy did it and it worked very well for him.

[eirebhoy]

I disagree. There is no point in playing the usual suspects as it serves no purpose whatsoever bar a game or two before the competive matches. We all know what the likes of Duff, Robbie Keane, Kilbane, Given, Finnan and few other players are going to produce. Nothing new will be learnt and its just a waste of time.

Personally I would rather see the manager take the team by the balls and get the likes of Eliott and Doyle playing a lot more. In midfield Miller,S.Reid and A.Reid kavanagh and a few other players should be tried out and figure out where their best position is. We were too one dimesional and predictable in the last campaign and we need to try something new.

Stephen Reid may control a game along with the likes of Alan Quinn and Liam Miller, we still wouldn't have a clue how he gets on with the usual suspects. Playing a team full of reserves serves no purpose. Look at how Chelsea are playing since the players have gelled. Look at the difference between the start of Celtic's season and now. That's what happens when players get used to each other. That's 2 reasons why you have to play most first team players in friendlies.

[thejollyrodger]

we have to blood new players. Mc carthy did it very well and was left with a very good squad at the end. Kerr didnt really do it. We have to give out as many new caps as possible and broaden the squad.

I wouldnt throw out a 11 second choice players but the main emphasis should be building up player loyality and having players who can come in to do a job.

At the end of the day, the starting 11 picks itself. Nothing to figure out there

[eirebhoy]

Kerr gave international debut's to 11 players, the majority of which aren't good enough.

[Superhoops]

....At the end of the day, the starting 11 picks itself......
And that 11 is?

[dr_peepee]

Never agreed with Brian Kerr's attitude to Friendlies... No more than I agreed with Mick McCarthy's which was the polar opposite to Kerr's.

The backbone of the team should play whenever possible and should be supplemented with fringe players in potentialy 'problem' positions. Admitedly players availibillity for freindlies makes this difficult but Kerr's 89th minute sub craic and McCarthy's 13 substitutions were fruitless exercises.