Dear Mister Stan,

[Sniffer]

Ticket. Change for bus. Folding money for pub. Borrowed jersey; owner working, he'll not miss it. Mental note, watch out for the drips from the kebab. And we're off. End of season friendly, Ireland host the touring Chilean squad. Not just any Irish team though, one with 2 eircom League players in it, and a good chance that they'll both get a run.

I'm feeling a little summery and exotic as it hasn't rained yet today, so I'm having a slice of lemon in a pint of Hoegaarden. Join the throngs as we make our way towards the North Terrace. Nice one, no sun in my eyes, bit of elbow room.

First half. Plan A appears to be; Give it to Duffer.
Plan B appears to be; Give it to Reidy, and he'll play a crossfield ball to Duffer. Clever.

The half drags by. We applaud Arthur Fitzsimons at half time. Apparently he's a nice man. There were over 41,000 people in the ground, thankfully only one of them was nice. Second half begins, surely they'll be better.

They aren't. Jason Byrne warms up in front of us. No one around me gives him a cheer or any kind of recognition. This p1sses me off. I know if he gets on he'll make a decent effort. I want some decent effort for my shekels. This shower of perma tanned ladyboys have no interest in playing this game. No not the Chileans; they are taking this game seriously, as illustrated by their excitement when they take a one goal lead.

Groan. Ah, substitutions! Byrner gets on, but Ireland are crap, he'll be lucky to impress in this game. Joe Gamble doesn't get on. I would have liked to see the little soldier getting in amongst these lads, rattle a few cages, let them know they're in a game. gammy Kavanagh does the simple thing, collect the ball and pass the ball. Immediate difference. McGeady is hyperactive, wants the ball, wants to run at the defence. Harte is.......apparently hopeful of a return to the Premier****.

It's laughable, he's living out in sunny Spain with his bags packed ready to return to the temperate climate of Nortern Europe. His established international counterparts couldn't play to their full capacity last night as they wondered had they packed enough suncream and if the airport would be busy. A financial success for the FAI, in spite of what Stan says I don't see how he could have learned much from the game. Other than not to bother at this time of year next time around.

The subs, who had something to prove, gave it their all. The starting 11 [Given excluded] were choosy in their efforts, save for the last 15 mins or so, it was still painful to watch though. And even more so when we were informed that we were to be subjected to 6 minutes of added time. I never leave a game early; if Georgie O'Callaghan had appeared to me with a lift home I think I'd have left the Garden of Eden.

We should be trying out fringe players in these games, the glamour boys are not interested. they just wanted out of Landsdowne and away to their villas in Portugal or wherever, and we paid in to watch that. a perfect opportunity to throw in a couple of eircom League players from the off. They're flying now, not winding down like the superstars. Give them a chance Stan.

Good news, no drips on jersey.

[John83]

Erm, we did try out the fringe players. Kelly got his debut, O'Shea was given another run in central midfield (not saying it's a good thing), Kilbane was tried at both left back and centre half, Breen was given a game, McGeady got a run, Byrne and the Coca-Cola Championships' latest product of long years of training by a top English side got a game. Any more fringe and we'd have had a bleeding eL representative side.

[Sniffer]

El Breeno is a lost cause, not a fringe player. Unfortunately Zinedine is not a fringe player and MUST NOT PLAY ANYWHERE, Mc Geady and Byrne were the only experiments.

[pineapple stu]

Zinedine is not a fringe player and MUST NOT PLAY ANYWHERE
Despite the fact that he was one of our best players on the pitch?

What about Kelly? Henderson? McGeady?

[Fergie's Son]

You clearly went to the Tom Humphries school of journalism.

[Sniffer]

Despite the fact that he was one of our best players on the pitch?

What about Kelly? Henderson? McGeady?

nothing dramatic about giving a 'keeper half a game, standard practise in friendlies nowadays. My point is that it was obvious that the glitterati weren't interested in being there,so why not leave them out of it and give the interested players a run, thereby giving us a game to watch.

[Sniffer]

You clearly went to the Tom Humphries school of journalism.
?????

[John83]

nothing dramatic about giving a 'keeper half a game, standard practise in friendlies nowadays. My point is that it was obvious that the glitterati weren't interested in being there,so why not leave them out of it and give the interested players a run, thereby giving us a game to watch.
Because it doesn't tell you how they interact with the established players.

[John83]

????? Meandering and up his own arse, in case you're not familiar with him.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

What a stupid thread to start. For the first few sentences, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be singing it to the tune tune of Eminem.:rolleyes:

[Sniffer]

Meandering and up his own arse, in case you're not familiar with him.
I'll take it as a compliment so.

[Sniffer]

Because it doesn't tell you how they interact with the established players.
Again, my point. The established players were not for interacting last night. Let's see what the outsiders are capable of against a hungry international side

[Sniffer]

What a stupid thread to start. For the first few sentences, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be singing it to the tune tune of Eminem.:rolleyes:
Which one?

[Sniffer]

Were any of you at the match?

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

Which one?

Eminem's "Stan" of course.:D

[pineapple stu]

Stan, I assume.


Again, my point. The established players were not for interacting last night. Let's see what the outsiders are capable of against a hungry international side
But the point is that there's no point playing a B team. That's a B team and doesn't tell you how the players will play alongside established players. You have to bring in two or three new players at a time so it's still a first-team and you can properly see what the new lads will be like. The fact that the established players weren't really up for the game doesn't change the principle.

[Sniffer]

Eminem's "Stan" of course.:D
nice one

[Sniffer]

Stan, I assume.


But the point is that there's no point playing a B team. That's a B team and doesn't tell you how the players will play alongside established players. You have to bring in two or three new players at a time so it's still a first-team and you can properly see what the new lads will be like. The fact that the established players weren't really up for the game doesn't change the principle.
I agree with you in principle, but you learn nothing from players who are not interested in the game that they're playing; not interested in nursing the new lads along etc.

[John83]

Were any of you at the match?
I was, yes. Your point?

[pineapple stu]

I agree with you in principle, but you learn nothing from players who are not interested in the game that they're playing; not interested in nursing the new lads along etc.
But you learn nothing by playing a B team either.

[Sniffer]

I was, yes. Your point?
Just establishing a fact.The general air of apathy from the team permeated the crowd too. If you'd watched it on TV it may not have been so painful.

[John83]

I agree with you in principle, but you learn nothing from players who are not interested in the game that they're playing; not interested in nursing the new lads along etc.
You didn't agree with me in principle when I was making exactly the same point. ;)

We learned plenty last night.

Kilbane can play centre half in an emergency.
Breen can't
Kelly and Henderson are a bit suspect yet.
MacGeady looks useful but isn't ready yet.
Miller and O'Shea aren't going to win us anything.
Doyle is a useful option up front.
Byrne might be also be useful.
etc.

[Sniffer]

But you learn nothing by playing a B team either.
B team is your phrase. If they are taking on a full international side you will learn a lot about the quality of your fringe players and whether or not their ability transfers to the international arena.B teams play against B teams.

[Sniffer]

You didn't agree with me in principle when I was making exactly the same point. ;)

We learned plenty last night.

Kilbane can play centre half in an emergency.
Breen can't
Kelly and Henderson are a bit suspect yet.
MacGeady looks useful but isn't ready yet.
Miller and O'Shea aren't going to win us anything.
Doyle is a useful option up front.
Byrne might be also be useful.
etc.

That's not a principle, it's a statement of what you believe to be fact.

[pineapple stu]

B team is your phrase. If they are taking on a full international side you will learn a lot about the quality of your fringe players and whether or not their ability transfers to the international arena.B teams play against B teams.
It's as important who you play with as against. You need to know if a player can step up to play alongside Keane, Duff, etc., etc.

[Sniffer]

It's as important who you play with as against. You need to know if a player can step up to play alongside Keane, Duff, etc., etc.
Again, I agree in principle, what you don't seem to be taking on board is that you didn't see Keane, Duff & Co. They weren't playing last night, just going through the motions, creating the illusion that they were playing. This is no help to fringe players, and they are not PLAYING with the REAL Keane, Duff etc.

[pineapple stu]

I am taking that into account. I quite clearly stated it earlier. I said it was unfortunate, but overall the general idea was far better than playing a B team. A B team is always a B team, whereas a full team doesn't always play like they did last on Wednesday.

Incidentally, when did we last win a game in May? I can remember games against Poland (0-0, 2005), Czech Republic (0-2, 1994), NI (0-1, 1999 or so), Nigeria (1-2, 2002), Holland (1-3; 1996) and many others. Can't recall a single good performance in May.

[Sniffer]

I am taking that into account. I quite clearly stated it earlier. I said it was unfortunate, but overall the general idea was far better than playing a B team. A B team is always a B team, whereas a full team doesn't always play like they did last on Wednesday.

Incidentally, when did we last win a game in May? I can remember games against Poland (0-0, 2005), Czech Republic (0-2, 1994), NI (0-1, 1999 or so), Nigeria (1-2, 2002), Holland (1-3; 1996) and many others. Can't recall a single good performance in May.

SURELY THIS BACKS UP MY POINT
:confused:

[Sniffer]

Gotta go lads, belly calls, enjoyed the banter!

[John83]

Again, I agree in principle, what you don't seem to be taking on board is that you didn't see Keane, Duff & Co. They weren't playing last night, just going through the motions, creating the illusion that they were playing. This is no help to fringe players, and they are not PLAYING with the REAL Keane, Duff etc.
That I don't agree with at all. Duff was trying very hard last night. Keane wasn't playing his worse either. The problems were elsewhere.

[pineapple stu]

SURELY THIS BACKS UP MY POINT
:confused:
No...? :confused:

[drinkfeckarse]

You didn't agree with me in principle when I was making exactly the same point. ;)

We learned plenty last night.

Kilbane can play centre half in an emergency. A bit early to say that John, a few minutes against a mediocre South American side doesn't prove that
Breen can't agreed
Kelly and Henderson are a bit suspect yet. very true
MacGeady looks useful but isn't ready yet. raw talent but something to offer IMO
Miller and O'Shea aren't going to win us anything. as a partnership yes you're right
Doyle is a useful option up front. spot on
Byrne might be also be useful. if we've injuries
etc.

Things can only get better as they say...