Staunton misses the boat ( Devo too )

[Shelsman]

Lads,
Looking at all the friendlies that have and are being played since the Chile match, it's clear to me that Staunton could easily have played another two friendlies. I think he's missed a golden opportunity to take a look at some players and blood a few young lads.

-It would be fine to give the experienced players the choice to miss out ( Keane, Duff, Kilbane, Finnan, Given etc )
-it would be a chance to run the rule over the up and coming players.
-In particular it would've given Kevin Doyle ( and our second choice keepers ) more experience -it also should've given Staunton the chance to check out and blood a new third choice centre back ( e.g. Paddy McCarthy at Leicester ).
-It would also give him the chance to sort out the central midfield dilemma too.

As for Devo -when is he going to organise a 'B' international ( what's the point in having a 'B' manager if he has no games!! ).

[irishfan86]

I agree, more games should have been played.

Hopefully the time in Portugal together did some good though...we can only hope.

[zinedineontour]

I agree, more games should have been played.

Hopefully the time in Portugal together did some good though...we can only hope.

think they were right .. long hard season for the lads and the longer rest will do them good unlike the germans and the czechs .. will benefit us in september

[DmanDmythDledge]

More games should have been played only because Staunton was recently appointed.

[tetsujin1979]

I think there's very little to learn, maybe one or 2 new caps would have been handed out, but it seems to me that staunton knows his first choice starting xi at aginst the germans already, and we'll see that against holland in august. no point in getting the team further down in the dumps about missing out on germany by getting them to play someone who's going

[Superhoops]

FAI wanted another game against WC opposition but Staunton insisted on giving players a long break after the Portugal trip/Chile game and to come back fresh for the Holland and Germany games.

No doubt he knows his preferred starting line-up for Germany and only injuries will change it. If anyone drops out, Staunton has already seen everyone who is likely to be involved.

[NeilMcD]

I think the performance of the Chile game shows that the last thing the players wanted was another end of season friendly to be honest. Listening to Ronnie Whelan and Aldridge and a few others talk about it, they hated end of season games especially friendlies.

[ken foree]

i would've hoped for another few friendlies; the most discouraging thing about the last 4 games, bar sweden, has been not only been the lack of skill but the alarming lack of guts shown by the players. that has to get sorted before the autum.. somehow

[pete]

I think Staunton should have decided the formation he was to play for next qualifier game & take 2 games to get players used to that system. Should only be trying players who have realistic chance of playing in the qualifiers although injuries may not have helped that plan.

I don't think Staunton has learned anything from his 2 friendlies as little chance he would ever play 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 in a qualifier. Remember Micj McCarthys sweeper system?

I agree he relied too much on players such as Keane & Duff in the friendlies though.

[Shelsman]

it seems to me that staunton knows his first choice starting xi at aginst the germans already

Yes, he may know his starting XI but if there are 2 or 3 injuries then he may be forced to play some very inexperienced players. My point is that it was the players OTHER than the starting XI that needed to be examined and blooded.

[Stuttgart88]

My point is that it was the players OTHER than the starting XI that needed to be examined and blooded.
In fairness, so many were injured (Ireland, O'Brien, Elliott, Lawrence, McCarthy, Kenny, Garvan...) that we'd have been trying players just for the sake of it I reckon. There were others on U21 duty too and even they were depleted.

He got a good look at Miller (not good against Chile) and McGeady (pretty decent), Graham Kavanagh again, Steven Reid as RHM, Kelly as a full back, Kilbane as a full back. So I do actually think we learnt things, it's just that what we learnt wasn't all good.

Personally I'd like to have seen more games but that's just because I like watching Ireland. A proper "B" international, excluding the top 16 or 17 senior players may have had some merit.

But I also think that a week training together and a prolonged summer break will be good, as long as Joey Barton doesn't cause Richie Dunne to go around kicking walls again.

Total aside: are we to write Darren Potter off now? Was he eligible for the recent U21 squad or is he now in the senior ranks?

[geysir]

Wasn't it a door he kicked down after being driven up the walls by Barton?

[Stuttgart88]

Can't remember the minutiae!

[ken foree]

barton had a row in a bar with an underage city supporter while on tour somewhere i think. dunne tried calming him down and barton went for him. and then dunney went for the wall

[CraftyToePoke]

Total aside: are we to write Darren Potter off now? Was he eligible for the recent U21 squad or is he now in the senior ranks?

dont know about his international status, but i think he is currently clubless, as southampton havent offered him anything permanent.

[geysir]

Can't remember the minutiae!
I have been angry enough to kick open a door but not quite stupidly mad to kick out at a wall. Dunne showed some sense in times of extreme provocation.

Don't players have to return to club training in a few weeks time? Chile gave us plenty of thought, they took the game serious, could turn out to the best friendly we could have played atm.
I am not so sure that Stan knows the best 11 yet or the best positions for some players or the best tactics for the team.