If we had qualified....

[danonion]

All this talk about Brian Kerr in the last couple days with regards to STan being a ********, I have a hypotehtical question. If Ireland qualified for WC06, what would the 23 man panel kerr would have named been, names and numbers?

My own estimation

1. Given
2. Finnan
3. O'Shea
4. Dunne
5. Cunningham
6. Keane
7. Kilbane
8. Holland
9. Morrison
10. Keane
11. Duff
12.Carr
13. Elliot
14. Breen
15. Doherty
16. Kenny
17. Lee????
18. Harte
19. Andy Reid
20. O'Brien
21. Reid
22.no idea
23. J. Murphy??

[tetsujin1979]

McGeady, definitely

[SeaniesRedArmy]

andy obrien is definatly not good enough

[danonion]

im trying to figure out what kerr would have picked...now if anyone is particulary ambitious could they make a 1998 squad?

[theworm2345]

Connolly was in the sqaud for Kerr's last 2 matches (only got in against Cyprus) he may have been
Also, it appears you forgot Doyle, who likely would have been

[WexDec]

Interesting you should mention that cause that struck me immediately as well but he's right Doyler wouldn't have made the squad. He hadn't been really recognised at that stage (unusually given Kerr's background but maybe didn't want to be seen to be bringing his lads through early) although playing absolutely great stuff in the Championship. I always argued it took far too long to bring Doyle through to the senior squad, similarly the same could be said of Stephen Hunt now and deffo Roy Keane in his day (although he had much better players to displace). Its not like there were much better players ahead of them.

Amazing how players are suddenly elevated in status once they're playing in the Premiership (is top of the Championship that much worse than bottom of premier league). Just waiting for Bennett now to get the call up, seems your chances are playing for Ireland is directly related to whether you play for Reading instead of Cork City ! I know the argument regarding playing at a higher level which is valid but when you see the likes of Andy O'Brien or O'Shea (who I think only gets in cos he plays for a big club so can't leave him out) and then the likes of McShane comes along and I don't care who he plays for, he does a much better job in green.

.......interesting to see how Sunderland players will be re-evaluated if get through via the play offs

[galwayhoop]

good point wex, players seem to go straight into the reckoning based on where their team is plying their trade. i think we really witnessed this with shane long last week as i felt that stokes deserved to be ahead of him in the pecking order (based on appearences & goals from start of season).

however i reckon it's not just us that has this problem. ingerlund seem to do it too and i suppose the other european countries aren't too much different.

i wonder were most of san marino's players playing for their top two (only?) teams

[WexDec]

Couldn't agree more about Stokes. I'm quite excited about the prospect of having Keane, Doyle and Stokes available up front. Long has done well recently but has taken him a long time to break into the Reading first team. How quickly was that then recognised compared to Doyle's ultra consistent season last year for the same team only in a different league (that they were completely dominating though). I mean he was awarded the championship player of the year. Still quality competition for places....oh my Gawd how long has it been since we could say that but particularly for up front. One word kinda sums up that area of the pitch for us before - Doherty.

Ironic then that its now the midfield that seems to be the equivalent weakess area these days and still Stan was saying he wouldn't rule out playing Duff up front further weakening it, for f*ck sake ! What kinda nonsense is that, he shouldn't taken out of midfield with two of the above 3 available. On that point I thought Hunt would've walked into our midfield as a starter and didn't see the point of bringing Stokes on for Long, might as well as went 3 up front surely.

engerland's approach was explemified by Crouch's move to Liverpool shooting him to the first team and Barton and Nolan being ignored in preference to consistently underperforming midfielders. Hargreaves was a great proof of the pudding playing him everywhere BUT the position he plays in for Bayern for years (and his performances then being derided for it) and once they played him there for the first time he was their new "revelation" in that position and they say they missed him when he was out recently. Basically overlooked him because he plays for a German team over Lampard just because he can score a few in their own league (and contribute nothing else) surrounded by protection and providers. When their precious strikers got injured they still brought them refusing to look outside the top teams for form strikers instead finding an Arsenal one........who had never played for them !, but it ticked the box. Anyway enuff about them long may it continue ;)

Van Basten seems to have bucked the trend in this respect preferring domestic players playing consistently over big league players. Maybe partly is more wanting players who really want to play for their country rather than just arrogantly expecting it cos they're plying their trade in Italy or Spain. They looked strong going into the WC, and with unknown quantities to opposition coaches/players, but for some questionable tactics.

[eirebhoy]

Interesting you should mention that cause that struck me immediately as well but he's right Doyler wouldn't have made the squad. He hadn't been really recognised at that stage (unusually given Kerr's background but maybe didn't want to be seen to be bringing his lads through early) although playing absolutely great stuff in the Championship.

He was in the squad for Kerr's last 2 games.

[WexDec]

He didn't play till the Sweden match though. Could hardly presume he'd have been in a potential WC squad if he hadn't even made his debut.

[gustavo]

He didn't play till the Sweden match though. Could hardly presume he'd have been in a potential WC squad if he hadn't even made his debut.
I am fairly certian that had we qualified , He would have made appearances in the friendly games in the run up to the World Cup

[galwayhoop]

fact remains though that the better club you play for seems to automatically push you up the pecking order. and i don't even mean better league. someone playing for sunderland has a better chance than someone at southend. someone at man u has a better chance than someone at sheffield united. i know that as a general rule of thumb you would experct better players at bigger clubs but there are exceptions - not naming anyone here but i reckon we all know one or two!!

[danonion]

anyone brave enough to try france 98?