Ireland's Worst Ever Substitution

[Paddy Garcia]

Any advance on Douglas?

I can hear Stan now "lets stick someone on who will scrap away in midfield for the last few mins & break up play!"

When it was obvious to all that we needed someone to put his foot on the ball & keep posession: REID. As soon as Douglas came on I said they will score as we were never going to keep posession - little did I think he would lose his marker too. What was going through Stans mind ????


Holland for Kennedy comes close as Kennedy was such an effective outlet in that game. But at least Holland was playing premiership footy and playing excellent football at that.

Douglas ... My God, it's a bad joke.

[carloz]

Keith O'Neill against Macedonia. Douglas has always given his best when playing for Ireland and i feel he is being vilified for the sake of it. Its not his fault the manager felt the need to have THREE defensive central midfielders on the pitch

[Réiteoir]

Sir Bobby coming on that radio programme for Staunton and Delaney.

Horrific substitution imo

[Paddy Garcia]

Sir Bobby coming on that radio programme for Staunton and Delaney.

Horrific substitution imo

Ok, on that note Stan for Kerr.

[soccerc]

Keith O'Neill against Macedonia when he was told to run around midfield and stay away from the ball

[Colbert Report]

Robbie Keane getting subbed off at the 60th minute against Switzerland in November 2005. Gary f'ing Doherty!

[the ox]

Robbie Keane getting subbed off at the 60th minute against Switzerland in November 2005. Gary f'ing Doherty!

That's the exact one I was thinking of. Although was it in 2003? And Clinton Morrison came off for Mark Kinsella?

[Colbert Report]

Yes you're right, it was 2003. Everyone in the pub was screaming at Brian Kerr for that one.

[Torn-Ado]

Robbie Keane off injured against Israel at home and Graham Kavanagh and defensive midfielder in his place...

Ah f*ck it. I cant take this **** anymore.

[Colbert Report]

I think I remember that match. Didn't he get injured about ten seconds into the match, only to stay on and score before being subbed after 25 minutes? Ian Harte scored a free kick then as well I think.

[Torn-Ado]

I think I remember that match. Didn't he get injured about ten seconds into the match, only to stay on and score before being subbed after 25 minutes? Ian Harte scored a free kick then as well I think.

Thats it.

The Irish way. Score and sit on it until the opposition do like wise. Or in that case score twice.

[Qwerty]

The Douglas substitution was baffling, Ireland apparently had a problem with his hamstring so a change had to be made, you would have thought Reid/Hunt would the obvious choices but instead Stan goes for a League 1 player who can't pass the ball and hasn't play 1 minute of competitive football so far this season and asks him to play out of position.

Anyone notice that we didn't have a defender on the bench? Stan needs to work on his options at the back.

[Supreme feet]

Douglas should be shot.

Sorry, heart talking before head. Douglas should be left out of the next squad.

[ofjames]

Any advance on Douglas?

Holland for Kennedy comes close as Kennedy was such an effective outlet in that game. But at least Holland was playing premiership footy and playing excellent football at that.


Ipswich were a division one club in 1999 (the year they were promoted), so holland was not playing premiership footy at that time. In my opinion, the holland substitution still ranks as the worst of recent times (slightly ahead of kavanagh for keane versus Israel).

Forget about blaming douglas. blame the manager

[Scram]

Robbie Keane getting subbed off at the 60th minute against Switzerland in November 2005. Gary f'ing Doherty!

That was Number 1 sh!t sub, until Stan somehow managed to outdo it last night :mad:

[rambler14]

Joe Lapira in America.
Nothing wrong with Jon Douglas either, i think hes a fine player.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

Ok, on that note Stan for Kerr.

How about Kerr for McCarthy. Irish football has been on a downward spiral ever since.

[fergalr]

Holland for Kennedy comes close as Kennedy
Still #1 for me though I have no doubt Staunton will surpass it before his reign is out. Douglas came close.

[Donal81]

I thought that O'Shea was at fault for the second equaliser (that hurts to write), to be honest. Why on earth didn't he get his body behind the 'tackle' that he made before the Slovak scored?

Not to detract from the silliness of the Douglas substitution. He isn't the worst player in the world and has played well for us in the past and shouldn't be blamed for being the substitute. It was Stan's call and I just cannot understand it. I just can't think of one tactical benefit Stan envisaged taking place as a result of Douglas. And Gibson, for that matter. Both were pointless substiutions that killed us.

As for this thread, Keaneo's substitution against Israel when he made way for Graham Kavanagh, with Duff moving up front. Shocking stuff, Kerr's worst decision.

[craig7042]

Any advance on Douglas?

I can hear Stan now "lets stick someone on who will scrap away in midfield for the last few mins & break up play!"

When it was obvious to all that we needed someone to put his foot on the ball & keep posession: REID. As soon as Douglas came on I said they will score as we were never going to keep posession - little did I think he would lose his marker too. What was going through Stans mind ????


Holland for Kennedy comes close as Kennedy was such an effective outlet in that game. But at least Holland was playing premiership footy and playing excellent football at that.

Douglas ... My God, it's a bad joke.


I dont think it was as big a deal as many are making it out to be. We should have had the ability to hold on with whoever came on. It seems to me the team is just simply a bit short at the moment. I wouldnt blame Stan or the players - just a big lacking in maturity in terms of shutting up shop.
Its not for lack of desire or passion.

But I long for them to pull it out of the bag on Wednesday. What a night if we do.

[dr_peepee]

Kernaghan for Aldridge when we were 1-0 down in the 1995 play off with Holland at Anfeild.... I don't remember the finer details cos I was young and drunk. There may well have been no other options on the bench, but I remember being totally bewildered by the logic of it at the time...

[as_i_say]

phil babb brought on when we were 2-3 down away to russia and then goes on to score an own goal. mccarthys second last game in charge.

[Wolfie]

Alan McLoughlin for Houghton against Northern Ireland in Belfast in 1993.

I mean, what the hell was Jac................... oh, he scored did he?

[Stuttgart88]

Alan McLoughlin for Houghton against Northern Ireland in Belfast in 1993.

I mean, what the hell was Jac................... oh, he scored did he?

wasn't he going to bring on Cascarino but Cas left his jersey in the dressing room? Or is that only partly right?

[as_i_say]

think that was a different game but cant remember game so yeah my reply is sh it yeah whatever

[Stuttgart88]

Cascarino definitely left his jersey in the Windsor Park dressing room but I'm not sure whether that was the reason McLoughlin came on.

[monutdfc]

Not the worst, but a bad one: Matt Holland for Naill Quinn at home to Portugal in the qualifiers for WC 2002. The commentators always say something like "they're shutting up shop now" or similar rubbish, when in fact replacing a forward/attacking midfielder with a defensive midfielder only draws on the opposition and hands them the initiative.
See also: last Saturday, Kavanagh for Keane at home to Israel, etc

[as_i_say]

34 year old and pie eating Ronnie whelan coming on against Norway in USA 94 and causing havoc in our own box has gotta be up there as well.

[DeNiro]

Cascarino definitely left his jersey in the Windsor Park dressing room but I'm not sure whether that was the reason McLoughlin came on.

Yeh Cas left the jersey in the dressing room but he had it on celebrating on the line when McLoughlin scored. Houghton came off for McLoughlin and asked Jack why did you take me off because I was the only one getting shots. Jack told him he was the only one missing them all as well. Cascarino may have come on for Quinn I'd say. That was one hell of a night up there. Remember McGrath looking over at Terry Phelan clenching the fists in middle of second half to gee him up. What we'd give to have a Paul McGrath now!

[Wolfie]

Yeh Cas left the jersey in the dressing room but he had it on celebrating on the line when McLoughlin scored. Houghton came off for McLoughlin and asked Jack why did you take me off because I was the only one getting shots. Jack told him he was the only one missing them all as well. Cascarino may have come on for Quinn I'd say. That was one hell of a night up there. Remember McGrath looking over at Terry Phelan clenching the fists in middle of second half to gee him up. What we'd give to have a Paul McGrath now!

The footage of them celebrating on the pitch on The Road to America documentary is quality.

Mick "Spongo" Byrne getting a bear hug from Roy Keane when they realise we're qualified.

Jack Charlton demanding confirmation from Reporters if the final whistle has gone between Spain and Denmark - "Is it bloody over or not!!!???"

[as_i_say]

Those were the days.

when decent plastic paddys wanted to play for us ;)

[Torn-Ado]

when decent plastic paddys wanted to play for us ;)

LOL

:D

[Wolfie]

when decent plastic paddys wanted to play for us ;)

Yeah - decent plastics like Phil Babb and Eddie McGoldrick.

[as_i_say]

Eh yeah. Compared to john O shea and Lee carsley. Yes please.

[Wolfie]

Imagine the nightmare of the four of them in the one lineup!!!!

[Stuttgart88]

wasn't Duff taken off in Stuttgart, to be replaced by Alan O'Brien?

[shakermaker1982]

wasn't Duff taken off in Stuttgart, to be replaced by Alan O'Brien?

O'Brien definitely came on and went to the left. I just remember being able to spot his blonde/ginger hair from the back row seat I had. I think he had two 'kick the ball 20 metres and run tactic' that nearly bloody worked!!!

[Moley]

The Douglas substitution was baffling, Ireland apparently had a problem with his hamstring so a change had to be made, you would have thought Reid/Hunt would the obvious choices but instead Stan goes for a League 1 player who can't pass the ball and hasn't play 1 minute of competitive football so far this season and asks him to play out of position.

Anyone notice that we didn't have a defender on the bench? Stan needs to work on his options at the back.

Not true, he's played five games for Leeds this season.