Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane

[gastric]

Forde, for now at least
Coleman-OShea-CB2-Wilson
McCarthy Gibson
McGeady Hoolahan Brady
Long or Doyle



Maybe Wilson or Delaney at CB or Dunne if he's in good shape. I'd be tempted to go with Clark at LB if Wilson is CB.

I think McLean, Pilkington and Brady are all good players with some part to play. I still believe Andy Reid can do a job this campaign. I'm not sure which of Long or Doyle. Both need to step up performances at club level.

I'd give Stokes a chance somewhere along the line if I could.

Gibson must impress or run the risk of Meyler or Hendrick taking that spot. Maybe Hendrick has more bite.

It's such a shame that the summer tour, while possibly putting some people down the order, failed to elevate people other than Meyler and Hendock up the order. There are still an awful lot of open questions.

Not too different Stutts from mine. I forgot to include a goalkeeper, Westwood would be my choice. Ardee, normally we are of the same opinion, but I disagree with you. I think with this bunch of players and a more positive, adventurous approach, we can do okay!

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye but a long way between ''OK" and automatic qualification IMO.

[geysir]

Qualification is not that big of a target for a 24 team Euros, even Trap managed one Finals and nearly managed it another time. The big deal is to go to the Finals after scrapping it out with Poland and Scotland and do ourselves proud against the better teams.

[tricky_colour]

Well Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany and we only lost 6-1 so comforting to know we are better than Brazil.
Our follow up 3-0 defeat shows what a strong side we have become.

[tricky_colour]

Not too different Stutts from mine. I forgot to include a goalkeeper, Westwood would be my choice. Ardee, normally we are of the same opinion, but I disagree with you. I think with this bunch of players and a more positive, adventurous approach, we can do okay!

We are that strong these days we will probably do just fine without a keeper.

[OwlsFan]

Qualification is not that big of a target for a 24 team Euros, even Trap managed one Finals and nearly managed it another time. The big deal is to go to the Finals after scrapping it out with Poland and Scotland and do ourselves proud against the better teams.

One step at a time. It is a BIG target to qualify. We can worry about doing well against the big teams afterwards.

[Stuttgart88]

I agree. Qualification is the big target. Then we reboot and focus on the tournament proper.

I think some historic perspective is needed. I think we have deluded ourselves in some respects given how we had a good record getting out of groups.

Euro 88: some great performances but still "only" 4 points. 3rd in group.
WC90: two ok performances, one awful performance, two resolute / competitive performances. Nothing on a par with Hannover though. Two goals scored, both from opposition mistakes. No games won after 90 or 120 minutes.
WC94: one great performance, one ok and two muck. Two goals scored, one game in four won.
WC02: two decent (although the German appraisal has become a bit revisionist - Germany wasted a hatful of chances), one good and one really ballsy performance (Spain). We actually scored a few goals for a change.
Eur12: 3 defeats. One for, lots against. Caveat being it was a very hard group.

I'm not trying to revise downwards the appreciation of what went before, just trying to show that even in our heyday we found it hard to impress on the big stage. It's hard and this World Cup showed how the second-placed European teams struggled. Only France did well and they're not your typical European second seed.

Qualify, hope for a good draw, play well, get some luck and only then is progress beyond group stage feasible I reckon.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Qualification is not that big of a target for a 24 team Euros, even Trap managed one Finals and nearly managed it another time. The big deal is to go to the Finals after scrapping it out with Poland and Scotland and do ourselves proud against the better teams.

Agreed, just don't think we have the quality. or more importantly the commitment of the players.

One step at a time. It is a BIG target to qualify. We can worry about doing well against the big teams afterwards.

Exactly.

I agree. Qualification is the big target. Then we reboot and focus on the tournament proper.

I think some historic perspective is needed. I think we have deluded ourselves in some respects given how we had a good record getting out of groups.

Euro 88: some great performances but still "only" 4 points. 3rd in group.
WC90: two ok performances, one awful performance, two resolute / competitive performances. Nothing on a par with Hannover though. Two goals scored, both from opposition mistakes. No games won after 90 or 120 minutes.
WC94: one great performance, one ok and two muck. Two goals scored, one game in four won.
WC02: two decent (although the German appraisal has become a bit revisionist - Germany wasted a hatful of chances), one good and one really ballsy performance (Spain). We actually scored a few goals for a change.
Eur12: 3 defeats. One for, lots against. Caveat being it was a very hard group.

I'm not trying to revise downwards the appreciation of what went before, just trying to show that even in our heyday we found it hard to impress on the big stage. It's hard and this World Cup showed how the second-placed European teams struggled. Only France did well and they're not your typical European second seed.

Qualify, hope for a good draw, play well, get some luck and only then is progress beyond group stage feasible I reckon.

Fair assessment of the past, the future is far more uncertain. For reasons see above and posts passim.
My money is on us missing out in the play-offs.

[Stuttgart88]

I hope you're wrong about the commitment. That would be the worst indictment of all.

We'll see about the quality. I'm not as downbeat as you are on that front but goals are a worry. I'd like to think we can at least go toe to toe with Scotland and Poland.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Look at the last 5 years or so, the number of pull-out/withdrawals is shocking. Hence some of the muppets who've appeared in a green shirt.

[Stuttgart88]

Yep, I agree to an extent but I don't think withdrawals of the likes of Reid, Dunne, Clark and some others are anything but genuine. I think the MON era might be different to the Trap era where a combination of bad attitude, bad communication policy and bad man management led to withdrawals. I think there is a core of enthusiastic and committed players. Some, like Stokes, don't convince me but then again, it's a clean slate and I suspect his injury was genuine in May.

The Wilson family wedding was a bit cr@p, as was Walters' holiday in Dubai, but then again they all came back for the US trip and there was no great value in them being there for the whole 4 games. I'll give the players and MON the benefit of the doubt here. I don't see Keane, whatever about MON, tolerating slackers, though I'd be inclined to guess Cobh nut job will be in the set up soon.

[Fixer82]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/other-soccer/roy-keane-my-role-as-a-tv-pundit-was-a-conflict-of-interest-30409770.html

[paul_oshea]

I hope you're wrong about the commitment. That would be the worst indictment of all.

We'll see about the quality. I'm not as downbeat as you are on that front but goals are a worry. I'd like to think we can at least go toe to toe with Scotland and Poland.

We can go toe to toe, but in Strachan i think they have a far better manager. He is very articulate and seems very good at motivating and organising players to the best of their ability and the team as a whole. He is the only one who really caught my attention during the world cup, and his analysis and thought process was far better than O'Neills.

[ArdeeBhoy]

There's that and the fact Scotland/Alba are playing like a team. Was very impressed with their approach to the game I went to. Not the greatest players, but looked very cohesive and generally acquitted themselves well within their (& WGS's) 'system'.

Regardless of what we think and our fanciful selections, do MO'N/RMK even know their strongest team? Not entirely their fault, but I doubt it. And even more so, unlikely this 'ideal' team have even ever played together...

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/world-cup/us-world-cup-heroes-to-face-irish-30423366.html

Ireland to play U.S.A. in friendly this November.