New hope

With so much negativity around our team over the last few years, I really think things are on the up and we have lot to look forward to in the next few years.

Some of these points are ifs and maybes but not that far fetched.

We are level on top of this current world cup campaign and I really think we will get least play off spot if not run Italy really close. Im glad we play them away 1st to be honest. Lets face it they are not a great team like Spain ,Brazil etc…


We have a lot of experience in the squad :
Kevin Kilbane 93
Shay Given 92 Caps
Keane 86 Goals 37
Duff 72
Dunne , Finnan, O'Shea are around the 50 mark.
Keily is a very experienced keeper (league wise, and it’s a farce he can’t get the number shirt back of Carson, who is leaking in goals)

The lads who will take up the mantel soon:

James Mc Carthy, Chris Mc Cann
Marc Wilson (back from injury)
Folan I think can be very important for us.
Liam Lawrence hopefully will get a run now soon for Stoke.
Nolan, St ledger, Elliot, Mc Carthy at palace and Willo Flood.
Andy Jackson (currently injured but will be promoted next season with St Johnstone)
Darron Gibson 2 goals and over 10 apperances for man Utd and going well now.
Painter ,Sheehan Liddle, o’Callaghan Delaney all options for left back in the future.
Lowry and Wallace on the bench for Villa and Everton
O ‘Toole, Quinn, Garvin, Walters, Best, Scanell
Gleeson, Spillane, Potter, Tracey, Judge, Doran, Marshall
Fahey, Tabb, O’Dea, Sheridan, Rowlands

The goalkeeper situation looks very healthy:

Keiren Westwood – looks a real talent. Playing well and will prob move up to the premier league in the next 2 years. He is only 24 and has lot of league appearances.
P Kenny is playing away and is still a good option.
Wayne Henderson still to come back. His cousin on the bench at Bristol city.
Elliot and Randolph number 1 and 2 at Charlton.
Logan and Forde and the 2 Murphys are playing regularly also. Supple still very young.
Sean McDermott - Vag FK named in the under age squad for a tournament later this month

The number of premier league players should rise next season. Hopefully Wolves, Birmingham and Reading get promoted.

I remember when we last qualified for the world cup a lot of potential “irish” players emerged and were willing to play for us…Tim Cahill was one on these.
So this could help us nail down a few players more, There is a argument that we shouldn’t take players that are not arsed but it may uncover 1 or 2 jems.

If we get to South Africa, it would be a hell of an experience for a lot of young promising players that would be hungry and half no fear once we are on that stage.

We have a friendly now Against Nigeria in May so hopefully this could be a change to blood a few new players on the fringes…Id call the Maguire kid to see what his response would be.Maybe Ireland would be better of starting in a friendly game and one not in Dublin :O)

The hype of having to play Italy , having a new stadium and the Celtic nations coming up ..This all raises the profile of the game which can only be a good.

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Originally Posted by bwagner

Keily is a very experienced keeper (league wise, and it’s a farce he can’t get the number shirt back of Carson

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Totally agree, Carson is one of the worst I've seen.

Forgot to mention Dixon now at West ham ..good luck lad :O)

Seamus Coleman at Everton is one to keep a wee eye on within the next year.

Couldn't agree more.

The Georgia game. Most people I talked to were raging at how "poor" we were. If memory serves me right we dominated possesion, controlled the match, had 10 attempts on target. And came back from first minute goal to win. Looked at ease enough. Looked like we had a plan. Just couldnt unlock them for the first half. Against a decent team with a good manager in our first game for 3 months. Which is only the 4th competitive match we've played missing many of our best players for one reason or another. AND YET WE'RE STILL JOINT AT THE TOP!

People also seem to forget that we do not have a divine right to be world champions. Our own league can't supply our own players. Georgia for example have many from their own league and many others starting in the the Bundesliga. Kaladze running Milan's defence. People need to learn the words context, perspective and development.

Given
Kelly Dunne O'Shea Kilbane(?)
S.Reid Andrews
Ireland A.Reid McGeady
Doyle

Kiely
Finnan/McShane
Whelan
Gibson
Hunt
Duff
Keane

Is it me or is that an excellent match day squad? Never mind whos starting/benched/formation attackwise especially we have a very formidable arsenal.

Absolutely agree. I think the future is very bright for Irish football at the moment

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Originally Posted by ShnaeGuevara715

Couldn't agree more.

The Georgia game. Most people I talked to were raging at how "poor" we were. If memory serves me right we dominated possesion, controlled the match, had 10 attempts on target. And came back from first minute goal to win. Looked at ease enough. Looked like we had a plan. Just couldnt unlock them for the first half. Against a decent team with a good manager in our first game for 3 months. Which is only the 4th competitive match we've played missing many of our best players for one reason or another. AND YET WE'RE STILL JOINT AT THE TOP!

People also seem to forget that we do not have a divine right to be world champions. Our own league can't supply our own players. Georgia for example have many from their own league and many others starting in the the Bundesliga. Kaladze running Milan's defence. People need to learn the words context, perspective and development.

Given
Kelly Dunne O'Shea Kilbane(?)
S.Reid Andrews
Ireland A.Reid McGeady
Doyle

Kiely
Finnan/McShane
Whelan
Gibson
Hunt
Duff
Keane

Is it me or is that an excellent match day squad? Never mind whos starting/benched/formation attackwise especially we have a very formidable arsenal.

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Robbie Keane, our best player on the bench next to one Damien Duff? What are you smoking? They're the first two names on the team sheet.

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Originally Posted by bwagner

The goalkeeper situation looks very healthy:

Keiren Westwood – looks a real talent. Playing well and will prob move up to the premier league in the next 2 years. He is only 24 and has lot of league appearances.
P Kenny is playing away and is still a good option.
Wayne Henderson still to come back. His cousin on the bench at Bristol city.
Elliot and Randolph number 1 and 2 at Charlton.
Logan and Forde and the 2 Murphys are playing regularly also. Supple still very young.
Sean McDermott - Vag FK named in the under age squad for a tournament later this month

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:rolleyes:

http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/cl...top-keeper.htm

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Originally Posted by bwagner

The goalkeeper situation looks very healthy:

Keiren Westwood – looks a real talent. Playing well and will prob move up to the premier league in the next 2 years. He is only 24 and has lot of league appearances.
P Kenny is playing away and is still a good option.
Wayne Henderson still to come back. His cousin on the bench at Bristol city.
Elliot and Randolph number 1 and 2 at Charlton.
Logan and Forde and the 2 Murphys are playing regularly also. Supple still

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Actually it was his wife that was playing away. His career went downhill after that....

The futures bright. Hopefully if we can get this qualification over the line (which I think we will) hopefully we can kick on to a golden era in Irish football!

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Originally Posted by bwagner

Forgot to mention Dixon now at West ham ..good luck lad :O)

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Dixon signed a three year contract which is even more promising. It means that West Ham are pretty confident his knee is in good shape and that they are willing to give him a chance to prove he still has what it takes. No better place to be than with a legend of a forward that is Zola. Here's hoping ye never know could be a surprise package for the final few months of the campaign next season. Every chance of it with Ashton unreliable and Carlton Cole......well being Carlton Cole.

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Originally Posted by mackannovic

Dixon signed a three year contract which is even more promising. It means that West Ham are pretty confident his knee is in good shape and that they are willing to give him a chance to prove he still has what it takes. No better place to be than with a legend of a forward that is Zola. Here's hoping ye never know could be a surprise package for the final few months of the campaign next season. Every chance of it with Ashton unreliable and Carlton Cole......well being Carlton Cole.

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You mean one of the best target men in England? Dixon has a long way to go he's also behind Forlan, Di Michele, and probably Fred Sears and Zavon Hines

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Originally Posted by theworm2345

You mean one of the best target men in England? Dixon has a long way to go he's also behind Forlan, Di Michele, and probably Fred Sears and Zavon Hines

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Presumably you mean Tristan instead of Forlan, think Tristan is on his last legs at this stage, but wouldnt imagine Dixon making a first team appearance this year. Needs to get a good run in the reserves injury free first.

its well and good saying the futures bright but how many of that list will actually play quality football. as in start for a top ten premiership club. its the now we need the players. our midfield is terrible.. Glen Whelan is defo not the answer. . dont know how many times against geor he wouldn take the ball from a defender instead he just pointed at john o shea or richard dunne to play a 40 or 50 yard pass down into the channels .silly. we need a midfielder who wants the ball and wants to pass it around

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Originally Posted by Conormack

Glen Whelan is defo not the answer. . dont know how many times against geor he wouldn take the ball from a defender instead he just pointed at john o shea or richard dunne to play a 40 or 50 yard pass down into the channels .silly. we need a midfielder who wants the ball and wants to pass it around

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Agreed. Andrews was better in this regard to be fair to him.

whelan is the weak link now.
right back needs sorting?? dont fancy kelly or mcshane to be honest.:(

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Originally Posted by bwagner

Painter ,Sheehan Liddle, o’Callaghan Delaney all options for left back in the future.

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Who's O'Callaghan? Do you mean O'Halloran?

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Originally Posted by the-blue-harp

whelan is the weak link now.
right back needs sorting?? dont fancy kelly or mcshane to be honest.:(

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Agree Whelan and Kelly were the conspicuous weak links against georgia.Really dont understand why Foley doesn't get a chance. No doubt if Wolves are promoted he will suddenly become a contender. We are not short of options for replacing Whelan, problem is that with the exception of Andy Reid none of them have much international experience.

whelan though seems to be traps "chosen one" if you like. I thought yea give the lad a chance when he first got picked but his performance against georgia was up to par. id like andrews playing defensive and i would love to see stephen ireland playing in front of him (as much of a tool as he is).:D

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Originally Posted by third policeman

Agree Whelan and Kelly were the conspicuous weak links against georgia.Really dont understand why Foley doesn't get a chance. No doubt if Wolves are promoted he will suddenly become a contender. We are not short of options for replacing Whelan, problem is that with the exception of Andy Reid none of them have much international experience.

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I thought Whelan was ok, doing some important stuff you tend not to notice. wrt Kelly vs Foley, I don't buy into the "he doesn't get a chance". He is a regular in the squad. I think Kelly got the nod based on his experience but in hindsight it wasn't a great call.

Still, lest we need reminding, 3 points.