Ireland's 23 man squad for Euro 2012

We can be optimistic can't we? :D

If we get into this kind of situation what kind of squad can we expect? Who are the frontrunners and who are the fringe players with it all to prove or the potential bolters? I remember doing something similar on Munsterfans 6 months before the rugby world cup and it was remarkable to see the number of changes to the expect squad lineup then and what actually happened even injuries accounted for.

Anyway if the squad was chosen today I'd expect Trap to pick something along the lines of: (going with a standard 3 goalkeeper, 8 defender, 8 midfielder, 4 forward split)

G Shay Given
G Keiran Westwood
G David Forde

D Stephen Ward
D Kevin Kilbane
D John O'Shea
D Stephen Kelly
D Kevin Foley
D Richard Dunne
D Sean St.Ledger
D Darren O'Dea

M Glenn Whelan
M Keith Andrews
M Darren Gibson
M Keith Fahey
M Damien Duff
M Aidean McGeady
M Stephen Hunt
M Liam Lawrence

F Robbie Keane
F Kevin Doyle
F Simon Cox
F Shane Long

Backups:

G: Joe Murphy, Randolph, Brian Murphy
D: Mcshane, Clark, Wilson, Cunningham, Delaney
M: McCarthy, Coleman, Green, Treacy
F: Walters, Best, Folan, Stokes, Keogh

Unlikely to be considered:

G: Paddy Kenny
D: Andy O'Brien, Alex Bruce, Steven Reid, Ian Harte, Stephen Carr
M: Stephen Ireland, Andy Reid, Rory Delap
Grannygate people of any description.


Major decisions in the above squad may be if Lawrence still has a strong claim in Traps eyes, I think he should but hes unquestionably slipped down the pecking order to probably be the weakest of the 8 listed. The question is more if Coleman or McCarthy have done enough internationally to warrant displacing him.
In defence its hard to know where Trap stands on Kilbane, I would imagine with him starting as recently as last month he still feels he has a job to do although hes appeared increasingly motivated to move him on. Ward or Kelly at LB has hardly impressed in his absence and his experience may well be vital.
The striking situation in Traps mind right now would appear to be Keane - Doyle and Cox - Long as preferred backups. Walters should get an opportunity to shine in the meantime to prove to Trap he has something different to offer. The chance may be gone for Best and Stokes.

Kilbane, Gibson and Lawerence won't make it. McCarthy, Coleman and Walters should and will I think.

Down with this sort of thing.

Christ.

Lets try and qualify first, then have this discussion...

closed this quick

A more comfortable line of discussion now perhaps? :)

Meyler (if he continues to make a successful return from injury), McCarthy (if he re-discovers his form), Brady (looks like a superb talent), Coleman (still not convinced but good option off the bench):

These are the only "new" players I can see challenging for starting places for the Euros

Expect two or three players to come through that are not even on the radar. Added to Mayler, Pilkington, Hoolahan, MacCarthy and possibly Brady. As Liam Brady said last night it will be up to whoever comes in to take their chance. Turning up when selected will be a requirement! A neutral such as Bobby McMahon the Scottish football analyser for Fox Soccer believes we will do very well at 2012. "Nobody wants to draw a team that concedes very few goals and rarely loses".

Right, I think its safe enough to talk about this now.

Here is a list of everyone who has gotten a game or been a sub for Ireland since the start of last season.

Keepers: Given, Westwood, Forde, J Murphy, B Murphy, Randolph

Defenders: Kelly, O'Shea, O'Dea, Cunningham, Foley, St. Ledger,
Dunne, Clark, Wilson, Kilbane, Delaney, McShane,
Ward

Midfielders:Lawrence, Fahey, Whelan, Duff, McGeady, Hunt,
Coleman, Gibson, Green, McCarthy, Andrews, Treacy

Forwards: Long, Doyle, Walters, Keogh, Keane, Cox
Stokes, Sheridan, Best

So with 40 players there already added to Traps well known reserved nature of squad choosing, there won't be much room for new additions. Even in 2001/2002 under McCarthy all of the initially chosen squad were players that had been on the scene during qualifying, a newcomer in Steven Reid was later added to the squad when Mark Kennedy pulled out. So I would expect a few new players to be tried out but at most one or two (and maybe none at all) in the final 23.

As a long range punt I'll go with:

Given, Westwood, Forde

O'Shea, Kelly, Dunne, O'Dea, St Ledger, McShane, Ward

McGeady, Duff, Hunt, Coleman, Whelan, Andrews, Fahey, McCarthy

Keane, Doyle, Walters, Long, Cox

That would leave the likes of Foley, Wilson, Lawrence, Gibson and Best relying on injuries to get in (as well as the ever present Keogh) and that's before you even consider the likes of Meyler, Pilkington and some of the others that may get capped in the spring. It will certainly be competitive.

Centre midfield is just too threadbare. We really need somebody to emerge over the next few months that can fill in for (or maybe even replace??) one of Whelan or Andrews. I'm happy enough with both of them at this stage but if one picks up a suspension or an injury, then what? Does Fahey fit the bill for the job that Trap sends Whelan and Andrews out to do over 90 mins? I'm not sure.

Not a fan of the man at all these days but imagine the influence a fit Roy Keane would have on our midfield.

*Ducks for cover*

I'm not a fan of him either but there is no denying that there's been a Roy Keane sized hole in the Irish centre midfield for years now. I don't see anyone ready to step up to the plate between now and the Euros. Best hopes are McCarthy or Meyler if they put in good consistent seasons in the EPL but either or both of them might not even make the squad in the end.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

As a long range punt I'll go with:

Given, Westwood, Forde

O'Shea, Kelly, Dunne, O'Dea, St Ledger, McShane, Ward

McGeady, Duff, Hunt, Coleman, Whelan, Andrews, Fahey, McCarthy

Keane, Doyle, Walters, Long, Cox

That would leave the likes of Foley, Wilson, Lawrence, Gibson and Best relying on injuries to get in (as well as the ever present Keogh) and that's before you even consider the likes of Meyler, Pilkington and some of the others that may get capped in the spring. It will certainly be competitive.

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I agree with your selection, I think that's the squad Trap would take if he had to name a 23 tomorrow morning.

It's definitely worth taking five strikers at the expense of a specialist cover left back because of the lack of quality we have in that position.

Should Best keep his starting place for Newcastle until the end of the season then I think he could be difficult to ignore, especially as he gives us physicality. At the opposite end of the scale, despite being useful when he's played for us, can Cox keep his place in the squad without featuring for WBA?

I was all set to analyse each position and debate who might and might not go, but I am still hungover from last night's celebrating.

A long shot, but I hope the management are keeping an eye on Chris McCann.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adrianovic

I agree with your selection, I think that's the squad Trap would take if he had to name a 23 tomorrow morning.

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I'd have thought Gibson is ahead of McCarthy, though of course there's time for that to change.

Ah come on now lads....

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/truey.jpg

I can see there being a few changes. All things being equal, all players fit and available and the bald Pele still being mental:

Given, Westwood, Forde
Foley, Kelly, Dunne, O'Shea, St Ledger, Cunningham, Ward, O'Dea
McGeady, Coleman, Meyler, Whelan, Andrews, McCarthy, Fahey, Duff,
Keane, Doyle, Walters, Long

Means Cox, McShane, Gibson, Hunt, Cox, Keogh, Best all missing out.

What. No Wes Hoolohan?

The bloke is worth his place in the starting eleven. He will be there.

Id say the following are definite (injuries permitting)

Given, Westwood
Dunne, O'Shea, St Ledger, Kelly, Ward
McGeady, Whelan, Andrews, Duff
Keane, Doyle

10 other places

One goalie; take your pick, completely irrelevant as wont play
2 or 3 defenders - O'Dea, McShane, Foley, Kilbane, maybe Cunningham, Wilson or Clark. My guess would be Kilbane, McShane and O'Dea (I know this is light on Full Backs )
3 or 4 midfielders - Central roles - Fahey, Gibson, McCarthy. Meyler could come into this. Wide roles - Hunt, Coleman, Keogh, Lawrence. Hunt and Fahey will go. Seems a choice between Gibson and McCarthy and another between Keogh, Coleman and Lawrence. Keogh may go if they only take 4 strikers.
2 or 3 forwards - Long, Cox, Walters or Best. Hard to predict. Assuming no injuries I think he will take Long, Cox and Walters. That means only 3 of the MFs above or 2 of the Defenders. McShane would seem the obvious one to drop.

It's amazing to think we could go into the Euros with 4 strikers starting in the Premier League and Robbie in MLS. How times change.

Lonergan, McCarthy, Kenny

Naughton, Stearman, Pearce, Ferdinand, Chambers, Gerrard, Connolly, Tierney

Pennant, Ambrose, O'Hara, Noble, Maguire, Ireland, Shelvey, Hammill

Wickham, Campbell, Pilkington, Jutkiewicz