Given
O'Shea Dunne St. Ledger Wilson
Duff McCarthy Gibson Whelan McGeady
Long
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Given
O'Shea Dunne St. Ledger Wilson
Duff McCarthy Gibson Whelan McGeady
Long
If it was me, I'd use this qualification campaign as completely experimental, we more than likely won't qualify, but we have a great chance of qualifying for 2016, so that would be 4 years of bleeding young players to be ready for a 2016 challenge.
Drop the old guard, Keane, Duff, Dunne, perhaps keep Given in goal. Move O'Shea to centre back.
It will only be fair to stick with the team that came back from a very dodgy start at the euros and went on to win it;)
Half that team will be retired from international football. The likes of O'Shea, Dunne and possibly Shay Given will have one tournament left. Don't be surprised to see a return of Stephen Ireland.
Given
Foley O'Shea Dunne Wilson
McCarthy Gibson Whelan McClean
Long Walters
O'Shea is only a year younger than Dunne. Drop them both or drop neither.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishultra
I would start playing Westwood more. Serious doubts over Given's fitness going forward.
I'd disagree, it'll be Trap's last campaign, he has the contract for it. I think we should keep our best players where possible and give it a go to get to Brazil. With the euro's to expand to 24, there should be a bit more scope for a bit of experimenting while pushing for qualification.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishultra
Westwood
O'Shea Dunn Clark
Coleman McCarthy Gibson Pilkington McClean
McGeady
Walters
I agree, we want to be pot B for the next qualis so it would be only be making it more difficult for us if we end up 3rd or fourth in the group and get drawn in pot C or D again, allthough this campaign might help prevent that.Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
We need to find a natural left back. I would go with Marc Tierney on the basis that he's playing at the highest level in the first instance, but (and I don't know a lot about them) it might be worth throwing the likes of Aidan White, Greg Cunningham or Enda Stevens in at the deepend in a friendly.
I would like to see Wilson deployed screening the back 4 in a 4-3-3 system. I am also wary of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Trap has shown the benefits of letting the squad evolve over time. I would also pick big squads then reduce them over time so as to allow the new guys to find their feet and take leadership from the experienced guys. By the end of the campaign I think we could be moving past even the likes of Hunt
Squad
Given
Westwood
Forde
Kelly
Coleman
O'Shea
Dunne
Duffy
St. Ledger
Clark
Tierney
Wilson
Whelan
Andrews
Gibson
McCarthy
Fahey
McGeady
McClean
Hunt
Duff
Hoolahan
Long
Keane
Cox
Walters
Doyle
--------- Given ----------
Kelly O'Shea Dunne Tierney
--------- Wilson ----------
---- Gibson McCarthy -----
- Duff --------- McGeady -
-------- Walters ---------
The good news is that this Sweden team doesn't look like much.
Poor Leon Best.
Lads i'm getting the Ireland job after the tournament. And this will be my first squad. Out with the old and in with the new.
Keepers
Shay Given, Kieron Westwood, David Forde
Defenders
Seamus Coleman, Marc Wilson, Greg Cunningham, Aidy White, Richard Dunne, John O'Shea, Sean St.Ledger, Ciaran Clark, Shane Duffy, Alex Pearce
Midfielders
Aiden McGeady, Robbie Brady, Damien Duff, James McClean, David Meyler, Darron Gibson, James McCarthy, Stephen Ireland, Glen Whelan, Jeff Hendrick, Samir Carruthers, Wes Hoolohan
Strikers
Shane Long, Jonathan Walters, Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane, Anthony Stokes
Some players would not pull on the green shirt again regardless of excellent attitude. They just don't possess the quality required- Paul McShane, Stephen Ward, Darren O'Dea, Keith Andrews, Stephen Hunt, Andy Keogh, Paul Green.
First XI
------------------------------------------Given
Coleman------------------Dunne----------------------------O'Shea-------------------------White
----------------------------Meyler---------------------------Gibson
-----------Walters---------------------McCarthy---------------------McGeady
------------------------------------------Long
Meyler's not a bad option but hasn't made much of an impression since coming back from injury. Would've thought he'd have gotten more opportunities under O'Neill but he didn't.
Had a quick glance above, don't be surprised to see Chris McCann become an option over the next few years. Sean Morrison could possibly be one to watch too.
I'd change system to the modern and best formation 4-2-3-1. And at least attempt to bring us up to date with the rest of football. Two holding midfielders with McCarthy the playmaker. Time for new blood all over the park.
GK-Kieran Westwood (Given will surely retire now)
RB-Stephen Kelly (Under rated)
LB-Stephen Ward
CB-Richard Dunne (One campaign left, maybe)
CB-John O Shea (Too slow and negative for full back but a good defender)
CM-Glenn Whelan
CM-Keith Andrews
RW-Aiden McGeady
LW-James Mc Clean (Duff's time is up)
AM-James McCarthy (Our creative future)
CF-Jonathon Walters (Keane has to go)
No mentions of Sean Murray yet? Surely he's the new Robbie Brady/Conor Clifford/Conor Henderson/whoever?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strongbow10
Where are people getting the notion that James McCarthy is a winger or attacking midfielder? I have followed his career very closely since he moved to Wigan and while he did occasionally play on the wing, it has been two whole seasons since he played that position. Even when he did play there, he never looked comfortable. As for being an attacking midfielder? In all the matches where I have watched him, he is not the kind of player who is going to try a through ball, play a ball over defenders for a striker to latch onto, or any elaborate cross to play another player into into space. Sure, he has the engine that can see him make runs into the opposition half, but if you watch him for Wigan, he is generally their most defensive midfielder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zizou
For me, McCarthy's future is as a defensive midfield player who act as the shield infront of our back four. I think we need to play to his strengths which are ideally suited to a defensive role, which are . . .
1. His athleticism and physicality. Out of all our central midfielders, I would say he is probably the strongest, most athletic and probably has the best engine out of all.
2. He is a natural ball winner. If you watch him for Wigan, he is always pressing opposition players and quite often will get a lot of joy winning the ball and starting off a Wigan counter attack.
3. Calmness in possession. He is comfortable on the ball, and it's pretty rare that he will lose it or give it away cheaply.
4. Short direct passing game. Our problem with Glen Whelan is that he is simply not comfortable receiving the ball from defence. McCarthy on the other-hand has enough composure to knock the ball around with simple and direct passing.
In a way, maybe McCarthy can become the deep-lying playmaker for the Irish team like Makelele was for Chelsea a few years back.
Therre's definitely something to work with there alright, along with some other names.Quote:
Originally Posted by Strongbow10
Ins
Shane Duffy
Marc Wilson
Greg Cunningham
Seamie Coleman
James Mccarthy
Robbie Brady
Out
Stephen Ward
Paul Mcshane
Paul Green
Ken Fahey
Ken Fahey.