O'Shea, Ward, McGeady, McCarthy & Long all injured at the moment. O'Dowda wasn't in the Bristol City squad at the weekend either.
Positives - the form of Coleman, Arter and I think Clark as well maybe, seems to be very much first choice at Newcastle now anyway.
Provisional squad being announced Wednesday.
Duffy has kept 7 clean sheets in last 9 games for BHA I think.
I did think of him but I suppose his form for us kind of outweighed his club form. Brighton was a brilliant move for him though.
who's looking likely to be back fit in time?
I'd say McCarthy is as good as ruled out, Long seems to be 50/50 at best with O'Shea and Ward only pulling up with muscle injuries at the weekend so probably too early to tell.
O'Neill has suggested that up to four Dundalk players could get called up according to Neil O'Riordan.
I call bull**** on that for starters. Horgan, yep. Finn, possibly. Massey, perhaps. Rogers, unlikely given he's been dropped at club level.
O'Neill said four or more could easily make the step up. I'm sure he meant at some stage (as well as being diplomatic and complimentary at a LOI awards ceremony!) but The Sun try to spin it that they've moved into the fray for the Austria game, which obviously isn't going to happen.
Who'd have thought we'd ever fret over an injury to Ward? Fair play to him for his hard work and the fruit it has borne.
Don't forget Westwood who is struggling with a back injury.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle called up to provisional squad. www.FAI.ie
Quote:
Republic of Ireland Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Ian Lawlor (Manchester City), Danny Rogers (Falkirk*)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (Derby County), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Paul McShane (Reading), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Andy Boyle (Dundalk), Stephen Ward (Burnley)
Midfielders: Aiden McGeady (Preston North End*), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), James McCarthy (Everton), Stephen Quinn (Reading), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), David Meyler (Hull City), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Conor Hourihane (Barnsley), Robbie Brady, Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen), Daryl Horgan (Dundalk)
Forwards: Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town)
*Indicates player is currently on loan
Long ruled out - balls.
5 goalkeepers. Colin Doyle. Bizarre.
I'd rather he name an outright squad with four or five players on standby.
It's pure tokenism. It will be first quarter 2017, Europa League exploits in the rear view mirror and a move to Britain before Horgan or Boyle are seriously considered.
Normally I would complain about Quinn's inclusion seeing as he's played ten minutes in five weeks, but if he can come on for fifteen minutes and do the same job he did in Serbia it will be worth it.
I'd probably leave McGeady home, let him get fit, and use this as an opportunity to give Horgan or Hayes a chance.
Good to see Doyle back in there and McGoldrick's goal against Rotherham couldn't have come at a better time for him.
Its fairly depressing looking at that squad. It's a bad indictment when we have a few injuries.
Hard times come again.
How John Egan is not making the squad is baffling at this stage
Agreed, Pearse and McShane never play so why not get Egan in and get him used to being in the squad?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dunners
I'd say disappointing rather than baffling, but I reckon I'm splitting hairs. I'd pick him all day long.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dunners
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
I wouldn't say it's that bad at all. After all, the squad includes two very good 'keepers and one promising up-and-comer, although I agree with TOWK that having five keepers seems a bit pointless, especially choosing Colin Doyle over Mark Bunn or Stephen Henderson and also considering that Rob Elliot will be fit again soon to present another option.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Our defence is still fairly solid, although a case could certainly have been made for the inclusion of John Egan. Also Tommie Hoban and Derrick Williams should probably have been considered if they were fit.
We still have a very decent midfield, with a variety of attacking weapons from there and at least two of the New Championship players (Hourihane and O'Dowda) are included. If O'Neill had been brave, he could have included Darragh Lenihan and/or Olamide Shodipo, but at this point it's not an outrage that he hasn't and we can look forward to them being added to the squad over the next year if they continue their career progression, along with Jack Byrne and Alan Browne possibly. And we can also look forward to judge returning from injury.
Admittedly Robbie Keane's retirement, Shane Long and Daryl Murphy's injuries and Jonathan Walters' loss of the great form he showed in the Euro 2016 qualifiers has made our forward line looking somewhat threadbare going into this game for sure. So there's no obvious source of goals - but we know McGoldrick has ability when fit and Rooney will probably be the hungriest 28-year-old international around and has really hit his level - along with our attacking options in midfield and defence I think this means we still have every chance of getting a goal or two and a result in Austria. And if a few things fall into place (Long returns from injury, Hogan declares for us, Will Keane grabs a couple of goals for Hull, Ronan Hale and Courtney Duffus start getting first-team football in the next year) our striking options will become better.
I did notice that the FAI announced a friendly against Iceland, to be played four days after the Wales game, so I would hope that the management team will take that opportunity to blood a handful of players into the squad (although not so many as to make the game meaningless). I have been considering the future of the national team and between young Championship and League One players and Development/Youth players with a lot of promise I reckon there's about 25-30 uncapped players who could be staking a claim for a place in the squad by the time the next qualifying campaign begins. So plenty reason for optimism going forward. And remember, we're still well in the fight in this campaign, even if we lose against Austria
Austria's defence is their weak point, if we can hit them on the counter and also with set pieces I can see us getting at least one goal