Squad announced (Israel & China)

Given (Newcastle United), Kenny (Sheffield United), Murphy (Walsall)

Carr (Newcastle United), Finnan (Liverpool), Maybury (Leicester City), O’Shea (Manchester United), Breen (Sunderland), Dunne (Manchester City), Cunningham (Birmingham City), O’Brien (Newcastle United), Doherty (Norwich City).

Duff (Chelsea), Reid (Tottenham Hotspur), Miller (Manchester United), Roy Keane (Manchester United), Kilbane (Everton), Holland (Charlton Athletic), Quinn (Sheffield United), Kavanagh (Wigan Athletic)

Morrison (Birmingham City), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Elliott (Sunderland).

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Macken, Barrett, Lee all dropped from previous squad.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Macken, Barrett, Lee all dropped from previous squad.

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Cos they not good enough.

Interesting to see Elliots promotion so quickely.

No McGeady MOM for Celtic last Saturday, been demoted to the U21s, I think hes a hell of a lot better a good few players in the squad.

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Originally Posted by Condex

No McGeady MOM for Celtic last Saturday, been demoted to the U21s, I think hes a hell of a lot better a good few players in the squad.

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To paraphrase that Bulmers ad: Time, time, time, is on his side (yes it is)... :p
Yeah, he's been playing well, he's in the U21 squad for now - I think he's been in the senior squad for most of the recent friendlies and that enough for now, no need to rush him into the senior setup (though I can see the argumenet for 'if he's good enough, he's old enough' too)...

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Originally Posted by Condex

No McGeady MOM for Celtic last Saturday, been demoted to the U21s, I think hes a hell of a lot better a good few players in the squad.

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The U-21's is also important.

Elliotts a good choice, He seems to score vital goals coming off the bench for Sunderland, maybe he'll replace Keane for the last ten minutes in Israel.

What the fcuk is Miller doing in the squad ?

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Originally Posted by stojkovic

What the fcuk is Miller doing in the squad ?

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yeah a bit odd to be honest when you consider Delap is playing regularly for Southampton yet he can't get a look in.

Kerr names squad

Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr has opted for experience for the vital World Cup qualification clash with Israel in Tel Aviv on Saturday March 26.



Kerr named a 23-man squad for the clash in Tel Aviv and the friendly international with China at Lansdowne Road on Tuesday March 29, believing that Easter Saturday will be vital in which teams progress out of Group Four to Germany in 2006.



The top four in the group are all in action that day with Ireland clashing with Israel while France and Switzerland are also in action and all four teams know that victories will be a massive boost on the road to Germany.



“I think with Switzerland and France been on at the weekend, and our game, it’s going to be a very important day,” said Kerr.



“No matter what happens on Saturday week, they’re will be a few twists and turns before the end of the group. We’ll only be half way through the group. There’ll be a lot of points to play for though there is no doubt that the day will be crucial to the group.”



With the pressure likely to be intense, he has allowed Aiden McGeady to return to the Under 21 squad for their clash with Israel on Good Friday while also leaving out Graham Barrett, Alan Lee and Jon Macken out. Instead, he sticks to the players who produced the goods in Paris and Basel late last year.



Ireland gained draws in both of those away ties and Kerr admitted that he would not be disappointed with a draw, though his ambition remain to claim victory.



“I’m rarely disappointed if we draw away and win at home. Most league tables are won by teams that can win at home, draw away and sometimes win away. As the group has been shaping up so far, probably the best-gained point so far has been Israel’s point in Paris, and probably our point in Paris as well.



“But unless you win your home matches, there is not much of an advantage gained. Probably the team that can win away matches will have more of an impact on the group.



“Our approach will be to have a go. We don’t see any sense in sitting back and letting teams come on to us and try and play on the break. I don’t think we’re comfortable with that way of thinking. We have good attacking players and don’t have the physical strength for that way of playing.



“We’ve got to go and play and get the best result. We’re capable of winning the match and they’re capable of winning the match.”



Kerr admits to being impressed by Israel in the qualifiers to date which have seen the side, ranked only the fourth strongest before the qualifiers, climb to joint-top of the table alongside Ireland and France.



“I had Noel King watch one of the early games for me at home to Cyprus, Lou Macari saw a match and I saw a match myself, away to Cyprus. This is probably the best team they’ve had in a while. They’ll be confident and under pressure from their own support. There’ll be a huge expectation and they’ll have to deal with it.



“I’m sure they will be well prepared. They have a clever manager. They had a very good result in Paris, a decent result at home to Switzerland, beat Cyprus home and away so they will be in confident mood particularly at home.



“They’ve got very good attacking players. I think that’s where their strength lies. Apart from Paris, they’ve conceded goals. Their games have been quite open.”

I think Miller is well & truly in Kerr's inner circle, as is Quinn. Delap hasn't even made the 27 man friendly squads so no surprises there. And Delap missed the Man U game last weekend anyway. Once McGeady is fully blooded as a senior squad member Miller will have to do more to justify his selection, especially if Steven Reid develops. Miller has a few months of a cushion for now though.

McGeady's time will come and probably soon. I have absolute faith in Kerr's judgment when it comes to kids. As Eirebhoy says, this is a key game for the U21s who'll be missing Elliott. We have plenty of wide options: Duff & Reid can each play both wings, Finnan, Holland, Miller can all play RHM, Kilbane LHM so McGeady was unlikely to figure.

Being MOM at home for Celtic against a Dunfermline team missing 9 men is a slightly different prospect to Israel away in a WC qualifier. :)

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Originally Posted by Rafa B

yeah a bit odd to be honest when you consider Delap is playing regularly for Southampton yet he can't get a look in.

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The only position Delap can get a game in is right back and the Soton fans don't rate him at all. I'm not saying Miller should be in the squad but do we really need Keane, Kavanagh, Holland and Delap all fighting it out for one position, the holding role?

Doherty, Miller and Quinn rank as the surprises there, also no Steven Reid??

No doubt in my mind now the starting 11 will be the same that started against the French

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Originally Posted by pete

Cos they not good enough.

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Macken's trying to come back from an injury, Barret's playing for the reserves but came of the bench in the 2nd half at the weekend, and Lee has been out of form, got red-carded, (and has some speculation about returning to his old club?)
Miller has done nothing to get in there...
Good to see Elliot included though

Delighted at no Macken Lee or Barrett tbh, can't really say much about the squad it was fairly predictable and not too controversial. I will say I'm disappointed if this is the squad that faces China though, McGeady should get the full 90 minutes there, no player should play in both matches.

But will we ever see the back of Doherty?

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Originally Posted by Slash/ED

Delighted at no Macken Lee or Barrett tbh, can't really say much about the squad it was fairly predictable and not too controversial. I will say I'm disappointed if this is the squad that faces China though, McGeady should get the full 90 minutes there, no player should play in both matches.

But will we ever see the back of Doherty?

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that's a bit harsh on the Doc. Handy utility player. I'll be a bit suprised though if that's the squad that actually turns up. there's some football to be played yet and there's likely to be a couple of drop outs and promotions by sunday night.

Probably a bit early for Bambi (Steven Reid) to be in the squad but he has been playing well for Blackburn. I'd sooner have McGeady than Quinn in the squad (and I'm saying that as a Sheff Wed supporter). Quinn is a busy player but lacks international quality.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I'd sooner have McGeady than Quinn in the squad (and I'm saying that as a Sheff Wed supporter).

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If McGeady was 25 and Quinn was 18 that would have been the case. For the 10th time, we have an U-21 team to take care of too. :)

Predictable squad, I hope McGeedy make the China match, and like others say Quinn in ahead of him does seem strange.

I hope he plays Kenny or Murphy for the China match as its always useful to give reserve keepers a run out every once in a while. Its a shame Miller didnt get a loan move (like Richardson / Eagles etc) as he really need first team football if he's going to progress.

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Originally Posted by Slash/ED

But will we ever see the back of Doherty?

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I hope we dont, he was an effective target man for us last time (6 goals, our top scorer). With Robbie Keane, Clinton, and Elliott we've 3 decent strikers but theyre all in the same mould - pace, ball to feet, running at defenders. Alright, Clinton is decent enough in the air, but his style of play is not that of a target man. The trouble is if we come up against a team with physical center backs our strikers could just get muscled out of the game. The other thing is it increases our chances of getting something from set pieces.

If we dont go to tournaments without a target man (the only ones I can think of are Lee and the Doc) we're reducing our options. Look at Quinn vs Spain in the World Cup, he caused the Spanish defenders major problems when he came on. Now I wouldnt say the Doc (or any target man) belongs in our starting eleven, but he gives us an option few of our other players can do, so I'd always put one in the squad.

Liam Miller being in ahead of Steven Reid is a joke, in fact you could nearly argue the same about Alan Quinn. Reid is playing super stuff at the moment, yet he is left out for a Man U reserve? On top of that, Miller has been absolutely useless so far for the senior side. Other than that, squad as expected.

Im very happy with Kerr's squad. It looks very strong, millar should be in the squad. I think he has the ability but lacks a lot of confidence. Maybe another season at Celtic would have done him the world of good.

Mac Geady is far too young to play at full international. He had a recent dip in form and this is a very important match. He's one for the WC Finals next year. Tried and tested at this stage.

I hope kerr really experiments with the china match