Kelly V Maybury

I have been watching Stephen Kelly all last season and again in the pre - season and he looks abolute quality to me. I think he should be given a chance in the senior squad for the friendly againts Italy. Maybe not play but a chance to show what he can do in training with the senior players etc. That got me round to thinking who should make way for Stephen Kelly if he was to become a regular in the Ireland squad. In my opinion it would have to be Alan Maybury. What are the views of other people here, Would they go fo the solid if average maybury or for the huge potential of Stephen Kelly as a squad player for the moment.

I think the time to include him in the squad is now. If we get to Germany he'll have a full season of PL football behind him in what promises to be Spurs' best side in ages. If he has consistently been in the squad and has played in some friendlies in 2006 then he'll be much more prepared for serious competitive action.

Kerr should have the courage to invest in the near future rather than continue to use a journeyman stop-gap. Surely Chris Hughton will have some say in this too.

Wasn't he called up to the squad in one of the Brazil/Czech Republic/Romania games, but didn't make the match day 16?
Jol has said he wants to see him get forward more too, he notched a few goals last season so could be another attacking option on the right, maybe with Finnan at right wing?

Maybury can play left back while Kelly is a right back so I reckon Maybury has been included up until now to provide cover for O'Shea in that position but since Harte is back from the International wilderness I'd go along with your suggestion.

Kelly can play at Centre back too, Obviously he wont be doing that in the near future for ireland but thats where he plays for the U21. Was there a rumour of a falling out there with Don Givens.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Kelly can play at Centre back too, Obviously he wont be doing that in the near future for ireland but thats where he plays for the U21. Was there a rumour of a falling out there with Don Givens.

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I thought he was an out & out right-back with McCarthy & Fitzgerald mainly filling the centre-back roles.

Not sure about the accuracy of the "falling out" rumour. My vague recollection is that it was announced by FAI that Kelly had played his last game for the U21s recently. Nothing sinister I think, I understood it to mean that his promotion to the senior squad was imminent.

Under no circumstances should Steven Reid be let anywhere near our right bcak position and on the basis of Israel in Dublin, neither should O'Shea. I think O'Shea needs a kick up the arse before he's let near the team again in any position.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Under no circumstances should Steven Reid be let anywhere near our right bcak position and on the basis of Israel in Dublin, neither should O'Shea. I think O'Shea needs a kick up the arse before he's let near the team again in any position.

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Who suggested Reid should go right back? He's only played there a handful of times for Blackburn the season before last and Hughes definately fancies him as a central midfielder, as opposed to playing on the wing when he started at Millwall.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Who suggested Reid should go right back? He's only played there a handful of times for Blackburn the season before last and Hughes definately fancies him as a central midfielder, as opposed to playing on the wing when he started at Millwall.

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Kerr tested him at right-back at Jackie Mcnamara's testimonial and with Finnan & Carr both out for the Israel game it was a choice between him & O'Shea for right-back in that game. I agree he's much better centrally.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I think O'Shea needs a kick up the arse before he's let near the team again in any position.

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I agree. I think O'Shea should be left out of the team for the forseeable future. Give Harte his position (or Clarke if he gets a move to the premiership and performs well). He's at best been a very average player for ireland and at worse a total disaster a la Israel and Switzerland when we played them away in the European Championship qualifiers. While Harte is dodgy defensively at least he weighs in with a few goals and his passing and shooting are top notch. O'Shea is just dodgy defensively.

He's one of those players that had one good season a long time ago and has been living off it ever since. He needs to move to a club where he's guaranteed to start in central defence every week as he's no full back or midfield player. Then he might learn the ins and outs of being a defender.

He should go to Villa