Fair play to Doyle...

Doyle called up to Republic squad
Reading striker Kevin Doyle has been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus and Switzerland.

Doyle earns his first call-up to the senior squad after scoring three goals for The Championship club this season.

With Clinton Morrison and Andy Reid suspended for the game in Cyprus, Wigan's David Connolly is recalled by manager Brian Kerr.

Roy Keane is ruled out of the Republic squad because of injury.

Reid and Morrison will return to the Irish squad for the game against Switzerland.

Under-21 international Doyle moved to Reading from Eircom League club Cork City in June and his recent form has impressed Kerr. "He has maintained a high level of performance and I am obviously serious about bringing him in," said Kerr.

"We don't have too many centre-forwards in the squad, and as to whether he plays, I will see how he does in the next couple of matches for Reading."

Connolly has not played for the Republic since the 2-0 European Championship qualifying defeat to Switzerland in October 2003 but he has scored five goals in his last six outings.

I have good reports on David Connolly
Republic boss Brian Kerr

The Wigan striker recently expressed his disappointment at failing to figure in Kerr's World Cup plans this campaign but the Irish boss insisted that he had remainded in his thoughts.

"He had a decent season last year with Leicester, and I have seen him in action for both Leicester and Wigan this season.

"I have good reports on him because he has made a bright start and he looks like his old self."

The Republic face Cyprus in Nicosia on 8 October before taking on Switzerland at Lansdowne Road four days later.

The Irish have a strong chance of earning a World Cup play-off if they win their remaining group games.

However, the group permutations remain complicated and goal difference could be needed to separate the teams if Switzerland were to beat France on 8 October and the Republic were to defeat the Swiss in Dublin four days later.

In that situation, providing the Republic had beaten Cyprus on 8 October and France claim their expected home win over the Cypriots, the French, Switzerland and the Republic would be level on points at the top of the group.

In this instance, goal difference in the games between those three countries would be used to decide the group winners and the second-placed team who would earn a play-off spot.

Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers : Given (Newcastle), Kenny (Sheffield Utd), Colgan (Barnsley)
Defenders : Cunningham (Birmingham), Breen (Sunderland), O'Brien (Portsmouth), Dunne (Manchester City), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), Carr (Newcastle), Harte (Levante), Finnan (Liverpool)
Midfielders : S Reid (Blackburn), Miller (Manchester Utd), Holland (Charlton), Kavanagh (Wigan), Kilbane (Everton)
Strikers : Connolly (Wigan), Duff (Chelsea), Doherty (Norwich), Elliott (Sunderland), Doyle (Reading), Robbie Keane (Tottenham)

Delighted for Kev, but not to state the bleedin obvious he's not suddenly a hugely better player than he was with is last year, when he had proved himself in Europe and for the u-21s.

IMO Jason Byrne should feel a bit pi**ed off. He's in brilliant form, and is a far better player than Crowe ever was

There are loads of Defenders in the Eircom League better than Breen and alot more forwards better than Doherty......seems to be who you know that you get into the Irish team,well actually where you are playing your football.
We must be the only nation in the world that doesnt select anyone playing in our country in the national team.

Im delighted for Kevin also .Nice chap ,excellent goal scorer.

I think its a massive slap in the face for many p;layers in the league. Theres not much of a gap in quality between the likes of Doyle and: Byrne, JOF, George, Gamble, Heary although the currnet lack of strikers might be one of the reasons Doyle is in the squad, be have had lack of cover in all the posissions that the other players play in too.

Happy for the guy
Gutted for the league

I should have also put Mick Devine in that list, he should be in the squad regardless.

Delighted for Doyle but he'e been playing well for the last couple of seasons but suddenly after a handful of appearences a 3 goals for Reading he is now good enough. Not that much has changed since he was at Cork the only difference is he now plays in England. Seems as though you aren't good enough when you play in Ireland but move to England and thats alright you're in the squad. Have to sat Byrne must be well ****ed off he's not getting a look in. He must be wondering what he has to do.Oh yeah move to England Byrne that'll do the trick

knew it was comin,they posted the 21's squad on bohs forum last week and he wasnt in it.

HAppy for him, but has he real gone from not being good enough to get a look in to good enough for call-ups in 2 or 3 months since his move?!

U N B E L I E V A B L E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so delighted for him.
Such a pity that it didnt happen while he was with us,
It is a disgrace that hes automatically considered better now that hes playin in england but still, so proud of him all the same.Cant wait to be singin SUPER KEV and KEVIN DOYLE IS A STRIKER WHO'S ON FIRE in Nicosia!!!
Come on Kev!

I'm amazed that Jay Tabb wasn't picked first, as he was obviously better to get selected ahead of Doyle for the under-21's. Still, I suppose we'll have to wait until Don Givens is rewarded with promotion to senior manager for his good work before that happens.

It’s all about being noticed and the so called standard of the league that you are playing in. Guys could be scoring for fun over here, but does Kerr notice, to a certain extent the media may be to blame. How many people had heard of Doyle before he moved across the way? I’d like to know the break down of games that Kerr as been at between England and Ireland over the past few years…..but then again things are much more comfy sitting in a box at Old Trafford than freezing his buts off at Tolka or The Brandywell…

Several posters have been saying that its not fair that he only gets picked when he heads over to England, the sad fact is that the majority of Irish Soccer fans don’t follow the league over here and tend to follows the likes of United, Liverpool, and Chelsea....watching a bunch of guys who don’t give a feck about their team, watching a bunch of guys who follow the money and aren’t in it for the right reason.

As someone already stated there are better players playing over here that probably should be in the squad. Perhaps we should go back to the auld days of a "B Team" where these guys can prove they are up to it, it would be a transition from Under 21`s to the Senior Squad. Perhaps we could dump some of those meaningless friendlys and use the "B Team" to combine the sh1t guys playing in England with the cream of the crop from over here.

The only down point is that the cream of crop would then been dragged off to England...and the Eircom League would then suffer….anyway…I’m going home….

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Originally Posted by Hitman

we'll have to wait until Don Givens is rewarded with promotion to senior manager for his good work before that happens.

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Are you taking the p!ss or am i just falling for a cruel joke hook line and sinker ??

Please tell me you dont believe this ??

"for his good work" ...... will you do me a small favour there fella and quantify all of this good work for me willya ??

On Doyler ....


Just give us the money already .... I am disgusted that he is getting picked now for 2 months at Reading and never got a lookin at City, has he changed that much ?? What the fúck are they feeding them at Reading to say he has improved that much ??

Kerr .... Get us to Germany .... if not, then just fúck right off, ya cretin !!

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Originally Posted by The Stars

There are loads of Defenders in the Eircom League better than Breen

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I don't agree. If you ask me Clive Delaney in the best centre back in the league. He played along side Breen at West Ham and then at Sunderland and decided to come home again because he wasn't going to make it in England. Breen in my opinion is the better player.

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Originally Posted by Darco Ooragnak

I’d like to know the break down of games that Kerr as been at between England and Ireland over the past few years…..but then again things are much more comfy sitting in a box at Old Trafford than freezing his buts off at Tolka or The Brandywell.

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I don't know the answer but Kerr is a regular enough at Belfield.

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Originally Posted by Bald Student

I don't know the answer but Kerr is a regular enough at Belfield.

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He has been in Cork once in the last five years .... pr!ck !!

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Originally Posted by A face

Are you taking the p!ss or am i just falling for a cruel joke hook line and sinker ??

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Id guess its this ;)

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Originally Posted by The Stars

There are loads of Defenders in the Eircom League better than Breen and alot more forwards better than Doherty......seems to be who you know that you get into the Irish team,well actually where you are playing your football.
We must be the only nation in the world that doesnt select anyone playing in our country in the national team.

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I have to agree with The Stars here, there are some better defenders and attackers in the EL that are on the Irish "squad" ... Its such a shame that some done get more of a chance.

Although I dont 100% agree with not selecting more Eircome Leauge players it has to be fair to say, and this is no consolation, the players across the water are playing at a higher standard and playing against other international players though.

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Originally Posted by A face

He has been in Cork once in the last five years .... pr!ck !!

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Are you his stalker? How do you know this?

Kerr has been at more eircom League games so far this season than his two predecessors went to in 17 years in charge! Most times he goes and stands with the fans so he's obviously not too concerned about a comfy seat in an eircom league director's box, never mind a corporate box in Old Trafford. If anyone knows the standard of players in our league it's Kerr. The FAI won't renew his contract unless we get at least a play-off - does anyone honestly think that he's deliberately picking less-talented players than what's available here purely because he hates the league so much he doesn't care if it costs him his job :confused:

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Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

Are you his stalker? How do you know this?

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He said it himself .... or should we not believe him ??