New Blood?

Ok so we now have a year of meaningless friendlies to look forward to, so which players should we look to give a bit of experience too before the next round of qualifiers begin?

Obviously the likes of Kevin Doyle, Stephen Elliott, McGeady etc… will see more action than they are currently seeing, but have we anyone else coming through or are we well and truly funked?

One thing we definitely need, is just more natural footballers, people who are comfortably on the ball and who can play to an open expansive style, because the lack of creativity in the team at the moment is chronic, we aren’t even creating chances let alone scoring goals.

One player I’d love to see in the squad, even as just an option to have on the bench, would be Wes Houlihan, but then again I would say that wouldn’t I?

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Originally Posted by TheOwl

One player I’d love to see in the squad, even as just an option to have on the bench, would be Wes Houlihan, but then again I would say that wouldn’t I?

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Well how many more in eL would you put forward ... none at City now tbh (unless Flynnie starts scoring again) ... Wes is good enough to make the squad anyway.

I dunno maybe give Mahon a run out, but aint that young any more...

Wish Thornton hadnt mucked up at Sunderland.

There is not a lot of talent banging on the door though.

Wes is the only EL player I think who could enhance the Irish squad myself tbh.

I can't wait to see what guys like Liam Miller and Aidan McGeady can do.

Here is our starting lineup for the opening match of the 2010 World Cup:

Given
Finnan O'Brien Dunne Harte

A Reid Miller O'Shea Duff

Keane Elliott

Actually, maybe that Kelly kid at full back instead of Harte.

Liam Miller... I think we have to just accept he aint going to set the world alight.

I think Elliot could become a regular in the coming years..he looks sharp and has an eye for goal..Kevin Doyle will see some action whether its out wide right or upfront..Owen Garvan might get a call but maybe to young..he is playing regularly in the centre of midfield with Ipswich Town this season..i would like to see more of Alan Quinn also..Mc Geady needs to sort out his club problems over the next 12 months to get a run..i am not sure about Wes Houlihan..he is a decent player but i suppose the only way we can find out can he do it is given the chance at that level..besides him there is not to much on offer in the eircom league for the seniors yet..

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Originally Posted by vega007

I can't wait to see what guys like Liam Miller and Aidan McGeady can do.

Here is our starting lineup for the opening match of the 2010 World Cup:

Given
Finnan O'Brien Dunne Harte

A Reid Miller O'Shea Duff

Keane Elliott

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Ugh - I hate your central midfield partnership.

I think we have to start considering Reid as a centre-midfielder, maybe with Joey O'Brien eventually playing alongside him. Glenn Whelan is having a difficult season with Wednesday (my English team), but he has been given a lot of responabilty, being captain and asked to play every game (despite only being 21). He has the abilty to get plenty of caps though, he might have to leave Wednesday for a more footballing minded team mind you, but I hope he stays with us for a while yet.

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Originally Posted by RedX

I think Elliot could become a regular in the coming years..he looks sharp and has an eye for goal..Kevin Doyle will see some action whether its out wide right or upfront..Owen Garvan might get a call but maybe to young..he is playing regularly in the centre of midfield with Ipswich Town this season..i would like to see more of Alan Quinn also..Mc Geady needs to sort out his club problems over the next 12 months to get a run..i am not sure about Wes Houlihan..he is a decent player but i suppose the only way we can find out can he do it is given the chance at that level..besides him there is not to much on offer in the eircom league for the seniors yet..

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Forgot about Garvan, you could be right regarding his age, but if we are looking at 2010 he could be a key figure.

Alan Quinn should be in the squad.

o'shea would be lucky to see the bench on the back of his two most recent performances. cowardly tonight.

and A Reid's lack of a right foot severly limited his options on the wing

if i ever see O shea in midfield (or team even) ill top myself!!!

hope he proves me wrong though!! Thought he looked like a lost puppy there tonight!

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Originally Posted by TheOwl

Forgot about Garvan, you could be right regarding his age, but if we are looking at 2010 he could be a key figure.

Alan Quinn should be in the squad.

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I know Garvan is young but should'nt any player that is playing regulary in the premier or Championship be worth a look?..he is playing very well right now and as they say if you are good enough then..

I remember seeing John O Shea a few years ago for the Under 21's..people were raving about the guy before hand and i was looking forward to seeing him..he was fantastic that night..so composed and really good on the ball..looked like a real gem and i was delighted..but at this moment in time he should not be in the squad never mind the team..he has been terrible and i mean very poor recently..i would love to bump into him one day and ask him whats gone wrong?..its really strange...

I dont think anyone in the EL at the moment could improve the Irish squad:(

I reckon septembers league one player of the month Lee Trundle might be in line for a call up at some stage. Whoever is in charge needs to try something new. The long ball up to the forwards just doesn't cut it at International level.

We need men not boys, that is the #1 problem with the current setup - apart from Roy Keane we have a squad of little boys. What this team need is a player with a personality like Vinny Jones, we need some hard men. Please stop the roll call of callow yewts and find some battle hardned men.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

I dont think anyone in the EL at the moment could improve the Irish squad:(

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Whether you want them chosen or not, the Ireland side is going to have to gradually turn to LOI players for selection in the next few years. The production line from England is drying up. Fewer English clubs are taking on Irish kids these days, and even fewer of them make it to the first team. Before, they only had English kids to compete against, now they must compete with kids from all over the world, and fewer are making it. Even less have the quality and talent to succeed at International level. LOI players represent the long-term future of the squad. The domestic standard at home is improving, the players play in a highly competitive league, and play week in, week out in full-time club set-ups. Too many of the current International squad don't play every week at their clubs, and they carry their patchy club form onto the International scene, and the country suffers as a result.

I'm not calling for a NL XI at International level, but as there are not enough young players coming along, we are going to have to change the LOI ban mindset, and consider playing the very best players from our league soon. We can start by giving them run-outs in friendlies, of which some of them will impress, and they can then play full friendlies. If they impress again, they can progress on to playing qualifying fodder, by which time they will probably be hooked up with a good English club. Then they may become available for selection for all Ireland senior games.

It disappoints me that we ignore NL players when playing very weak sides in qualifiers, like Andorra, Cyprus, Faroes, Liechtenstein, etc. :( That has to be the initial goal for players from the NL. They should be introduced to the international side gradually, i.e. 1 or 2 players every year, so they can blend in with the rest of the squad, without disrupting the side's results or performances, it improves their ability and technique, which in turn makes them better players, and improves the image of the league at the same time. We are not short of players, we have an entire domestic league full of players who would bust a gut to get in the national side, and the best of them wouldn't let us down, if given the chance either. With not enough quality young players coming through at English clubs, LOI players will be the long-term future of the Ireland senior International side, and those who don't want them in the team have to wake up to that prospect, sooner rather than later.

there is plenty of irish talent coming through. Stephen kelly at spur will be in the squad soon....Glenn Whelan is quality..Owen Garvan will be top quality...Paul mcshane will be in man u's 1st team next year...Alan quinn should defo be at least in the squad...Joey O'Brien will be class...Anthony stokes at arsenal will be a 30 goal a season man in the ep therefore wll bang n goals for ireland...Hopefully willo flood will brak into man citys 1st team whe he returns fro coventry...Ian morris is a creative midfielder at leeds...Darren O'Dea will be an accomplished defender up at celtic...Andy keogh is one of the top scorers in league 1 and is still only 19..

The quality is there we just have to make sure it is nurtured and don givens doen't get his hands on them!!:p

if kerr stays or there is a new manager they should should make it clear that no player will be in the squad if they are sitting in the reserves...ie this is meant for the likes of Miller - he should either move or go out on loan for a while .....all our players need to be playing

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Originally Posted by mchurl

there is plenty of irish talent coming through. Stephen kelly at spur will be in the squad soon....Glenn Whelan is quality..Owen Garvan will be top quality...Paul mcshane will be in man u's 1st team next year...Alan quinn should defo be at least in the squad...Joey O'Brien will be class...Anthony stokes at arsenal will be a 30 goal a season man in the ep therefore wll bang n goals for ireland...Hopefully willo flood will brak into man citys 1st team whe he returns fro coventry...Ian morris is a creative midfielder at leeds...Darren O'Dea will be an accomplished defender up at celtic...Andy keogh is one of the top scorers in league 1 and is still only 19..

The quality is there we just have to make sure it is nurtured and don givens doen't get his hands on them!!:p

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Historically, we'l be lucky if 2 of them make the breakthrough