Ireland vs Germany - Pre-match thread

Squads out tomorrow, does anyone else even care?

Squad:
Nick Colgan - Barnsley
Colin Doyle - Birmingham City
Shay Given - Newcastle United

Stephen Carr - Newcastle United
Richard Dunne - Manchester City
Steve Finnan - Liverpool
Stephen Kelly - Birmingham City
Paul McShane - Sunderland
Joey O’Brien - Bolton Wanderers
John O’Shea - Manchester United

Lee Carsley - Everton
Jonathon Douglas - Leeds United
Stephen Hunt - Reading
Stephen Ireland - Manchester City
Kevin Kilbane - Wigan Athletic
Aiden McGeady - Celtic
Alan O’Brien - Hibernian
Darren Potter - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Andy Reid - Charlton Athletic

Kevin Doyle - Reading
Stephen Elliot - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Robbie Keane - Tottenham Hotspur
Andy Keogh - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Shane Long - Reading
Daryl Murphy - Sunderland

Was reading a flyer for a local pubs tv coverage and noticed that germany were playing saturday week!!!

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Originally Posted by theworm2345

Squads out tomorrow, does anyone else even care?

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Of course. After the rugby at least the football team arent that bad. Also the new ranking method (if agreed) would mean we could be 2nd seeds for the next campaign. However if we do beat Germany I'll probably be more frustrated about this campaign.

On another note,has anyone received their tickets yet?

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Originally Posted by cavan_fan

Also the new ranking method (if agreed) would mean we could be 2nd seeds for the next campaign. However if we do beat Germany I'll probably be more frustrated about this campaign.

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How does the system work? Any online info about it?

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Originally Posted by ParkLife

On another note,has anyone received their tickets yet?

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Not yet:confused:

Stephen Ireland set to be recalled according to the Indo: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...n-1114322.html

No great surprise there, but this paragraph:

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He is also a lively option for the troubled right side of midfield after Aiden McGeady's struggled in the previous two games.

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is way off, he started on the right against Wales and was wholly uneffective until he moved into the centre. Against Newcastle at the weekend, he played the inside right channel, as soon as Elano got the ball, he was off running into space. Unfortunately, Ireland don't have anyone who can pick a pass like Elano :(
As has been pointed out before, he didn't do much from a defensive point of view, but with Hamann and Johnson playing behind him, he really didn't need to.

IF only steven reid was fit :(

stan wouldnt pick him anyway i suppose

It's a really sad state of affairs when nobody is getting excited about a competitive home match against the most successful european country ever.

This campaign has been one nightmare after another. If he's still manager after this campaign, i doubt very much i'll be going to the matches in the next campaign. My family and I have been block bookers since '96 but the disillusionment since he took over is growing by the day. It's pretty depressing

Got this email from DFB today.

We are the the "Fan Club Nationalmannschaft", the official supporters club of our national football-team.

It is great what you are planning in Dublin as a sign of "Fan-Friendship". We will put an advice about the Fan Fest on our website, so that all members of the german fan club are informed. And by the end of this week we will send a newsletter to all fans about your activity.

I hope that therefore many away-fans will join the Fan Fest in Dublin.

Let me you know if we can do something to promote your fan-friendly activity."

Klose is out injured for the germans - a small chink of light ?

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Originally Posted by lionelhutz

It's a really sad state of affairs when nobody is getting excited about a competitive home match against the most successful european country ever.

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Yourself included by the sound of it Lionel!...........Competitive only on paper now (sadly):(.....really nothing more than a Friendly ( for both Countries )

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Originally Posted by wallis

Klose is out injured for the germans - a small chink of light ?

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Klose isn't Chineese.

Its a real dilemma...if Ireland Lose theres a greater chance that the clowns in charge could be removed...but on the downside i dont think any proper fan should be wishing for Ireland to lose regardless of what it means. Plus losing wont help our ranking/seedings.

McShane and Hunt's suspensions not the best starting point.

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Originally Posted by ParkLife

On another note,has anyone received their tickets yet?

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Nope and I hope that the tickets are not sent until the week of the game. This will be a thorn in the side of the obscene amount of knobends who are selling on their tickets.

What combination would people prefer, in McShane's absence, in the centre of defence?
Dunne & O'Shea, Dunne & O'Brien or does he throw caution to the wind (he is supposedly rebuilding remember :rolleyes:) and blood someone such as McCarthy or the marvellous St Ledger?


Stokes, Gibson and O'Halloran in U21 squad. Why is Gibson demoted all of a sudden? Building for the future I suppose?

As much as I want a new quality manager, there is a small opportunity to get into the second batch of seeds for the world cup. If we can do that, there is a very small chance that with our band of dissilusioned mostly premiership players and talented youngsters like Garvan and Gibson, we can qualify for South Africa.

If Stan does go, he wont be replaced with a quality manager like Rehagel or Beenhaker, but a second rate one. Our only hope is that Stan blossoms into a decent enough manager like Mick did and D.Gibson becomes a midfield general like Keane was.

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

What combination would people prefer, in McShane's absence, in the centre of defence?
Dunne & O'Shea, Dunne & O'Brien or does he throw caution to the wind (he is supposedly rebuilding remember :rolleyes:) and blood someone such as McCarthy or the marvellous St Ledger?


Stokes, Gibson and O'Halloran in U21 squad. Why is Gibson demoted all of a sudden? Building for the future I suppose?

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Stan will most likely go with Dunne/O'Shea. That was the pairing for the Denmark game when McShane was unavailable.

This could mean Stan will persist with Kelly at right full and will continue to play Finnan at Left full (if he turns up).

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

What combination would people prefer, in McShane's absence, in the centre of defence?
Dunne & O'Shea, Dunne & O'Brien or does he throw caution to the wind (he is supposedly rebuilding remember :rolleyes:) and blood someone such as McCarthy or the marvellous St Ledger?


Stokes, Gibson and O'Halloran in U21 squad. Why is Gibson demoted all of a sudden? Building for the future I suppose?

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What about O'Dea?? Is he getting a game with Celtic this year?? I'd love to see him given a chance after sseing him excel with Celtic last year. I think he certainly deserves a chance ahead of the likes of O'Shea, who has already failed miserably in that position (and every other one for that matter)