Ebosele was in the last camp too, but you could technically say him in for Coleman from both original squad announcements.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Quite like the fact Hallgrimson isn't afraid to make big calls really.
Ebosele was in the last camp too, but you could technically say him in for Coleman from both original squad announcements.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Quite like the fact Hallgrimson isn't afraid to make big calls really.
Coleman? Out injured nowQuote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
I think this is grand really. Omobamidele probably doesn't deserve to be called up given his playing time, but he's probably solid cover for CB and RB I assume that's why he's made it and O' Brien hasn't. I think there should be enough to beat Finland there, but wouldn't be very hopeful about the quick turnaround away to Greece.
The presser in a nutshell:
- Coleman and Smallbone both injured
- Part of the reason Mikey Johnston missed the last camp is recovery from an orbital bone fracture. Cullen also back from injury
- Left Doherty out to see alternate options at RB, presumably Festy and Andy with World Cup qualifiers in mind. Called Doc - door not closed, just testing other players and didn’t want to include him if he wouldn’t play
- Considers McGuinness and O’Brien and all our centre backs at a very similar high level and wanted to see Mark this camp. Mentioned his aerial ability
- Implied he saw Boro v Stoke live when talking about Finn Azaz. Was asked how many games attended and said he wasn’t counting but had a busy week attending matches up and down England (I’d guess the FAI were on about optics). He defended the decision to mainly use apps + TV to see more games and travel less “time efficiently”
- Repeatedly emphasised Jack Taylor as an attacking midfielder, which may impact how he’s used. Azaz was described as someone who could step up and show his strength and McGrath’s performances at the start of the season were mentioned - and how he just missed out for the last squad
- Used FIFA allowing 23 in a match day squad as the baseline for his squads (24 this time) - in that context said Browne, Robinson miss out to accommodate new players
- Squad was picked before Cannon scored 4 but he probably wouldn’t have made the squad anyway. He’s on the standby squad
- There was a definite reframing of the goals all being about World Cup 2026 and this window was described as a chance to experiment
- Said we needed to be pragmatic on the ball
- Said both we needed to experiment and also needed to find a settled 11. Nathan Murphy asked if that was a contradiction - but I think he was trying to say he needs to see a lot of players now so he can make an informed decision down the line and build a settled 11
- Wouldn’t give a results target for the window, wanted to build on the Greece game with good performances, which normally lead to good results
Tbf, thought HH was more knowledgeable this time around and spoke with confidence. Sounded like he has put the effort in and is more up to speed on the players. No nods to O’Shea or mention of leaning on the input of others which is a big plus. Slightly more confident of getting a result in Finland now.
That info reveals a lot. Average age 25, average caps 16Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
One player with over 60 caps, and that's a fading Brady. Apart from that, three players with 30+ caps.
With Duffy and Coleman out (and fading too), we have no stalwarts at all, in comparison to somebody like Declan Rice who is 25 but has already played for England 60 times.
It says a lot about how we've mixed and matched and experimented all over the place trying to find (and failing, I guess) to find combinations that work.
I like this squad. Sure, you can always debate X being included over Y but the overall picture here is one that suggests nobody is safe based on reputation (Doc, Browne...) and if young lads are playing well they can earn a call up. It's a nice change from the same-old same-old we've been served up for years. It looks like there's more room now to have an extra body in midfield and I think it also finally seems to have HH's personal stamp on it.
A small step in the right direction I reckon. I hope I think the same after the actual games.
Yeah I'm happy enough too, and the explanations of selections and omissions make sense for the most part. I would definitely have found a space for Cannon though, even if just to cap him and put all that nonsense to bed. But it wouldn't just be for that reason, he'd be in on merit.
I'm not sure about his comments on Doherty. They would make more sense if he had called up someone like Josh Key or Dan McNamara. But there isn't an out and out right back in the squad (I don't see Festy as a straight RB) so I think it still looks like he's being dropped with a few kind words to disguise it.
Looking forward to the games and hopefully seeing a few new faces in competitive action.
To be fair he has shown a bit of steel to show that doherty s efforts against Greece just were unacceptable and has been droped as a result.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Happy enough with the squad overall. You'd like to see Cannon involved after last night, but I also dont see who you'd drop for him either so theres good competition for places in the front line now. Same at center back, I like O'Brien alot so Im a bit disappointed there, but he hasnt been playing and the move to Everton seems ill advised at this stage so again good competition for places with a new man coming in.
Delighted to see Doherty dropped. I wouldnt say its a big call by HH, but its a notable one and puts a marker down. Shows that he wont tolerate the lack of effort we seen from Doherty from any player, even if they are a senior player. Festy has been playing right wing back for Watford the last couple of games so he could be an attacking option off the bench if we need to change up Omobamidele at right back.
I didnt see the press conference but by all accounts he came across very well. They at least have the optics better this time around after the PR disaster of the previous games. Hes a likeable man, he makes you want him to do well. Hopefully this is his stamp now starting to come across and a result in Finland will get him kickstarted properly.
I like this squad. It looks like Festy will finally get his opportunity, which isn't before time. It would have been good to get Cannon capped, but given he's been left out of our squad on merit it's hard to imagine he's likely to ever have the opportunity to pull on an England shirt even if he would like to in his soul. He's 21 now and I wouldn't imagine Harry Kane or Ollie Watkins are losing much sleep over him.
Doherty can have no complaints. HH found a diplomatic way of dropping him because of poor performance in the last window.
I doubt we will be moving away from the wingbacks myself. We just don't have the fullbacks for a traditional back 4.
Cannon is capped. He came on against Portugal.Quote:
Originally Posted by backstothewall
I think he means "cap-tied"
Extracts from today's Irish Times
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...nd-and-greece/
Hallgrímsson also confirmed that England under-21 striker Liam Delap, whose father Rory won 11 caps for Ireland, has been asked to change allegiance after scoring three goals for Ipswich Town so far this season.
Capping Delap, however, may require a change in Fifa’s current eligibility rules.
“I just know his qualities. It’s not my job to test that. It’s always the player who decides who he wants to play for and I’m not the right person to ask if he’s eligible or not. Someone else can probably answer that better.”
The FAI have been asked to provide clarity, but Hallgrímsson added: “I’m happy with the level of players we have. We have a lot of good Championship-level players. We are always looking for solutions somewhere else, instead of picking players, playing them and getting relationships between players.”
---
On Glenn Whelan switching from FAI scout, where he attended the Greece versus Finland match last month in Athens, to questioning the attitude of Irish players on Virgin Media days later, Hallgrímsson confirmed that the former Ireland international is no longer involved.
“I don’t know Glenn at all. I wouldn’t know what to expect. I wouldn’t have done that. He’s not scouting now, no.”
Whelan has taken up a new role coaching at Wigan Athletic.
---
After assistant coach John O’Shea picked the squad in September, Hallgrímsson has stamped his authority on the group by recalling the fit again Josh Cullen, Jamie McGrath, Finn Azaz and Jack Taylor to a midfield that lost Will Smallbone to injury.
Kelleher misses the Liverpool squad with illness. Might delay his arrival you’d imagine
Finnish squad was announced last week
https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohta...gue-otteluihin
Details on wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlan...l_team#Players
That squad is drawn from quite an eclectic array of teams / countries
14 divisions compared to our 4 (premier league, championship, SPL, eredivisie)
Meanwhile on an obscure Finnish football forum...
'Hey, Benjamin Kallman scored again for Cracovia. Good to see he's on form ahead of the internationals!' :D
'Oh yeah, against Slask in a pig farmer's league. Big whoop.' :rolleyes: