Lapira, Staunton and the Hunt Brothers

There may also be the issue that has ruined England's chances of ever doing well again, which is that you don't become an international without being talked up first. This is something that I fear may start happening with Ireland - so many players are brought into squads on the basis of talk, and being current in people's minds. Does anyone here REALLY think that Staunton would have capped Gamble (who fully deserved to play) if there had not been a lot of talk about him deserving a place first - I would not be surprised if another Reading player or two, formerly playing with City and already in a squad or two hadn't mentioned him as deserving a go.

In this case, Stephen Hunt has started people talking about whether his brother Noel was deserving of a place. Wouldn't you expect as much if your brother saw someone less experienced and more unproven than you getting in ahead of you?

Some of you guys fall for it every time, a journo picks a (in this case a "me brudder") quote, takes it out of it's context and put's it in another context to fill out an article with the title ...brother Noel´s snub ".

Always the simple interpretation supported by facts will win against any interpretation supported by conspiracy standard theories.

Silly move from Hunt! He already had the tag of 'super-sub', and now he undermines Stan. Not that I disagree with what he says, but Stan is such an ignorant donkey that he will hold it against Hunt!



:mad: Vote John Delaney for the (electric) chair! Who says a Chartered Accountant doesn't have the ability to see the obvious potential of Stan as the next great international manager! Cyprus 5 : Ireland 2! ... can never be excused! :mad:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paulie

I think that most of us will agree that Lapira should not have been capped. I think he was just in the right place at the right time, it was a cap of convenience. The point here though is that it is not up to Stephen Hunt or any other player to be telling the manager who to pick for his squad. If that was the case we'd have players giving out all the time because they didn't agree with squad selections or tactics. In a squad of 22 players there are obviously going to be differences of opinion on team related matters between management and players but it's down to the manager at the end of the day and whether a player agrees with his selections etc. or not the position of manager of the team needs to be respected. Stephen Hunt has just a handful of caps so instead of sniping from the sides through the media maybe he should just be concentrating on holding down his own place in the squad. The fact that he was right is irrelevant. He should have kept his thoughts to himself.

---

Agreed.

Its sad that everything Stan does is shot down. Sections of our footballing public and media is getting more and more like the English as every day goes by......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

Some of you guys fall for it every time, a journo picks a (in this case a "me brudder") quote, takes it out of it's context and put's it in another context to fill out an article with the title ...brother Noel´s snub ".

Always the simple interpretation supported by facts will win against any interpretation supported by conspiracy standard theories.

---

ok, the facts on this:

- Lapira is an American born US citizen
- He is playing amateur, colleges football, generally recognised as LSL level
- His uncle is an employee of the FAI
- This uncle suggested to Stan that he was eligible
- Stan picked him

Where are the conspiracy theories to say;

a: There are dozens of strikers more deserving,

b: Employees of the FAI should not be putting forward relatives as prospective players and

c: stan should not be picking players due to outside forces?

This is hardly grassy knoll stuff

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhNoYouDidn't

this is a player objecting to an amateur (first one since 1964) who has never played a club game being selected for no obvious reason other than an uncle working in the association. this is a player speaking out about corruption and the cheapening of Irish caps (or certainly thats the implication from the article).

it also shows how weak Stan is that he can be talked into picking a donkey presumably so Lapira can discuss professional terms from the strength of being an international player, if indeed he does decide to become a professional footballer.

---

I don't agree it was for no obvious reason. The reason was that Stan clearly thinks Lapira may turn out to be a quality player. He picked him to tie him to Ireland. If Lapira turns out to be even of Matt Holland quality he'll have done a good piece of work. If he doesnt then he hasnt lost much.

Comparing him to players like Noel Hunt is ridiculous. Noel Hunt is never going to be a major player for us. It is possible Lapira may be.

Now you may disagree with this but it was not a random pick, there was a clear idea behind it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhNoYouDidn't

ok, the facts on this:

- Lapira is an American born US citizen
- He is playing amateur, colleges football, generally recognised as LSL level
- His uncle is an employee of the FAI
- This uncle suggested to Stan that he was eligible
- Stan picked him

---

more facts

Stan picks team
Hunt spoke out to the press contradicting the manager.

and some opinion.
Hunt should not run down his international managers selection in the press.
Hunt should concentrate on cementing his place in our first 11 and should never make comments concerning other players deserving caps.

I like hunt but he is 100% wrong to have vented his spleen on this and i expect Stan to have serious words with him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

I don't agree it was for no obvious reason. The reason was that Stan clearly thinks Lapira may turn out to be a quality player. He picked him to tie him to Ireland. If Lapira turns out to be even of Matt Holland quality he'll have done a good piece of work. If he doesnt then he hasnt lost much.

Comparing him to players like Noel Hunt is ridiculous. Noel Hunt is never going to be a major player for us. It is possible Lapira may be.

Now you may disagree with this but it was not a random pick, there was a clear idea behind it.

---

I take your point, but i just dont think giving a player a cap to tie him to Ireland is right. If Lapira truely wanted to play for Ireland then he had plenty of time to earn a place in the squad without any danger of the USA capping him first. I dont think we'll gain much from this anyway as i doubt Lapira will amount to much (remind me to eat my words if im wrong).

I wish Hunt would have played in the US as well as he complains (see also Reading contract etc). And since when is Noel Hunt the next Maradona?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Metrostars

I wish Hunt would have played in the US as well as he complains (see also Reading contract etc).

---

Exactly right. And a decent 90 mins. in a competitive match does not seem to much to ask for.

Noel Hunt is 24 years old and is far from prolific in the SPL. If we are going to start saying that he deserved a place before Lapira, then I would contend that Morrison, Connolly, O'Donovan and Lee should have been ahead of him. O'Donovan is an interesting prospect and the others (esp. Morrison, considering the fact he scores goals AWAY from home) have proven themselves either through international performances or better strike rates than Noel Hunt. He's too old for the youth excuse and is never going to amount to much.

American college soccer produces better players than its given credit for. Nobody seems to take into consideration that the lads playing at that level are students who have the choice of pursuing football as a career or going into whatever field is linked to their academic studies.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

Most disappointing is that Hunt is now regarded as a "key member of the Irish squad". Not too long ago he would not have got near the Irish team. He should be grateful he has a place himself before complaining about others. He has yet to deliver anything of note.

---

Come off it, Hunt is a class player, ye anti Hunt guys were fierce quiet for a while especially after his good performances for Ireland, dont tell me ye need another good season of Hunt to be proven wrong.........again!:rolleyes:

so the long and the short of it is that only Keane gets to criticise?

christ you lot have short memories.

fair play to hunt. he has risked his international career standing up to nepotism and corruption.

as for the rest of you, repeat after me: ole ole ole

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Come off it, Hunt is a class player, ye anti Hunt guys were fierce quiet for a while especially after his good performances for Ireland, dont tell me ye need another good season of Hunt to be proven wrong.........again!:rolleyes:

---

I wish he was class, but he is not. A modern day equivalent to Slavin, Liam O'Brien, McGoldrick etc.

He has not yet earned his spurs - unlike Robbie OhNoYouDidn't. ;) And until he does should spend all his spare time practicing football not complaining.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhNoYouDidn't

so the long and the short of it is that only Keane gets to criticise?

christ you lot have short memories.

fair play to hunt. he has risked his international career standing up to nepotism and corruption.

as for the rest of you, repeat after me: ole ole ole

---

Didn't see any mention of Keane here....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhNoYouDidn't

so the long and the short of it is that only Keane gets to criticise?

christ you lot have short memories.

fair play to hunt. he has risked his international career standing up to nepotism and corruption.

as for the rest of you, repeat after me: ole ole ole

---

Keane isnt a member of the squad , he is a formern captain trying to drum up publicity for guide dogs.

And Hunt as Ken Saro Wiwa ?? Don't make me laugh.

I really think people are reading too much into this. As I said earlier this was a cap of convenience. We were playing a couple of games in the states so the manager decided to have a look at the guy. If Noel hunt played there he would probably have taken a look at him. I'm not in favour of calling up amateurs but it's still down to the manager.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhNoYouDidn't

so the long and the short of it is that only Keane gets to criticise?

christ you lot have short memories.

fair play to hunt. he has risked his international career standing up to nepotism and corruption.

as for the rest of you, repeat after me: ole ole ole

---

Now thats funny. Nepotism and Hunt complaining about his brother not being in the squad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhNoYouDidn't

fair play to hunt. he has risked his international career standing up to nepotism and corruption.

---

But isnt he doing the same as you say Lapira's uncle has done? Use a connection to Stan to bring notice to a player who otherwise wouldnt get it?

To sum it up this is how I see the relevant merits or otherwise of including either of the two strikers:

Noel Hunt is crap and is always going to be crap and he can only play for Ireland even if by some miracle he turns out to be otherwise so there was no gain to be achieved by taking him along for the tour.

Joseph 'Justin Collins' Lapira is crap, will most likely remain crap but there is a tiny possibility he could turn out to be decent, that and the fact that he is elligible to play for the Yanks made him a more worthy candidate to be included in the squad for the tour.