To be honest I have been wondering this myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Maybe he has asked not to be included for the time being, otherwise it is baffling why he has not been included in recent squads.
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To be honest I have been wondering this myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Maybe he has asked not to be included for the time being, otherwise it is baffling why he has not been included in recent squads.
Spoke to St Ledger after the game, he said he was gutted at not being called up.Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
He also said that he had been asked if he is prepared to make himself available for NI!
I just fail to understand why a player of such ability is being overlooked for the likes of McShane and Bruce.
Alan McInally said about him on Sky "Championship Team, Premiership Quality" so if he can see it why not Trapp?
Did he say he say it is something he is giving serious thought to doing??Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Never said, but he did say that he'd always wanted to play for the Republic since he was a lad.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
From what I've been told, his Grandfather was from Carlow in the south and his Grandmother was from Omagh in the north.
Well at least Trap has been to see him play a few times now so Im sure he cant be too far away from a call upQuote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Don't understand what the fuss is all about. Finnan is injured. St Ledger is not a full back. Nolan is. He got called up.
For God's sake the non-selection of St Ledger is hardly 'baffling'. There isn't a whole lot between him and Bruce both are decent young Championship players, maybe, just maybe Trapattoni actually prefers what Bruce offers as a CB to what St Ledger currently offers, despite the fact St Ledger has gotten a few good write ups and the fact Preston are in 6th and Ipswich 10th which of course is vital to the barstoolers, until of course they read next week's positive review about a League One centre midfielder...
Has Trap even had St ledger in a squad to have a look at him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Bruce did not do that well for Ipswich on saturday.
There are a lot of people on this board that believe that St ledger is a better player than Bruce and are entitled to voice their opinions.
At least Trap is having a look a some of the players at the moment which will deflect a bit of critiism.Why not give St Ledger a callup if there is so little between the two players.
There's a vast difference between them in terms of ability, St Ledger is far more talented, as for St Ledger getting a few good write ups, well he is Prestons player of the year and the North West player of the year and you don't win those unless you consistently play well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Bruce is only in the squad because of his fathers connections with DG, fact!
If Trapp was picking players who are playing well at club level then fair enough, but to not even include St Ledger in any of the squads even at B level, is a joke!
Trapp needs to start being his own man and stop listening to our wonderful U21 manager.
You are wrong there bud. Have you seen either one of them play? If you have and still judge them to be playing at the same level then you better get down to spec savers quick smart.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
St Ledger should be in the Irish squad and it would be an absolute shame if the North pinched him from us. Trap fancies Bruce for one reason or another but it can’t be on his football ability. If it is he should join you at the eye clinic.
I've seen both play a few times, St Ledger looks quite good. I'm not denying that, but he's potentially Preston's player of the year, not Barcelona's. Trap likes what Bruce offers, I'd trust Trap to be a pretty good judge of player at this stage of his career. There were people saying Whelan/Gibson/Andrews were Premiership rejects and so shouldn't be anywhere near an Irish XI, yet now two are established as first team players and the other is a real squad player now at Man United.
There aren't light years in the difference between the two players, they both play at the same level. Those thinking St Ledger's exclusion is a disgrace are probably the first who would turn on him, ala McShane or someone like that, as not being up to it if he was thrown in to a few big games and started making mistakes.
This guy will be in the premier one way or the other next season, i heard he was class on saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
I heard he was great on Saturday too. Bruce can play right back which might well be why he just shades it - though the Don's infuence may be a malign feature at work here. As a CB I think St. Ledger is probably quite a bit ahead of Bruce.
St Ledger has played at right back for Preston on a number of occassions too, and has also played right wing back, sweeper and defensive midfield so far in his career.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Really! Well one is good on the ball, good in the air, reads the game well and has good pace, whilst the other one has a famous Dad!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
A "famous Dad" who got rid of him at Birmingham.
Because he was going to sign St Ledger who he rated as a better player with more potential.Quote:
Originally Posted by third policeman
I think most of these people u speak of would still have a different pairing in midfield than Whelan/Gibson so I'm not sure too much has changed in that regard, other than Whelan getting a few starts due to Diao's injury. You're being very generous to Gibson calling him a real squad player i think. I'd consider a real squad player to be somebody who gets some kind of a run in most games and starts here and there. He'll play one game at the most between now and the end of the season I'd imagine and has only one substitute appearance to his name in the PL this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
You sound like somebody that's just winging this one. I haven't seen much of St Ledger myself so I'm uncertain as to his promise. I have seen some of Bruce and he looks all kinds of ordinary if I'm being nice. Saying that they are both playing at the same level is neither here nor there, by that logic Ronaldo and Kuyt aren't light-years apart either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
I think you just take things a bit personally when somebody questions da Trapp.
was St Ledger not also playing fullback at the Posh?Quote:
Originally Posted by irishfan86
I'm not saying I've seen a lot of Bruce, or Ledger for that matter. But then again, these people panning Bruce as being nothing but the son of his famous Dad...how many Ipswich games have they seen? They base their opinions off snippets of games every few weeks, a few newspaper reports and a couple of posts on an internet forum. People see St Ledger getting a good on you from Chris Kamara or whoever it is and suddenly he can read the game brilliantly etc. etc. I'm not knocking the bloke, I hope he is a great player for us, but I highly doubt he'll be the second coming, just as I doubt Bruce will be. Considering Trapattoni has seen both player far more than most of us on here, has far more experience at watching players, and has a better idea at to what a side in our position needs, I'd be willing to trust him over a few barstoolers who read a good write up he got a couple of weeks ago. The fact that Trap made Bruce captain of the B side (iirc) and went as far to talk about him moving to Italy when his contract expired suggests he likes the cut of his jib. And to be honest I think that should take priority over a keyboard fanatic who saw St Ledger put in a great block in a Carling Cup game on Sky...Quote:
Originally Posted by BarelyLegal
Thats whats so worrying about Trapp! I think long term, this bloke will do more damage than good as he has no forward thinking plans for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
At least Dick Turpin wore a mask!
He's the first manager to put O'Shea in the middle regularly, and it has been successful.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
He's also brought in Whelan who has performed well for us in the middle of the park.
McGeady is still a young player who he is keeping faith with as well, and of course he has given Gibson opportunities to develop.
He seems to like Keogh and Long as well, and has given them playing opportunities (and they did well with a small amount of playing time).
He is making some questionable squad decisions, but his team selection is very close to what most people would pick, and this is most important.
Just because he's not giving certain young players a chance, doesn't mean he's not giving young players a chance.
To say he is sabotaging our long-term hopes is unfair and inaccurate.
The only topics you are interested in posting about is linked to St Ledger and other Preston related drivel.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
I wonder who the "us":rolleyes: are when you write
Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Time will tell! He is only using players in and around the squad, regardless of their form or if they are playing regular 1st team football.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishfan86
Most of the starting 11, pick it's self, we could all do that but where is the quality after that?
This will be a false dawn regardless of World Cup qualification, mark my words.
Trapp, Givens and Brady OUT!
I see what you're getting at but given that the first XI picks itself, what more can really be done? By the time WC 2010 is over - with us having been there hopefully - a natural changeover will take place. The "quality after that" you're looking for will probably emerge naturally. For example, I can see a time coming where Foley will be make RB his own just on the strength of his performances at club level.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
I personally think some in the squad (Miller, Bruce...) are lucky to be there and others like St. Ledger should be there but most of where I'd disagree with Trap are marginal decisions, Andy Reid excepted.
You can make a case for Garvan, Walters, Tabb and others but they're all marginal. My gripe is that there's an apparent lack of imagination, but then again, picking Gibson & Andrews is hardly conservative management. Therte are only so many chances one can take.
If Trap's system works then great. We've got to start achieving again. You don't get points for artistic merit or for imaginative squad selection.
Thats a fair assessment, but what does that say to up and coming players who are playing well and getting regular 1st team football.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
We aren't even giving the likes of St Ledger a chance in the "B" games, Trapp going with Bruce and other squad players so what good is that?
The policy is all wrong, I could live with some of his decisions if there was a good back up structure, but there isn't.
It looks as though we could lose St Ledger to the North, through all this, surely this is wrong when we could of at least given him a game at some stage.
My god, if the_doc is really an Irish fan, though I get the impression he's just a Preston fan, then we have plummeted to new depths.
Get a life! I'm a Preston and Ireland fan, whats wrong with that? Not all of us Irish are glory hunters supporting the likes of Man Utd and Liverpool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Fair enough so. If he'd rather play for NI than wait a bit longer then he obviously doesn't want to play for us as much as you claim he does
Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
You're right, some of us support our own league
I'm a Shamrock Rovers fan.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
And if you're talking about sacking Trapattoni because he chooses Alex Bruce of Ipswich, instead of St Ledger of Preston, to be fourth choice centre back then you're not an Irish fan.
St Ledger would be 1st choice alongside Dunne, given a chance and few games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Actually its because I'm an Irish fan that I want our manager to pick the best players not stick with deadbeat mediocrities who will lose us vital games if we ever have to pick them. I dont think this is a fine judgement issue between Bruce and St Ledger, the latter is a conspicuously and vastly more talented player. The worry is that our management either cannot see it, or simply dont want to admit that their inexplicable selection of Bruce and McShane was based on shameful ignorance or laziness.
Are you eleven years old, or do you just know nothing about football?
John O'Shea, Champions League winner, Premier League veteran, 50 times capped by Ireland and possibly our best player so far in this competition, dropped for uncapped twenty four year old who has played in the Championship and League One.
IF St Ledger ever makes a squad he will take Bruce's place, fourth choice behind the Premier League and International experience of Dunne, O'Shea and McShane (who despite being far from perfect, will always be chosen ahead of an inexperienced championship player like St Ledger...and let's not forget that McShane looked a quality defender in the Championship too)
First of all calm down, we're discussing fourth choice centre back. What do you mean by ignorance and laziness?Quote:
Originally Posted by third policeman
How many times have you seen Bruce play? How many times have you seen St Ledger play? Are you basing your opinion on third parties?
If McShane was playing for Preston he'd be doing quite well, and have the idiot internet masses demanding he starts.
Thats quite a harsh and poorly thought out comment. If we had any player performing well for a club side in the top two divisions then it would be more than justifiable for someone to make out an argument that he should start for our national side.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
He looked far from that, uncomfortable on the ball, rash challenges, out of position, playing his team mates into trouble.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
It was only his "up and at em" style of play that got many of the fans overlooking what experienced people in the game could see.
WBA, couldn't wait to off load him to Sunderland who too have realised how poor he is.
Yet he won player of the year and motm, after motm, after motm. I read most of the Brighton match reports and he was a messiah for them. Fair enough Brighton are a poor team and Adam Virgo was excellent for them but there's the Brighton fans certainly rated him very highly.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
He's been playing right back pretty much ever since. Probably 10 games at centre half in that time.
whats the difference between the bolded statement and any other statement made so far - just as opinionated, just as difficult to prove and just as ridiculous.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Yeh I don't think a player must be playing in the premiership for us to judge him. But I think McShane is a centre half, not a right back in a million years, and because of his inexperience in that position he needs to be playing beside a decent organiser.
And by the way, a decent organiser could sort out his poor positioning and lack of pace in one go. If that happens you've a great little player imo.