That is so disappointing. I know he likes Cox and I don't think he's a bad player, it's just with the form that Long and Walters are in I assumed one of them would get the nod.
:bulgy: I presume it's a balls up on RTEs part that the team selection they've listed has O'Dea instead of Dunne?
Fella working with me just came back from lunch. Liveline was on and the Punters have been ringing in about the captain out and about last night.
Very surprised by the selection of Cox. Cannot understand that at all. I wouldn't have been disappointed to see Walters as he'd be suited to the style we play.
Agent Trap??
Really? If he's injured then let him be out and about. Who cares - we're not England and we don't need tabloid-like tattling.
Rowan in the Sunday Times was giving the impression that the management knew Keane was out as soon as he had the scan. If he's out then he's fully entitled to be out and about.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15230446.stm
God help me. You refuse to even put some of our premiership regulars in the squad!Quote:
Originally Posted by Trap
Cox?
Great another 24 hours of hilarious innuendo Cox gags then.
Shane Long has every right to be upset. Only form striker in the squad gets displaced by a fella who cannot get a game with his club (the same club as Shane Long).
For all those who missed Liveline, count yourself very very fortunate.
A severe test of one's sanctity.
Well I can understand Walters not getting the nod from Trap after missing squad meet ups for various reasons. Don't get me wrong I'd have Walters over Cox but Long should be 3rd choice striker IMO.
That's a fair point, but there was quote's from an English fella who was assistant to the Armenians up to 2009 and brought some of these kids through, and his words of advice is that they can't cope with strength or physicality, that they especially don't like it up them. So Walters would have been made for a game like this.
Also I'd find it hard to believe that Walters will see any game time now that Cox is starting. Hunt for Duff circa 70 minutes, Long for Cox circa 60 minutes will be the two standard Trap subsititutes.
Liveline and Joe are a serious test of one's faith in humanity - it has to be said.
I can imagine it all: "Howya Joe, I wasn't there in the pub when it happened and I actually don't know anything about football at all but I'd just like to say that in my opinion.... "
Aside from the selection shocker issue, I'm still baffled as to why Trap shows his cards so early before games with regards to team selections.
Armenia now have notice for a good 30 hours before the game of our precise lineup and can get doing their homework on our team. My be only a slight advantage to them by why give it to them at all. By all means let the players know the starting lineup today, but why the need to go public?
Irish Times this morning pretty much flagged Cox's inclusion and also flagged his own disbelief that he gets picked ahead of others in form.
There is an article on the guardian website from J Wilson about Armenia. I can't put it up because I'm on the phone but it's worth a look.
I agree Kingdom. Walters would be a pain in the a$$ for the Armenian defence. I like his directness.
Cox is a tidy ball player and will obviously try to drop back into MF but he isn't the quickest & his work rate isn't on the Tevez scale. Just goes to show if you turn up to training camps & friendly games the Trap will love you forever as Keogh found out to his benefit!!!
What's all the love for Walters on the board, he's mediocre at best. His best return in a season was 13 in league 2 4 years ago and is knocking on in age as well I'd have Cox over him anyday along with plenty of other players. I wouldn't be surprised if Cox grabbed a goal tomorrow
I'd have Fahey over McCarthy too, McCarthy hasn't impressed me whenever I've seen him play and Coleman is just back from a fairly lengthy injury is he not? Plus I'd not see him get ahead of McGeady even though I would love to not see him play
Ha!! I'm bleedin snappin.... I was online on me phone on foot.ie last night midway through rant/text on this thread about how I think Trap'll opt for Cox, but it was that bit more awkward on the phone than it does be on a keyboard so I gave up.
I think Cox is a poor man's Keane in alot of ways, so I see the logic in that regard. But I would've gone for Long every time.
Several media sites carried it (e.g., http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/214934)
GIOVANNI Trapattoni has vowed to put the smile back on Irish faces by going for the jugular against Armenia at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday night.
Ireland’s rugby World Cup bid was all but over by the time Trap’s squad arrived back home after an overnight jaunt from Andorra early yesterday morning.
The Irish football boss has offered his sympathy to his friend Brian O’Driscoll – and vowed to give disappointed fans something to shout about when his team chase a play-off spot against the Armenians.
Trapattoni said: “I am very sorry that Ireland lost to Wales in the rugby because Brian O’Driscoll is our friend.
“But sport is sport. It teaches us that any result is possible when you have the right mentality.
“Our job is like that. We deserve to achieve a minimum of a play-off spot – and I think we can achieve that goal.”
I'm not sure Trap is saying that the rugby boys had the wrong mentality. Maybe he was saying wales had the right one.
Anybody knows the stats with the Armenian teams?
Cox!? So he opted for Long over Doyle was it against Slovakia, than Long got injured, so now last week opted for Doyle over Long, and now this week Cox over Long.
So he doesn't have any particular order for his strikers? He can't have picked Cox on performance since he doesn't get in the West Brom team. He was crap last time he came on as a sub.......
Yeah but Walters is getting rave reviews in the Premier League and the Europa League. Cox can't even make the squad at West Brom and was mediocre at best even in the Championship with them. Then again he has popped up with a couple of goals in the green shirt so you never know. The difference is though that Walters makes things happen by himself even when he's not scoring. To be honest I'm not a big fan of Cox or Doyle right now but what can you do.
Are Armenia missing an through suspension?
one of the posters on ybig.ie was at the open training session on Saturday, and posted this today on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/flickybig/sta...16770542452736
Its all just so... predictable.
Cox was always going to get picked if Keane was injured, Trap loves him ever since the N. Ireland game. Kelly was always ahead of Coleman for the full-back slot. Naming the team early isn't really a problem, you could name the team for a game in 6 months if all you were told is who was injured.
The game will go (assuming nothing freak like a bad injury or Shay Given getting sent off early on):
First 15-20 minutes Ireland on top, Doyle misses a chance, McGeady gets a few crosses in. *Maybe* a goal, probably from a set piece.
20-30min- Armenia get back into it. Counter attack forces Given into a good block save.
Until half time Ireland on the back foot, defenders have to block shots, Given makes at least one save, commentators moan about not keeping possession.
2nd half: Armenia get going after 50 minutes. Cross field balls and wingers cutting inside cause Ireland problems. Andrews and Whelan anonymous.
Hunt for McGeady 60-65 minutes
Brief rally from Duff and Hunt swapping wings.
Long for Cox 70 minute ish
Teams level (1-1 or 0-0) at 75 minutes
Fahey on for whatever midfielder is on a yellow card in the last 10 minutes
Final whistle, play-offs.
The only thing that changes in all this is how good/bad the opposition are, Trap's teams have one gear. We can't complain, its getting us better results that from Kerr and Staunton, but its also hard to get worked up after watching football like in the 2nd half vs Andorra.
Rumor says AraS OSbilis from Ajax may debut for Armenia tomorrow
If by some incredible miracle Trappatoni's mind-numbing obstinacy pays off against Armenia and gets through a play off against a European giant of the magnitude of Estonia or Montenegro, is there still a case for replacing him before his tactical shortcomings and perversely vindictive selction preferences are cruelly exposed this summer?
Is there anyone out there who honestly believes that we are a better team for not having tried out our most promising prospects, integrated our most consistent premiership performers or recruited our most plausible 2nd G options? Could O'Neil, Coppel and a host of other half decent unemployed coaches without Trapp's dogmatic idiosyncracies do any worse? If we do qualify it can only be dismal humiliation, frustration and shame. There will be no ambition, drama, beauty or heroism. In Russia they refer to the Brezhnev years as "the era of stagnation". I fear Trapp's reign will be similarly remembered or probably simply forgotten.
I wrote that Trap said as much,
means he did not exactly say that…. but open to interpretation :)
On later updates to the same article , the Trap quote was removed.
irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Saturday, October 8, 2011, 18:40
Keane a Major Doubt
Trapattoni said: “I am sorry that Ireland lost in rugby against Wales because Brian O’Driscoll and his team are our friends and we wished them to do well. But sport is sport and it teaches us that when we have the right mentality, we can achieve every result.”
Let Trap be lads, do ye really think any other manager would have us in with a shout at this late stage of qualification? I agree that the football is rubbish to watch but he gives us results. Need I remind you of the Staunton era? I'd argue that Staunton had much better players available for selection. Say what you want about Trap, but we will NEVER EVER EVER lose 5-2 to ANYONE, never mind Cyprus.
Despite much consternation here, Trap was sound in mind and body when he intended to pick Long over Doyle, to start against Slovakia.
Cox and Doyle together, appears to makes sense as a partnership.
Kelly at left back is 'interesting', he filled in there against the Czech Rep? but had another game sometime at LB where where he struggled a bit?
Link here.
Armenia look like world beaters right now, have you not seen their results over the past few months? Keep in mind that we were very, very lucky to beat them away last year.