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Long and Byrne should have been chosen ahead of Dixon and Lee. Joey O'Brien should have been picked ahead of Alan O'Brien. I'd like to see O'Shea given a chance at centre-half. Whoever said it's not his natural position must be joking. Kelly or Finnan will probably considered for LB as there is hardly any need for 3 right-backs. Incidentally Dixon was listed as a midfielder on Sky Sports News- I presume that was a mistake?
So Stauntons just as bad as the rest. Meah, I can't say I care eitherway about this team anymore. A joke of a selection.
Is Stephen Kelly an option at centre back? He doesn't need anymore right backs in that squad. So, either Finnan is really a midfielder in staunton's eyes or Kelly is a centre back! Staunton is acting the clown at the wrong time. I'd say Michael Ballack is really quaking in his boats looking at that squad.
Stan saw both Byrne and Dixon at first hand and obviously likes the look of Dixon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Ogba
For me he's not even an option (yet anyway) at right back, never mind centre half.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeNiro
I'm surprised Joey has been omitted from the squad, he can play at full back and midfield. If Nolan was ever gonna be in the squad then this would be the time - I think that puts the final nail into that coffin (we all knew he was ineligible anyway so no major shock). My main concern is our defence and the centre of midfield, I hope he starts with Ireland and S Reid and keeps O'Shea warming the bench. If he plays John we will be overrun before you can say Ruud Gullit.
I'd agree with you. He needs to buck his ideas up this season at Brum.Quote:
Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse
Yet chose to cap Byrne?Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
Stan is nothing but a token capping tosser like his predecessor. He brings an out of form Byrne into the squad, caps him, he sets up two chances and is one of our best players when he plays. He then goes back to his club and hits the form of his life. He's then left out, and in his place are proven utter no marks (Lee) or players lucky to be in reserve teams (Dixon).
It's typical of the joke set up and attitudes within the Irish camp. How can he justify leaving him out and including these players? Why did he cap him in the first place?
The more things change the more they stay the same. It's a joke.
I don't see that much wrong with the squad. There are a few surprises but not major ones.
Dixon obviously impressed Staunton during the Summer training camp. It's obvious that he doesn't consider Byrne as an international player. No real surprise there. Shane Long has been played well for Reading but I read on their MB that he's picked up a knock.
A. O'Brien is a good call. With Reid out we haven't that many options on the wing. From what I've heard he's had a great pre-season and did well for Newcastle towards the end of last season.
Center Half is a worry but there are very few alternatives. McCarthy at Leicester is probably the only viable alternative.
I'm surprised that J.O'Brien hasn't been selected at either senior or U21 level. Maybe he's injured.
Stephen Carr brinngs some more experience to the squad and will provide good cover/competition for Finnan.
All of the debatable selections will not really effect the first team.
Does anyone know if the FAI website is working? Can't seem to access it.
Murphy, Connolly, Long, Hunt, and Byrne all deserve to be there over Lee, Dixon, and Alan O'Brien, they're all on hot form right now, theres no question in my mind there with those 5 > the the other 3
I got a bad feeling that Sweden was all luck, Chile was real, and Bobby Robson is too old to help out Stan, who might maybe be the one who finally lets Cyprus beat Ireland. Perhaps we should bring back Brian Kerr :o
As far as I see it, he gave Byrne a chance and wasn't impressed. Lee is a different type of player. He's a better target man. Something that we may need and someone to take a look at. He was injured for the last squad. Before that he had a very good spell with Ipswich. As for Dixon, Staunton is obviously impressed with him and made a judgement call. Thats his perogative. The non selection of Byrne is hardly going to damage our prospects of qualifying. If Byrne wasn't playing in EL there would be no fuss what so ever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slash/ED
It strikes me as far as the EL is concerned any Irish manager is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
He 'wasn't impressed'? How? If he wasn't impressed in training, why did he cap him? If he wasn't impressed by what he saw when he did cap him, he's an idiot.Quote:
Originally Posted by colster
Alan Lee isn't a better anything than Jason Byrne.
As for Dixon, why is he in the squads? He wont play any part in this team for years if at all. What's the point in having youth squads if you're going to put people like him in the senior panel?
The non selection of Byrne wont damage our qualifying prospects, but it shows Staunton is as big a patronising token gestureing clown as the last manager. Not that it matters a jot to anyone, but this team can forget about having my support for it ever again. It's just a fecking insult to one of our own to treat him like this. He never had an intention to do anything other than cap him in one friendly and discard him, he could be an Irish Ronaldinho or an even worse version of Gary Doherty, Staunton just wanted to get his little token gesture out of the way and move onto the 'real' players like Dixon, Lee and O'Brien. That's an insult. If he didn't want to view him as a proper squad member, just leave him out entirely (I'd disagree with his judgement in doing so, but that would be about it), don't treat him like some kind of special case who you will then ignore when the proper matches come around in favour of some utter no marks having done him the favour of granting him a cap in a friendly when you'd no intention of ever judging him on his own merits.
a farce of a squad from a farce of a management team.
They're all valid points but so what if he's giving him a few token gesture caps? One things for sure, Byrne wouldn't say no to a cap in a friendly as much as the next Irishman. Fenlon said Byrne was as high as a kite when he came back from the Poland friendly and that was certainly a token gesture.
If you felt Byrne was good enough for the squad than argue that point but I don't see anything wrong with capping a player if he's in the squad. I haven't been impressed with Byrne in Europe and I don't think he's up to international standards.
My guess is, as you say, Stan called Byrne up to please the Eircom league fans after the stick other managers of senior and underage Ireland teams have took. He can't win really.
Luckily we've a load of international class proven players like Dixon and Lee to step in though...
Believe it or not, people don't like being treated like idiots just because they play in the EL, if you don't believe me just ask Jason Byrne what he thinks of Brian Kerr. He was probably high as a kite as he didn't think that'd be the last time he ever got near a squad under Kerr, he certainly is no fan of our former manager, that's for sure. Why not hand out token gesture caps? Because it's a f*cking insult, that's why not.
How so?Quote:
Originally Posted by Roverstillidie
Whether Jason Byrne got that cap against Chile or not, Shels fans would still be reacting like this to the squad. The "token gesture" thing is just a bit more ammo. The probably reason Stan gave him the cap against Chile was so he didn't come across as someone who ignores the Eircom League because he seen the stick Kerr and Givens got. He doesn't think Jason Byrne is good enough, end of story. Again, forget the Chile cap, you'd still be moaning if he had never been called up at all under Stan.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slash/ED
Staunton gave him a few minutes. Kerr brought him on for the last 30 seconds. Still Staunton can't win. Staunton is looking for a target man. Byrne is not a target man. Lee is. He wants to give Lee a shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slash/ED
As for Dixon and O'Brien well Staunton has said he wants to familiarise young players with the Ireland squad. I think he's right. These guys are the future. Byrne if he is going to do anything with Ireland should be doing it now.
so why bother with an underage set up if we are going to blood 16 year olds at senior level?Quote:
Originally Posted by colster
I'd be questioning his judgement, yes, as Byrne is better than some who are ahead of him. But I wouldn't be so disullusioned by yet another clown in charge were it not for his token gestureing. It's patronising and an insult by someone typically ignorant of his own domestic league.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
If he gave him a cap as a PR exercise, and well there's no if about it, he's a tool. I wish nothing but failure on him, how dare he use one of our own leagues top players and treat him as nothing but a PR tool to be thrown away right after? This is Byrnes reward for turning down moves to Brighton and Djurgardens where Staunton would probably be begging him to be in this squad just by virtue of the fact he plays for one of those teams. I hope there's an injury crisis up front before one of our games and Byrne tells him to go f*ck himself (after he's finished scouring the English lower league U12 sides for potential internationals of course).
If he simply doesn't think Byrne is good enough, say so, and don't cap him in the first place. He is of course wrong however, when 'good enough' consists of a proven failure and someone who is barely considered a reserve player in England. However, that would be his judgement.
Instead, embarassing the player by calling him up, have him come on in a game and be one of our best players who were it not for poor finishing would have had one or two assists in what, 30 minutes of football? Then throwing him away as he'd served his PR exercise. That's pathetic.
Staunton can easily win. He can treat Jason Byrne like a footballer, not a f*cking PR rep.Quote:
Originally Posted by colster
And as has been said before whats the point in an underage setup if we're calling these people up to the squad with ('d imagine) NO intention of blooding them for at least a couple of years.
Agreed, how bout we all band together, and get all of the guys left out, play Ireland with that team, and once we beat them, actually make a good combined squad. The sad thing is, we could do it (if we got the guys) :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Roverstillidie
The "other team" that we would make (because of lack of extra defenders I can think of off the top of my head, well add another midfielder)
Someone from this forum who plays keeper (who helped round up the team ;))
Colin Doyle
Dean Kiely
Kevin O'Connor (the Brentford one)
Paul McShane
Gary Breen (he told EPL.com Connolly and Cunningham are his best friends in football, they could convince him to come back)
Joey O’Brien
Gary Doherty (can double as a forward, we would be lacking in defenders, we need someone, dont slag me for this)
Paddy McCarthy
Alan Mahon
Mark Kennedy
Kevin O'Connor (Wolves)
Michael Doyle
Willo Flood
Stephen McPhail
Sean Thornton
Liam Lawrence
Rory Delap
Daryl Murphy
Jason Byrne
Steve Hunt
Shane Long
Colin Larkin
David Connolly
Staunton said when he was picking the squad for the summer training camp that he wanted to reward the top performers at each of the under age levels. As far as I remember the other under age teams were involved in qualifiying campaigns so it turned out that Dixon was the only one available.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roverstillidie
I think it's a good idea to give good young players a chance to train with the senior players. It's another incentive for them to do well at youth level. It could also help them in progressing their careers.
As far as I can see he did treat him like a footballer. He brought him away on a weeks training camp and gave him 30 minutes of football. Thats a lot more than Kerr gave him. If Byrne were playing with Brighton or Djurgardens (as you referenced in another comment) there would be no problems with not selecting him in this squad.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slash/ED
No chance.Quote:
Originally Posted by thew0rm2345
I think the fuss regarding Byrne is pointless. Byrne, Lee or Dixon are not going to be worth a boll** against the decent international defenders in our group. If we need to call on any of the above in any meaningful match we are f**ked and any suggestion otherwise is dellusional.
Long would have been a better option at least he has time on his side and the potential to be decent (in the near future).
I'm more worried about defence anyway we have far better striking options than Jason Byrne thank f**k.
This game is too close to the qualifiers so Staunton should be playing strongest team that he feels he will play in Germany.
Any ideas what that will be?
From the make up of the squad I would not be surprised with the followingQuote:
Originally Posted by pete
Given
Carr Dunne O'Brien Harte
Finnan Reid O'Shea Duff
Doyle Keane
Robbie Keane's early success didn't see any calls for disbanding the U21 team, did it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Roverstillidie
Roy Keane was mediocre at 16, but developed later into a top player.
Different players, different rates of development, different treatment, different setup.
I think Stan just picks Dixon as needs a ballboy for squad training sessions.
:rolleyes:
Apart from Robbie Keane i dont think we have any strikers that are "far" better than ByrneQuote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
Firstly, it's a 24 man squad. The normal squad is 23 so there is room for a young player. If A.Reid were fit then I doubt Alan O'Brien would have been picked.Quote:
Originally Posted by totalfootball
Is Long any better than Dixon? I don't know. I've seen neither of them play. Staunton has looked at both of them and he's picked Dixon. Long will get his chance. Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that Staunton was impressed with Dixon during the training camp and feels he deserves to be picked again?
You're comparing Robbie Keane to Terry Dixon!?!? :D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by John83
Robbie Keane was a regular in his club side and would soon be in the premiership and a regular, argubley a star, when he was called up. He was ready for international football by virtue of being better than what we had at the moment of his call up, ergo he was in the squad on merit, he did not need to be in the U21 squad.
Terry Dixon is someone who is, afaik, not a regular in his sides reserve team. He is not ready for international football by virtue of being worse than numerous players in his position. He is not in the squad on merit. He needs the underage setup. If he doesn't, and it is deemed beneath him, there is no point in having one. It's there for players like him, players who in a few years maybe international worthy but are currently not.
No. It's all a conspiracy to screw over the eircom League.Quote:
Originally Posted by colster
It's a 23 player squad, yet so much focus on the 24th, an invited player from the youth set up.
not likely!Quote:
Originally Posted by colster
and with referance to that starting 11 I would pick Stephen Elliot ahead of Doyle any tday of the week, wait till Elliot gets more games and we will be crying out for him. I agree that Dixon is a joke since he is unproven at any sort of level and it would be far more sensible to 'waste' the suppposed space on someone like O'dea, Long, Stokes, Gibson- would Dixon even make the Under 21 squad that players like this dominate. I personally dont think he would get a game. And as for players like Byrne- he will never play a role for Ireland so why even bother. So in short, Dixon over Byrne, but no point in either
Regarding Alan O'Brien, he came on in the last 15 minutes for Newcastle
(for Duff) when they were 3:1 down.
I believe he forced the two corners which resulted in the two goals
to bring it back to 3:3.
That alone seems a fairly good reason for inclusion in the squad for me
He got the same rating as Duff (6) here:-
http://www.newcastle-online.com/news...rt_from=&ucat=
Always nice to add to our vast collection of left wingers though, maybe
we will have 11 left wingers starting a match one day?
christ you'd think Staunton just assassinated the whole of our 1990 World cup squad going by some of the reactions on here!!!
He must have seen something in Byrne that he didn't rate and so hasn't bothered to give him the nod this time. Hopefully Byrne can prove the man wrong by taking the next chance he is given with both hands when wearing the green jersey.
Surely it would make more sense to include Dixon and O'Brien as non-playing members of the squad. How the hell is Dixon in the squad ahead of Byrne - he was great when he came on against Chilie - what more does he have to do ffs ?
Also, Shane Long, Daryl Murphy - (I know he has only scored 1 or 2 goals for Sunderland so far but he definitly has potential and looks to be an important player for Sunderland this season - number 11 jersey, started at weekend, scored and a new 5 year contract) deserve to be included ahead of someone who has never played reserve for Tottenham.
Also O'Brien failed to make the last 3 u21 squads iirc.
Only two recognised CB in the squad - 3 if you count O'Shea - why the hell was McCarthy - the captain of Leicester left out?
Total joke IMO
EDIT: Alan Bennett is definitly worthy of a place. Im sure if he moves to Bolton/ Ipswich hel be in the squad after a reserve game