The line between fitness and injury is a thin'un, I guess.
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The line between fitness and injury is a thin'un, I guess.
Anyone know. I just hope Doyle and Dunne are OK also. I still believe we can win on Wednesday. Watched the game again last night and at times we played some good stuff. Especially in the second half. The pitch suited players like Kilbane but did'nt suit Doyle or Keane. I expect a huge game and a goal from Robbie Keane on Wednesday night. Douglas looked clearly off the pace and lacking match fitness. Very odd decision to play him by Stan. When he came on Gibson taking the corner kicks? Why? None went beyond the first defender. Maybe the others were knackered. Anyway maybe that last minute goal will work to our benefit on Wednesday night. No complacency. I believe if injury free we will have a better starting 11 against the Czechs than we had against the Slovaks. We are on a good unbeaten run. And we are scoring goals. So not all gloom and doom here.
I watched the match again a couple of hours ago. Douglas was absolute ****e when he did come on, he almost gave up a goal on 82 minutes that I had forgotten about.
Throw Darren Potter in, why the hell not. He's playing at a much higher level then Douglas and he looked superb in the American tour. Plus, he's a past captain of the senior Irish national team!
thought i heard TOD saying in the news last night that as well as Ireland, Potter & Finnan are now no longer in the squad.
I reckon our chances of betting the Czechs are about 6 or 7-1, not impossible but unlikely, hopefully the Czechs will play for the draw, it will probably take a late goal by Ireland to win it, leaving no time for the Czechs to equalize
Wouldnt have mattered if he had of been fit for wednesday staunton still would of played one of the best right full in the premiership arguably the best league in the world at left full.
Nice to see that Steve Finnan made a full recovery from his crippling injury to play the full 90 minutes for Liverpool over the weekend. Mind you its not the first time he's done this.
I don't condone it but its hardly surprising when he looks so uncomfortable playing left full for Ireland. Blame Staunton.
Maybe its his own brand of protest?? :D
Mind you if I was the top right full in England and was displaced every time I showed for national duty I'd be annoyed, but I'd still turn up.
in fairness to finnan, i dont recall him doing this before. i stand to be corrected he has turned up for the vast amount of games both competitive and friendly in the last few years.
You don't think it's a bit odd that he could play 90 mins for the 'pool in Portsmouth but couldn't even make it for one of Irelands games? It doesn't sound right! maybe rafa had a word in his ear!Quote:
Originally Posted by aidz1
I agree, its always a pleasure seeing him playing for Liverpool. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by keenanboy
Can you tell me the last time Stevie missed an international game, including friendlies, pre-Slovakia and Czech Rep?
USA tour doesnt count. That was a nonsense tour for blooding youngsters.
he was playing in the champ league final for US tour as well..I rarely misses matches but I was very dissappointed to see him miss the czech game, we could really have done with him
I like Finnan & think he's committed but over the course of his Ireland career the difference between his club and his interntional situation has grown massively.
6-7 years ago he was at Fulham (he actually spent a season there at left back forr all you naysayers!) and playing for Ireland in an exciting team on the verge of a WC finals.
Now he's a 2 time CL finalist playing at the top of the PL for a very highly regarded manager and at a well managed ambitious club with a lot of foreign money coming into it, compared to playing for a divided Ireland team under an inarticulate rookie manager who in turns works for a self serving propogandist in a near bankrupt association.
I don't actually doubt his commitment but you can fully understand if he feels that playing international football isn't what it used to be for him. Returning from Stuttgart last Sepember Finnan and Steven Reid cut forlorn shapes at 7am in Stuttgart airport heading back to the UK. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall. Each had reason to be more frustrated than most.
It's funny that people are so positive about Finnan now. When we played Croatia in a friendly in Dublin in late 2004(?) I came on here singing his praises saying the guy just oozed quality from full back, and always had done for us. I think eirebhoy and myself were the only ones who concurred, everyone else thought he was poor, overrated or maybe tainted by some stupid cross-Lancashire club rivalry.
When Dunphy says that the FAI has failed this "great " generation of players, I really think that Finnan can feel the most hard done by. How must he feel at his prime to be given a manager told to learn on the job?
I actually think he's a candidate for captain next time there's a change.
The words "nail, hitting and head" spring to mind after reading that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Was going to say the same about your post on the "whinging" thread.
Might deter him from retiring to focus on club football too.. That, of course, and a manager with something to offer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
And all of this excuses him for not turning up for international duty how??Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
There's nothing in the rules that doesn't allow a player to recover from an injury.
That's a very quick recovery!!Two days later and he is able to play 90 mins when he could play no part in the Czech game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Is Mr. Finnan now too big to play for "his" country that he is at Liverpool and a European Cup winner or was he leaned on by a certain bearded Premiership manager.Either way he should have had the guts to say I am fit and I will be there to help my country in their biggest game in 4 years!!
Lost all respect for Finnan.He's just another self serving over paid premiership primma-donna!