Instead of picking a team for the future he's gone with what he considers his strongest team.
Why? It all goes back to 2004 when he was managing Italy. Denmark and Sweden 'conspired' to put Italy out.
He doesn't want to be seen to roll over and let Italy win.
Its all about how he wants to be seen in Spain and Croatia. Trap cares more about his reputation than the future of the Irish team.
You're absolutely correct. They might as well retire now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
If only Gibson had been able to meet the high standards of Whelan, Andrews and Green then he might have seen some game time. I hear David Moyes is going to break the bank for Andrews and Green to supplant Gibson.
If only Long could have matched Doyle, Walters and Cox's fantastic goal ratios then he might have played more. Remind me which of our strikers has actually scored in the last 4 games?
Roy says it's time to ring the changes.....(or Roy back on the attack)
He has to play his strongest team, ranking points depend on this result so it
could determine what pot we are in in the future.
team.
---------Westwood
mcclean dunne hunt Mc Shane
duff andrews gibson mcgeady
long walters
Yep there's extra weighting for winning matches in a tournament. But lets not let common sense get in the way of a good tabloid rant.Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
I thought that Italy were the team that we would most likely get points off when I heard the draw back in December but now I am not so sure about that after the first two performances! I am stuck in Madrid at the moment too so there wont be much craic surrounding the match either for me will prob find it difficult to find a bar thats showing it given that spain are playing at the same time ffs
There's a good footballing reason to change the team for the Italy match --IIRC, we have only one friendly scheduled before the WCQs start. This isn't a throwaway game of no consequence, it's a WCQ warm up at the highest level. If Trapp wants to reward specific players he should organize a testimonial!
EDIT: Obviously if this is the team that starts against the Khazaks then things are worse than I want to believe...
Idle speculation that just doesn't add up. Why would he care how he's viewed in Spain and Croatia because of something that happened in 2004? He'll be managing us for a further two years after this tournament, so it's in his best interests to care about the future of the Irish team. He'll pick what he believes to be his strongest eleven because he wants to win the game.Quote:
Originally Posted by eekers
He's picking the team that got us through the qualifiers.
That's fair enough but this exact team has already had a run out in the tournament.
Unless we get at least a draw there little justification for not making a couple of changes.
He could also have a fear of being accused of not playing his strongest team and a man like Trap feels honour bound to play them.
Anyway, the main issue is not what we do in the Italy game but what changes are made afterwards.
On reflection we did pretty well against Croatia, with a bit of luck we could have scrapped a draw.
However Spain knew they had to give us a good hiding and they did just that.
We have certainly looked below par.
How about we go 4-1-4-1 with Gibson being 1 number 1 and Long being 1 number 2.
We have a good outlet in Long he has a bit of pace and can get the long clearnaces we
shoudl be making rather than trying to pass our way through the bess passing and closing down
side in Europe and the World.
That's what he said a few days ago in the press conference. He wanted to pick his best team because he owed it to spain and croatia and hoped another team would do the same if he was in their situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
I don't know, I think the experience within the squad, or lack of it, of having been at a major finals before really told on us here, guys who are likely to be involved should we make a finals again soon could have gotten some tomorrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Who's on a yellow card? I know Keith Andrews is. He picks up one against Italy and he's out for the first qualifier.
Not very clever to play him.
It could work to our advantage if he did. Andrews needs Gibson/McCarthy beside him. Him out for the game against the Kazakhs forces Trap's hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by brine3
So yeah, he'll pick Paul Green against them.
Perhaps it's not very clever, not to know that yellow card & yellow card suspensions obtained in the Euro Finals do not carry over to the WC qualifiers.Quote:
Originally Posted by brine3
Steve Staunton on the need for youth, and the lack opportunity for youth with Trap, and how his reign had built in mechanisms to nurture youth, and how things were done in Jacks day.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18478998
If only it was as easy as saying it eh Stevie ?
Thank god he blooded in Douglas and Alan O'Brien. Where would we have been down the road without his keen eye for talent.
More here on that US tour http://thedubiousgoalscommittee.co.u...23rd-may-2007/Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
Gamble, Bennett, O'Cearuil, Murphy, Lapira, Dixon, overall an interesting who's who of a where are they now affair.
Whatever shortcomings of Traps are being exposed at present, shhhh Steve, just shhhh.
Yeah the above, I was at the game vs Ecuador at (since imploded) Giants Stadium, with Stan. Irish looked awful. Steven Hunt was by far the best player on the pitch ( artificial turf get the **** off it by Giants/Jets) on either side....
I remember Stan standing there, kinda clueless and said to my friend, "This Is not good." We had REALLY good tickets. Wasn't hard of course, to get those.....