UK Pre-season games

Colin Doyle and Stephen Kelly played as Birmingham won 1-0 against FC Heidenheim 1846: http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/pag...075190,00.html

Glen Whelan started, and was substituted in the second half after setting up Wednesday's second goal in a 2-2 draw with Dutch side Heerenveen: http://www.swfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...075194,00.html

Billy Clarke and Michael Synnott played as Ipswich drew 2-2 with Chelmsford: http://www.itfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...075191,00.html

Colin Hawkins, Michael Doyle, and Jay Tabb all start for Coventry, while Kevin Thornton and Leon Best were introduced as second half substitutes in their 2-2 draw with Shrewsbury Town: http://www.ccfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...075187,00.html
Doyle was captain on the night, and Tabb put the sky blues 2-1 up.

Richard Dunne and Stephen Ireland both started, and were both substituted in the second half, in Man City's 4-1 win over Swedish side Örgryte: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pa...&newsid=445473
According to the report, Ireland impressed on the left

While that was going on, Garry Breen, Michael Daly, Karl Moore, Paul Marshall started for Man City's reserves in a 4-2 loss to Hyde United, while Donal McDermott was introduced as a substitute: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pa...&newsid=445248
Moore got the second goal for City's second string

Any chance that lad logan who scored for city has irish connections?

Sven has apparently taken quite a liking to the lad.

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Stokes scored for Sunderland
some comentary here but only 7 miutes to go.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tees/local_radio/index.shtml

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Seen it this morning on SSN. Not a bad goal. He got in behind the defence through the middle, one on one with the keeper, and slotted it away with confidence.

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Originally Posted by ofjames

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none that I'm aware of, and watch the faux-racism. You're not Borat

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i have to say i found that funny :D but it probably shouldnt be said on an internet forum!

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Originally Posted by dr_peepee

Seen it this morning on SSN. Not a bad goal. He got in behind the defence through the middle, one on one with the keeper, and slotted it away with confidence.

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Exactly the type of goal I've been saying he'll score plenty of if given the chance. By "given the chance" I mean play him as the number 9, not the number 10. It'd be great to get a copy of the match he played at Celtic Park. It's a different Stokes to what most people would know. He was just completely disciplined and spent the time doing the things Ruud van Nistelrooy does best. Alan Gow was his support striker and he'll be more of a creator. Stokes hit the post and eventually scored a goal. He wasn't required to do anywhere as much work on the ball as the likes Keane and Stan have him doing.

Sunderland: Fulop (Ward 45), Halford (Kay 45), Nosworthy (Varga 45), Collins (Donoghue 45), Clarke, Leadbitter (Hysen 45), Kavanagh (Yorke 45), Whitehead (Miller 45), Wallace, Murphy (Stokes 45), Connolly (John 45).

in fairness that team is nowhere near mid-table premiership standard.....i really cant see where sunderland are going to get goals from this season.

Reading V Shimizu S-Pulse
Reading (4-4-2): Federici; Murty, Shorey, Ingimarsson, Bennett; Harper, Cisse, Oster, Hunt; Kitson, Long.
Subs: Stack, Halls, Golbourne, Pearce, Bikey, Duberry, Gunnarsson, Henry, Seol, Robson-Kanu, Cox, Doyle

Good to see Bennett get a start pre-season, has to get an opportunity ahead of yellow card merchant Bikey this season.

Hally given big chance: http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...,10265,00.html

Bennett apparently played well for Reading. Long also played well but missed a bucketful of chances. Not good.

where does it say "he played well"? can you provide a link?

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1075524,00.html

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Alan Bennett was making his first appearance of the tour, and he looked very solid, putting in a couple of good blocks at the last.

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Kevin Kilbane again played in defence, and Folan started up front for Wigan in their 2-0 win over Dutch side Den Bosch: http://www.wiganlatics.premiumtv.co....073929,00.html
Kilbane played the whole game, Folan was substituted at half time

Graham Barrett played his first game in over a year for Falkirk in a 2-0 loss to Partick Thistle: http://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/falkirk-n...ak-bairns.html
No sign of Cregg, for the second game running, is he injured?

Well said in your earlier post Tets.

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Originally Posted by ofjames

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**********.ie forum down?

Thursday, June 21, 2007

FAI launch Intercultural Plan

The plan also challenges and prevents the spread of ‘racism’ within the game and thus contributes towards a fully integrated and intercultural society.

The FAI is to the forefront of Irish sport in terms of commitment to interculturalism and 12 months ago became the first National Governing Body to appoint a full-time National Co-ordinator to oversee this important sector.

According to the 2006 census, around one in ten of those living in the Republic of Ireland have a nationality other than Irish, a proportion which has nearly doubled since 2002. Regrettably discrimination and ‘racism’ exists in Irish society and those within the football community have a responsibility to challenge discrimination. Thus, the plan, launched by former Ireland senior international, Paul McGrath, at City Hall Dublin, focuses on four overarching objectives:

• To combat ‘racism’ in football
• To promote participation among minority ethnic and multicultural communities
• To develop a culture of football that is dynamic and globally competitive
• To contribute to the wider process of integration

The plan was formulated by the Football Association of Ireland in conjunction with its key stakeholders. FAI Intercultural Programme Coordinator, Des Tomlinson, worked closely with a Football Intercultural Advisory Group who drew from other organisations who have worked in the field including: Show Racism the Red Card, Sport Against Racism in Ireland, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, which also provided significant funding through the National Action Plan against Racism.

FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney said, “This is an exciting time for the FAI as we are going through growth and expansion within the organisation in order to cater for the 450,000 who participate in our game each week. Within this process we hope to grow the FAI’s Intercultural Programme, which is one of our newest programmes and links across all departments within the association.”

He added, “Working towards a fully intercultural and socially inclusive society is a key challenge for all members of Irish society. The FAI is keen to play its role and in this regard we have been proactive.”

Mr Delaney welcomed yesterday’s creation of a Minister for State for Integration and promised Minister Conor Lenihan the full support of the FAI.

“We believe that when the Minister and the officials in his department read the FAI’s Intercultural Development Plan they will quickly recognize that football is a very powerful tool at their disposal,” said Mr Delaney.

FAI Intercultural Co-ordinator, Des Tomlinson, said: “Today's launch of the Intercultural Football Plan is an important landmark in the FAI’s efforts to promote football amongst members of minority ethnic and cultural communities within Ireland. Given that Irish society has, and continues to become, more ethnically and culturally diverse this plan also seeks to use football as a vehicle to promote a fully intercultural, and socially inclusive society at ease with its growing diversity.”

Paul McGrath gave his endorsement to the initiative, saying: “Structures like these were not in place when I was playing. If I received racial abuse, I had to ignore it but now the measures have been set-up by the FAI to create the awareness within the football family for the need to embrace the new modern Ireland.

"I’m delighted to be here today to witness the plan being announced. It just shows how serious the FAI is taking the matter.”

Is foot.ie taking it as seriously? I don't care if it was made light-heartedly. At the very least it's an outright insult to any black player who has ever played for us.

Check out the furore over a R&A golf official's similar remarks the other night.

Report the posts guys.

McGeady came on last night for Celtic against the MLS All Starts, according to one guy who was there, he "tried hard when on in the second half"
http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories...707040806.aspx

John O'Shea started and completed the game against FC Seoul in midfield, seemed to be playing a sort of Lampard-advanced-midfielder role. Was unlucky to be caught just offside late on.

I only watched the first half last night but by all accounts McGeady was Celtic's best outfield player last night.