Hoolahan started on the bench today for Livi away to Alloa in the Scottish Cup.
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Hoolahan started on the bench today for Livi away to Alloa in the Scottish Cup.
I was never overly impressed by Houlihan to be honest, he is a very good player but there have been better young players in the league in recent years (Doyle, O'Flynn, JP Kelly, McCourt) and better players in the Shelbourne team (Byrne, Heary, and while not on 2005's form Crowe). Surprised that Houlihan has gone for such a fee.
Although in saying that, I don't doubt that people's high opinions of Houlihan are wrong, and the fact that he has gotten his "big move" would support that, I'm just going by games that I have seen him play against Bohs.
It'll probably be a few weeks before he's in the first team, his fitness must be way off the rest of the team atm.Quote:
Originally Posted by De Town
Weso came on in the second half! - Livi equalised with the last kick of the game. 1-1.
Anyway I just checked to see what league Alloa are in. Now I was expecting them to be in the first division and looking for promotion after that result. To my amazement they are bottom of the second division and are facing relegation to the Scottish Third Division!
Oh the mighty Livi!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :p
Is jose Quitonga playin for alloa?Quote:
Originally Posted by Raheny Red
Was on the bench. Don't think he's much of a regular with Alloa these days.
I sincerely hope he was scratching his head on the drive back to Midlothian, wondering what he had done to foresake European football for last-minute equalisers against a club who would probably struggle in the Eirom First Division.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Raheny Red
Dear oh dear....
I was at every Shels game last season and he was an absolute privilege to watch.Quote:
Originally Posted by ThatGuy
I seem to remember his best game being against Bohs in the the 2-1 at Tolka (Remember...Bobby Ryan swings it over and Glen Crowe, standing on the word Judas, scores the winner...) where he absolutely ripped you apart
I'm with you on this one. "eL title challengers -> SPL relegation fodder" being a step up is debatable... last minute equalisers to a team bottom of the Scottish Second Division is just awful.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
Anyone else see what Wes said about when he played against Keane in a friendly?
"I was having a decent game ... and at one point he (Keane) turned to Gary Neville and shouted, ’kick that little so and so’."
Hoolahan and livingstons comments were bordering on the ludercous. Livingston arent in the same class as Shelbourne. We wont be on the recieiving end of a 7-0 thrashing by the old firms and Livingston are never ever going to see Europe.
The €140,000 move for Hoolahan is a step down and he knows it. Obvously its getting at him or he is completely ignorant.
The transfer does highlight the antics of Cork City who have disgraced themselves with the cheapo sale of Doyle, who is estimated to be worth £3million GBPounds, for a couple of thousand Euro.
He was playing against a 17 year old making his debut and versus a Bohs team severely hit by injuries and suspensions and reduced to 10 men after a few minutes in fairness!Quote:
Originally Posted by sfc red
The SPL is a step up, a mammoth step up. Livingston may or may not have a better team than Shelbourne or any club here, that is up for debate, but it is a better club in every sense of the word that is for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
The 7-0 point is irrelevant though, if any club here was to play against the Old Firm regularly I am sure that they would be on the wrong end of a hiding at least once. I know Irish clubs have gotten results against Aberdeen, Kaiserslautern, Rosenorg, Deportivo etc, but that is in the euphoria of Cup competition where underdogs always raise their game. In the run of the mill league games I think the gulf in class would be evident (not between top EL sides and Livi, but between top EL sides and top SPL sides).
And Cork City had no choice about Doyle's fee, it was in his contract. Luckily for them he didn't have a free transfer to Britain release clause as many players in the league do.
The league may be a step up but Livingston defintely arent. You can be in a top league but be bottom in a top league getting hammered regularly. Time to call a spade a spade. Its a bad move for Hoolahan.
Week in week out Houlihan will be playing against better sides than there are in the Eircom League. He will be playing in front of massive crowds, perhaps in the region of 60,000 on occassions. He will be playing against clubs which qualify for the Champions League group stages and have a pedigree in Europe. He will be playing in a better home staidium, presumably better facilities than what Shelbourne have in IT Blanchardstown, be earning more money, and with a club that has the budget to bring in better players than any EL club can afford to. He is also in a far greater shop window for moving to a bigger club.Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
How on earth is that a step down?
Because they are bottom of the SPL and staring relegation in the face???Quote:
Originally Posted by ThatGuy
How good a shop window is the Scottish First Division?
They are one point behind half way through the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrJoeSoap
Even though they're currently bottom I don't see Livi dropping down this season unfortunately (nothing to do with Weso, I just never liked Livi). The Pars are a much worse football team through and through and have been gutted of most of their reasonably talented players since the Jimmys left.
He will be playing against 2 good clubs and 1 decent enough club. Talking about what other clubs are doing is pathetic attempt at trying to boost the club that you are going to. Livingston arent Celtic, Rangers or Hearts.
The rest of the time he will be travelling to the highlands playing pathetic attempts at clubs.
Although Shels and other EL clubs dont have great facilities and finances we at least have the potential of Europe. We will be playing against top teams, some far superior than the old firms.
Shelbourne also have plans for the future, new stadium training facilites etc. What have Livingston got ? Lets avoid relegation lads .
Who exactly will Shels be playing this season who are "far superior than the old firms?"Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
If teams in the SPL are jokes, what the hell are the other 11 clubs in the EL then?
People get their knickers in a twist about ignorant people dissing the EL, yet the same people make crazy remarks about teams in a league which they clearly know nothing about. Ridiculous.
And playing poorly (from what their own fans are saying on their forums) and unable to beat a team who will soon be in the Third Division.Quote:
Originally Posted by ThatGuy
Admittedly I pay little or no attention to the English or Scottish Leagues, but does recent history not prove that the Shop Window Theory of football transfers is pure hokum?
OK, Kevin Doyle is doing well at a team that's doing well, but don't forget it's only his first season over there so let's not lose the run of ourselves. Nor does one swallow make a summer.
On the other hand, evidence for the prosecution:
Colin Hawkins
Dessie Byrne
Richie Foran
Trevor Molloy
Clive Delaney
Noel Hunt
Shaun Maher
Daryl Murphy
Whatsisname that went from Kilkenny to Sunderland years back
While Foran, Hunt and Maher are all undoubtedly doing better over there as regards financial terms than they would here, it's hardly acted as a springboard for going on to brighter and better things as regards subsequent transfers - i.e. the famous shop window turned out to have frosted glass.
Do you actually know that much about the SPL? If Rangers are 1 good club or decent enough, then what does that make Hibs who are ahead of Rangers?Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
Bit harsh. Started the game at Highbury, but its always going to be tough to make an impact in such a woeful team. Not saying he's made a huge impact but give him time at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Nightdub
But Rangers are in the CL knock-out stages...Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
The question still holds.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrJoeSoap
My mistake, I should've included him in the too-early-to-tell bracket along with Kevin Doyle.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrJoeSoap
Maybe you could create a new "Top scorer for the club running away with the English Championship and rated as the 6th best player in England outside the Premiership by the Independent while valued at roughly 40 times what he cost the club just over 6 months ago" bracket just for Doyle?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Nightdub
Deep breath...
If Doyle is first-choice centre forward for Reading in the Premiership next season and they don't buy in someone else ahead of him, I'll admit I was wrong. However, all that's hypothetical - I'm talking about actual achievements. I'm not knocking what Doyle has achieved, it's been fantastic, but I bet when he went across, most Cork fans were saying "he could do miles better than bleedin' Reading."
And as regards the main thrust of this thread - the Shop Window Theory of transfers as it applies to Hoolahan and Livingston - it's too soon to cite Kevin Doyle (or Daryl Murphy) as evidence one way or the other.
I suppose that pretty much sums it up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Nightdub
Each case should be taken on its own merit, and only time will tell.
Will there be any highlights on Setanta of the Livi game??
Just on a side note Clyde are beating Celtic 2-0 at half time!
Corrected! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Raheny Red
Theyve also missed a penalty and had two goals disallowed. Wonderful for all the ABCoR heads out there.
http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p238.htm
Livingston manager Paul Lambert praised
Wes Hoolahan for his contribution after
the new signing showed some nice
touches in the Scottish Cup tie away at
Alloa which ended 1-1.
He said: 'Wes hasn't played for six
weeks, but he did really well when he
came on and will get better with more
training and we will see his full
ability as the season progresses.
Michael Bolochoweckyj put Alloa ahead
on 66 minutes but Livi midfielder
Richard Brittain curled a wonderful
equaliser deep into injury time to save
the blushes of the Bank of Scotland
Premier League strugglers.
Errrr - just to correct you there Jolly : Livi were in the UEFA Cup in 2002. Beat Vaduz before losing out to Sturm Graz....Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
They're still muck this season though, and will struggle to stay up.
Michael Reddy (just in case it was one of those ones that drives you mad trying to remember!)Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Nightdub
I meant the Celtic the Ranger and hibs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
I dont follow the scottish league because i think its just an excuse for rascism and bigitory.
I never knew that, but they didnt crack europe when they were there:ball:Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
That is a ridiculous excuse really! Just because of a few gobshítes involved with the Old Firm and few others in the Edinburgh derbey are bigots doesn't make the whole scottish league an excuse for racism and bigotry!Quote:
Originally posterd by thejollyrodger
I dont follow the scottish league because i think its just an excuse for rascism and bigitory.
No - but they did crack Vaduz, which is better than Longford did ! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
And they also put 6 goals past Sturm Graz but still managed to lose.... ! :eek:
Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn...time for a thread close perhaps???
I think i said that 3 pages ago...
Mod's thread is finished please close...
Imo, SPL is better and anyone who says different is fooling themselves. It is a fully professional league, unlike over here. Just because there are only three or four top teams doesn't make the other eight crap.
I think Cork, Shels and Derry would end up aroun 7th,8th and 9th at best.