Nothing to see here
Is Randolph's Twitter username something to do with his goal concession rate?
5 goalies. Weird.
Glenn Whelan even when crocked. Even weirder.
Whelan's injury is a crack in the bone so could conceivably be healed in time.
5 keepers
Lenihan
Kelly
McShane
Injured Whelan
Green
Cox
Sammon
They're just not trying very hard, are they? Some continuously strange selection decisions again.
36 Man Squad, 13 of which will be dropped. No harm in it. Managers prerogative.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
No Grealish or Christie? Will they be called up after or something? Seems strange.
They could definitely look to another few options.
As with every previous squad, he's called up more or less everyone who's available (and some who aren't) to let them know he's thinking of them. I don't know why people are continually surprised by the same outcome.
That he is not thinking of others?
It would send a greater message to players like O'Kane, Arter, Judge, Williams and Doherty if he called them up and analysed them, at least for the U.S.A game, rather than continuously selecting players like Kelly who are unfit/haven't started games in over 10 months.
Unlike Poland & Scotland, we seem to limit personnel to players of a certain age 26+ who have amassed 10+ appearances who are ingrained in the squad, regardless of club form or fitness. Lenihan is just an anomaly that harkens back to Trap's call up of Clifford. It is up in the air if he is good enough at this level and he will, in most likelihood, not see any realistic game time.
You just have to take a shot and just give players chances. There is a reason why we always have such old squads.
There is every chance someone like Judge or Williams, if given a chance, could make an impact similar to Maczynski; certainly more so than 31 year old Paul Green. As it stands it looks like there is a serious barrier to any new entries for the foreseeable future, maybe the rest of this campaign. Which is unfortunate for them.
If you're not in the squad, you can probably assume you won't be any time soon. Grealish, McGoldrick and Christie are presumably still in the plans but unavailable for various reasons.
Check out the first reply to this...
FAI Twitter Squad Announcement
#Sledge
Fourth one is pretty good too.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
It's uninspiring that he includes the same tired old faces, no doubt, and I'd love to see some early tenure McCarthy like imagination at the margins - just for the message it sends. But again we're talking at the margins. The dead wood will be chopped and we'll have our strongest 23 or whatever and barring injuries Green, Cox, Sammon et al will all be watching it on the telly along with those season ticket holders who traveled to Kazakhstan and Armenia.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-30702604.html
"I suggested to his father that he might want to get involved with Oman game and still not wanting to commit myself. The father sent me a message to say he would concentrate on the U21s at that time. I’ve left it since then. And there’s been no conversation since then."
I found this bit even more interesting...
"I’m not going to force it. It would be nice to hear someone come up and say this is what I want to do."
Simon Cox has 30 caps?! Bloody hell.
That's the most interesting thing about the squad announcement.
True. Someone taking that kind of initiative would be nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Matt Doherty retweeted this earlier:
Shaun Shields @ShaunShields 1h1 hour ago
How can the @FAIreland call up young Brian Lenihan who has yet to play for Hull ahead of @OfficialWolves regular RB @mattdoherty20. Strange
Doherty has every right to be miffed. Some others do too to a lesser extent.
Has the Grealish pendulum stayed where it was or swung back towards England?
The first 23 is largely not open to debate, bar Doherty. The remsining 14 contains some stale, lazy and unimaginative selections - though if we had a midfield crisis I'd prefer Green in Glasgow to O'Kane, say.
How long does it take for McGoldrick and co to get a passport?
Really surprised no McGoldrick or Christie. Grealish should have been approached , at least it would have a little clearer if he had been given a decision to make , it's not like a friendly would have tied him. Training with the big boys would have been a good experience for him , they could have even cut him with the rest if the deadwood.
Shaun is jonny dunleaveys agent and was involved with skyler Andrew it's vested interest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Thread reopened, no idea why it was locked in the first place
You went power mad, tets. Do you not remember?Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
nuh-uh, unless there's some sort of Tyler Durden situation going on?Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Irish Examiner reporting tomorrow (or, today, I guess) that Gibson is now an injury doubt after picking up a training injury. Not food news considering Whelan and Hoolahan are already doubtful and out. Really need a decent midfield pair for this one.
You were laughing maniacally and posting links to YBIG all over the place. I was afraid to say anything in case you had me killed.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Hopefully it's only minor as Gibson needs game-time as much for his Everton future as we need him for this game. With Hoolahan out, we'll need somebody with the confidence to play intelligent forward passes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philly
You say you want the management to take a shot and give players chances straight after you criticise the current management for taking a shot with Linehan and the former management for taking a shot with Clifford? Make your mind up.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Players with ten or less caps or aged 26 or under in the squad:
Rob Elliot
Darren Randolph
Ciaran Clark
Damien Delaney
Richard Keogh
Alex Pearce
Shane Duffy
Séamus Coleman
Brian Lenihan
Stephen Quinn
James McClean
James McCarthy
David Meyler
Robbie Brady
Jeff Hendrick
Anthony Pilkington
Connor Sammon
Anthony Stokes
Is it really as bad as you're making out?
Good collation DI, but three of the second list should not play again IMO.
Ah, I just tidied them up into a solitary list, but here were the two separate lists I'd originally made again.
Players aged 26 or under in the squad:
Ciaran Clark
Alex Pearce
Shane Duffy
Séamus Coleman
Brian Lenihan
James McClean
James McCarthy
David Meyler
Robbie Brady
Jeff Hendrick
Anthony Pilkington
Anthony Stokes
Players with ten or less caps in the squad:
Rob Elliot
Darren Randolph
Ciaran Clark
Damien Delaney
Richard Keogh
Alex Pearce
Shane Duffy
Brian Lenihan
Stephen Quinn
Robbie Brady
Jeff Hendrick
Anthony Pilkington
Connor Sammon
Anthony Stokes
Good work Danny, thanks. That said, I have to say I do share TOWK's frustration at some of the selections, although as I repeatedly point out, it's only for the marginal places.
It's not so much the lack of imagination in itself, it's that it follows straight off the back of a manager who often didn't seem aware of the broader options and who made some erratic selections, but more importantly, O'Neill seems to be peddling that tired old line used by Trap "there's nothing coming through, I just don't see it. We do t have the quality". There are talented players coming through but their pathway is clogged up by the huge influx of players from all over the world in England, many of who are mediocre. International recognition and exposure could be a useful leg up.
Anyway, even with Gibson, Whelan and Hoolahan injured or a doubt there is still McCarthy, Meyler, Hendrick and Quinn as CM options, and one or two who could fill the Hoolahan role, most notably Brady. If Gibson does withdraw I can see Green being called up and that doesn't scare me at all. If he can do a job in Sweden he can do a job in Glasgow.
Yeap, it's all set up now to be a bore-draw...
Martinez quoted on The Score saying Gibson is fine.
Aye, but another game before then, pray he doesn't play this weekend, or Coleman, or McCarthy, or McGeady...
Out of interest, who are the three? I assume Sammon is one of them. Is Stokes another and maybe one of the keepers?Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Stokes and Keogh, so not bad guesswork.
The keepers are a bit of an unknown quantity. At least one of them should have played v.the theme park...
Ah Danny I know you are frustrated about me being proven right about Jack Grealish again :p but you have got to see the crux of my point, no?Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
I criticised the calling up of Clifford and I criticised the call up of Lenihan. I'm remaining consistent, despite my contrasting opinions on Trapattoni & O'Neill. Lenihan will remain uncapped. He is a token call up. There are at least half-a-dozen players playing in the PL, Championship and maybe even L1 who could all come in and do a job right now.
Clark is 25, Pearce is almost 26, Coleman is 26, McClean is 25, Meyler is 25, Pilkington is 26 and Stokes is 26 so I think you are being pretty fussy there. Every other player has been given his first cap by Trapattoni. Calling up Lenihan instead of Doherty (and one or two others) is very strange and, allied with the persistence in calling Stephen Kelly up, points to waiting for Cyrus Christie to get his passport and a complete lack of faith or awareness in Irish born RB's playing in England.
Players under ten caps - most of them are one or two caps under, all have been given their debut's under another manager and some (Delaney) have been around treading water for over 6 years.
But again if you want to be fussy and avoid the crux of the issue, be my guest.
Hehe, how do you work that one out then? Maybe O'Neill just didn't fancy calling up a player who's played no more than 100 minutes of Premier League football as a substitute?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
I do and I'm all for imagination, but Stutts showed much greater nuance above in making that point. You don't have to wildly exaggerate claims and figures in order to present a valid argument on this matter.Quote:
but you have got to see the crux of my point, no?
To whom is it a token gesture exactly?Quote:
Lenihan will remain uncapped. He is a token call up.
Hey, look; you set those parameters. You make the point much better when you refine your analysis, as you've done immediately above. :good:Quote:
Clark is 25, Pearce is almost 26, Coleman is 26, McClean is 25, Meyler is 25, Pilkington is 26 and Stokes is 26 so I think you are being pretty fussy there. Every other player has been given his first cap by Trapattoni. Calling up Lenihan instead of Doherty (and one or two others) is very strange and, allied with the persistence in calling Stephen Kelly up, points to waiting for Cyrus Christie to get his passport and a complete lack of faith or awareness in Irish born RB's playing in England.
Players under ten caps - most of them are one or two caps under, all have been given their debut's under another manager and some (Delaney) have been around treading water for over 6 years.
As I said, I share TOWK's concerns here but I really do find it hard to believe he just isn't aware of Matt Doherty. That'd be a dereliction of duty. Not rating him is another matter, but that opens the question of on what grounds can he rate Lenihan higher.
As things stand Meyler seems to be Coleman's back up. Others in the back four can play across the back four too. But then that leaves open the issue of Kelly who - and I'm taking my info from TOWK here - isn't even fit. He certainly isn't playing anyway. Bizarre.
All managers have their irrational favourites. Even though they exceeded expectations v.Germany, why do you think Ward & Whelan have lasted so long?
Or the various players omitted over the years...