Ireland to play Ecuador and Bolivia in May

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Joe Gamble and Stephen O'Halloran called up.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0515/repireland.html

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Line up for the B International back in November:
Randolph (Quigley, 86),
Foley, McCarthy, Bruce (O’Cearuill, 51), Emanuel,
Gamble, McPhail (Potter, 45), Gibson (Frecklington, 51), O’Brien (Hunt, 44),
Keogh (Long, 77), O’Donovan (Stokes, 51).

From that game, Long, Stokes and Hunt have all gone to win senior caps in the next 3 games, and Gibson was an unused substitute. As well as that, O'Cearuill, Potter, O'Brien, Keogh and now Gamble are going on the tour to the states.

The Ecuador game will be shown on Setanta at 5:45pm on Thursday the 24th and the Bolivia game at 12:30pm on Sunday the 27th. Not live but next day.

Anyone know anything about O'Halloran? I presume that was Kevin McDonald's call!

Miller, Ireland & Elliott pull out due to "family commitments" according to the Indo. Did they not know about these commitments 2 weeks ago?

The very short termist in me wants Wolves to lose tonight just so Keogh and Potter can make the trip!

Still no Glenn Whelan.

No complaints with Gamble's selection, but my understanding is he's more of a ball winning CM than a ball using CM like Whelan.

Caleb Folan pulled out too
From his icons diary: http://www.icons.com/folan/diary.html?15.05.07

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Unfortunately it's not all good news though, as I have had to pull out of the Republic of Ireland's tour of the USA. I've had a scan on my knee and it looks like I will be out for three weeks. The damage has been getting worse over the last few weeks and now I really do need to have it done. It's a shame as I was looking forward to that trip so much.

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It gets stranger and stranger...have nothing against Gamble being called up but surely he's just going to pull out anyway cause he's in the middle of the season....:confused:

Staunton's selections seem to have a worrying amount of randomness to them and strike me as if they haven't been thought through at all....I wonder what Whelan and Garvan (amongst others) must be thinking at this stage...


Also I think O'Halloran is a LB which makes a little bit of sense but as far as I know his prospects at Villa aren't great...

down to the bare bones now, let's hope the Reading lads stay injury free!

What a load of sh***, any player with anysense should pull out of this fiasco. What can you learn when only 3 or four of the squad will be inconsideration for the real matches in the Autumn.
Instead of two matches in America with a bunch of Championship players, one match with a full strenght team and a real test for Goalkeeper, Left-full, Center Midfield and Right midfield would serve much better. (second half someone at Center-half).

The rest could play in an A international. The results will only send us down the rankings and any performance is meaningless to the furtherment of the international team.

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The rest could play in an A international. The results will only send us down the rankings and any performance is meaningless to the furtherment of the international team.

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The rankings mean sfa. It's the seedings (in the stickie thread) which has all the bearing.
Once you understand that point then there is nothing to lose by playing these games.

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Originally Posted by geysir

The rankings mean sfa.

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Em, John Delaney doen't seem to think so, one of the reasons Kerr was sacked was because of our decline in the rankings

:)

Any news on TV coverage for the Ecuador game?

I know Sky are showing the Bolivia game on Sat. week, but they aren't showing the Ecuador game.

Half the squad has B squad feel to it now.

For Staunton to pull Gamble out of mid season he better play him now.

Makes sense that Staunton would look to B International players who performed well in that match before others.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Caleb Folan pulled out too
From his icons diary: http://www.icons.com/folan/diary.html?15.05.07

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Great! He's a donkey. Shouldnt get near the squad, we have much better options than him.

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Originally Posted by BohsFans

Any news on TV coverage for the Ecuador game?

I know Sky are showing the Bolivia game on Sat. week, but they aren't showing the Ecuador game.

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It's on RTE. Half 12 Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

McShane is now out as West Brom won so the current squad is down to 16 out-field players, whatever team is picked will probably be Ireland's weakest ever starting line up in a full international :eek:

I have no idea what Alan O'Brien is doing doing in there.

Goalkeepers: Nick Colgan (Barnsley), Wayne Henderson (Preston North End), Colin Doyle (Birmingham City).

Defenders: Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City), Sean St Ledger (Preston North End), Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Joseph O’Cearuill (Arsenal), John O’Shea (Manchester United), Stephen O’Halloran (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Darren Potter (Wolves), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Alan O’Brien (Newcastle United), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic), Joe Gamble (Cork City).

Forwards: Kevin Doyle, Shane Long (both Reading), Daryl Murphy, Anthony Stokes (both Sunderland), Andy Keogh (Wolves).

We've very little choice but to play Bruce, St Ledger, O'Shea and Kelly at the back.

That leaves 2 of Potter, Gamble and Kilbane for central midfield. Hunt will definitely start both game imo.

Up front is the only position with a few options.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

We've very little choice but to play Bruce, St Ledger, O'Shea and Kelly at the back.

That leaves 2 of Potter, Gamble and Kilbane for central midfield. Hunt will definitely start both game imo.

Up front is the only position with a few options.

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If the Wolves lads are as depressed as I am about their loss (or 2 to the ****ing baggies) I doubt they will go

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Originally Posted by theworm2345

If the Wolves lads are as depressed as I am about their loss (or 2 to the ****ing baggies) I doubt they will go

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Not too sure they can cite "in a bit of a mood" as a valid reason to pull out of a squad though...:)

Can't understand why the likes of Garvan, Whelan or even young McCann haven't been called up. Unless they have already been sounded out and are not available.

While I think Stan's selection is puzzling (at best) some of the comments here make me think he's damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't.
We complain often enough that no new talent is being brought into the setup, so when Stan announces a squad with 9 uncapped players, we complain that he's not building around established talent.
I posted before that several of the uncapped players were in the B game last November so obviously some form of forward thinking is going on, and if the likes of Potter, O'Cearuill or Keogh have a good performance on the tour then I believe it will have been worthwhile.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Miller, Ireland & Elliott pull out due to "family commitments" according to the Indo. Did they not know about these commitments 2 weeks ago?

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Said in the Mirror yesterday that they are going to weddings. Unless its their own i would have thought thats a fairly poor cry off.

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Originally Posted by Ceirtlis

Said in the Mirror yesterday that they are going to weddings. Unless its their own i would have thought thats a fairly poor cry off.

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Christ!

It's looking likely that if any Irish fan, whose got a current jersey WITHOUT the Orange stain, and can make it to the States, will automatically be in the starting line-up!!:o

Stephen Gleeson, from Wolves has now been called up. He played last night against WBA.

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-n...es-678645.html

I don't think Gleeson has started a game for Wolves yet so probably recommended by Mick. O'Halloran is McDonald's recommendation and then we have to do Pat Devlin a favour and try and get Alan O'Brien a new club. ;)

If it's any consolation, NI looked to be in a very similar situation last year. The IFA organised at short notice a 2 match Tour (Romania and Columbia) to the USA at the same time of year - almost certainly over the head of Sanchez, who never cared for friendlies.

We were similarly decimated by withdrawals/unavailbility - and that's from a Squad which is much thinner than yours to start with!
(There was even a degree of controversy, since some Irish Republicans picketed a Reception accorded to the team by the local GAA Club in Chicago!)

Most of us expected a couple of hidings, but we lost each 1-0 (IIRC), even if the games were poor. More to the point, Sanchez seems to have maintained a good spirit and morale and a couple of fringe players seem to have benefitted from this unexpected "leg-up" to their international career.

Nobody could characterise the tour as a "roaring success", but neither did it do any harm. Therefore, I'd say this Tour could still be a worthwhile exercise for the ROI, provided the Tour Management have a clear vision of what they want to achieve from it and take the necessary steps to ensure it doesn't just become an excuse for a bit of a holiday.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I don't think Gleeson has started a game for Wolves yet so probably recommended by Mick. O'Halloran is McDonald's recommendation and then we have to do Pat Devlin a favour and try and get Alan O'Brien a new club. ;)

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He played quite a bit while on loan at Stockport, from Football League Review he looked pretty good (at least for League 2) and he played only sparingly for Wolves

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Originally Posted by theworm2345

He played quite a bit while on loan at Stockport, from Football League Review he looked pretty good (at least for League 2) and he played only sparingly for Wolves

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He only spent 3 months in League 2 though so I presume he's in on McCarthy's recommendations.

Staunton seem to be just plucking players out of no where now. First he sees St Ledger on Sky One programme & now he notices Gleeson on Sky Sports.

I suppose if O'Brien can have 5 Ireland caps before he plays senior football for Newcastle then Gleeson can get an Ireland cap before he starts a game in the Championship.

:rolleyes:

I'm with Ealing Green.

If Mick hadn't done something similar in summer 2000 I don't think we'd have qualified for the 2002WC.

Why?

Because Richard Dunne played a blinder in Amsterdam in what I think was his competive debut. His 89th minute tackle on Kluivert was the best tackle I've ever seen from a player in an Irish shirt. As far as I know his only previous Irish experience was in US Cup games 3 months earlier.

This tour only has upside as far as I see it. If Potter impresses, or Keogh & Doyle impress and get pitch time for example who'll be complaining?

the whole idea of these games is to unearth a few gems , i couldnt care who he calls up at this stage as long as the lads who do play give it their all and that there are some lessons learned from the trip.

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Originally Posted by pete

Staunton seem to be just plucking players out of no where now. First he sees St Ledger on Sky One programme & now he notices Gleeson on Sky Sports.

I suppose if O'Brien can have 5 Ireland caps before he plays senior football for Newcastle then Gleeson can get an Ireland cap before he starts a game in the Championship.

:rolleyes:

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Havent you noticed he picked one of your players?

Good point above. Tour will do no harm. Looking forward to it.

KOH

anyone know the dates and irish times of the games?
are they on the telly?
Thanks

First match is on RTE at 1.00 next Wednesday night/Thursday morning.
2nd match is on Sky Sports at 9.00 Saturday night, 26th.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

(There was even a degree of controversy, since some Irish Republicans picketed a Reception accorded to the team by the local GAA Club in Chicago!)

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Can you not make your fair point and stick to it without being able to resist to throw in some bizarre unrelated btw political event remark that in this present time place and thread nobody gives a damn about.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Can you not make your fair point and stick to it without being able to resist to throw in some bizarre unrelated btw political event remark that in this present time place and thread nobody gives a damn about.

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Ah EalingGreen and his North Korean buddies. Such a shower of jokers. They bring a smile to your face wherever they thread don't they?

And the answer to your question is no. I think he thinks we care about that sh*te down South. If you ever read ourweecountry.com you would realise that we as people from the Irish republic are responsible for all the evil in the world since the dawn of man.

lads unlike a lot of the jokers on OWC ealing makes the effort to interact with us here and is to be commended for it , doesnt stop alot of what he says being drivel though !

Think people being a bit over sensitive. EGs posts are usually a cut above the norm here.

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Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

Think people being a bit over sensitive. EGs posts are usually a cut above the norm here.

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His posts are usually clever and well thought out (though he does just write posts all day so he has the time to put a lot of effort into them) but he does have an annoying inclination to slot in sly NI political anecdotes or derogatory unionist statements more often than not (for instance before he brightened my existence with his presence on this forum I never sussed the link between a wee Mexican or a beggar and people from the republic of Ireland). For that he needs to be slagged. He enjoys it anyway the North Korean masochist that he is.

Oversensitive? Just fed up with the re-occurrance.
This is about the umteenth time some political drivel somehow manages to wrangle its way into his posts. Maybee some supernatural force takes over the keyboard movements of his hands for a few moments but I'm getting the impresssion that Ealing's main agenda is to write 500 words in order to throw in those few lines on the sly.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Can you not make your fair point and stick to it without being able to resist to throw in some bizarre unrelated btw political event remark that in this present time place and thread nobody gives a damn about.

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Calm down. The point I was making was that the whole tour was unpromising from the start (hastily arranged, manager ambivalent, player withdrawals, superior opposition etc) and to cap it all, there was even a political demonstration when we got there! Yet despite all that, it proved a useful exercise. That's all.

For the record, I think every NI fan appreciated the generous gesture by the Chicago GAA guys to host a reception for a team of fellow Irish sportsmen far from home - esp those amongst the visitors who were formerly Gaelic footballers themselves. If some other Irish people (or Irish-Americans, at least) chose to stand outside and shout and wave placards, that is entirely their business; it doesn't appear to have disrupted the spirit of the tour party.

And in any case, I carefully avoided using perjorative language, never mind expressing a personal political opinion on the matter, so those few posters who dived in to "have a pop" might be better employed looking at their own prejudices, before pointing to mine. :mad:

Cead Mille Failte...