Robbie Keane

Sounds like he has been misquoted.

Notwithstanding that, we shouldnt only be happy with 3 points, Three points were a given against San Marino, what we and the players should have been looking for was a performance. We should have been looking to put 4 or 5 passed what was a team that would struggle in our own league.

The fact that we couldnt break down this team early and have the game over at halftime is a major problem. The team has no direction from the coach.

Ireland came within 4 mins of the worst result in the history of Irish Football. I for one am not happy to just get the 3 points, like i said the 3 points were a given, what I wanted to see was coherent and professional performance.

I think his comments are fair enough, he was sorry for the sh**e performance, and thankful that they got the win, just a shame that clown Stan didn't admitt the fact that his team were **** poor, and lucky enough to have scrapped the 3 points.

Both of them need to be dropped. Nobody should be guarenteed a game based on past performances, only current.
Don´t tell me what you did for me yesterday, tell me what you are going to do for me today.
Robbie does not know what position he is playing in.
Duff it took him 65 min to figure out how to get around a player.
They both have huge talent it just aint showing at the moment. They show no hunger, the younger guys do. Be honest we could not have done any worse fielding 11 new caps.

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Originally Posted by Eirenua

Both of them need to be dropped. Nobody should be guarenteed a game based on past performances, only current.
Don´t tell me what you did for me yesterday, tell me what you are going to do for me today.
Robbie does not know what position he is playing in.
Duff it took him 65 min to figure out how to get around a player.
They both have huge talent it just aint showing at the moment. They show no hunger, the younger guys do. Be honest we could not have done any worse fielding 11 new caps.

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would agree on both of them playing below par ... keane is an average striker will maybee score 1 in 3 chances,, never seems to give his 100% for ireland recently,, how he was ever made captain is a joke ... duff has also gone downhill living on past performances both must be on borrowed time .. only thing is staunton wont have the b*lls to drop them .. give mc geady / doyle a go when their both fit ,, :ball: :ball:

He is no leader if he was he would questioning stauntons tactics he just afraid of loosing his place just like at spurs. I think he knows his scoring record will keep him in the team and also that fact that he's captain. He ran and ran the other night but nothing comes of it.the midfielders can`t read his runs. lack of communication.

I would still have him in my team for the next game.

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Originally Posted by gustavo

I would still have him in my team for the next game.

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If your team is an astropark outfit you can have him.

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Originally Posted by old git

duff has also gone downhill living on past performances both must be on borrowed time ..

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I think it's the opposite tbh. We expect too much from Duff because of his past performances. He's not the player he was but he's a hell of a lot better than Kilbane.

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Originally Posted by fergalr

If your team is an astropark outfit you can have him.

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No I would have him in the Ireland team for the Wales game.

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Originally Posted by gustavo

No I would have him in the Ireland team for the Wales game.

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Lets not confuse the two current issues in relation to Keane - 1) Should he be Captain and 2) should he be dropped.

As previously posted, I don't believe he is the right choice for Captain. He doesn't appear to have that sense of responsibility and drive that former Irish Captains have had, certainly around the elements of the role that make a difference.

Sometimes, the Captains role in certain teams has been as much an honourary / Figurehead role with a limited practical influence over how a team plays. For Ireland, however, it has always been an influential role.

Given and Dunne are more appropriate candidates for Captaining this team.

I'd start with Keane and Doyle up front against the Welsh. Hopefully removing the captaincy from him might sting him into action.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I think it's the opposite tbh. We expect too much from Duff because of his past performances. He's not the player he was but he's a hell of a lot better than Kilbane.

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Agreed, if Kilbane had played like Duff did on wednesday night, we'd all be clamouring for him to start against Wales. As it is, he'll just be a squad member.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Agreed, if Kilbane had played like Duff did on wednesday night, we'd all be clamouring for him to start against Wales. As it is, he'll just be a squad member.

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I hope to God you're right!

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Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

I hope to God you're right!

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Don't think the guy who's scored two crucial goals for us and just received the MoM is going to be dropped.

I'm not saying I think he should start, but he will barring injury.

Kilbane only started because McGeady was injured, so Duff had to move over onto the right. If there was a right winger in the squad, Kilbane wouldn't have played

Unfortunately (and I say unfortunately as its clear Duff has/had the talent), if its end product we are measuring, Kilbane deserves his place as much as, if not ahead of Duff.

Kilbane is an honest footballer of limited ability who gives his best and people appreciate effort.

Duff, for whatever reason, has lived on reputation for the last couple of years and similar to Robbie Keane a stepover or neat dribble once in a while doesn't really cut it.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Kilbane only started because McGeady was injured, so Duff had to move over onto the right. If there was a right winger in the squad, Kilbane wouldn't have played

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Duff has played on the right for both club and country in the past.

McGeady is not a right winger for club, and has only a couple of matches under his belt in that position for us.

Kilbane has scored two vital goals and I really don't see Stan dropping him, unless you have an article pointing out that he's going to do otherwise?

I don't want to say this, but Kilbane will start against Wales barring injury, mark my words.

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Originally Posted by irishfan86

Duff has played on the right for both club and country in the past.

McGeady is not a right winger for club, and has only a couple of matches under his belt in that position for us.

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Well then if McGeady was fit, maybe he would have played on the left, with Duff on the right? Either way I still think if McGeady was fit, Kilbane would not have started

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Originally Posted by irishfan86

Kilbane has scored two vital goals and I really don't see Stan dropping him, unless you have an article pointing out that he's going to do otherwise?

I don't want to say this, but Kilbane will start against Wales barring injury, mark my words.

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Nope, no article, but all you can find about the Wales game is "get behind the team", "fantastic occasion", "6 points in the next 2 games", etc

By the time the Welsh game has rolled around, McGeady will have played against AC Milan in the Champion's League, Kilbane might not make it into the Wigan side for this weekend's game against Arsenal - he didn't play last week against Portsmouth and he only played for 33 minutes the previous week against Reading.

I'm well aware of his playing time, and before this game I was advocating Hunt in for Killer on the left, with Duff played on the right.

I'm just stating that I can't see Staunton leaving him out after what he's done for him.

There's also the height/aerial factor which some use to justify his place in the side.

I think there's a little bit of a misunderstanding here; I'm not advocating that he should stay in the team, rather I'm just saying Staunton will keep him in, due to his goal-scoring, his MoM award, experience and his height/aerial ability.

there are soooo many players I would drop before Kilbane......Robbie Keane and Harte spring to mind. Club football never has much bearing on Irish performances, Keane had a good season last and was shocking for Ireland, and McAteer missed a few Blackburn squads when he came up with the goal against Holland. I think Kilbane should hang on to his place for another while.

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Unfortunately (and I say unfortunately as its clear Duff has/had the talent), if its end product we are measuring, Kilbane deserves his place as much as, if not ahead of Duff.

Kilbane is an honest footballer of limited ability who gives his best and people appreciate effort.

Duff, for whatever reason, has lived on reputation for the last couple of years and similar to Robbie Keane a stepover or neat dribble once in a while doesn't really cut it.

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Set up the 2 goals in Cyprus. Set up the goal against the Czechs. Unlucky not to set up a goal when he caught what looked like a lost cause in San Marino, beat 2 players and the ball somehow missed the 3 Irish players. Set up the only goal in Israel. won a peno against the Faroes. Set up the only goal in Switzerland. Set up (another) 2 against Cyprus. That's 8 assists in the last campaign and a half.