Robbie Keane

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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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Wouldn't be too sure of that. Kilbane is the only one up front who wins headers and he has been given his place in the team by both Kerr and Stan for this reason. Let's be honest, he doesn't offer much else. Duff had to keep cutting infield because he was being played on the right. Not sure Kilbane's place is worth playing our most gifted player out of position.

I liked the look of Stokes when he came on. He is a bigger lad than I thought. Hopefully, if he developes, he might be able to win a few headers up front where we are very weak.

Its time Robbie Keane stood down as captain, Shay Given should be captain and against San Marino the other night Richard Dunne should have been captain.
Hes too fat to be captain and captaincy is too much pressure for a fat bloke like Keane

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Originally Posted by rambler14

Hes too fat to be captain and captaincy is too much pressure for a fat bloke like Keane

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:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

....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.

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Agree with both of these statements.

At least with Kilbane you know you will get effort. Duff appears to think he has a right to be in team without producing anything. He has not put the type of performance you would expect from a supposedly class player for some time.

Against Wales, I would keep Kilbane in and start Doyle and Stokes up front. I would not start Duff and Keane and see if warming their arses on the Croke Park bench for an hour improves their attitude and desire to play for Ireland.

As for Keane being captain, since he took the armband, I have seen him mouthing off at referees several times, but not once have I seen him give encouragement to new players (Stephen Ireland v Cyprus or Long/Stokes v San Marino) or players going through a bad time (O'Brien v Cyprus). A captain should be an automatic choice. Robbie is no longer an automatic choice.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

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.

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Read that again and you'll see the straws you're clutching at.

Hint, nearly performing against international titans such as the Faroes and San Marino doesn't really cut it. I nearly won a penalty in Torshaven by attempting to go to the toilet during the first half.

Seriously, read what you've just written and think if the word "world class" comes to mind.

Didn't think so.

I seriously cannot believe people are genuinely considering dropping Duff in favor of Kilbane.

Duff is and has been our best player over the last six years.

Keane's a donkey.

I think Stan was talking about building a team around Steven Reid? I feel a bit sorry for Stan because the players welcomed his appointment as "one of the lads", and his approach of being mates with the players has failed. Maybe it was the same with Kerr - some of the players feeling they didnt have to work so hard as they already knew him from the underage teams. I remember McCarthy caused outrage in telling Denis Irwin to prove himself, but thats exactly what Stan (or more likely his replacement) needs to do. Club status counts for nothing in international football - David Healy being a prime example. On the subject of Robbie Keane, i have noticed his best runs of form with Spurs seem to come after he's been dropped - he seems to score a lot coming on as a sub - maybe that says something.

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Read that again and you'll see the straws you're clutching at.

Hint, nearly performing against international titans such as the Faroes and San Marino doesn't really cut it. I nearly won a penalty in Torshaven by attempting to go to the toilet during the first half.

Seriously, read what you've just written and think if the word "world class" comes to mind.

Didn't think so.

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So you have to be world class to get into the team?

Making Robbie captain was a very bad call, he doesn't have the maturity and I doubt he can step up to it. He is our leading golascorer but it needs a very firm hand to get the best out of Robbie, making him captain probably makes him less effective IMO.

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Originally Posted by liaml

Duff is and has been our best player over the last six years.
Keane's a donkey.

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If that is the case, tell me in what games over the last 2 or 3 years he has given the type of performance you would associate with a 'world class', 'international class' or 'premiership class' player, especially when we needed a big individual performance from our 'best player'?

How can Keane go out today and according to Sky Sports web be spurs best player and be an absolute waster for us on Saturday? I cannot for the life of me understand this.

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Originally Posted by liaml

Duff is and has been our best player over the last six years.

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Please tell me your taking the **** here? FFS, the guy just doesn't try anymore. Gives all for his club but **** all for us anymore. He's only in the team because of his reputation.

I should have said best outfield player really. When did I say Duff was World Class? At the moment he's way, way, way off that.

Here's a list of regulars we've had over the last six years.

Given - World Class
Finnan - Solid
Carr - Missed a lot of games, was World class but never the same after injury
Dunne - Solid
A O'Brien - Not bad for us
McShane - Young and been partly responsible for out last two goals
Harte - Good at set pieces, not enough pace
O'Shea - Average for Man Utd, shocking for us.
A Ried - Has some talent but rarely lasts the full 90, when he is fit
S. Ried - Could be solid but has had two serious injuries and has never done it anyway for Ireland
Kilbane - Works his socks off but is technically limited
Holland - Solid but went missing too often
RMK - World class but missed too many games for us (enforced or otherwise)
Duff - Was world class, still seems to have a hand in most of your goals, has had a bad 18 months.
Carsley - Should have been brought back once RMK retired (again)
R Keane - Shocking whinger, bad attitude, was world class but IMHO Jol has ruined him (and Defoe).
Morrison - Trys hard but is technically limited.

So which outfield player would you have before Duffer?

Keane & Duff to quit if Stan sacked. Misplaced loyalty if ever there was. Or maybe looking for any excuse to get out.

http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stor...=12&si=1774580

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Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

Keane & Duff to quit if Stan sacked. Misplaced loyalty if ever there was. Or maybe looking for any excuse to get out. [/url]

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If that's the case, there's no need for them to turn up for the matches in Croker. They're representing their country and its people, not Stan.

That's fine with me.Don't want people treating international football as a holiday.

if that's captain lathargics response to the honour of representing his country he can go **** right off. Apparently when quizzed over the Cyprus debacle by a supporter who had shelled out a fortune to travel he responded "Ireland dont pay my wages".

this leech can **** off. Did Inter milan or Coventry make this guy? did they ****. Uninterested, unenthusiastic, bad example, bad attitude

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Gives all for his club but **** all for us anymore.

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Absolute and utter rubbish. Ask Newcastle fans if he "tries" for his club. Duff is not the same player he was but he's still one of our best players. To say he doesn't try is silly. He gives all he can. Like most people you're actually using his reputation as a stick to beat him with.

I don’t think that there is any doubt Duff tries to play his best in an Irish shirt. In fact I think that he has always tried harder playing for Ireland than he does for his club. For some reason he is clearly lacking in confidence and has been for some time now. I just can’t put my finger on it. I like the guy allot and I really feel for him. I think he is trying too hard and nothing appears to be going right for him. I sincerely hope that he was misquoted (if he said anything at all) with the comment on quitting if Stan was ousted.

As for Keane. To be honest I could not give a flying fig about the guy. If he wants to go he can sod right off. I can’t argue with the fact that he is the all time goal getter for Ireland but it seems is believing in his own hype. His attitude is atrocious and all he thinks he has to do now is turn up for Ireland and stroll around complaining with his hands up in the air.