Delighted that Stokes is in. He is in a great run of form and I think Hibs will turn out to be the right club for him.
In fact I've stuck a fiver on him finishing top goalscorer in the SPL this season.
Would have picked Finnan and S Reid myself, but Trap knows best.
I think Trap is losing it. What was the point of asking Finnan back if he won't select him when fit? It's not Finnan's fault he's been injured. And as for saying he can't change the squad, he didn't mind changing it when St. Ledger came in for Bulgaria away and he would've brought Stephen Ireland back had he made himself available again. He's doing a Stan in that he won't pick the best players available to him. I just hope it doesn't backfire on us.
I think Trap should go too if we don't qualify, i can't believe that the FAI gave him a new contract before this campaign was even finished. I know there were rumours of "other" teams looking at him etc. but he was managing Red Bull Salzburg when we got him, its not like any big club was gonna swoop for him.
He has marginalised certain players, and the "would you rather have Staunton?" question is ridiculous. Staunton was an awful manager for Ireland, he had no managerial experience at all. Not every other manager in the world who is not Trap will be as bad as Staunton.
In this campaign we have only beaten 2 teams, Cyprus who beat us last campaign, but look at what happened to Real Madrid last week, freak results happen. And Georgia, who didn't get to play a home game against up.
These are 2 cup finals against the French, its not like a drawn out league qualifying campaign. Its all well and good being loyal to the players who got you to the play-offs, but this is the type of situation where a bit of magic, or something out of the ordinary is needed. Players who are in form at the moment should be picked regardless of what has gone before.
I think he was fit and excluded for a breif period after he made the comments.. And has been injured since.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
The comments on Steven Reid are strange considering Gibson has yet to play a match for United having come back from injury.
You are a marked man Doc :) You are required to provide proof.Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
One timeline indicates,
Joey last played for Bolton Oct 18,
one press report of Joey's Ireland squad anguish Oct 29.
Yeah the lad in the Indo mentions this. Emmet Malone in the IT doesn't go into details but it's obvious he's not impressed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
I don't mind the containment game when needed and the efforts to getting it inch perfect, it's the hoofs upfield that do my head in. After the Cyprus game at least there were signs against Italy that O'Shea tried most times to pass it out.
Against Italy we got 2 very good goals after smart play.
Duff should be peaking and we need him to be at his best.
I think we will be ready to give a good account of ourselves over both games
Do you also believe the sun comes up in the morning?:DQuote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Where I live, the sun either goes down before it comes up or comes up before it goes down.
goes down every night just like yo mamma!Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
... sorry, i'm twelve.
In relation to Darren Gibson, it's not like he is coming back from a year out with a career threatening injury so I have no problem with his inclusion over Steven Reid. The need for game time is very different when you haven't played for a year as opposed to a few weeks imo.
I also agree that duffer is coming into top form and we really need him on top of his game. He's like the opposite of McGeady, never needlessly flashy and often with an end product (although we tend to forget McGeady is still a relatively young 23yo and without Duffers vast experience). Now, for a couple v Liverpool today....
The above comments about Trap are nothing short of disgraceful. We are in a playoff for the WC, undefeated in the whole campaign, the squad has expanded and developed throughout the campaign and has a structure and purpose so absent in recent years. At worst such comments should be reserved until after the campaign. Im sure if we qualify you'll be the first to jump on the Trap bandwagon.
On a separate not, super free kick from A Reid today. Finnan subbed mid way through first half for Pompey, can only presume injury.
Finnan gone off injured after 41 minutes for pompey. Thats 1 out of 4 players that trap has been proven right on. I also think it would have been risky too include stephen reid and its too risky to include morrison or andy this late
I'd have had Finnan in the squad, though having seen that he's gone off injured maybe the management team had reason to doubt his fitness, in which case him being left out was understandable.
I wouldn't have picked Stephen Reid, way to risky to put him out there for two or even one big game. He needs to feel his way back in to football, hopefully come Christmas/January he'll be fighting fit and ready for our friendlies in the new year. There's no point risking his future and then potentially destablising our set-up mid way through a crucial game if he had to come off injured.
Morisson isn't good enough, Andy Reid should be in the squad but its no surprise that he isn't.
Reid not even on the bench for Blackburn today - 2 out of 4 for Trapp?Quote:
Originally Posted by richieos
Miller scored for Hibs.
Steven Reid:
Reid is not even on the bench today for Blackburn. He played 70 minutes is what Trap rightly called an "easy" game during the week. He is obviously not fit enough for Big Sam, yet so many people on here think he'll help us beat the French? I'm as big an admirer of him as anyone, but give the lad time to get fit. It takes more than a few reserve games to get fit enough for a World Cup play-off, especially after that amount of time out.
Andy Reid:
Is this worth talking about anymore? Is he good enough to play for us? Yeah. Should he be in the squad? Apparently not, for some reason. Ask him and Trap!
Finnan: Has not been great for Portsmouth, a team who are struggling. Clearly not fully fit, and he got injured today. Big whoppee that Trap left him out? Hardly. Give him time lads, although unlike Reid I wouldn't be sure he will ever fully recover at his age and after so long out.
Morrison: Emm. Hasn't been around in how long? He certainly wouldn't come on. Typical of some folks on foot.ie that he's being built up as some sort of footballing genius just because he ISN'T in the squad!
Stokes: At 21, he is still probably our brightest hope for the future when it comes to strikers. Is playing well in the SPL, and deserves his place in the squad.
That's my opinion, after thinking all this over. At first I was annoyed at some of the management's decisions, but upon reflection I think Trap made the right calls for the situation we are in.
Why wouldn't have Portsmouth's medical teams have shared the same concerns???! Or Finnan himself?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Are people going to give Trap credit for being a soothsayer now? "Proven right". I ask ye. :rolleyes:
Too easy! :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
I really don't think we will qualify and, like I say, any other manager (especially if he was homegrown) would be in for a torrent of abuse for leaving out the Reids and Finnan.
Because Portsmouth are desperate for points and probably willing to throw people in to any sort of situation. Trap may think twice about risking in two crucial games four days apart two half fit 30-something who hasn't played much in the last year.
The fact that Reid wasn't in Blackburn's squad today shows that he couldn't have been included for us even if he did make 70 minutes in a game played at walking pace.