Whats the story with Qatar being one of the top 10 purchasers of tickets? Sounds fairly iffy.
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Whats the story with Qatar being one of the top 10 purchasers of tickets? Sounds fairly iffy.
Possibly just Aussie expats living there and expats from other countries. Being in the top 10 countries for tickets sold doesn't mean much without detailing the exact numbers. I'd say the numbers sold to residents of every country other than Australia and New Zealand will be small enough to be honest.
Creditable 0-0 against the side ranked 14 in the world, 9 places above us currently. Had a disallowed goal as well, which didn't seem to make much sense to me. Ref seemed to think there was a push on the goalkeeper, but it's a really dreadful decision.
It was fine. Had the air of a midseason friendly. Most of our good play came down the right. De La Harpe had a few decent crosses into the box, but up front we struggled to threaten from open play. Megan Campbell's throws were the other main weapon of choice for the team. We could do with a little bit of variety from throw-ins. You could see the opposition defence move straight to the penalty box as soon as the throw was awarded.
Can't understand why the goal was ruled out.
Vera Pauw must leave sentimentality outside the door when tough World Cup calls come knocking
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...come-knocking/
Liking the video they put together.
Ireland’s World Cup squad
Goalkeepers:
Courtney Brosnan (Everton)
Grace Moloney (Reading)
Megan Walsh (Unattached)
Defenders:
Heather Payne (Florida State University)
Áine O’Gorman (Shamrock Rovers)
Niamh Fahey (Liverpool)
Louise Quinn (Birmingham City)
Diane Caldwell (Reading)
Claire O’Riordan (Celtic)
Megan Connolly (Unattached)
Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City)
Isibeal Atkinson (West Ham United)
Midfielders:
Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)
Lily Agg (London City Lionesses)
Ruesha Littlejohn (Unattached)
Ciara Grant (Hearts)
Sinead Farrelly (Gotham FC)
Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City)
Forwards:
Kyra Carusa (London City Lionesses)
Amber Barrett (Standard Liege)
Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit)
Abbie Larkin (Shamrock Rovers)
Training Players
Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes FC)
Harriet Scott (Birmingham City)
Jamie Finn (Birmingham City)
Some strange selections in defence there - Payne and Atkinson play in midfield, Payne has also played up front!
Finn's omission from the main squad is really strange, regular for her club and country across the season
Gutted for those who missed out, Leanne Kiernan and Megan Connolly especially
No Ryan Manning?
I shared a plane trip with the squad on their recent US trip. All (including Vera and co) were slumming it down the back with me, economy class. They came across really well, good atmosphere within the squad. Katie was a focal point. I sat next to a couple of the players, who were extremely friendly and cordial. I wish them well in the World Cup, they’re a credit to the nation
Mannion is a huge loss. She has genuine class and is one of the best footballers we have. Such a shame.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Connolly.....I'd have brought her if she was even capable of throwing the ball for 15 minutes if we need a goal.
I guess it says a lot about how the game has progressed that I'm gutted for all those omitted! They are indeed a credit to their country and hopefully they can......really shake 'em up etc. etc.
The kick-off times in general are great for the insomniacs among us also. Especially in this muggy weather....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yard of Pace
Connolly's on the list, no?Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Campbell! Auto correct changed it for some reasonQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Aye, Megan Campbell.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
So disappointed for her. This should have been the Rory Delap Invitational. Genuinely gutted for the players who missed out.
It actually feels like it means way more because they're not earning huge money to soften the blow. They are a brilliant squad and fingers crossed they get out of the group.
Hot Press have announced a world cup song to be released on Friday.
Not sure if it's an official team song
https://www.hotpress.com/lifestyle-s...d-cup-22977688
The Vera Pauw "misconduct" allegations are a bit of an unwanted distraction: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...y-career-pauw/
I recall Pauw's claims when this was first coming out that she was denied the chance to record her video call interaction with the Houston Dash investigators, and when she then refused to continue it her subsequent written submission was ignored. Not to act as if she is a maligned saint, but the suspiciously timed Athletic story makes you wonder about how fairly she is being treated.
Im trying to imagine if the mens tem manager was barred from coaching in the USA by US officials following an investigation would he have got 100% backing within 24 hours from the FAI?
I think the one sided coverage and dismissive nature taken by most people is highly unusual.
I have no idea if she is guilty or not guilty but i think its amazing that our National team manager is banned from coaching in the US and no one thiks its a problem
Katie McCabe off injured after half an hour,hopefully only precautionary but they've given away some bad goals since,will need to defend better at the big show.......
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...layer-ratings/ These are remarkably high ratings for a team who lost 3-0. Am I missing something or is objectivity gone out the window?!
Didn’t see the game but rte and bbc live reporting both said they had a perfectly good goal disallowed at 0-0 for offside. Injury to Katie McCabe is probably another mitigating factor
Yeah, it was onside. Could clearly see it on the sport from the lines on the pitch she was behind the French defender.
First goal came down the left, when the team was reorganizing after McCabe came off Second was a mistake from Fahey IMO. Quinn stepped out to put pressure on the ball, and left a gap, Fahey didn't cover fast enough which gave the French player a moment to take the shot
Third was a header from a corner. Fahey should have cleared it from under the crossbar. She looked a bit off the pace during the game.
Pauw said after the game she wasn't worried but that's eight goals conceded in five games this year, and we've only scored three, all against Zambia, and didn't have a shot on target against France
We only conceded three goals in total in 2022
on that note, saw this today: https://shop.hotpress.com/products/h...ld-cup-specialQuote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
not quite the iconic Paul McGrath cover but cool anyway (tried to upload the paul mcgrath image but got 'this is not a valid image' - but if you google paul mcgrath hotpress and go to images, you can see it)
Exactly that one
Nigerian players are threatening to boycott over a payments dispute: https://www.theguardian.com/football...ations-unravel
Some of the comments quoted there from their FA official are remarkably unprofessional.
The USA womens team did not think her presence was a problem when Ireland visited the US and played them.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
Having read the allegations as reported by the Atlantic, my opinion is that they are mostly tosh. In fact the whole article, as a so called investigative article is poorly structured. I’d interpret most of what was put forward as evidence in that article as narcissistic angst.
I have not read all what was reported in Ireland but from what I have seen, the issue was reported, she was asked some questions and she answered them openly in an unrestrained manner. She has the support of all the squad except from one player’s accusations who had long been discarded from the squad and who hasn’t been deemed good enough subsequently to play with a series of clubs.
Since she arrived here to take charge, the transformation of the intl team has been remarkable, moving rapidly from a mid tier not good enough team to top of the 2nd tier and still improving. That took steely determination to turn that carthorse around.
She has come to this football family and it has taken her to heart, as you say yourself you don’t know if the allegations are true or not, so what to do? trust the evidence that is staring you in the face and support one of our own as a proper football fraternity should do?
She does not look like a person who can disguise her emotions, what you see is what you get and she has deservedly gained the benefit of doubt from the court of popular opinion.
The accusations sound ridiculous to me. "Body-shaming"? If a player is overweight they are overweight, male or female. Loads of the Irish players have gotten into remarkably better shape under Pauw and they haven't complained. Witness Ruesha Littlejohn rolling her shorts up to show off her toned legs! Brosnan was a fair tubby yoke too and to be honest most of the rest of them. Even McCabe looks more athletic.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I think it's a load of nothing even if she made comments or whatever. We've watched and listened to her for years now and as has been said, she gets the benefit of the doubt.
(Imagine, say, an overweight Wayne Rooney returning from his hols in the past and going to the press accusing Alex Ferguson of having bodyshamed him?? :-) Sure didn't managers openly call Andy Reid too unfit??! Top level US sport, men's and women's is cut-throat competitive, for me it's a nonsense. )
The 1st and most important thing for any professional athlete is to be in shape, if they are not and the coach isnt calling it out the coach is not doing their job
Whatever was stated about Andy Reid being overweight was not true, as testified by the many photos Eirebhoy posted of Andy’s girth, albeit taken from a specific angle..
Andy was just barrel-chested, pint-sized and big-boned.
On your first paragraph would that not be more likely to be due to the increased professionalism with club training rather than the international panel? While there is slightly more international training camps etc in the Women's game compared to the men's they'd still have far more training hours with their clubs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yard of Pace
I think a bit of both. I don't think it's a coincidence that all the Irish team look super toned and super fit and are winning 50/50s when they didn't used to. Pauw knows it's a limited enough squad but she also knows that most of the rest of the teams (unfortunately we're in the group of death) have limited enough squads (hence Farrelly becoming an automatic starter and Mannion would've been too)......Quote:
Originally Posted by kksaints
By the sounds of things, I believe the training at the clubs is hit and miss and I put down the Irish teams development on that front to the training camp + individual programs (which would probably be facilitated by their clubs).
But I don't know for sure, it's just my take and I follow the team quite closely, with Ireland and with their clubs. I could be talking complete rubbish. But it's a definite that the squad is the leanest and fittest it's ever been, anyone with eyes can see that. (And a fair few don't have clubs!)
That left-foot, though.......*swoon*
That left foot, though......*swoon*Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
That left foot could knit you a sweater.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yard of Pace