I think his gravestone will be:
Kevin whatever-his-name-is Kilbane
Born 1970-something
Retired from international football 2057
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http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...304578519.html
Never anything but honest. I'd hoped we'd of had a better left back by now, and a small bit of competition might up his game, but I'd have no qualms with him playing the next two games. the finals are a stretch though.
Stephen Ward did very well against Russia?!
The legend made his 600th club appearance today. It would truly be a travesty if we were to qualify and he wasn't in the squad for the Finals.
It's a shame, but that's football. I'd have him in against Estonia, if he's fit and still has some kind of pace, but you'd have to imagine after the long Championship season his legs wouldn't be right for a major tournament.
He's still our best left back for my money, Ward has been absolutely dreadful in replacing him and Kelly is quite noticeably out of position on that side. For whatever reason Trap seems unwilling to play O'Shea or Clark there so if it is indeed a decision between Kilbane, Ward and Kelly at LB I'd take Kilbane without hesitation. He may not have the pace but he's both natural on the left and has a reasonably sharp positional sense while being good in the air at set pieces.
He was our best left back, I don't know if he is still our best LB.
I watched Ward yesterday and imo he played well against Man City, both defensively (in spite of having Hunt ahead of him) and attacking roles.
I can't understand why Kilbane wasn't named in the Estonia squad. He's been such a servant to the team and Trap always stresses loyalty and commitment - something which I doubt anyone would every accuse Killer of being short on. If he's fit and playing (which he is), then why is he not in the squad? Why make a change this late in the campaign? I agree that we need a new left back but Stephen Ward has hardly impressed in that role, I think most of us would prefer Kilbane's experience for the last two big matches of his career.
i dont think Ward has done much wrong and certainly not enough to warrant being dropped for Estonia. He has some weaknesses - which Irish player doesnt - but Estonia are hardly the team to ruthlessly expose those weaknesses? And i am a huge Kilbane fan (well documented here) but we seem to have very short memories. Last campaign he was poison in at least half of our games and cost us a lot of points due to his bad positioning - his experience didnt do much for us in those games. Lets not rewrite history now.
You think wrong, I can't remember ever seeing an international player with as bad a positional sense as him. Do you realise how many goals we would have conceded if it wasn't for McGeady covering his behind? Or how much he's stifling our attacking play essentially forcing McGeady to double up as an extra fullback? He's an ok player for Wolves and I'm sure he has more to offer but call a spade a spade, his international career so far has been McShane-esque.
As I recall Kilbanes last match was away to Macedonia in June where he was very, very good. You're only as good as your last game so I wouldn't have these reservations about him that Trap does especially when Ward has made such a bags of replacing him.
7 Appearances, he has scored for us and also I dont think we conceded any goals in the games he has played. Yes, Ward has clearly made a huge bags of it.
O'Shea wasn't injured when the squad was announced.
I am a huge Kilbane fan and think he's been unfairly scapegoated by Irish fans for poor performances in the last campaign, but I think at this stage Ward is adding an attacking element that Kilbane can't. I would still have him in the squad as a stellar back-up player but if Trap thinks otherwise I can't argue too much.
O'Shea is out? that leaves 6 left standing at the back, KK should be in line for a recall.
Ridiculous, by your logic he's done nothing wrong because a combination of McGeady/Dunne/Given/Sledge/O'Dea happened to cover for his mistakes? The openings he gave Slovakia and Russia could have resulted in 4,5,6 goals on his head. Just because we recovered and they didn't take their chances doesn't make him any less poor. He's our worst player by some margin in the current expected starting 11.
You'd think a player would recover from concussion but you never know. Chris Sutton had a few serious concussions in his career which kept him out of the game for weeks on end.
I know in rugby there's a compulsory recovery period if you're diagnosed with concussion, is it the same in football?
No, I don't think so.
I aint saying he's perfect or faultless but he is our best and most logically defensible LB option at present. He has played well overall with only a few genuinely shaky moments exposing his frailties and lack of international experience. Youre being overly harsh on him. A team like ours is not going to have world class players from 1-16.
Wilson went off before half time last night, I suspect for some injury reason, I think he was the one who shipped a crude tackle.
He definately limped off and he had kicked the ball out for a corner earlier like someone who had a problem. BBC say it was an enforced sub.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15425921.stm
Whatever the reason, he was fairly awful yesterday.
Lining out at centre half tonight for Derby, presumably for the injured Mark O'Brien
With josh likely to miss the first leg at least, will killer be drafted back into the starting 11?
Probably more likely he will go with ward and Kelly at full back?
Edit: he's not even in squad so no chance then
Surely someone will be called up to take O'Shea's place in the squad? I'd have Kilbane around about the team in this situation even if he's just going to be on the bench or in the stands.
the original squad named had 26, but that's down to 24 i guess if o'shea and long are ruled out.
but how many are actually allowed in the squad proper for the 2 games? 23?
I think there might be more to this story. Trap didn't stick with this guy because he's a great player, he stuck with him because he was the best of a bad list of options. I can't see why he wouldn't be in the squad at the very least.
I'm a bit disappointed not to see Killer get a call-up, even if it was just to give us some cover on the bench
Even despite the injuries, it appears Trap is no keen on calling anyone else up to the squad. Even if Trap has no intention of playing him in either leg, his role as a leader in the squad would be pivital for a game of such importance.
Out for the rest of the season and contemplating retirement - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...ses-Euros.html
I really hope Killer can make a come-back. I want to see him in an Irish jersey one more time before he retires for good, even if it is just a friendly.
I don't. My best memories of him were in the run up to the 2002 World Cup. He was past his best after that. A great servant no doubt - I have the feeling that one day he'll be part of the Irish management team.
When Keane came back and he was in CM with him I thought he did well.
I think a run out in the last 10 min v Czechs would be deserved just so we can show our appreciation one last time. I hope he goes to Poland in some sort of official capacity.