Not too bad. Still think I should've been in the squad last night.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soper
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Not too bad. Still think I should've been in the squad last night.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soper
If the pitches i saw for the last two games is MLS standard then i fear for the standard of the game there. I get the impression there are a few stars at each team but the rest are kids on minimum wage. I read in the paper during the week some former eL 1st division player on $23k a year :eek:
Andy, they're saving you for 'duh kwalahfyuhrs'. Be patient.Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
Also, I looked up wikipedia, and it says that Timmy Mallet never played football, never mind professional football:confused:
Moderator: Less of the personal stuff. Keep it on topic.
Reyna, Friedel, Meola all won the same award, all played international footballQuote:
Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge
As did Brian Maisonneuve.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
The standard of the award winners have clearly dropped as the last winner that regularly made the international squad was in 1994. Now players of that standard would not be playing in college and have already moved on to MLS or Europe.
Think about this:
Michael Parkhurst from the New England Revolution was invited to train in the squad, but turned it down and is now set to be called into the USA squad for the Copa America.
If it was the other way around, i.e. Parkhurst accepted his call up and played 10 minutes at the end of the Ecuador game, and Lapira turned it down and went to play in the Copa America, would people be giving out to Stan for missing out on a promising striker?
Difference is though that Parkhurst is an establish MLS player and Lapira is just a college player so he was very unlikely to have earnt a U.S callup
The same people wouldn't. There's two hugely different camps when it comes to supporting the national side. The camp who criticised the call up owuldn't care less that an American lad wanted to play for AmericaQuote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
That's a purely hypothetical situation as Lapira is nowhere near the US squad at the moment. Anyway I don't know how anybody could give out if a situation like that occured as he would have attempted to call up Lapira in that situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Regardless I never knew that getting a call up to play for America made you any good.
Its very rare that I'm ever on the same side as a Bohs fan - so let me take the opportunity to say "well said".Quote:
Originally Posted by bohsRap
The eL is vastly superior to US college football. Surely you're not going to argue the opposite?Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
A pal of mine has been living in Aarhus for the past 20 years or so. His son is a decent amateur player - if he was living over here he might be playing for DCU's first team. Should he bring his boots and turn up when we play our August friendly? Surely he deserves a cap to stop him being poached by the Danes :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by zenokelly
I've seen a bit of NCAA Division 1 "soccer" over the years and a lot of Eircom League football and there is no comparison whatsoever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
The relative crapness of US collegiate "soccer" is exacerbated by equality legislation forcing universities to give out an equal number of mens and womens sports scholarships. Consider how many players are scholarshipped on an American football team (which women don't play) and you are left with a shortage of mens scholarships to dole out to minority sports like soccer.
Most big football (US) schools don't even field a Division 1 mens team and arguably the standard of womens "soccer" is actually higher in the NCAA.
People on here are trying to excuse the inexcusable. Lapira's selection devalued the shirt, it was an exercise in convenience/cost saving/nepotism and was a slap in the face to many EL players who have earned the right to be considered to represent their country.
They also demonstrated their Irishness by actually possessing an Irish passport at the beginning of last week...
Judging by the rumours doing the rounds he was capped for a reason. Makes me sick. I've heard of countries like Nigeria and countries like that doing it but this takes the p!ssQuote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
Not as bad as the kick in the teethQuote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
Actually no, a passport is just evidence of citizenship. As a citizen he is protected by the constitution of the State.Quote:
They also demonstrated their Irishness by actually possessing an Irish passport at the beginning of last week...
how did the guy actually play when he came on?
Came on, made 2 passes and then the ref blew up for full time.Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
You mean "came on, made apass, intercepted it and then lumped it 30 yards ahread of his team mates"
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
What a lot of drivel, is the world laughing becuase we capped a promising Irish-American? Do we cringe in shame because of this?
Was the world not laughing when we lost 5-2 to Cyprus? Did we not cringe in shame?
If we capped Vinny Jones years ago you could argue that it would have devalued the Irish shirt because he was a mercenary prostituting himself to several countries hoping to satify his ego, but not a proud Irish-American like Lapira who has more promise than many capped by Ireland over the years.
Have you got a crystal ball? How is he more promising that about 100 other young professionals playing at a significantly higher level in Ireland? He's certainly playing at a lower level.Quote:
Originally Posted by Qwerty
Come on then, tell me how good NCAA soccer is? I've seen some of it, have you?
Re the prouds Irish American, he's that proud he didn't have an Irish passport until last Monday.....
Proof?Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
Irish Times on Saturday from memory?Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
anyone got an ireland.com account:Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer/intl/index.html
I'm sure some of yiz have cheked it out, but if not here is some NCAA highlights -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ8nLbHi1e0
Never mind the quality of the football, the commentary, stats and graphics are quality :)!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
So the ref was none too impressed with him too :p
I don't think most Americans even have an American passport either an the majority of them never leave the country (thank God :p).Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
The 'passport test' doesn't really prove too much, all it shows is a desire to leave the country!!
I think I would be right in saying that many Irish citizens, born and breed don't actually have a passport?
A passort just shows a desire to travel.
Kevin McDonald said after the games he wouldn't name individuals who impressed him becuase he said football is all about opinions. Why don't you, who is not in any way close to the squad and the training sessions, give Stan the benefit of the doubt about the appropriateness of capping Lapira.Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
I've seen NCAA and MLS games, too many tbh. I've zero doubt that several MLS clubs would pick him up in a flash and MLS is certainly better quality football than eL, I,m sure we can agree on that if nothing else. Just becuse he is not playing at eL level doesn't mean anything.
The key word is promise, you could say he could go on to match what Olsen and Reyna have done or he could disappear into obscurity, I'm hoping for the former. I am partial to Irish Americans and really happy to see one finally play for Ireland, we can do without your Little Irelander rants.
I know some fall through the cracks but Lapira has never been selected for any US underage team.
HahaQuote:
Originally Posted by timmy mallet
"That is UCSB's 419th foul of the season. 57 yellow cards and 10 ejections"
You gota love the yanks:D
I've little problem with Lapira being capped, considering the circumstances. It's not ideal but an international cap isn't necessarily what it was anyway, with the proliferation of friendlies, mass substitutions etc.
If you want to accuse people of cheapening the value of an Irish cap look to those who don't turn up for friendlies, who cried off this trip for flimsy personal reasons or whatever. They were offered a cap but turned it down.
Good point, if any of us were offered a cap, we'd take it in a heartbeat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Is there an actual cap given or is it mythical?
Its not like they didn't get abuse here too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Yeah they still get caps I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
The general point stands though. There was a time when playing for your country was the ultimate. Now you have players withdrawing or being withdrawn for all kinds of spurious reasons. This by definition opens the door to less deserving players (in terms of ability). The hectic & lucrative club calendar is diluting the importance of the international game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
I forgot to vent my spleen towards those cnuts who retire from international football in their 20s to focus on their club careers - that's the ultimate insult to the value of a cap, real or otherwise. It's like they're saying "I've had a few now I couldn't be arsed".
strangely enough this also neatly sums up my attitude to work this morning...Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
June 14, 2007
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood will run the rule over Irish international youngster Joe Lapira during a week-long trial in August – but any move is unlikely to go through until the New Year.
Lapira, one of the rising stars of the American college scene, made his senior Irish debut in last month’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a stunning collegiate season in 2006, scoring 22 goals and winning the Hermann Trophy for top player on the university circuit, a prize previously lifted by feted US internationals Alexi Lalas and Claudio Reyna.
He will spend time at Pittodrie in August but as he does not graduate until December, any move to a professional career is not expected to take place until January.
they didnt get half enough in my opinion with soem of the flimsy excuses they came up with and i hope stan has the cojones to drop a few of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
i think it is only very select that you get caps for now , certainly not every game merits a specially made cap , anyone know the exact procedure here ?Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
would be great if he got playing there , some tidy players , playing good football and uefa cup as well next season. god i hate the two jimmies though.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
I think I remember Duff complaining before that you only get one actual cap at the end of the year, with all the games you've played stitched on to it. Think he said something about being a little jealous compared to the England players at Chelsea, who all got one cap per appearance.Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerMilla
His trainer at Notre Dame was interviewed on NewsTalk a few weeks back, he played at Aberdeen under Ferguson and that's more than likely how the trial was organisedQuote:
Originally Posted by RogerMilla