Republic of Ireland V Nigeria - Friday, 29th May 2009 - Friendly - Craven Cottage

Looks like the Lawrence story wasn't true! From FAI.ie.

Leon Best in and all....


Trapattoni names squad for forthcoming friendly and World Cup qualifier

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Monday, 18 May 2009 Section: International

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giovanni Trapattoni today (May 18) named 25 players for the forthcoming International friendly against Nigeria on May 29 in Craven Cottage (kick off 8pm). 22 of these players will be selected for the squad to play Bulgaria in the FIFA World Cup group 8 Qualifier in Sofia on June 6 (kick off 8.30pm local time).


Welcoming the announcement, Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni said:
“Preparations for the game against Nigeria on May 29 will allow us to see some new players who have distinguished themselves during the course of the last season and also to welcome back players like Caleb Folan and Kevin Foley.”

He added, “Nigeria is a powerhouse of African football, with many strong and fast players who are playing for top clubs in England and Europe. They will provide a challenging test before the very important World Cup Qualfier in Bulgaria on June 6.”


Republic of Ireland Squad:

Goalkeepers
Shay Given - Manchester City
Dean Kiely - West Brom
Keiren Westwood - Coventry City

Defenders
Eddie Nolan - Preston North End
Sean St. Ledger - Preston North End
John O'Shea - Manchester United
Kevin Foley - Wolves
Paul McShane - Sunderland
Richard Dunne - Manchester City
Stephen Kelly - Birmingham City
Kevin Kilbane - Hull City

Midfielders
Aiden McGeady - Glasgow Celtic
Damien Duff - Newcastle United
Darron Gibson - Manchester United
Glenn Whelan - Stoke City
Keith Andrews - Blackburn Rovers
Liam Miller - QPR
Stephen Hunt - Reading
Andy Keogh - Wolves
Liam Lawrence - Stoke City

Forwards
Caleb Folan - Hull City
Kevin Doyle - Reading
Robbie Keane - Tottenham Hotspur
Shane Long - Reading
Leon Best - Coventry City

Nice to see Trapp bringing in some fresh blood, leon best could be interesting...

Can't really complain about that squad no player missing of note, except Rory Delap and James McCarthy!

Isn't Doyle out for a month?

lawrence gets the shout..hopefully foley will get his first cap over the next two games really wanna see him given a chance

damien delaney injuried or just out of form?

Best is a strange inclusion alright, I think Morrison had a better season than him. But other than Miller being in the squad at all I've no problems with that 25 man squad

No Damian Delaney...is he injured?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Best is a strange inclusion alright, I think Morrison had a better season than him. But other than Miller being in the squad at all I've no problems with that 25 man squad

---

Yeah, totally agree on all points. They obviously don't fancy Clint, I'd have him ahead of Best in the pecking order.

Or Bruce...

That's the happiest I've been with a squad in a long time. Good blend of stability experience and expreriment.

Ya got all the names we have been asking for and all the names we didnt want excluded.

Have to say I wonder is Trap cautious in that he wants to see consistency over a period of time and hence why he only included lawrence/st ledger and nolan now?! I mean he had the chance to include at least 1 of them a couple of times previous but he didn't interesting if that is the case.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

Yeah, totally agree on all points. They obviously don't fancy Clint, I'd have him ahead of Best in the pecking order.

---

The other possibility is Best is viewed as a replacement for Doyle in the target man role, along with Folan. Morrison finished the season as captain at Coventry, with Coleman singing his praises. I would like to see him back in the side just for his presence. If Best got called in, they're obviously watching Coventry.
At a push I would have liked to see James McCarthy in there, even just as a reward for his season, but he's part of the U21 setup, and I'm not too disappointed to see him left out.

Good squad, fairly happy. The weakness in central midfield is the only problem but thats hardly Traps fault, the players aren't there at the moment.

Code:

---

Whelan-Andrews
Gibson-Miller

---

Gibson, Miller aren't good enough backups in my opinion but as long as we play to our strenghts and get the ball out wide then we'll do alright. Won't look too bad when Stephen Reid is fit again.

Best is a bit of a strange inclusion, i suppose he offers a bit of difference with his pace.

Maybe Stephen Ward could have been looked at as a viable option at left back as we have no decent options there? I'd have had him in instead of Nolan. Miller I'd replace with McCann or McCarthy.

Other than that looks good. Hopefully St Ledger and Lawrence get a run out.

If Doyle is injured for the Bulgaria game I don't see any decent alternatives in our strikeforce. I take it NHunt is still injured?

Good squad, a few new faces and hopefully they'll get the chance to impress. Miller is the only sticking point - McCann possibly deserves a chance - and maybe Clint instead of Best. But I won't complain about Trap taking a punt on some young blood.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Good squad, fairly happy. The weakness in central midfield is the only problem but thats hardly Traps fault, the players aren't there at the moment.

Code:

---

Whelan-Andrews
Gibson-Miller

---

Gibson, Miller aren't good enough backups in my opinion but as long as we play to our strenghts and get the ball out wide then we'll do alright. Won't look too bad when Stephen Reid is fit again.

---

Agreed, midfiled is weak. Would love to see Fahey and Hoolahan involved in the friendly games!

I guess that if Best got the call up and David McGoldrick didn't then its pretty much official that hes not Irish?

Shay Given - Manchester City
Dean Kiely - West Brom
Keiren Westwood - Coventry City

Defenders
Eddie Nolan - Preston North End
Sean St. Ledger - Preston North End
John O'Shea - Manchester United
Kevin Foley - Wolves
Paul McShane - Sunderland
Richard Dunne - Manchester City
Stephen Kelly - Birmingham City
Kevin Kilbane - Hull City

Midfielders
Aiden McGeady - Glasgow Celtic
Damien Duff - Newcastle United
Darron Gibson - Manchester United
Glenn Whelan - Stoke City
Keith Andrews - Blackburn Rovers
Liam Miller - QPR
Stephen Hunt - Reading
Andy Keogh - Wolves
Liam Lawrence - Stoke City

Forwards
Caleb Folan - Hull City
Kevin Doyle - Reading
Robbie Keane - Tottenham Hotspur
Shane Long - Reading
Leon Best - Coventry City

Delaney isn't good enough

Miller shouldn't be near the squad

Over the moon for Lawrence, St Ledger and Foley

E Nolan was poor in play off I thought

No S Quinn is strange

Why is Doyle taking up a space???

Keith Fahey?

It is obvious that Trap doesn't like the attacking Midfielder.

Overall I am pleased tho.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

E Nolan was poor in play off I thought

---

Was MOTM in the recent U21 game VS Spain, probably something to do with his call up. Was called into the squad for Georgia as well, but had to pull out with an injury

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

No S Quinn is strange

---

Play off final is on the previous Monday, probably something to do with it

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

Why is Doyle taking up a space???

---

According to this - http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrosst...ws.asp?n=36487 - Trapattoni wants to have him examined by the medical team

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by joema

Agreed, midfiled is weak. Would love to see Fahey and Hoolahan involved in the friendly games!

---

You were making sense until you mentioned Hoolahan, he's no where near good enough for the squad, would actually go as far as saying that Miller is a better option then he is.

I think Fahey can feel a bit disappointed not to be included but the same goes for Stephen Quinn, Chris McCann & James McCarthy each of whom have just as big a claim to be in the squad as Fahey does.

On a sidebar I think I heard somewhere that Given is carrying a knock or playing through injury at the moment so am a little surprised/disappointed to see Paddy Kenny has been left out, he's been playig well of late and maybe should of been called up even if it was just for the Nigeria game, Kiely is getting on and we're hardly dripping with quality goalkeepers at the moment

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by joema

Agreed, midfiled is weak. Would love to see Fahey and Hoolahan involved in the friendly games!

---

Hoolahan was given a chance in the November B game VS Forest, and didn't impress. He was pushed off the ball easily, didn't link up well with Ward at full back, and one more than one occasion Andrews came over to bail him out. By comparison, Andrews, Gibson, Keogh and Folan all played well in that game and are in the squad.