Potentially eligible players thread

I think a B international is warranted, but only if it's used to give a platform the those currently without one. ie those who are over 21 but on the edges of the squad or just beyond a call up. I recall a recent B international which was primarily U21s and players who had been in Squads already. Which defeated the purpose in my mind

Scott Hogan in the EFL team of the week http://www.efl.com/news/article/2016...016-09-12_1741

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Scott Hogan in the EFL team of the week http://www.efl.com/news/article/2016...016-09-12_1741

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Scored a couple of crackers against Brighton and was a constant menace to the defence, if these highlights are anything to go by:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw61cTuxuTs

As regards how to incorporate new players, this is what I think we should do - an autumn friendly to give more game time definitely to Christie, Arter and Duffy, maybe to Elliot, Cunningham and judge; try to build Murphy's confidence now that he's off the mark; give Scott Hogan his debut if he's willing to commit and maintains his current form. A couple of post-season friendlies or a tour and take the opportunity to blood some of the following players, depending on their seasons: Browne, Byrne, Lenihan, Doherty, Egan, Shodipo, Hoban, Hourihane, O'Dowda, Williams (and Will Keane if he's serious about joining up)

Will Keane is an interesting one. He's done nothing in his career to suggest he's a potential international for anyone but he's signed for Hull and he's agents doing a bit of work so all of a sudden he's in the Ireland frame.

Didn't his twin brother play for Ireland, so he's definitely eligible!

He's the brother of Michael who's now firmly in the bosom of Tanland

Will hasn't played for us underage whereas Michael has switched to Ingerland.

Didn't two brothers play against each other at the Euros? Switzerland v Albania? Zhaka v Zhaka?

Didn't the Boateng brothers play against each other at WC 2014? Ghana v DDR+GDR?


B intls are not very likely
There are always a few dates in the intl calendar which are vacant, any one or two potential eligible players can be called up to one of MO'N´s extended squad.
They are not taking anyone's place. If a player refuses citing a broken toenail, then move on.
An official or non-official intl friendly involving the non combatants in the squad could be arranged, preferably after one of the qualifiers.

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

I’ve been really impressed with Kevin Kilbane on Newstalk of late. He’s a good skin, enjoyable to listen to and really insightful. Dan O’Donnell couldn’t make an assertion on the Irish camp last night without adding the caveat of “but, I don’t know” to the end of his sentences, seemingly mindful of Kilbane’s presence and obvious knowledge. Joe Molloy struck up a discussion on Andre Gray’s, admittedly despicable, tweets. As a presenter, a bit of context on Gray’s background would be within Molloy’s duty to provide. However, it took Kilbane to refer to his stabbing, involvement in gang activity and tough upbringing. He didn’t do it to excuse Gray but just to provide some context.

Anyway, John Cross of the Mirror was on to discuss Jack Wilshere last night and Kilbane couldn’t let him go without asking him what he thought of Sam Allardyce’s willingness to bring in naturalized citizens into the England squad (discussions having been recently held with Steven N’Zonzi). I thought it was really adding value to the show by Kilbane to ask this question of a well-placed English journalist.

After Cross was gone Kilbane struck gold again for the listeners. He discussed how the practice didn’t sit right with him. Most intriguingly, he said that there have been discussions in the England underage set-up whereby young players have been told to cut their teeth at international level in the underage set-ups of other countries, like Ireland, and if it works out they’d be brought into the England set-up. He also stated that England are really going after as many underage players as they can at the moment to hold such discussions or. Otherwise, to get them to switch across. Obviously, Grealish was name-checked in this but the likes of Agyei-Tabi, Crowley and others have began their international career with us before moving across to England also. A worrying practice if they’re doing this on the back of advice from someone like Gareth Southgate, who Kilbane did mention too.

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I heard that full spot on the show. It should be held up as an example of what an irish sports show should aim to achieve. journalism gold.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Will Keane is an interesting one. He's done nothing in his career to suggest he's a potential international for anyone but he's signed for Hull and he's agents doing a bit of work so all of a sudden he's in the Ireland frame.

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All true but given our dearth of strikers under 30 have we any better options?

Murphy is 33. Walters is 33 next week.

Looking to the future we have Long, and after that Mason, Stokes, Shodipo, McGoldrick & Cox. If he is interested he must be worth a look in a friendly or 2.

It would be good to have a look at him (W Keane) but we also have Scott Hogan and Mason to have a look at , just seems we know that but not sure about the guy picking the team

In fairness Mason is the only one to have shown interest until recently - and he has been in and out the team at Cardiff and Wolves.

If people had suggested a call up for Hogan 6 months ago they would've been laughed out the door.

Keane has done nothing to warrant talk of a call up, regardless of whether he is allegedly interested.

There are plenty of lads who want to play for their country unconditionally.

Pick them.

Clinton Morrison could still do a job. Seriously, though, I'd rather have McClean up front that any of the above named, although I'd like to see more of Hogan.

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

In fairness Mason is the only one to have shown interest until recently - and he has been in and out the team at Cardiff and Wolves.

If people had suggested a call up for Hogan 6 months ago they would've been laughed out the door.

Keane has done nothing to warrant talk of a call up, regardless of whether he is allegedly interested.

There are plenty of lads who want to play for their country unconditionally.

Pick them.

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if, in March, you were calling for a player who hadn't played since August 2014 because of injury to be called up, you'd deserve to be laughed at
However, his form since returning is positive, and he deserves to be looked at

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

not much use now, but Trevor Sinclair was eligible to play for the Republic through his Sligo-born mother - https://twitter.com/trevor8sinclair/...57422482300929

According to his wiki page, he had U21 caps in 1993, so the FAI would have wanted to act fast!

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We tried. I remember a big article in the Irish Post - around 1994 - reported he had picked England over us.

Apologies if it has been covered previously, but do we know anything about the Wembley born Murphy twins at Norwich ? Jacob now has four from six apps this term after last nights double, and a real eye catcher on Saturday.

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

In fairness Mason is the only one to have shown interest until recently - and he has been in and out the team at Cardiff and Wolves.

If people had suggested a call up for Hogan 6 months ago they would've been laughed out the door.

Keane has done nothing to warrant talk of a call up, regardless of whether he is allegedly interested.

There are plenty of lads who want to play for their country unconditionally.

Pick them.

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As I often feel a little malicious when you start your usual whinge about commitment, I look forward to the day when a team something like this lines out for us. It won't be good for your blood pressure! I know there are many others I have left out.

Bunn
Christie
Keogh
Pearce
Harness
Noble (C)
O'Hara
Crowley
Jacob Murphy
Will Keane
Hogan

TOWK

How about naming your all time English born Ireland x11

thought i start you off

Dean Kiely

Jason Mcateer - David O'Leary - Paul McGrath - Terry Phelan

Tony Galvin - Andy Townsend - John Sherridan - Kevin Kilbane

Tony Cascarino - John Aldridge

Apples and oranges.

Scott Hogan, Will Keane, Jamie O'Hara, Kyle Naughton, Curtis Davies, Mark Noble and Patrick Bamford etc, etc are not committed to playing for Ireland. Until they are, they are not part of the discussion. How can you blame Trapattoni or O'Neill for not selecting players who don't want to play for us?

Cyrus Christie, Harry Arter, Callum O'Dowda and David McGoldrick are all eligible players brought into the fold under O'Neill and people still complain.

This is because they realised they weren't good enough to play for England and declared for Ireland.

It's a two way street. The management have to be proactive about these things but there has to be a pull, and a bit of pragmatism, from the players as well.

And excuse me for not being enamored with the idea of players who aren't good enough to be in the reckoning for England togging out for us.

I just mentioned Christie and McGoldrick. I could name four or five Irish born players who are arguably better than them.

We are not talking about Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Aaron Lennon type players here. We are talking about players who aren't remotely good enough to get near the national team of a country that got outplayed by Iceland a few months ago.

I think we should give ourselves a bit of credit.

It's funny you mention Kilbane. He's firmly against the idea of selecting players like Hogan and Bamford!

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

Apples and oranges.

Scott Hogan, Will Keane, Jamie O'Hara, Kyle Naughton, Curtis Davies, Mark Noble and Patrick Bamford etc, etc are not committed to playing for Ireland. Until they are, they are not part of the discussion. How can you blame Trapattoni or O'Neill for not selecting players who don't want to play for us?

Cyrus Christie, Harry Arter, Callum O'Dowda and David McGoldrick are all eligible players brought into the fold under O'Neill and people still complain.

This is because they realised they weren't good enough to play for England and declared for Ireland.

It's a two way street. The management have to be proactive about these things but there has to be a pull, and a bit of pragmatism, from the players as well.

And excuse me for not being enamored with the idea of players who aren't good enough to be in the reckoning for England togging out for us.

I just mentioned Christie and McGoldrick. I could name four or five Irish born players who are arguably better than them.

We are not talking about Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Aaron Lennon type players here. We are talking about players who aren't remotely good enough to get near the national team of a country that got outplayed by Iceland a few months ago.

I think we should give ourselves a bit of credit.

It's funny you mention Kilbane. He's firmly against the idea of selecting players like Hogan and Bamford!

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Arter's been playing for Ireland since U17

Listen back to tonight's Off The Ball, Kilbane seems to be in favour of Hogan