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A special mention for Eddie Nolan, for his great performances at PNE, the lad has come in and despite playing mainly out of position, he has aquitted himself well.
Every credit to the lad, and a reminder to those on here, that we do have some quality coming through the ranks.
Just need a manager brave enough to drop the rubbish in his squad and pick them!
Nolan was called into the squad VS Georgia, and had to pull out with a knock he picked up in training. Played well against Spain in the U-21's, and there's no real need for him to be wasted on the bench with the senior team at the moment.
I take your point, But on their club performances,there's no real need or justification for McShane or Bruce to be in the senior squad either, but their in it!Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
well then you have to ask yourself - what is better for Nolan now, captaining the U-21's or warming the bench (if that) for the senior team?
I think of Bruce and McShane signed for a northwest team like Preston North End, the doc would be on here saying how good they are.
They wouldn't get into the PNE 1st team!Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Don't think he did himself any favours with a couple of mistakes that lead to goals on one of his last games for the u21s.
A couple of months ago you described Eddie Nolan as being nothing more than a "cover" player for your beloved mickey mouse team. But now you see him as "quality coming through the ranks" at said beloved mickey mouse team. What's changed in the meantime? - said player has gotten a run of first team games in said beloved mickey mouse team.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
How true.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Bit harsh. Preston are a good Championship team.Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
Maybe, just possibly, Nolan has improved in the past few months after getting some regular game time. After all he is only 20.
I know the doc gets a hard time on here but it's hard for anyone sane to argue that St Ledger isn't a far better prospect (I'm using the word prospect as he's untested at the top level thus far) than both Bruce and the terrible McShane.
He seems to pick up an awful lot of unfair flak for stating what appears to me at least, this very obvious fact. Perhaps he overstates it.
;) - to the point of spamming.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
"A good Championship team" is hardly a solid recommendation for international football.
If he's that inconsistent, and still learning to such a degree, it's little surprise that he's not yet an international, but is captaining the U-21s.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
He certainly does overstate it, but his arguments are also ridiculous, his attacks on the team's players and management are unnecessary, ill-informed and incredibly petty.Quote:
I know the doc gets a hard time on here but it's hard for anyone sane to argue that St Ledger isn't a far better prospect (I'm using the word prospect as he's untested at the top level thus far) than both Bruce and the terrible McShane.
He seems to pick up an awful lot of unfair flak for stating what appears to me at least, this very obvious fact. Perhaps he overstates it.
We've had literally hundreds of posts, and calls to sack the entire management team, all because we choose one average centre back who isn't close to getting a game in a competitive match (Bruce) to warm the bench instead of another average centre back wouldn't be close to getting a game in a competitive match (St Ledger)
The calls to replace McShane as the back up utility defender I also don't agree with, because whilst he is far from great, he is quite experienced and if deployed rightly (as in the second half v Italy) he needn't be a huge liability, as opposed to chucking in a championship player who while he may look good at that level has never even played a Premier League game in his life, let alone a European or International game. I think that's a fact worth remembering when people propose players in-form for mid table Championship clubs.
St. Ledger is a very good player, at least as good as Mancienne who got rave reviews at Wolves and is deemed good enough to be near the Chelsea first team. Lescott and Jagielka both made the step up from Championship to Premiership successfully & quickly and I think St. Ledger has what it takes to follow suit if he got the opportunity.
However, having The Doc making his case is like Dunphy making the case for Givens to be sacked as U21 coach. Both are probably right but talk so much shyte that they're hard to take seriously.
Now if only we had a Manc Irish Prestonian or a Crafty Toe Poke from up there...
Alan Irvine is doing a great job at Preston and its good to have Irish players working with such a manager.
Owen Coyle(an up and coming Irish manager) is also doing a great job at Burnley and if I were a premiership chairman or a relelgated premiership chairman I would certainly be looking at these two if/when I am looking for a new manager
And how many live games have you seen any of these players play? To give a valid an opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
gpwm!Quote:
Originally Posted by stuttgart88
Huh??
Good point, well made.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/GPWM.
Most international managers would take a player playing in the Championship over a player not playing at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
Playing football is a very important criteria for consideration when calling up international players. Not only the Doc then who has to state the obvious.
2 players in top 7 or 8 in Championship versus 5 players from Israel league, like Bulgaria have?
A good player is a good player is a good player. St. Ledger can play and should be in our squad IMHO.
I would agree with most of what you say regarding St Ledger. I wouldn't chuck him into a competitive game at present either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
I do believe it's a mistake on Trapatonni's part, however, that he still hasn't looked at him in a friendly game as there's no doubt defence is one of our weakest areas when it comes to reliable cover. The great man is not infallible and while tactically he seems as astute as ever some of his player selections still appear to be occasionally baffling though obviously not comparable to Stan "du gaffur".
Picture a McShane, Bruce centre back pairing in a competitive game if Dunne gets suspended and O'Shea injured. It's the stuff of nightmares.
St Ledger will soon get a chance in the Premiership. He may not be brilliant (we know how big a step up it is from the Championship) but I would be reasonably confident that even if this is the case he'll be better than McShane who always looks extremely dodgy against decent opposition. The sad thing is I believe that if St Ledger got a move to a Premiership club tomorrow (ignore the fact the transfer window is closed for the moment) I'd be fairly confident he'd be immediately in the squad and probably in the team.
On another note I'd also like to see O'Dea given some game time against Nigeria though he's not as far out of the picture as St Ledger.
Eddie Nolan wants his thread back.
+1 :D
Do you mean St Ledger and Nolan? I've seen them play maybe three or so times a season on television for Preston. Hardly enough to build a complete picture of a player I agree, but why don't you address that same question to the people saying St Ledger should be in the squad, who presumably also only see them the odd time they're on Sky Sports.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
And based on those three or so games, against average opposition, I still mantain that I'd rather go with a guy like McShane who is no great shakes at all, but has experience of playing against some of the best players in the world, than St Ledger who has never played against such players apart from the very odd cup game against a Premier League side. Stan the Man showed the danger of relying on such players, and we saw the difficult that the likes of Jonathan Douglas encountered when put in at a level he'd never experienced before.
There's nothing to stop Eddie Nolan being a very good player for Ireland, but he's 20 years old, not required urgently, and still developing as a player. Let him take his time to develop in to a good player, and then use him accordingly. Unless, like, Preston sell him or something in the meantime in which case f**k that for a game of soldiers, eh?
Steve Claridge on another scouting report about an Irish player.
Scouting report: Eddie Nolan
"The young Irishman plays at left-back but it is his ability to use both feet that makes him such an asset"
"He is simply one the most two-footed players I have ever seen. At one point, as he neatly chipped the ball down the line, I thought he was primarily left-footed and then the next time he received the ball he was bringing possession out of defence, travelling 40 yards using just his right foot"
Naturally a RB. Nice to see somebody that was so prominent in our U21 setup continue to make progress. Long may it continue.
Great to see Nolan doing well and reaffirms that the Championship is the best training ground that we have for our young talent. Big Mick is always banging on about experience and it's true that there is no substitute for games under your belt (if there is such a phrase) to quicken development.
It has been a great year for us in terms of the development of Nolan, St Ledger, McCann, Garvan, Long, Tabb, Kelly, Fahey, Foley, Ward & Keogh. Having seen Whelan & Lawrence adapt well this year - next year we can only get better.
With Foley, Ward, Nolan & O'Dea battling for the fullback spots we'll be sorted for a few years yet. Although, out of the lot of them McCann is the Kid I'm most looking forward to seeing coming through - he was quality against Wolves, tall, rangey, good passer and scores goals with his feet and head - he's been linked to Arsenal and while is not similar (yet) of ability is in the Viera mould.
It's (genuinely) a pity for Nolan, St Ledger and Doc that they never made it to the Premiership, but with another year behind them we could have another 2 young talents who are seriously vying for a first team place.
Agree that the championship is a good place to develop, once they are getting plenty of game time etc. It has been a good year for the development of alot of our players, unfortunately the reality is out of the list mentioned above a few will probably fail to progress any further e.g. Look at the hopes we had for Stokes, Miller, Thornton to name just three.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc Irish Wolf
I suppose you could add Sean Scannel to Manc's list but I personally would prefer him to be at a top 6 team, or serious play off contender. That applies to all our young lads really. Below this I think they have their work cut out to develop further.
Not technically a Championship player but Alan Judge has had a great second half of the season on loan at Plymouth as mentioned in another thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Also heard Everton are interested in Jonathan Walters elsewhere on this board another good Championship player.
I'm happy enough with him being at Crystal Palace, maybe for one more season, getting experience and games under his belt. He's still a bit lightweight, and was pushed off the ball easily against Forest last November at Dalymount, but he's only 18 and will get stronger. Trapattoni definitely sees him as one for the future, and he was briefly linked with Man City and Aston Villa last season, so he will move on eventually. He's out injured until next season, so I don't see him moving this summer anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Just as an aside, could it be your opinion of Warnock is colouring your judgment on him staying at Selhurst Park?
No, not at all. I just think Palace are a bit of a nothing Championship team, destined always to be about 12th. I'd like to see Scannel play at a bit of a better standard but point taken on his age etc. In fact if anything it's probably good that he has a manager who has seen it all before and who has never been afriad to trust young players in the past.
Nolan is now on loan at Wednesday and scored his first career goal for them last week. Mind you, not great news that an average PNE side are prepared to allow him go on loan to another less than average Championship side. Obviously, Owls' ex-Preston manager, Irvine, sees something in the player.
Eddie Nolan has been re-signed by Scunthorpe United on a non-contract basis after spending a year out of the game.
God, depressing reading back the few previous posts of this thread. Nolan out of the game for a year and I can tell you that Scannell has not done much at Huddersfield. Blows far too hot and cold. He is sometimes brilliant, and was almost MOTM on Saturday, by all accounts, but he's often fairly useless. (Anthony Gerrard got MOTM, incidentally....)
It's funny to read back over these things.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
Good lad Eddie, just needs a bit of luck and get a run of games.
Interesting looking back to see so many of you on here dismissing St Ledger in favour of the likes of McShane, Bruce etc.
I was proved right yet again as I will be about more recent players.
I know my footie.
Would I be right in saying that McShane & St Ledger currently play at the same level?Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Don't make me laugh.Quote:
Originally Posted by JGKyne
St Ledger plays for the mighty Leicester City, currently occupying second spot in the Championship with a titanic 53 points.
McShane, on the other hand, plays for lowly Hull City, currently sitting a pathetic fourth in the Championship with a measly 53 points.
If you can't see the difference then you're blind.
Sorry, excuse my ignorance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
JG, that was completely tongue-in-cheek and aimed at the doc. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by JGKyne