Paul McShane

[amaccann]

Fact is we've only ever lost one competitive game when he started - away to Czech Republic

And arguably we dropped 2 points against Italy because of a mistake of his.

[eirebhoy]

And arguably we dropped 2 points against Italy because of a mistake of his.

Does failing to stop a cross coming in count as a mistake? No way was letting Grosso free run down the line his mistake. He was marking his own man at that time.

[irishfan86]

If anyone is to blame for that goal, it's Keogh.

This is not to say McShane played well against Italy - he was woeful in possession and the Italians literally let him do whatever he wanted with the ball, as they knew every cross or pass he made would be poor.

[eirebhoy]

His passing wasn't poor. Just his crossing but that's one of the many reasons he shouldn't be playing full back.

[tetsujin1979]

And arguably we dropped 2 points against Italy because of a mistake of his.

I'd blame Keogh far more than McShane for the goal. McShane stayed with his man, Keogh didn't track the player on the overlap who eventually crossed in for the goal.

[Junior]

I don't accept that. Whatever his degree of culpability in Sofia there is no way it could be reasonably said he cost us two points in Dublin. He absolutely had to try and play that ball. That it went in off him was unfortunate but it couldn't be let run when he'd no idea who was bearing down on it on his flank.

Bulgaria had been knocking at the door for over an hour by then. No way he should be made carry the can for that.

correctamundo!!!!

[elroy]

Not that the game mattered all that much, but he gave away a last min penalty away to wales in the last campaign that cost us the win there. He pretty much left the attacker advance in the box before he decided to put in a challenge, was awful defending

[youngirish]

Not that the game mattered all that much, but he gave away a last min penalty away to wales in the last campaign that cost us the win there. He pretty much left the attacker advance in the box before he decided to put in a challenge, was awful defending

He's a shocking player and we are far poorer with him in the team than without him. Anyone who says otherwise is simply playing devil's advocate. That's not to say I'm happy he's injured. I don't think he'd feature anyway in the upcoming qualifiers with Finnan expected to be fit, the emergence of St Ledger and Foley now playing in the Premiership so even if he's recovered by then the damage he can do will hopefully be minimal.

He gives his all and I respect him for that it's just the talent is severely lacking.

Kilbane too is a severe liability in the left back spot and hopefully he too can also be phased out of the team sooner rather than later. O'Shea is an option at left back I'd prefer Trap to try when Finnan is fit or if Foley starts the season well.

I see Kilbane, Whelan and Andrews as the priorities to find replacements for next season in that order. If we get 3 decent Premiership players in their positions then we should really start to look like a decent team.

[eirebhoy]

Not that the game mattered all that much, but he gave away a last min penalty away to wales in the last campaign that cost us the win there. He pretty much left the attacker advance in the box before he decided to put in a challenge, was awful defending

Just to point out that that foul on Cotteril was outside the box. McShane was the first Irish player to react that that ball and his lack of pace let him down. The rest of the defence followed a second or 2 later. He's always at the centre of everything it seems but has done well overall at centre half for us.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3i...o-2008-q_sport

[geysir]

Overall McShane had lost his place after the Italy game and dropped down the pecking order. The performance of the back 4 against Bulgaria confirmed Trap's decision to exclude him and look elsewhere.
There is no way I can see McShane's injury but as a setback to him personally and as a decent option for a place in the squad.

[irishfan86]

The performance of the back 4 against Bulgaria confirmed Trap's decision to exclude him and look elsewhere.

Not trying to be picky, but Trap had no choice to drop him because of injury. Whether or not he would have done so without that injury is just speculation (one would hope so after the Italy "performance").

[geysir]

I think that would be picky without trying.
McShane did pick up an ankle injury, but even before that happened the IT journalist following the team in training had noted

"The doubts about McShane’s availability are set to copper-fasten Giovanni Trapattoni’s decision, flagged more than once in training over the past few days, to shake up his defence by starting Sean St Ledger at centre half, while switching John O’Shea to right back to better cope with the potency of Bulgaria’s attacking threat down their left flank."

[tetsujin1979]

Having a medical at Hull, according to football365: http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...512908,00.html

[Drumcondra 69er]

Having a medical at Hull, according to football365: http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...512908,00.html

Good luck to him, played his best football there last season by a mile.

[eirebhoy]

Good news.

[dr_peepee]

It is Defo.... I still don't know how anybody plays him at right full though... Hopefully he gets a run in the centre

[Umberside]

Hopefully he will be picked and get more confidence. We don't have that sort of a player in defence at the moment.

[elroy]

The guy is shot of confidence so hopefully this will give him a lift, in fairness he played well there.

And when he left Hull went into freefall

[EastTerracer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/8234646.stm

According the BBC website he has been called up to the squad as cover for St Ledger. I assumed he was still injured but apparently not......

[tricky_colour]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/8234646.stm

According the BBC website he has been called up to the squad as cover for St Ledger. I assumed he was still injured but apparently not......

Hull have also signed him, which should be good for him as he was doing well there when he was there on loan, it seems their style of football suits him.
Hull are odds on for relegation but I fancy they will stay up again.
It does seem a bit odd gievn that if he has recovered he cannot have played any competive football recently.