Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane

[gastric]

Hi, gastric.

I was referring to the senior team, not the U-21 team, but Grealish has declined successive invitations to link up with the U-21's. Noel King and Martin O'Neill have invited him to link up with their respective squads. As Roy Keane said, you can't really force the issue after that. If he wants to focus on getting a new contract over the line and breaking into the Villa team that's his prerogative. There is no need to keep asking the manager & assistant redundant questions.

I don't understand what you mean when you bring up Christie & McGoldrick. I do know about Christie & McGoldrick's motivations. It's pretty simple. They want to play International football. McGoldrick is on record as being very eager to play for Ireland and productive about getting the required paperwork over the line. Christie has outright said that he chose to declare for Ireland because he is more likely to get first team football than he would if he declared for England; he also said that there aren't many players ahead of him. And he has come from League One football to starting an Intl. game in the space of 3 months. So he's probably thinking he has made the right decision already.

Whatever about his lack of affinity for Ireland, his honesty and transparency is refreshing, and he did at least ease a few doubts over his ability with his performance on Tuesday.

You asked why journalists keep talking about him in press conferences and I gave you an answer, he is a potential superstar of the future, that's why journalists ask these questions! It is not as simplistic as saying he won't play for the senior team now, therefore they can't ask questions.
Secondly, it is interesting how you seem to have forgotten your recent comments too about how the inclusion of Christie and McGoldrick would affect team morale and how Doherty statistically was a much better player than Christie. You seem to have changed your tune now about Christie and you seem to have conveniently forgot the team morale statement you recently made.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I'm not saying he won't play for the senior team. I'm saying as long as he is undecided as to what country he wants to play for, there is no point in asking redundant questions. And yes he's a potential superstar of the future. He hasn't started a game at a level higher than League One and Paul Lambert doesn't even judge him to be good enough to get in a squad of 18 yet so that's all up in the air at the moment.

Did I say Christie & McGoldrick would upset morale? I didn't say Doherty was statistically a much better player than Christie. I said he was more experienced at PL, Championship and International level and was in form at one of the best Championship teams. He also didn't need to go through the rigmarole of acquiring a passport so I thought he would be a more prudent option.

I haven't changed my tune. I don't change my tune based on one solitary friendly. Christie did have a blinder of a game but it was one game. It's too early to say he should be a bonafide starter at LB or competing with Coleman for a start.

[Charlie Darwin]

He hasn't started a game at a level higher than League One and Paul Lambert doesn't even judge him to be good enough to get in a squad of 18 yet so that's all up in the air at the moment.

Well, not to big up Grealish as obviously he hasn't set the league alight, but his omission has coincided with Villa's winless run/losing streak. I'd say if Villa were doing better he'd have had more chances, but managers tend to become more conservative when results are going the wrong way and young players tend to get fewer chances (or if they do they're tossed into the first team in desperation). It was the same with McClean at Sunderland.

[tricky_colour]

Whatever you do wether it's posting a tweeting or making a life changing decision you are going to get judged
on your spelling and grammar..

https://twitter.com/jackgrealish1

I just notice he wrote "your going to get judged" when of course we all know, it should be "you're going get judged", not that I am one to judge

[gastric]

https://twitter.com/jackgrealish1

I just notice he wrote "your going to get judged" when of course we all know, it should be "you're going get judged", not that I am one to judge

And what about wether in your post above? Definitely not one to judge Tricky!

[gastric]

I'm not saying he won't play for the senior team. I'm saying as long as he is undecided as to what country he wants to play for, there is no point in asking redundant questions. And yes he's a potential superstar of the future. He hasn't started a game at a level higher than League One and Paul Lambert doesn't even judge him to be good enough to get in a squad of 18 yet so that's all up in the air at the moment.

Did I say Christie & McGoldrick would upset morale? I didn't say Doherty was statistically a much better player than Christie. I said he was more experienced at PL, Championship and International level and was in form at one of the best Championship teams. He also didn't need to go through the rigmarole of acquiring a passport so I thought he would be a more prudent option.

I haven't changed my tune. I don't change my tune based on one solitary friendly. Christie did have a blinder of a game but it was one game. It's too early to say he should be a bonafide starter at LB or competing with Coleman for a start.

And now you are lying. You attacked these players as you believed they would affect team morale and yes you used some rubbishy stats to promote your view that Doherty should play before Christie. Please don't be economical or pedantic with the truth. If I had the time I would find the quotes and repost them.

[Stuttgart88]

O'Neill saying that 352 is a possibility for the home games to get our best players on the pitch together

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...2007779?page=2

[ifk101]

So MON's still having a think about things. After a year in charge.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

And now you are lying. You attacked these players as you believed they would affect team morale and yes you used some rubbishy stats to promote your view that Doherty should play before Christie. Please don't be economical or pedantic with the truth. If I had the time I would find the quotes and repost them.

I'm lying am I? I'm posting rubbish am I?

I stated several reasons - an opinion - on why Doherty should be in the squad ahead of Christie.

You probably can't find the quotes because they are all in your head. I didn't attack anyone or say anything about team morale.

The people whose morale is affected are probably not even in the squad. I know Doherty wasn't happy; he tweeted so much. I can't imagine other players are delighted to be named in extended squads and then dropped for players who weren't even named in the original squad.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

So MON's still having a think about things. After a year in charge.

Park Life.

[ArdeeBhoy]

More like Deja vu. Revisited.

[DannyInvincible]

Whatever about his lack of affinity for Ireland, his honesty and transparency is refreshing, and he did at least ease a few doubts over his ability with his performance on Tuesday.

But who even says he has a lack of affinity? He's been to Ireland in his youth; it's part of his heritage and he's now embracing it. Just because he mentioned the greater likelihood of getting a game for Ireland as being a motivating factor in his decision, doesn't mean it was the only factor that motivated him to the exclusion of all other possible factors. If you're being truly genuine in what you're posting, you need to do some serious work on your logical reasoning. You surely realise what you're doing?

[SwanVsDalton]

So MON's still having a think about things. After a year in charge.

Isn't that better than the same-old we saw under Trap?

The performance wasn't there, but Scotland showed MON can show some imagination in selection and is willing to make picks on a match-to-match basis. I'd rather have that combined with an overall footballing aesthetic, than just a bog-standard, easy to work out system.

Only the elite in international football can pick the same team, the same way for every game and expect to do well.

[geysir]

So the way it happened is that they were 2 different incidents according to Ken and that his outburst was not to do with Grealish at all.

In Roy's world, being accused of being a 'distraction' is akin to be accused of 'faking it'.
The journalists took their insults on the chin, the truth (being called liars and fabulists) didn't faze them at all.

[ifk101]

Isn't that better than the same-old we saw under Trap?

.........

.

Adaptability and flexibility are desirable but what exactly are we adapting from? Trapattoni's strength was our defined game plan, players knew their roles and what was expected of them. His failing was an inability to adapt and to evolve his game plan. There was no plan B so to speak. There is a sense we are rudderless under MON, that we don't have a plan A to build on.

[SwanVsDalton]

Adaptability and flexibility are desirable but what exactly are we adapting from? Trapattoni's strength was our defined game plan, players knew their roles and what was expected of them. His failing was an inability to adapt and to evolve his game plan. There was no plan B so to speak. There is a sense we are rudderless under MON, that we don't have a plan A to build on.

I disagree. It's hasn't come off all the time so far, but I can see more purposeful play under O'Neill than we did over the last couple of years under Trapattoni. We play it a bit more on the deck, even if we often revert to type and give it a hoof (ie against Scotland).

I'd like to see that develop into a more tangible brand of identity but I don't think it's unfair for a manager to still be working on that. As I said, only elite teams can do this quickly unless they go for the rigid Trapattoni special.

For now, I'll take the uncertainty of MONs flexible approach.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I am a pragmatist and a realist.

I don't equate acquiring a passport to become eligible to play competitive Intl. football with embracing your heritage or having an affinity to the country you declare for.

I am sure Deco, Emmanuel Olisadebe and Eduardo had an affinity with Portugal, Poland and Croatia after they declared but it doesn't have much to do with what I'm saying TBCH.

Anyways, I appreciate Christie's honesty in a way. And on the basis of that one game, he has potential.

How times change! I remember Zat Knight saying virtually the same thing as Christie and people were firmly against his call up; this was ten odd years ago.

[OwlsFan]

How times change! I remember Zat Knight saying virtually the same thing as Christie and people were firmly against his call up; this was ten odd years ago.

You remember that as a 9 year old? Fair dues.

[DannyInvincible]

I don't equate acquiring a passport to become eligible to play competitive Intl. football with embracing your heritage or having an affinity to the country you declare for.

Well, whatever might or might not constitute an affinity with Ireland for you - who are you to dictate anyway? - it's unfair for you to so presumptuously dismiss the notion that Christie might have such an affinity and an appreciation for his Irish heritage when you don't even know the guy and have heard wind of a grand total of one or two interviews with him. Why do you think it's reasonable to jump to such conclusions? Even if he did have f*ck all affinity for Ireland, you don't have enough information available to you to know.

I am sure Deco, Emmanuel Olisadebe and Eduardo had an affinity with Portugal, Poland and Croatia after they declared but it doesn't have much to do with what I'm saying TBCH.

So what are you saying? As a pragmatist?

How times change! I remember Zat Knight saying virtually the same thing as Christie and people were firmly against his call up; this was ten odd years ago.

But Knight never declared. He spent his career wavering, didn't he? Christie made his decision quickly and is committed to us. That has to count for something.

[tricky_colour]

I am a pragmatist and a realist.

I don't equate acquiring a passport to become eligible to play competitive Intl. football with embracing your heritage or having an affinity to the country you declare for.

I am sure Deco, Emmanuel Olisadebe and Eduardo had an affinity with Portugal, Poland and Croatia after they declared but it doesn't have much to do with what I'm saying TBCH.

Anyways, I appreciate Christie's honesty in a way. And on the basis of that one game, he has potential.

How times change! I remember Zat Knight saying virtually the same thing as Christie and people were firmly against his call up; this was ten odd years ago.

There is no requirement to "embracing your heritage or have an affinity" with any particular country,
all that is required is to be eligible under the rules, and there is nothing in the rules about either.

Indeed to slightly contradict my self there, he is embracing his heritage by declaring for
the country of his ancestors, so all you are left with is "having an affinity" and I might have
an affinity with India due to a love of chicken vindaloo, but should that be enough to make
me eligible?