Republic of Ireland v. Wales - Friday, 24th March 2017 - World Cup 2018 Qualifier

[Stuttgart88]

Amid all the history research into James McCarthy I've failed to notice a final 23 man squad. Has it been cut yet?

[DeLorean]

Gibson was cut, no?

I can only see Christie getting game time if the unthinkable happens and Coleman hobbles off.

Agree totally on Doherty/Cunningham. We don't even have a proper back up for Ward? O'Shea's left back days are well and truly behind him. Would have definitely made more sense to bring at least one of them instead of a midfielder.

[Stuttgart88]

Answering my own question:

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph, Keiren Westwood, Colin Doyle

Defenders: Seamus Coleman, Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce, John O'Shea, Andy Boyle, John Egan, Stephen Ward

Midfielders: Aiden McGeady, Glenn Whelan, James McCarthy, Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, Conor Hourihane, David Meyler, Eunan O'Kane, James McClean, Jonathan Hayes, Daryl Horgan, Callum O'Dowda

Forwards: Jonathan Walters, Shane Long, [Daryl Murphy], Kevin Doyle

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I would've at least brought Doherty instead of Christie.

At least Doherty can cover the two positions.

That would've softened the blow of not calling up Cunny but the two of them being left out is bemusing in the extreme.

[Stuttgart88]

I think MON believes Christie can cover both as well?

[Diggs246]

Assuming McCarthy is out, I think it will be: Randy,
Coleman, O'Shea Keogh, Ward
Whelan Hendricks
Walters McClean
McGeady
Long

[DeLorean]

I'd like to see Meyler ahead of Whelan.

[Diggs246]

Yeah I would go with Meyler too ahead of Whelan, but I think if MON takes a chance on McGeady in the hole off the striker, he will go with the more experienced player in front of the four

[Stuttgart88]

Whelan is nailed on either way I reckon, especially if McCarthy misses out.

[DeLorean]

Whelan is nailed on either way I reckon, especially if McCarthy misses out.

You're probably right, although I'm not as sure if McCarthy makes it. I think McCarthy/Hendrick might be O'Neill's preferred pairing since the Euros, but he's only had one opportunity to play them together. McCarthy missed Belgrade and Vienna with injuries, Hendrick miss Chisinau through suspension. Meyler's accomplished performance against Austria is clouding things slightly in my mind also but, yeah, you'd have to assume O'Neill will go with Whelan in the circumstances.

[Olé Olé]

You're probably right, although I'm not as sure if McCarthy makes it. I think McCarthy/Hendrick might be O'Neill's preferred pairing since the Euros, but he's only had one opportunity to play them together. McCarthy missed Belgrade and Vienna with injuries, Hendrick miss Chisinau through suspension. Meyler's accomplished performance against Austria is clouding things slightly in my mind also but, yeah, you'd have to assume O'Neill will go with Whelan in the circumstances.

Do people think it's more likely we'll see two holding midfielders and Hendrick or one holding midfielder and Hendrick beside them? It's a tough one. Playing the latter allows us to start McGeady at 10, which also works if we have a midfield diamond but with Whelan at the base and Hendrick on the right I'm not sure who fits on the left. Playing the former means you have Whelan and (probably) Meyler at the base with McGeady or Walters on one wing, McClean on the other, Hendrick at 8 and a half and Long or Walters up front.

The more I think about it I'm predicting:
Randolph
Coleman O'Shea Keogh Ward
Meyler Whelan
Hendrick
McGeady McClean
Walters

[TrapAPony]

The more I think about it I'm predicting:
Randolph
Coleman O'Shea Keogh Ward
Meyler Whelan
Hendrick
McGeady McClean
Walters

That is exactly what I think. A 5 man midfield to make it difficult for Bale to do damage. Long, Horgan and/or O'Dowda to come on or Pearce if we need a defender. O'Kane will probably come on instead of Hourihane too if we need a change at midfield. Overall, we have enough options available to us to get a result.

[nigel-harps1954]

Horgan to come on and score a famous winner in the 85th minute.

I'd be happy enough with that.

Also, a lot of people talking about defensive problems, and while it would be a totally out of the blue choice, Andy Boyle is probably one of the strongest ball playing centre halves in the squad.

[DannyInvincible]

McClean will wear a number 5 jersey on Friday in tribute to Ryan McBride.

[backstothewall]

McClean will wear a number 5 jersey on Friday in tribute to Ryan McBride.

Anything special being planned by the singing section to mark this?

[DannyInvincible]

Anything special being planned by the singing section to mark this?

There's to be a minute of applause in the fifth minute.

[DannyInvincible]

Chris Coleman discusses his father's Dublin roots and his declining of an invite to represent Ireland during his playing days: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017...-boss-coleman/

Wales manager Chris Coleman's World Cup visit to Dublin will be full of emotion as he returns to the home city of his late father Paddy.

Vital points on the road to Russia 2018 will be at stake on Friday with third-placed Wales seeking to cut the four-point gap on Group D leaders the Republic of Ireland.

But the game also holds special significance for Coleman as, three years ago, he scattered his father's ashes in the River Liffey.... alongside a pint of Guinness.

"Throwing a pint of Guinness into the Liffey (with the ashes) is a done thing there, especially where he was from in the East Wall of Dublin," Coleman said.

"We did it next to the Brazen Head pub, which dates back to 1198, and is the oldest pub in Ireland.

"He always said make sure you do it there. It was his request. But if I'm honest I did have a little drop of Guinness first... it was eight euros a pint!

"My two sisters and Charlotte (Coleman's television presenter wife) were with me when we did it. It was incredibly poignant."

Coleman senior left Dublin and moved to Swansea at the age of 20, and it was there Chris was born and grew up.

...

But Coleman revealed he did attract Ireland's interest as a young player.

"There was talk about when Jackie Charlton was manager of the Republic and a tentative phone call came my way," Coleman said.

"But my dad always pushed me to play for Wales. I started playing football at the age of seven and he guided me, he never raised his voice.

"I've watched parents sometimes on the touchlines at youth games and they are screaming and shouting, which is not the way to go.

"But he was the opposite to that. He was always a quiet talker - he never lost his Dublin accent - but he was massive for me as a youngster."

Coleman's success with Wales is tinged with sadness as his father never saw him take the country to the European Championship in France.

And Coleman says his father would have been so proud to see him standing on the Aviva Stadium touch-line as the Wales manager.

"I used to take him back to Dublin most summers for a few days," Coleman said. "He would have a little roam around where he was brought up.

"He loved football and would have loved this - he would have been ecstatic."

[gastric]

Chris Coleman discusses his father's Dublin roots and his declining of an invite to represent Ireland during his playing days: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017...-boss-coleman/

Thanks Danny, love these anecdotes, another one who got away. A bit of a mean git though!

[Stuttgart88]

McClean will wear a number 5 jersey on Friday in tribute to Ryan McBride.

I can feel a red card coming on.

[Olé Olé]

Saw this in another article recently but the above is more poignant alright.

Had never realised his old man was Irish. I guess it's a lot harder to want to be an Irish international when you're from Swansea where there's less of an Irish community. Places like Liverpool, Glasgow, London and Manchester lend themselves more to parents living in an Irish community which means there's a stronger reminder or re-enforcement of identity.

That said, didn't Martin Keown say his father advised him to play for England too? To give back to the country that gave them so much? Could be a similar sentiment that of Coleman senior.