I think it's important to win games, as self-evident as that may sound. The NL could be our springboard to having the kind of run that Wales have been on for several years now, and that Scotland appear to be on. Winning their League C group was a big thing for Scotland.
Finland again would be fine with meOriginally Posted by pineapple stu
We do need to make progress but theres limited to be gained by getting pumped either. Scotland putting Denmark to the sword shows how far we have to go and also how it is clearly possible. They were rubbish 3 or 4 years ago.
I'd also expect the squad to settle down quite a lot now. I know lads are looking at the u21s but kilkenny aside I dont see many people making the jump. Obafemi maybe works his way back in. Arter to appear less I'd guess. Quite a few less debuts in the next 12 months than in the 12 months to date.
Taylor
Scales
Kilkenny
Coventry
Ronan
Mandriou
Obafemi
All have a shot within 12 months
My preference, as said above a few times, is to concentrate on around 30 players.. if necessary and they're willing to do it, bring all 30 over each international window, so they are all part of the squad, the training, the systems, so if we get hit with a run of injuries players can come straight in
We need to look at this as a two and a half year cycle, up to the end of the 2024 Euros.
Sure, there may be outliers.. Obafemi might start banging in goals left right and centre for Swansea.. Kilkenny might be a starting central midfielder in the Premier League in 12 months
But we should know now what we have and what we need.
And that might mean tough calls on players like Coleman and Mc Clean
This Nations League competition has turned out to be a real bonus. Kudos to the brains behind it. Most all the teams in L2 are the type of teams Ireland will have to finish ahead of in order to qualify for the Euros. The only real pressure is avoid relegation and good competitive games against similar or better teams can be the making of this squad. If the players and Kenny are not ready for this challenge in spring, then when will it ever happen.
yeah, I think it's great.
While I can see where you're coming from, I think Coleman and McClean are two unusual people to focus on - in part because I don't think we're blessed with an abundance of wing-backs, are we?
We've Coleman and McClean. Doherty, Christie and Stevens - a couple of years younger, but still will be 30+ by the time the Euro qualifiers roll around. Manning, but he's not really been used much. Scales and Ebosele - not ready yet.
Am I missing anyone there?
I absolutely love both Coleman and Mc Clean.. never get why people are so hard on Mc.. but if you were to be a hard chaw manager, you'd also have to look at tge fact Seamus will be 35 by Germany 24, James 34. James is playing League 1 (though probably good enough for Championship)
I wouldn't ditch them now.. they'll definitely be important for NL next year.. but it'd be remiss of you not to be already thinking about moving on from them
Dara O Shea, Omabomidele, Collins would all be in line to slot in for Coleman
Who'd be in line for Mc Clean? Stevens.. then who?
You have to be planning ahead. For example, is there any point in bringing Daryl Horgan over again?
They're changing the format of the U19s to a similar format as the Nations League.
Ogbene is probably another longer term option at right wing back, seeing as that's where he plays for his club. I agree with the view we're less likely to see a huge number of debutants in the next year or so. I think most have been listed already, but Elbouzedi is another one who might come in for a look.
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If the link works the format they wanted to bring but couldn't at the time as covid interrupted underage football. Not sure when they'll get around to doing it as the draw for the 2022 tournament happens next month and they're still using the current format and they've announced the hosts for the next three tournaments.
Oh I get the planning ahead bit. But I think we have a bit of a selection shortfall at wingback and it's not so easy to replace them at the moment.
I think our recovery is still fragile enough that I wouldn't like to sacrifice a bit of momentum for the sake of experimentation with young players
Last edited by pineapple stu; 17/11/2021 at 2:30 PM.
I don't really care if Coleman will be 35 by the time of the next Euros. Unless his career takes a dive he'll still have a role to play imho.
I agree on kilkenny. Given the personelle available in CM Coventry is at the back of the line. Scales may do well to get past collins and a returning o'shea.
I dont agree right wing back is a problem. Coleman has another 3 years in him and so does Doherty. Plenty of time for lads to progress.
yes, mark lawrenson was on the radio a couple of weeks back saying colemans legs had gone. i hadn't seen much of everton this season so took it as possibly a fair comment. didn't see much signs of his legs going over the last week though.... especially against portugal where i thought he was excellent
Manning? I'm not convinced, but I'm not ready to write him off yet either.
That said, I would like a look at Bagan, and Dennis Cirkin if he can be convinced to jump the fence. I know he's only in League 1, but we have other players at that level, and Sunderland are a big club in any division which has to count for something.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
McClean, over the last 4-5 years particularly, has been the players that wrecks my head the most within the squad (along with Duffy).
McClean is infuriating to watch at times - crosses are a lottery; decision making is questionable; reckless in the tackle at times; touch can be poison. But it has also been mixed in with some big moments and a passion for the jersey that is impossible not to admire and enjoy. All that said, he has been a player reborn under SK especially over the last 6-7 games. He is playing some of his best and most consistent football for us in that time both as a starter and off the bench. While he has still had some WTF moments (e.g. against Lux, there was a touch he took to steady himself for a shot that pushed the ball two yards in front of him and a couple of moments where he was caught badly out of position as they countered), he has overall been a player reborn under SK and i am cool with him being named on the team more now than i ever was in the more recent past.
The same rebirth applies to Duffy who i never thought would thrive under SK's required playing style but has been generally brilliant for us over the same stretch of 6-7 games. A few hairy moments aside, he has passed with composure and patience and the hoofball antics of the past seem to be completely eradicated which, to me, is staggering. I didn't think he had it in him. He also continues to bring the best of what he has always brought to the team.
Yeah, Duffy has only been good for us over the last 6-7 games.
The thing that gets me about Irish players and "hoofball", and always has.. is that surely no professional player has managed to get all the way through local leagues, Kennedy Cups, LOI professional level, English football academies and all the way to playing professionally.. and not been able to pass a ball accurately 10-20 yards
They have to be able to do it..
This "Georgian/Finnish/Icelandic etc" players are "technically better".. is nonsense in my opinion.
Surely our players, can pass a ball and move to a different position to retrieve it
Whether they're encouraged to do it, is a different thing
Totally agree by the way and believe that the credit for this goes to SK encouraging and trusting his players to do it. A world apart from the lazy excuses from previous managers that we "don't have the players to pass the ball and move".
My overarching point being that i was so used to seeing Duffy launch garryowens that i wasn't convinced he'd have the ability to thrive under SKs approach. And I was wrong.
If you are trying to be sarcastic/smart, i would encourage you to re-read what I posted.
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