https://m.independent.ie/sport/socce...ROK8clfp6W06fg
Fairly reasonable. Says Travers is arguably having the best season, Kelleher turns goalkeeping into an art form (mentions he played him in 10/12 games at 21 level) and Bazunu has leadership qualities and an aura that makes him first choice. Happy to have such a good problem and all will get game time over the friendlies.
Can't really argue with that at all in fairness.Originally Posted by ontheotherhand
Probably displaying my Liverpool bias, but don’t think selection should be based on ‘auras’ but actual performance and ability. Maybe Bazunu has an edge there too, but I find Kenny’s comments a bit woolly and unprofessional to be honest. Let’s see who performs best rather than who has some ineffable personal quality that doesn’t necessarily relate to goalkeeping ability.
It's not the easiest thing to quantify, but I think he's talking about some combination of characteristics like communication with and organisation of the defence, positioning, appropriate levels of aggression, reliability of shot stopping, and availability for a pass that means the defence plays well and with confidence in front of him. I agree it's not communicated well, but I don't think he just means the fellow has a nice smile or something. I'm not sure I fully agree with him - Bazunu has been lucky more often than I like - but his season of league football so far has gone a long way to answering my doubts about him.
You can't spell failure without FAI
Possibly, but he illustrates it with comments about confidence, leadership and saving the penalty he gave away. It seems to be about attitude. That’s well and good, but there have been plenty of players with attitude and confidence that exceed their actual ability. It’s not in itself a quality that commends selection over someone with a calmer / quieter disposition like Kelleher. That’s what’s impressive about him, he not only shows incredible calmness he communicates to his defenders. It’s not an easy call. and as Kenny says it’s a nice problem to have.
I'd say he's glossing over the obvious goalkeeping ability and trying to highlight the level of mental strength and professionalism he has. He goes on to say he could have excelled in any field. I took from it that Gavin is one of those people who inspires something in other people and that's a good trait in a goalkeeper, if hard to define at a granular level.
In a competitive battle for the number one spot where all 3 keepers are very talented in terms of pure GK skills, it's these little intangibles that might make the difference.
Fair point. I don't know enough about Travers, but I'd say Kelleher's intangible qualities are just as impressive though more low key, less tangible even.
Tangibles are probably better and more reliable that Intangibles.
What's the golf quote - the more I practise, the luckier I get?
I think that applies more to the defenders who bailed him out more than once to be fair!
In NFL pundits often refer to a players intangibles, particularly at Quarterback. Leadership, Organization, how much other players respect him etc.
This absolutely matters for a goalkeeper too. Of course personal qualities matter. The world is full of footballers who had great ability and never made it
https://youtu.be/kylJ4tZmHJQ horror mistake at the very end of the highlights for the crewe goal at the weekend. Has had a really bad mistake or misjudgement in alot of his irish games but has gotten away with it. Obviously has also made some great stops and very good distribution.
That’s quite woolly and unprofessional, 3P…
Bazanu's ''aura'' is that he looks more like a professional footballer than Kelleher.
Well on that basis alone he should get picked. It's important that all our player look the part. Any suggestions on the most unlikely looking players to turn out for Ireland? Blast from the distant past, Terry Mancini.
https://beyondthelastman.com/2018/10...-arsenal-1974/
or John Dempsey
https://twitter.com/chelseachadder/s...32274945929216
Hard to top either of those. Of the more recent examples id say Richie Dunne looked the most unlikely to be a footballer. Had to overcome a real rugby head and frame to get to the level he did.
Why was John Dempsey wearing Maggie Thatchers hair ? ?
I guess it was because he was a true blue.
Or maybe she stole it?
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/j...azer-p5wljmxqh
ah will you ever give over. The kid has made crucial saves at crucial times in all of our recent games - saves of a calibre even our best ever keepers have rarely produced. I'm talking about at 0-0 in Lux (deflected shot, Stephen Henderson was raving about it on social media) and that save at 0-1 vs Mitrovic (saved with his feet from a close range header) in particular, but also others - Portugal home & away, Azerbaijan, another key save in the second half in Lux.
I hate getting drawn into whataboutery (cos I really like Kelleher - but with you and your tiresome line of reasoning it's hard not to) but what about Kelleher fumbling the ball over the line for a corner at Wembley (missed by the linesman) or his mistimed dash off his line vs Cardiff in the cup that could so easily have been a red? Same kind of dumb errors or lapses in concentration, neither punished. The kind of things young keepers will do. Neither concerns me much. If a 31 year-old with 30 caps was making them I'd be concerned, thinking we need an upgrade. Instead I'm relishing the prospect of watching these guys develop, along with several promising outfield players.
Last edited by Stuttgart88; 14/03/2022 at 8:25 AM.
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