Wiki is saying Scales and Festy are both suspended for the first game.
Scales played really well the last two games (and I'm obviously biased towards him) but he's in a position where we have lots of cover. And Festy did not play really well in the last two games, so I don't think either suspension is a particular concern for us.
So it doesn't matter if a player gets a yellow in the semi-final. It won't carry through to the final.Originally Posted by Fixer82
Scales got two yellows over both matches so he's out for the semi. We might even have Robbie Brady back by then though. Manning is always an option for us....and of course there's Kevin O'Toole
We'll no doubt have a few heads suddenly declaring for us as well and despite my aversion to fairweather declarers, I'd take a descendant of the black and tans at left back at this point
I'd say the late declarers will only come in if we qualify for the finals. They'll be all over us like a rash if that happens, including players we never even knew were eligible. As happened with the women's team a few years ago - Sinead Farrelly declaring for us in her 30s and literally only playing for Ireland in 2023, the year of the World Cup.
How is Billy Thatcher-Cromwell playing these days. Could be a good option for usSo it doesn't matter if a player gets a yellow in the semi-final. It won't carry through to the final.
Scales got two yellows over both matches so he's out for the semi. We might even have Robbie Brady back by then though. Manning is always an option for us....and of course there's Kevin O'Toole
We'll no doubt have a few heads suddenly declaring for us as well and despite my aversion to fairweather declarers, I'd take a descendant of the black and tans at left back at this point
Scales really does deserve a mention in the Parrott thread for his 2 assists. His effort and headers gave the striker a good chance and were real assists rather than the often giving them to the last other person who touched the ball. Ive been buoyed by the last to games to such an extent that Im not grumbling by this Americanism in Soccer any more
Being a small nation can really make you properly appreciate international sport and times like last night. My very uninterested parents were talking about how emotional Parrott was in the post match interviews, showing authenticity to something they see as overhyped and superficial. Imagine being a big footballing nation that's expected to win all games, win WCs and European Championships and havent done it, its continuous ultimate under performance - Spain at one time, the Dutch and Belgain (golden generartion) maybe, England still, maybe its not the worst to have the bar relatively low and throw in the drama of grandstand finishes. At least thats how im rationalising the national euphoria at finishing 2nd in a group with 2 more games before it counts for much!
So glad for Troy. A few on here were writing him off. I wouldnt be writing Ferguson off either
She was forced to retire from football in 2024. She also only played her first professional game since her first retirement in 2016 a week before her Ireland call up. Most likely the FAI learned she was returning to football and approached her. She was a cracking player so a disappointment to see her career end the way it did given what she went through before her first retirement.
Farrellyq was a really good player too, there was a dot in the team's performance when she went off
But I guess that's kind of the point. If we qualified from the playoffs in March and someone like, say, Jacob Murphy at Newcastle who would improve the men's team suddenly "discovered" their Irishness next April or May, aged 31, how would people feel about him being in a finals squad?
Have Leeds really signed him?
Can't remember which of the podcasts spoke about this but apparently his team have a plan that keeps him away from England for another 2-3 years. That could have just been theorizing but apparently they'd be looking at a Valencia level team in Europe next to keep up his development.
I really pray he stays on the continent as a relegation battle and the British media is the last thing he needs at the moment.
With all that said, if his stock keeps rising and he heads towards that 70/80 mill price tag, he may not have much choice in the matter
Off the Ball talked about that this morning. One of the lads on there was saying he should just stay at AZ and never move, that he wouldnt get into a good team in Spain. It annoyed me tbh.
Id love to see him go to Sporting Lisbon, but that my own bias. I would hope the next move is definitely on the Continent for sure, I would hate to see him somewhere like West Ham
Its really not that complicated!!!
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