Mick McCarthy

[Stuttgart88]

Just wanted to comment on this. Many are lamenting the absences of Dunne, Duff, Kilbane, Given, etc etc yet we have a guy with almost 100 caps aged just 32 and he's a write-off, end of story?

I went digging and here's the most recent thread on Aiden from Sunderland fans. I think it seems very balanced. I really don't think we should be dismissing anyone, especially not someone who played 7 times for us in 2017 and with Robbie on board now who played so often with Aiden, (and while I'm at it. what about Gibson??)...I could see him being important again. I could also see him never playing again, but I am realistic. I thiink the former has more possible success.

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/mcgeady.1452845/

Just wanted to throw that in there.

Agree totally on McGeady and Gibson. Gibson, bar maybe a fit and spritely Jack Byrne, is still our most gifted traditional central midfielder. I'm not saying they should be starting but they shouldn't be automatically discarded either. Byrne is another who could forge a comeback yet. I've always had a soft spot for Gibson it has to be said.

[CraftyToePoke]

I wonder if Patrick Bamford will be approached. I seem to remember him scoring a couple of goals against Mick's Ipswich live on Sky a few years back, the season he pipped Daryl Murphy to the player of the year award I think.

I'd say so, MMcC's press conference featured heavily dual lads being entitled and welcome to play, and how he would be assessing all possible options for his first squad. It was no accidental message.

[TrapAPony]

I'd say so, MMcC's press conference featured heavily dual lads being entitled and welcome to play, and how he would be assessing all possible options for his first squad. It was no accidental message.

I was happy to hear that. We need to get the best squad of players available to us as we possibly can and if that means recruiting a number of English born players then so be it.

[EAFC_rdfl]

Yes. Oversight by me. I knew I'd miss the odd one. I'll update my list



Same applies to Lukas Jutkiewicz. Digging up a striker from somewhere has to be a priority.

Add Patrick Hoban to the list as well, certainly on a par with some of the others, and knows where the goal is.
The likes of Duffy and McEleney arguably should be included too.

[DeLorean]

Left-Back
Greg Cunningham
Stephen Ward
Enda Stevens
Derrick Williams

It isn’t great. Playing Brady there is another option, particularly if MMcC continues with 3 at the back. But I’d guess Robbie Keane could be putting in a lot of motorway miles trying to dig up other options.

Tom Field has virtually disappeared since bursting on to the scene a couple of years back. Still only 21 though.

[osarusan]

Add Patrick Hoban to the list as well, certainly on a par with some of the others, and knows where the goal is.

Hoban has what, 7 goals in 65 League 2 appearances, and 0 in 10 in the Conference.

He is banging the goals in at LOI level, but you can't say he is on a par with somebody like Jutkiewicz, who has more than 60 championship goals to his name, and who scored 10 goals in 18 games for Birmingham last season.

Now, Hoban may be a much improved player these days than he was then, but the calibre of opposition player that they have proven themselves equal to (or better than) can't even be compared.

[Diggs246]

Hoban has what, 7 goals in 65 League 2 appearances, and 0 in 10 in the Conference.

He is banging the goals in at LOI level, but you can't say he is on a par with somebody like Jutkiewicz, who has more than 60 championship goals to his name, and who scored 10 goals in 18 games for Birmingham last season.

I know its not a popular stance, but if we look at the recent stars of the LOI who made a move to England its not good:
Richie Towel over all disappointing, but is in a better place now to be fair
Daryl Horgan failed at Championship level
Andy Boyle never took off at all
Graham Burke looks like it hasn't worked
Seani Maguire the jury is still out ( injury hasn't helped)

[TrapAPony]

I agree with osarusan & diggs. There is no way is Hoban good enough and the LOI is not a good standard in general. Player of the month for October Paddy McEleney, while a good player in the LOI, only very recently failed to make the grade at Oldham. That's not the standard required for the national team.

[DeLorean]

Particularly when we don't have so much as a friendly game to test their credentials.

[irishfan86]

Particularly when we don't have so much as a friendly game test their credentials.

I realize there are no friendlies scheduled at the moment -- is there any opportunity in the international calendar to get in a match or two before the Euro qualifiers begin? I would hope we can have at least one camp and a match or ideally two for Mick to at least establish some basics with the group.

[DeLorean]

I realize there are no friendlies scheduled at the moment -- is there any opportunity in the international calendar to get in a match or two before the Euro qualifiers begin? I would hope we can have at least one camp and a match or ideally two for Mick to at least establish some basics with the group.

It would appear not. The point about our next game being a qualifier has been made repeatedly in press conferences and interviews. McCarthy said he's hoping for a favourable opening fixture.

[SkStu]

Particularly when we don't have so much as a friendly game to test their credentials.

I was wondering at the weekend whether Mick might try and have a B international? Clubs would never approve that sort of game though (those days are gone) so looks like the only time he will get to see them up close would be at some sort of training camp on an international week. Not even sure that is feasible.

[pineapple stu]

I know its not a popular stance, but if we look at the recent stars of the LOI who made a move to England its not good:
Richie Towel over all disappointing, but is in a better place now to be fair
Daryl Horgan failed at Championship level
Andy Boyle never took off at all
Graham Burke looks like it hasn't worked
Seani Maguire the jury is still out ( injury hasn't helped)

Popular or not, it's entirely fair. Even Dave McMillan is struggling to make it off the bench at St Johnstone despite a promising start, and you could add Chris Forrester (transfer listed at Peterborough; recently moved to Aberdeen) and Danny Kearns (promising start at Peterborough, but now back at Linfield).

The LoI is a fun league, but it's a weak league. It's partly what makes the insistence that Mick must move aside in two years for Stephen Kenny a bit puzzling.

[irishfan86]

As far as I'm concerned, if we qualify for the Euros and play well at the tournament, Mick stays on. It would be absurd for any other situation to play out. He's an excellent man manager as well and I suspect senior players will speak out if the original plan is followed out regardless of our performance.

If Kenny is a patriot I would like him to sit out taking the role until an appropriate time for a switch (naïve and wishful thinking on my part I know).

[TrapAPony]

The LoI is a fun league, but it's a weak league. It's partly what makes the insistence that Mick must move aside in two years for Stephen Kenny a bit puzzling.

It seems like a move to please LOI fans more than anything else to me.

[Stuttgart88]

As far as I'm concerned, if we qualify for the Euros and play well at the tournament, Mick stays on. It would be absurd for any other situation to play out. He's an excellent man manager as well and I suspect senior players will speak out if the original plan is followed out regardless of our performance.

If Kenny is a patriot I would like him to sit out taking the role until an appropriate time for a switch (naïve and wishful thinking on my part I know).

I'm equally naive and wishful. And it could be spun that the U21s are doing well so it'd be disruptive to change, he'd agree to an extension to the handover (knowing an extra 100k a year has simultaneously been added to his pay packet!). He knows he'd be on a hiding to nothing if he took over if Mick is successful, especially if Kenny isn't.

[irishfan86]

Anyway -- fingers crossed we perform well enough over the next two years to make this an incredibly awkward situation for everyone!

[SkStu]

It seems like a move to please LOI fans more than anything else to me.

I don't know why that would be the case - LOI fans are a tiny portion of the community/fan base, really - and usually LOI opinions get quickly and easily ignored/dismissed by the rest. So there's very little goodwill on offer to JD in this equation.

I'd like to think - and do believe - that it is a measured and merited decision.

[pineapple stu]

True. And it's not like Delaney gives a **** about the league, let alone its fans

[geysir]

It was a win win win decision for Delaney. Kenny actually merits the appointment, there's the appeasement factor and the deflection.