So Friendlies matter all of a sudden?

[Crosby87]

Its funny, just want to get the opinion of the masses here, people seem more up in arms about a friendly loss to Poland then a WCQ Win or draw. Does everyone think the players intensity level is the same? I mean there are countless examples of Ireland stomping Norway only to get worked by Cyprus when it counts, no? I dont think the game matters at all, the team doesn't play until when, February? After the dog days and injuries of winter? Just can't see ever getting excited about a friendly either way.

[richieos]

i had almost lost faith in this site after stupid posts saying that trap should be turfed out etc.. he knows nothing, just because we lost a friendly match. finally a post that makes sense, come march everyones gonna be back on the trap bandwagon and this friendly will be completely forgotten

[tetsujin1979]

Friendlies matter if you take advantage of them. The two games in the states under Staunton were treated as a farce before the plane left for New York, yet after them people were using them as proof that Potter, Long and O'Halloran should be in the squad for the autumn internationals.
For what it's worth, I'm happy that Trapattoni used the friendly to try out Folan, Keogh, Andrews, Hunt and Bruce. That's 5 changes to the previous team, if he had made the same amound of changes for a qualifier, we'd be up in arms for changing a winning side.
Take Keogh for example. Granted, he was wasted out right, but he did ok there against Forest. Trapattoni obviously thinks we're well served with strikers (Folan, Keane, Doyle, Stokes, Hunt) in comparison to right wing (McGeady, Duff, erm. Flood?). By trying someone different at right wing while McGeady was injured, we've learned that Keogh obviously isn't up to the task. Surely it's better to learn this now rather in February or March?

[NeilMcD]

We won four nil against Denmark and it meant feck all, we lost three nil to Holland and it was the sign of things to come and we also won three nil against Sweden and it meant feck all. So who knows what it means.

[geysir]

When we lose one, it is a sign of bad things to come.
When we win one, it makes no difference, the bad things will still happen.

[third policeman]

I dont think that anyone who is questioning Trapp is doing it on the basis of the result against Poland. Most concerns are based on the fact that our centre midfield does not contain the quality, creativity and match fitness required to get consistent results at this level. I think there are also concerns that his overall selection policy appears to indicate that the management team know less about our player base outside the Premiership than the average poster on this site. The suggestion that Gibson, Whelan and Andrews are currently are best centre-mid options defies any kind of football logic or evidence. If we had dominated Cyprus or even competed with Poland in midfield then a lot of the scepticism would have been silenced, but as long as we dont people will inevitably question the ommission of Reid and the stubborn refusal to try out players who are getting rave reviews in the Championship week after week. It is just difficult to rationalise why Andrews who has played a few games for Blackburn in the midste of an injury crisis, is more deserving of an international call up than McCann or Garvan? Or why Folan, whose club carreer spells out the word journeyman in capital letters, is a better bet than Morrison who has at least achieved things in international football and is scoring goals.

In the absence of any other explanation it seems to some of us that Trapp's policy is largely on a simple prejudice that a premiership player (even a Premiership reserve) must be better than an outstanding Championship performer. hence

McShane is better than Foley
Folan is better than Morrison
Andrews, Gibson and Miller are better than Garvan, McCann or O'Toole
Whelan is better than Carsely
etc etc

Maybe this conviction is rooted in his Italian background and the gulf that separates Seria A from Seria B? But maybe he should just go along to the odd Championship game and see what some of these players have to offer before assuming that they cannot provide him with better options. We are paying him a lot of money so its not unreasonable to expect him to spend a little bit more time lookin at our players. If Staunton or any other manager was to leave out Andy Reid from the squad they would be pilloried by everyone on this site, but In Trapp's case it is interpreted as proof of his genius - a seer like ability to see footballing realities that the mere supporter cannot even comprehend.

[back of the net]

i had almost lost faith in this site after stupid posts saying that trap should be turfed out etc.. he knows nothing, just because we lost a friendly match. finally a post that makes sense, come march everyones gonna be back on the trap bandwagon and this friendly will be completely forgotten

i dont think i have read 1 post from any poster saying that trap should be turfed out

can you tell me where you could that logic from?

all ive read is ppl asking why trap is playing certain players, obviously the main 2 players being club reserves being played in our centre mid....


ppl just want to know why other players who are getting club football arent being given a chance..which is a fair and logical question to ask.
its a football forum ..a place where fans discuss results and the team...do u not realise that!!

as far as i can see trap has every poster on this sites support and will continue to do so

[richieos]

its not so much on this site that people are saying they want trap out, but in a few comments on some of the match threads people have said that.
i also think that keith andrews is recieving unfair critisizm on this site, he hasnt even been given a proper chance with ireland yet and people are saying its ridiculous that hes being considered, even though most blackburn fans think hes been one of their best players this season

[Greenforever]

We won four nil against Denmark and it meant feck all, we lost three nil to Holland and it was the sign of things to come and we also won three nil against Sweden and it meant feck all. So who knows what it means.

It means feck all

[Greenbod]

So who knows what it means.

I know what it means.

[weldoninhio]

its not so much on this site that people are saying they want trap out, but in a few comments on some of the match threads people have said that.
i also think that keith andrews is recieving unfair critisizm on this site, he hasnt even been given a proper chance with ireland yet and people are saying its ridiculous that hes being considered, even though most blackburn fans think hes been one of their best players this season

I'm a blackburn fan, and believe me he is not one of our best players. He is out of his depth in the Prem.

I agree 100% with third policemans post. Trap is being paid E2 million a year to sit at home in his Italian apartment in semi retirement

[DeLorean]

There are pretty much two types of posters on this site:

1) People who wouldn't dare question the methods of the great, untouchable Giovanni & think that those who do are completely out of order, as we have not been beaten yet (when it mattered)

2) People who want Trapp to be a success just as much but feel that his central midfield decisions have been baffling and are worried that those decisions will catch up with us later in the group

-The No1's are repulsed by the No2's

-The No2's think the No1's may be a bit naive


I fall into the No2 category but hope the No1 group are proved right!!!

[FarBeag]

Spot on. I would fall into the number two category myself