Stephen Elliott

[Irish_Praha]

Well the lad came back today after about 2 months and scored a brace. Can't really ask for more! I really hope he can stay injury free for at least the next few months. However I have the sneaky feeling he'll have a few annoying niggles along the way. I'd be happy enough if he only picked up the odd injury where he was out for a week or two now and again, and never picks up disabilitating injuries like Saddlier and O'Neill.

It was mentioned in another thread but our striking option for the present and near future are looking healthier than ever:

Keane, Doyle, Morrisson, Elliott and Lee already with international experience.

Although with the talent comming through I'd expect Lee and Morrisson to get limited time on the field after this campaign.

The next guys in line are:

Long
Stokes
Clarke
Keogh
Rooney
Best
Dixon
Murphy
Sheridan

From that lot Long, Stokes, Clarke and Dixon are most likely to make the the step up.

Keogh is doing well in league one but needs to show what he has at a higher level.

Murphy hasn't had much success at sunderland this season.

Best played okay for Bournemouth on loan but we still dont know if he wants to play for Ireland and he doesn't really stand out as anything special from the list above.

Rooney had a few good games for Stoke at the end of last season but is only getting reserve games at the moment so it's difficult to tell if he can do that consistantly, but he's only 19 so hopefully he'll get his chance soon.

Sheridan is scoring at U-19 and reserve level for Celtic so he's another one to watch.

Have I overlooked anyone?

[Irish_Praha]

I forgot to add:

That's 5 strikers who are regularly in the squad and 9 waiting in the wings.
Keane is still our no. 1 and Doyle is looking more and more like the real deal. Elliott is worthy of a place in the squad if he stays injury free and countinues to play like today. Morrissons and Lee's places are there to be taken and there are surely one or two players from the 9 listed that will deliver on their potential.
so, we should be able to find a good striking partnership and have one or two dangerous strikers on the bench, which we have never had the before.

[Soper]

What about Stephen Ward and Roy O'Donovan?

[Irish_Praha]

What about Stephen Ward and Roy O'Donovan?

Okay so that's 11 waiting in the wings

Man Keane, Doyle and Elliott will all still be around in 5 years time so if only 2 of those 11 realise their potential we will have a lethal strike force.

[FarBeag]

It’s such a shame for Elliot. He has shown such promise since he arrived on the scene. Let’s hope he gets well soon and that these injuries are just bad luck.Keano obviously rates him highly.

[pete]

What about Stephen Ward and Roy O'Donovan?

Don't be stupid & suggest eL players deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as League One reserve players. Football is a sport played in other countries.

O'Donovan played 55 minutes of a B International (remember that last week?) & looked as good as any others on show.

[Soper]

Oh gosh, sorry.

I think Leigh RMI have a striker who drank Guinness once, is he good enough for the squad?

[pete]

I think Leigh RMI have a striker who drank Guinness once, is he good enough for the squad?

If you forward to the Irish Independent they will do an article on.

[Fergie's Son]

Don't be stupid & suggest eL players deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as League One reserve players. Football is a sport played in other countries.

O'Donovan played 55 minutes of a B International (remember that last week?) & looked as good as any others on show.

And don't be so damn myopic when it comes to the EL.

Here are the facts, we have an objective criteria to value players: Transfer fees and salary.

Put another way, much like we value petrol or the cost of bread it's based on a market. The market in England pays a lot more thus they tend to be able to buy and play the better players.

If we assume that most rational players want to maximize their earning potential then we can assume that those who can, will play abroad for more money.

Therefore, the better players tend to go to the market where they are paid more for their services.

Put more simply, the English Championship is better than the EL. Move on.

[pete]

Here are the facts, we have an objective criteria to value players: Transfer fees and salary.

By that logic only Premiership players should be in the irish squad as they all earn more than Championship players. John O'Shea would seem to disprove that theory.

I was highlighting the narrow mindedness that had a list of irish forwards that included reserve League Two players but omitted a B International.

I never said the eL was better than the Championship.

[NeilMcD]

Back on track he scored 2 goals over the weekend from right wing position.

[Fergie's Son]

By that logic only Premiership players should be in the irish squad as they all earn more than Championship players. John O'Shea would seem to disprove that theory.

I was highlighting the narrow mindedness that had a list of irish forwards that included reserve League Two players but omitted a B International.

I never said the eL was better than the Championship.

Well O'Shea does get his game. Can you name an Irish championship player who is better than him?

[pete]

Well O'Shea does get his game. Can you name an Irish championship player who is better than him?

McShane, Kavanagh, Miller...

[youngirish]

Well O'Shea does get his game. Can you name an Irish championship player who is better than him?

Kelly, McShane, Clarke, Supple, Garvan, Miller, Elliot, Kavanagh, Lawrence, Delap, Logan, McCarthy, McCann, J O Connor, G O Connor, Foley, Bell, Rooney etc etc etc

[republicofwhite]

Very premature to give up hope on Elliott, obviously its disconcerting but he's still very young. The Hope I'm clinging onto is that when he played last year, I thought he was the ONLY Sunderland who stood out and cut it in the Premiership. Scored goals whenever he was fit(Which was never, I admit), remember the cracker agaisnt United?

[Paddy Garcia]

Kelly, McShane, Clarke, Supple, Garvan, Miller, Elliot, Kavanagh, Lawrence, Delap, Logan, McCarthy, McCann, J O Connor, G O Connor, Foley, Bell, Rooney etc etc etc

You have named almost every Championship player you can think of. You don't like O'Shea & you are not the only one, but that does not make the statement so. Ferguson must have the worst judgement in the game!

Kelly - XX had to drop out of the premiership to get a game
McShane - X can't even get a game with West Brom! Just potential (I admit a lot ) at this stage.
Clarke X potential.
Supple X potential.
Garvan X potential.
Miller XX warming the bench.
Kavanagh XXX - there can only speak a man who has not watched his performances for Ireland, also sold for peanuts by Wigan.
G O Connor - are you joking ?
etc etc etc

[youngirish]

Kavanagh XXX - there can only speak a man who has not watched his performances for Ireland, also sold for peanuts by Wigan.
G O Connor - are you joking ?
etc etc etc

I can only assume you have never watched any of O'Shea's Irish performances. As for Ferguson having bad judgement on the O'Shea front I think he does but anyway I don't give a sh*t how he plays for united the players I all mentioned that have been capped have put in at least a half decent performance for us on occasion (including Kavanagh and Miller) which O'Shea has never managed to do in all his appearances in a green shirt. To suggest otherwise is nonsense.

[pete]

As for Ferguson having bad judgement on the O'Shea front I think he does but anyway I don't give a sh*t how he plays for united the players I all mentioned that have been capped have put in at least a half decent performance for us on occasion...

Agree 100%. Who cares how O'Shea plays for his club as he useless for Ireland. I could add i think Finnan probably plays well for Liverpool but for Ireland isn't great.

IMO Staunton should drop anyone that plays for top Premiership player as they all play horribly for Ireland.

[tetsujin1979]

IMO Staunton should drop anyone that plays for top Premiership player as they all play horribly for Ireland.

He'd only be making a rod for his own back if he did that. Ericsson knew full well he should have dropped Lampard or Gerrard to get the best out of either of them, but if it failed the media would have used it as Exhibit A against him. I think it was Stuttgart88 who said that as soon as the media started praising a player, and calling for him to be included in the England setup, he was. Ericsson did this so they wouldn't be able to criticise him for leaving the player out. At least by calling up some players (Emanuel, Frecklington, Ledger, etc) Stauton is showing some independent thought.

[theworm2345]

Lets hope him and Connolly (or Murphy) form a good partnership, this could (if Robbie and Doyle dont play well, or get hurt) translate into the Irish strike force
http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=11054