Mark Noble

[tetsujin1979]

Look at this stage I don't give a flying feck about Aldo.
Start yer own tribute thread or forum if he was that great (He wasn't for us.) in yer eyes.

He kinda was
And by kinda, I mean really, really, really.
Really.

[backstothewall]

He kinda was
And by kinda, I mean really, really, really.
Really.

That's kind of how I remember things. Also, in the game when he "ultimately blew off a lot of pointless hot air", I also remember quite a bit of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck, and a blur of colour flying through the air in a vain attempt to reach an Aldo diving header

[Sullivinho]

John Aldridge not caring:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSJVL74OlQk

And if I'm not mistaken...the goal he scored 20 minutes later saw us through to the next round.

Fu**ing waster he was.

[irishfan86]

Was asked today about Noble and O'Hara, said neither was prepared to commit and one agent had said his player would want a guaranteed starting place so don't see this happening anytime soon, still harbouring ambitions of making it with England obviously.

This probably won't go down well but I'd have no trouble guaranteeing Noble a starting place. He's miles better than any of our other midfielders.

[Charlie Darwin]

You can't guarantee any player a place. And what about when the next manager comes in, or if Wilson/Clarke/Gibson/Clifford start really sticking their hands up?

[CraftyToePoke]

Not sure what to make of this development in it all, surely its understood by our approaching these guys that they are better than what we have, and would be going into the 11. Also, they only have to look themselves at Green + co in the middle at present and they will be reassured, surely, of their worth and the likelyhood of a starting berth. Unless of course there is an agent here knowing very little about the game, and the state of Irelands midfield at present but knows exactly to the penny the value of each International cap and the extra money he is likely to earn through representing and hawking around a capped player.

Anyway, why not give them their guarantees, I mean what can they do down the line if they arent picked? Sue? Retire? What have we lost? A player who should never have been wearing an Ireland jersey in the first place, thats what.

[elroy]

Promising agents that a lad will be guaranteed a starting spot is not a route to be going down at any level. As much as any other of the negative implications, the effect it would have on team spirit alone will be terrible.

[DannyInvincible]

This probably won't go down well but I'd have no trouble guaranteeing Noble a starting place. He's miles better than any of our other midfielders.

Whether Noble is indeed good enough or not at present, it's the principle of a player's agent trying to dictate a manager's team selection to him that stinks. It would be highly imprudent and lacking in foresight for Trap or the FAI to make such guarantees. Furthermore, it would limit our options for God knows how long. Say Noble lost form, why would prospective midfielders even bother fighting for a place if Trap was still under some obligation to play him? For how long would Trap need to give him his starting place anyway? Until Noble sees fit? It would be an obscene state of affairs, make a mockery of Trap's authority and utterly destroy morale in the camp.

In saying that, and as CraftyToePoke highlights, it's not like some contractual obligation can be signed with the player's agent in order to secure Noble a starting place. If Trap wished to drop him to the bench for his second game, who's to stop him really? If Noble takes the huff and walks out on us for good over being put on the bench, no real loss anyway. Prima donna's behaving in such a crude mercenary fashion shouldn't be anywhere near our set-up.

It hasn't been confirmed that Noble's agent was actually demanding a starting place for his player though, was it? It's just rumour at the minute, and didn't Trap deny even being in contact with Noble during the press conference the other day or did I pick that up incorrectly?

[shakermaker1982]

I just want us to pick players who want to play for Ireland.

Noble and co can **** off with their terms if they think they can dictate our line up for matches. Not sure whether your interested? Fine. I don't want you wearing the green shirt. You either do or you don't. I'd rather us continue playing folk like Green, Whelan and Andrews than picking England's reserve team.

[Dodge]

Trap did deny that there was any contact with Noble.

I believe the agent who wanted a guaranteed first team place for his player was acting on behalf of Jamie O'Hara. its a digusting concept.

[shakermaker1982]

Trap did deny that there was any contact with Noble.

I believe the agent who wanted a guaranteed first team place for his player was acting on behalf of Jamie O'Hara. its a digusting concept.

I remember seeing an interview with that O'Hara on SSN and he came across as a .....insert expletive here. He thinks he's a top class player. He thinks he has a chance with England.

[Junior]

I dont want Noble to represent us. full stop. It doesnt feel right - His ability has absolutely nothing to do with this in my opinion.

Would a situation work, whereby a professional player needs to register his international association(s) by the age of 18 or 21 (Dont think you get many players signing prof forms after 21 do you?). So a player could list English FA, Irish FA, FAI, whoever but this needs to be registered at a fairly early stage in their career?

That way, at least there would be none of this, vague uncertainty at what the ancestoral links are when the players are in their mid twenties and looking for another route to international football.

If someone that truly felt a split/dual nationality then I think you would know by the age of 21 and therefore you will have registered with those associations and if you are good enough then the path should be straight forward enough.


I havent really thought it through fully, but this may (in some small way) stop players, agents and associations from making a mockery of international football.

[Dodge]

Its something I advocated on this forum before. I'd have 21 as the cut off. It wouldn't cut out every mercenary but it'd get most of them. The genuine diaspora would obviously be catered ofr like this.

[geysir]

The age is irrelevant to me.
I think the most pertinent point that came out of Trap's comments were his regard to the attitude of players when declaration became an issue.

[paul_oshea]

Which I think we all agree with, both his principles and stance and the way he reacted to it.

Its good we can all agree with Trap on something Pity we couldn't convince him on other more important playing issues.

[peadar1987]

They could just talk about it like reasonable human beings:

Trap: "In the current situation, Mark would be starting every game, but obviously I can't make any guarantees for the future"
Agent: "Grand so, that seems fair"

It's a pity the state of modern football makes such a conversation nearly impossible.

[Dodge]

Its trap being Italian and having a poor grasp on the English language that makes that particular conversation impossible.

Noble doesn't seem to have a full grasp on English either

[geysir]

Nevertheless, I understood Trap quite well when he was not impressed with any dithering over decisions to declare as opposed to Clark who had already made a firm decision.
I doubt if Noble was making any demands, I doubt if any discussion got that far. I expect Noble would be regarded as a ditherer.

[ArdeeBhoy]

To be fair to the players, just like all the lads from the North, until they play a full competitive game for any international team, they'll always be available.

[theworm2345]

I'd be very surprised if this is true. He scored twice against us in Cork I think. Very good player, but this one wouldn't sit too well with me. Just instinct, not a rational argument really. Clark's "lineage" is very Irish, I think Noble's is a bit along the Andy Townsend lines.

Are you saying Noble will be captaining the side at the WC in 2018?