Does placement in the group matter in terms of what group we're drawn in for the Elite stage?
some comeback from two down.
we were through anyway, the game was only to decide who finished first and second
Does placement in the group matter in terms of what group we're drawn in for the Elite stage?
Delighted for Ryan Coombes.
Really disappointed to see Grealish not even getting off the bench over the 3 games. Let's hope it won't sour his commitment to Ireland. Really don't understand Doolin. Between Brady, McGinty and Duffy he has quite the record already of doing his best to try to drive the most talented Irish youngsters away from international football.
Dem Germans have no big game mentalitee.
Tommy has a point to some extent. Of course Doolin's decisions have been vindicated but hopefully everyone's behaving like grown ups. You wouldn't bet on it these days though.
I just find it funny that people are criticising Doolin for picking players on form rather than reputation. If Trap did that he'd be crucified.
Point accepted. I'm not sure any of us can offer informed comment either way. I wouldn't recognise Grealish if he was standing next to me, would you?
How do you know he's not standing next to you right now?
Grealish absolutely is in form he has been been excellent in the next gen series the champions league for under 19sthis season and as well as villas youth team and reserves. Brady and duffy were absolutely in form when doolin fell out with them as well.I think grealish is well committed to us but I do hope this was not some attempt to test Grealishs resolve. Fair play to them great campaign and congrats players like byrne, drennan and sadlier are very exciting. If anyone has never seen bradley garmston play then they are in for a treat he is lightening quick.
Hats off to Doolin for qualifying the team. But the Grealish situation is tenuous enough at the moment and I definitely think he should have been given game time regardless of the results. This guy is potentially the real deal and England are still actively pursuing him. In my opinion, an underage international manager's job is to provide as many players as possible for the senior team, any success in doing so is just an added bonus. Brady and Duffy are the only ones that are knocking on the door and these two were alienated by Doolin. Granted he's only in the job a couple of years so won't see the full fruits of his work for a while. But the bottom line is that Grealish could be an Irish great and is undoubtedly the player in the squad with the most potential. He should have been given game time regardless.
Just a quik point Kealon dillion and miele were late additions to squad due to injury withdrawals yet played significantly over the 3 games and fair play to them. It then seems strange that grealish who was in the original squad got no time especially considering that at villa grealish has played right and left mid in 442 systems, right and left in an attacking forward 3 in a 433 and also as the most attacking midfielder in a midfiled 3 behind the striker in a 443 so lots of versatility. When we add george from celtic and roberts arsenal/inverness back in to that attacking set up we should have have excellent options. Bryne from man utd , grealish and wilkinson are eligible for the next under 19 campaign next year and obviously noe baba is eligible for the next 2 campaigns! Amazing how many strikers recently from millwall we have had in underage squads such as sadlier,quigley,gaynor,o brien and now wilkinson. At least 2 of them have league winners medals!
There's absolutely no way a player should be selected solely to keep him happy enough to continue to be Irish. Pick the best players, and if Grealish isn't happy and decides he's not irish, then so be it.
I'd bet there's only a handful of people on this forum that have seen the majority of players involved, so its a bit much to have a go at a manager who's just seen his side qualify for the next stage unbeaten. At any level, a 2-2 draw with Germany is a fine result.
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I think the point that some people are trying to make is that Grealish is one of "the best players." He was made it on the Aston Villa bench for Premier League games at at least one stage last year and I'm not sure how many of the players that received game time ahead of him can say that for their club careers. Grealish is a tremendous prospect.
Specifically i replied to this which is not about whetther he's good enough or not
And being on the bench for a premier league team is no real indication to anything. We've all seen players actually play at that level only to become complete duds. Doolin has the players with him training and he picks what he thinks is the best team. I'm quite happy that he doesn't care if a player is with a premiership team or Castlebar Celtic.But the Grealish situation is tenuous enough at the moment and I definitely think he should have been given game time regardless of the results
You'll note I'm not saying Grealish isn't the best player there. I've no idea. I hope he turns out to be world class. but nobody knows anything about most of the players involved so I don't see how anyone here can be annoyed with the team given the results
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Its a complete joke to say that people know nothing about these players. Grealish has played with us since under 15s.If you have any interest in youth footbal it is fairly easy to head to home games which now thankfully are not always in dublin but spread around country. Channels like mutv and liverpool tv which most of us have if u have sky show youth,under19 and reserve games practically every week plus most teams have inhouse tv channels such as villa that have youth team highlights that are cheap to subscribe to or easy to find posted on line. Alot of us are prob involved a bit in underage football with work or just as a hobby as well meaning we see players at these levels before they head away.Some of us also spend time in uk for work or to go to premier league games and it is always fairly easy on a saturdeay morning to head off to a youth game if you want to see irish lads in action.Doolin has a track record of trying to dominate players such as brady and duffy which I think has no place in youth football. If the same is happening with grealsih then that is not right. I have seen nothing to make me think grealsih is not completely commited to us but you have to nurture that and not try to knock the love of playing for ireland out of kids
I don't have those cable channels and I don't live in Ireland. I have no way whatsoever of checking out who our best teenagers are, and time would also be a constraint. I'd say that's true of most fans and of all sports in Ireland. We keep an eye on the underage teams in the papers and garner opinion from sources like foot.ie on who's good. I admire your knowledge Liam, but it's not realistic to expect there to be many more among us like you. I'd be agreeing with Dodge in post 76 above.
I have never seen Ryan Coombes in my life or if I have I was not aware of it.Has he been involved in this age group in the last 3 or 4 years cause if he has he has escaped my attention. All I can say is if he is a better wide player or behind the strikers player than grealish then St Pats have some player on their hands and hopefully that is the case. The attacking players that I think are competing with grealish in that squad are byrne,garmston,sadlier,miele and maybe dreennan and wilkinson who are more out and out strikers though drennan can play wide.Garmston plays left full alot for west brom but seems to be wide midfield for us this week.I think for grealish to be the only one of that attacking 6 who got no game time can not be based on simple football ability
Sure thats fair enough isnt it. Im not claiming to be any expert Im just saying that if u are ireland or uk based it is easy enough to have knowledge of players if you have an interest. Of course that dosent mean we know more than doolin but when u see a trend in his handling of players like brady and duffy u have to ask questions.The under 16s/17s manger who recently left the fai seemed to do alot of work to encourage lads who are irish born in england to be nurtured into the setup and I admire that. For instance Hoban,smith,garmston,grealish,sadlier,roberts and wilkinson are all english born or at least eligible for england which shows how well previous underage managers have been at integrating england born irish lads into the setup and the thought of Doolin trying to upset that is annoying. The only reason mccarthy is with the irish seniors now is cause he was nurtured underage. When grealish plays 5 games for villa people on here will be going bananas saying he needs to be capped or big bad england will get him which wont be neccesary if he and all others are well treated underage cause they wont want to move. If fellas only want to discuss senior football on here then fair enough lets stop putting up threads for underage football
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