Republic of Ireland V Poland - Wednesday, 6th February 2013 - Friendly

[nigel-harps1954]

Let's just hope it's only this friendly and not the upcoming qualifier games that Sammon gets his chance.

[Charlie Darwin]

Let's just hope it's only this friendly and not the upcoming qualifier games that Sammon gets his chance.

I'm looking for the pun in this sentence about Connor Sammon but I can't find it

[nigel-harps1954]

I'm looking for the pun in this sentence about Connor Sammon but I can't find it

I couldn't think of any. They've all been taken. If you can think of any more though let minnow. If I think of any in the meantime though I'll reel in the opportunaty with both hands. I'll just have to mullet over for now though.

[Charlie Darwin]

Four ex-League of Ireland players in the first team: Forde, McClean and the strikeforce, Long and Sammon. Seven former LOI players from the full 22-man squad.

[DannyInvincible]

Of course, three of them former Derry City players.

[Charlie Darwin]

Of course, three of them former Derry City players.

Two of them bought in

[pineapple stu]

Sammon and Forde in the Ireland team. The two most over-rated players I ever saw in the LoI. Madness!

[Sullivinho]

I have to say this whole rapid elevation of Sammon has me puzzled, whats he got that say Jon Daly of Dundee Utd hasn't got? Or Mason from Cardiff?

Fair play to him and all but I just don't get it.

That makes two of us. Possibly thousands.

My own attempts to rationalise it concluded that in Trap's mind, the new Caleb Folan has been discovered. Because the original ... joined a monastery? I have no idea but felt obliged to finish that sentence.

Wanted: A big, lumbering 'presence'. Must be in excess of 6ft in height, willing to receive the long ball and upset defenders.

And with that, a surprised and elated Conor was granted an interview for the job. And the unemployed everywhere gained a little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, having your CV 'on file' somewhere isn't the pile of bõllocks they'd previously believed it to be.

[Supreme feet]

Isn't there a cliché out there defining idiocy as the policy of doing the same thing, over and over again, and expecting different results?

Looks like we're sticking with 4-4-2 for Sweden and Austria then, which should pretty much guarantee defeats from the two games. No Hoolahan, no link between midfield and attack, just two isolated target men and an outnumbered midfield. Persisting with this formation was understandable when the point of it was to get the best out of Robbie Keane's ability in the six-yard box against weaker opposition, but it is suicide in this campaign. Euro 2012 illustrated how easily our 4-4-2 could be beaten by high-line pressing and simple maintenance of possession. Keane is playing at several levels beneath the preparation needed for European top-tier international football, and should not, by any objective analysis, start in Stockholm. Sammon is an awful choice, when the alternative would be to play our best attacking players - Hoolahan and Long - in their familiar club roles with a view to the future.

Cunningham is a plus, but expect Ward to usurp him for the bench in Stockholm, no matter how he performs. Brady and McClean could shine with a decent amount of possession and support, but 4-4-2 will relegate their role to that of auxiliary full-backs. Yet another opportunity wasted to develop and improve this team.

[BonnieShels]

It defines insanity.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

This is a woeful combination of both. I'm fearful for Stockholm now.

[geysir]

How tall is Sammon?

So far I've seen a range of figures, from a midget sized 178cm, to a respectable 191cm.

[BonnieShels]

How tall is Sammon?

So far I've seen a range of figures, from a midget sized 178cm, to a respectable 191cm.

Depends on the heels.

[Charlie Darwin]

It defines insanity.



This is a woeful combination of both. I'm fearful for Stockholm now.

It wasn't Einstein, it was just some guy. Still makes sense though.

[mark12345]

Isn't there a cliché out there defining idiocy as the policy of doing the same thing, over and over again, and expecting different results?

Looks like we're sticking with 4-4-2 for Sweden and Austria then, which should pretty much guarantee defeats from the two games. No Hoolahan, no link between midfield and attack, just two isolated target men and an outnumbered midfield. Persisting with this formation was understandable when the point of it was to get the best out of Robbie Keane's ability in the six-yard box against weaker opposition, but it is suicide in this campaign. Euro 2012 illustrated how easily our 4-4-2 could be beaten by high-line pressing and simple maintenance of possession. Keane is playing at several levels beneath the preparation needed for European top-tier international football, and should not, by any objective analysis, start in Stockholm. Sammon is an awful choice, when the alternative would be to play our best attacking players - Hoolahan and Long - in their familiar club roles with a view to the future.

Cunningham is a plus, but expect Ward to usurp him for the bench in Stockholm, no matter how he performs. Brady and McClean could shine with a decent amount of possession and support, but 4-4-2 will relegate their role to that of auxiliary full-backs. Yet another opportunity wasted to develop and improve this team.

Agree completely with this assessment. I'm glad for Sammon and would like to see him do well and I think at least we'll get some indication of his worth at international level. But the team as a whole. You've got to be kidding me Trap. McShane is in and no place for a certain right full back now playing for West Ham. I mean you know at this stage that McShane comes to the table without a knife and fork. And Whelan is persisted with again, even though you've seen him fail and fail yet again? What are you thinking? No place for one of the Premier League's top performers (Hoolohan) while Whelan remains in the team. And Green is back. You can sort of see why Gibson doesn't want any part of Trap.

Trap has made his bed (and if I'm honest I'm excited by the young lads he's giving a chance on Wednesday), but with a view towards Sweden and Austria he has lost the plot completely.

Prediction - we won't beat Poland. And we'll lose to both Sweden and Austria and Trap will be on his bike.

[Crosby87]

How tall is Sammon?

So far I've seen a range of figures, from a midget sized 178cm, to a respectable 191cm.

Team lists him at 1.88, or 6'2" for the ex-pats. I would include a picture but apparently Nigel takes my picture posting way too seriously.

[Charlie Darwin]

Team lists him at 1.88, or 6'2" for the ex-pats. I would include a picture but apparently Nigel takes my picture posting way too seriously.

You can post a picture as long as he's got his top on.

[nigel-harps1954]

You can post a picture as long as he's got his top on.

And nobody talks about the colour of his boots, or how he has his hair done, or how he looks strikingly similar to a fish.

[Crosby87]

Maybe you are the only one that notices or thinks of how he has his hair done? You know how they say the one against it is often the closeted one?
But I digress.

[nigel-harps1954]

Maybe you are the only one that notices or thinks of how he has his hair done? You know how they say the one against it is often the closeted one?
But I digress.

And who are they? The Wizards?

[Crosby87]

I meant they, sorry, internet police!