Just wondering about something the past while, and O'Neill's press conference yesterday had me asking the same question. He mentions going to Norwich v Swansea to watch Wes, but Wes doesn't start so obviously it's a blow, but he'd never complain about it being a wasted journey.
That irritates the hell out of me. In any given EPL match, you've probably the guts of 5/6 full internationals on show, and there is bound to be one or two that possibly will come up against Ireland over the course of the next two years.
Is it unreasonable of me to think that the National Football team has some sort of dossier on all of the countries in our Continent? That we won't just wait for the draw to be made in February and then start scouting sides out?
Surely he's bound to have a certain amount of scouting done on opposition players too. Michu is too obvious an example from Swansea, so what about Ashley Williams if we draw Wales. Trying to spot little weakness' that can be exploited such as his lack of concentration, or poor turning, ponderous on the ball etc. Or Vonk - what are his traits, double touch on a backpass, fondness for distribution.
If there is this kind of detail then when the draw is made, and if we were to draw Slovenia as a random one, O'Neill can turn to Delaney and say "I've scouted Slovenia and some of their players, they have an unusual style in that they play with such-and-such and I'd like a friendly against Hungary again because they have similar characteristics" and then it's done.
Am I alone thinking like that?
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/international/2013/1222/494410-oneill-to-give-youth-a-chance/
Martin talking about maybe surprising us come March with his selection of younger players...
Am I the only one that droans when I see mention of names like Noble and Redmond yet again! FYI they're committed
Englishmen everybody MOVE ON!
In terms of surprises there's very little surprises when it comes to Ireland.... these
young players don't just appear out of a hat - so who are we talking about here that have impressed him recently??? Jack Grealish? Shane Duffy? Curtis Davies? David McGoldrick??????
What with O'Shea, Delaney and Dunne's advancing ages and the fact that Richard Keogh isn't good enough at this level, it would be prudent to call up Duffy. He didn't look out of place in his brief spell in the Premiership and he's getting plaudits at Yeovil. He is physically very impressive and not afraid to take on responsibility and organise.
Sean Murray is doing well at Watford and Joe Mason is another possible.
I agree that this nonsense over Curtis Davies, Mark Noble and Nathan Redmond has to stop. None of them are a vast improvement on the options that we already have.
Ger Crossley?
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
Too clumsy, rash in the tackle and lacks dominance. Has always played for teams that have leaked loads of goals. Derby are where they are in spite of and not because of him.
Delaney, O'Shea, Dunne, Clark, Wilson, Duffy and Pearce are all better options and St Ledger too on International form but not club form.
A bit like Richard Dunne so. I'll take him.
Dunne has played practically his entire career in the Premier League and has helped steady the ship at a ravaged QPR, keeping 13 clean sheets in 19 games after missing over a year through injury. I think he's in an entirely different league to Keogh.
We have a good few players ahead of him.
Special mention too to Delaney who has taken well to the Premier League; and to think that little over a year ago, he was close to having his leg amputated. You never hear him moaning to the press about being left out of squads. Consummate professional.
That would be the Delaney who has always played for teams that leaked plenty of goals.
One can only hope, for Derby's sake, that they drop such an obvious and proven liability.
He's injured for a month now anyway. Derby had a soft centre because they were not defending well as a team. It was as much down to their midfield as their defence. McClaren has them organised a lot better and, as a result, everybody looks better, Keogh included. He won the fans award for Derby's player of the season 2012/13. What TOWK's is saying just doesn't really stack up and I'd be interested in hearing what he's basing his opinion on, given how little TV time Keogh and co actually get? Of course, he could be completely right that Keogh isn't cut out for international football but, given what a success Sledge has been for us, I'd be very slow to rule him out completely.
How long were we waiting for Coleman's penalty to happen, 3 years?
3 years later he is still getting away with it
I think its about 2 though...; )
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
We all have different opinions on different players but I think my criticism of Keogh is every bit as valid as the criticism of Conor Sammon.
Perhaps he's so rash in the tackle he doesn't get close enough to the player to commit a foul. Presumably the three bookings were for rashly taking out bystanders.
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