Republic of Ireland V Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica & Portugal - May/June 2014

[nigel-harps1954]

this is clearly a return from the friendly in London in September 2012.
Could easily hold this in Tallaght Stadium, or Thomond Park, but all senior internationals have to be played in Aviva stadium, as part of the sponsorship agreement with Aviva.

I'm sure they could negotiate around it if they wanted to, ie make it Ireland v Oman Sponsored by Aviva, but the fact is the FAI only own one stadium and the attendance out in Thomond last time was rank. They'd be stupid to bring it back there. Tallaght would be too small as you'll always get five figures minimum in Dublin, whereas Tallaght is only over 6,000 and the lack of stands behind the goals means it doesn't carry sound very well and is susceptible to the elements.

Would have said it would be the ideal game for Turners Cross to host. There'll not be any more than 10,000-12,000 at the game in the Aviva. Better to have a packed out Turners Cross than an empty looking Aviva for this game.

[tricky_colour]

The goals scored column is a rather sobering read!!!
Richard Keogh and Alex Pearce's figures look good though, but probably only
due to the low number of games they have played.

[Charlie Darwin]

I forgot Keogh had scored a goal for us.

So with the match coming up on Sunday, has anybody any ideas about the team they'd like to see start against Turkey? Might as well start with our strongest hand. I assume Keane won't be joining up until they get to America, and the Derby players will only join up in London?

I'd be looking at something like

Forde
Coleman O'Shea Wilson Ward
Whelan Meyler
McGeady Hoolahan McClean
Long

[DannyInvincible]

I assume Keane won't be joining up until they get to America, and the Derby players will only join up in London?

That's correct. Robbie joins up with the squad in Philadelphia.

Garry Doyle had this brief guide attached on to his article on Stephen Ireland:

Guide to the summer squad

David Forde (Millwall), Rob Elliot (Newcastle); Richard Keogh (Derby), Marc Wilson (Stoke), Seamus Coleman (Everton), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Alex Pearce, Stephen Kelly (both Reading), Damien Delaney (Ipswich), Shane Duffy (Everton), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Stephen Ward (Brighton); Jeff Hendrick (Derby), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Paul Green (Leeds), Aiden McGeady (Everton), Anthony Pilkington (Norwich), James McClean (Wigan), Stephen Quinn, David Meyler (both Hull), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich); Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Shane Long (Hull), Daryl Murphy (Ipswich), Jon Walters (Stoke), Kevin Doyle (QPR), Anthony Stokes (Celtic), Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest), Conor Sammon (Derby).

Out injured

James McCarthy (ankle), Darren Randolph (shoulder) Joey O'Brien (knee).

Coming and going

Kevin Doyle, Jeff Hendrick, Conor Sammon and Richard Keogh will miss Sunday's game against Turkey because of their involvement in the Championship play-off final between Derby and QPR on Saturday.

Doyle, Hendrick and Keogh are available for the remaining three games against Italy, Costa Rica and Turkey, but Sammon will also miss the two matches in America when he will be on honeymoon.

Philadelphia here I come

Robbie Keane will join up with the squad in Philadelphia for the games against Costa Rica and Portugal but will not play against Turkey and Italy.

Wedding bells

Rob Elliot is also tying the knot this summer so will miss the Italian game, but he is available for the other three matches.

Meanwhile, John O'Shea and Seamus Coleman will participate in the first two friendlies but will be excused from going to America, with O'Neill saying: "They've had long seasons; the break will do them good."

[geysir]

I was confused about who's available for what game, but this report isn't making that a straightforward task, also seeing as I'm not yet au fait with who we're playing and where.

'Kevin Doyle, Jeff Hendrick, Conor Sammon and Richard Keogh will miss Sunday's game against Turkey'
'Doyle, Hendrick and Keogh are available for the remaining three games against Italy, Costa Rica and Turkey'


However, if O'Neill told Sammon not to bother, the potential for confusion would be reduced, It would be less troublesome to sort out who's in for each game.

[DannyInvincible]

I was confused about who's available for what game, but this report isn't making that a straightforward task, also seeing as I'm not yet au fait with who we're playing and where.

Haha, here's the run-down with Irish times:

1. Turkey; 18:00, Sunday 25th May (Lansdowne Road, Dublin).
2. Italy; 19:45, Saturday 31st May (Craven Cottage, London).
3. Costa Rica; 15:00, Friday 6th June (PPL Park, Philadelphia).
4. Portugal; 14:45, Tuesday 10th June (MetLife Stadium, New Jersey).

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I read that Whelan and Walters are missing the Italy game because they received an invite to Marc Wilson's wedding which is nonsense carry on to be quite frank.

[Stuttgart88]

That's what I thought too, although on the other hand there's no point playing these games if MON doesn't use a fair chunk of the 29 being taken.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

That's what I thought too, although on the other hand there's no point playing these games if MON doesn't use a fair chunk of the 29 being taken.

Yes but the team (and squad) for every game is going to have a patchwork feel to it. There is going to be no coherency whatsoever.

We have a chance to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world in Italy and Portugal; two teams that are on a par with Germany, and another pedigree team in Turkey that are very similar to Poland.

The sad fact is that at this juncture the teams we put out against Italy, Portugal and Turkey will not be remotely similar to the ones we put out against Germany, Poland and Scotland.

[Closed Account]

I read that Whelan and Walters are missing the Italy game because they received an invite to Marc Wilson's wedding which is nonsense carry on to be quite frank.

I read something similiar. I think Marc Wilson is missing because of his brothers wedding. The reason the other two are missing isn't quite as clear. They could be going to that wedding too but if they are, then it is nonsense.

None of the Stoke City players are available for the Italy game due, in Marc Wilson’s case at least, to his brother’s wedding.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...ment-1.1802570

[Charlie Darwin]

Perhasps they're going to Stephen Ireland's granny's funeral.

[DeLorean]

Turkey beat Kosovo 6-1 today.

[Closed Account]

Not a bad XI of players who've missed out through injury: (short on strikers)

Westwood
McShane Dunne St Ledger O'Brien
Brady Gibson McCarthy Reid
Keogh Madden

[ArdeeBhoy]

Some decent shots of today's training, albeit featuring a certain individual...
http://balls.ie/football/gallery-bes...ining-session/

[DannyInvincible]

albeit featuring a certain individual...

Steve Walford? Aye, who is he anyway?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Actually, it wasn't him I had in mind...

[tricky_colour]

This will be out 5th match against Italy in 5 years.

Both sides have won one lost one and drawn two.

[Bungle]

Just out of interest, if we do well in these 4 games, what impact will it have on our world ranking?
Someone told me FIFA do their qualification draw based on their ranking and we would currently be 4ty seeds.

[Charlie Darwin]

Just out of interest, if we do well in these 4 games, what impact will it have on our world ranking?
Someone told me FIFA do their qualification draw based on their ranking and we would currently be 4ty seeds.

I don't think it will have much of an effect. Our results over the past four years have been poor so I don't think we'll lose out much from those results leaving the calculations, so if we get good results in these games we'll improve our ranking and if we don't I don't think it will hurt us much.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...t?ICID=HP_BN_4

O'Neill confirms that Elliot will start either Turkey or Italy game.