Under-21 Squad

**DannyInvincible** · 06/11/2014, 9:54 PM

Originally Posted by gastric

To be fair to you TOWK, I for one, have noticed the moderation you are attempting to place in your posts and I welcome it!

It's all a contrived facade, gastric!

If you can't hack critical debate and discussion, TOWK, maybe a discussion forum isn't the place for you... Please stop with the pseudo-apologies, the pretend resignations and the playing the victim. I have little time for it and it'll only arouse disdain rather than sympathy. You express contentious opinions and I attempt to hold them to scrutiny. That's the nature of debate. I appreciate your moderation, but the fact you've tweaked above what you were saying about Jack's ambiguous tweet - latterly leaving out any mention of it relating to his general commitment - is an admission that you initially went beyond, in your interpretation, what the facts should have allowed you to, no?

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 07/11/2014, 1:15 AM

@ Bonnie Shels

He declined a call up to the U-21 team twice. Martin O'Neill wanted him in the squad for the Oman game but Grealish preferred to concentrate on his club career. Whether he was named formally or informally is beside the point and it's extremely petty to pretend otherwise. MON said he's tired of pursuing him and has left the ball in his court. He's more than welcome to play for Ireland, or open lines of communication with MON, if he wants to. Same thing with Stephen Ireland after he suggested that he would be interested in playing Intl. football again, for all intents and purposes. Make the first approach.

@ Danny

It's me who can't hack critical debate and discussion?! At least I don't insult you or your posts. I disagree with them and explain why. I'm not the one alternatingly accusing someone of "WUMMING", "playing the victim", "stupidity" and "lying" etc etc.. that I have become accustomed to as you get more & more indignant with me.

I try to moderate myself not because I think I needed to but to try and ensure that I receive the same politeness I display to i.e. you but instead I am treated with condescension for my efforts; all because I don't subscribe to the orthodoxy.

Here we go again with ambiguity. Your favorite word. How was I misrepresenting Jack Grealish? John Fallon reported that Grealish was committing to Ireland. This proved erroneous. Grealish reacted with confusion to aforementioned reports.

I'm not going to even read your response on the Anthony Stokes thread either BTW. We were told to "keep it to the inboxes". You can have the final word but, really, I'm comfortable in my own opinions and don't feel a need to crusade for validation and self-aggrandisement.

And if you can't see how you were a tad bit out of line in some of your recent responses directly/indirectly to me on a couple threads then wow. I would be hung out to dry if I behaved the same way.

**DannyInvincible** · 07/11/2014, 3:08 AM

Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

It's me who can't hack critical debate and discussion?! At least I don't insult you or your posts. I disagree with them and explain why. I'm not the one alternatingly accusing someone of "WUMMING", "playing the victim", "stupidity" and "lying" etc etc.. that I have become accustomed to as you get more & more indignant with me.

I don't think I accused you of stupidity. At least, I don't think you're stupid anyway. Hell, you couldn't be stupid given the grand levels of sophistry in which you engage at times!

I try to moderate myself not because I think I needed to but to try and ensure that I receive the same politeness I display to i.e. you but instead I am treated with condescension for my efforts; all because I don't subscribe to the orthodoxy.

See, you're doing it even there. I don't criticise your posts because you don't subscribe to the orthodoxy. I'm all for unorthodox thinking. It's repetitive disingenuousness and deception for which I have little time. To use an example, GR is a unionist NI fan. Himself and myself are on polar opposites of the political spectrum in terms of the ages-old Irish question - we subscribe to different orthodoxies, if you will - but I enjoy a good argument with him on related matters because he doesn't take himself too seriously and, most importantly, because he's honest in debate. On the other hand, there was once a poster round these parts called Ealing Green - he was also a unionist NI fan - but debating with him was just downright frustrating because he was so utterly disingenuous in his arguments. Don't moderate yourself to impress me. Moderate yourself if you think it will ensure a more reasonable argument and debate.

Here we go again with ambiguity. Your favorite word. How was I misrepresenting Jack Grealish? John Fallon reported that Grealish was committing to Ireland. This proved erroneous. Grealish reacted with confusion to aforementioned reports.

Do you honestly think I can't spot what you're doing there; shifting the goalposts from your original assertion? You're still acting like a snake but simultaneously crying out for my respect? You're on a wind-up. You originally stated that Jack "contradicted media reports that he was committing to Ireland" through his tweet. We both know that's not quite the truth. Jack seemingly responded with confusion to the claim that he was going to be selected in the US squad; we have no idea if he was contradicting any claim that he was committing generally to Ireland. There's no reason to assume that his tweet amounted to such a denial or contradiction as it was pretty vague in terms of what he was referring to. The only reason I keep mentioning ambiguity is because the situation is indeed ambiguous, funnily enough. Even Paul admits he doesn't know!

I'm not going to even read your response on the Anthony Stokes thread either BTW. We were told to "keep it to the inboxes". You can have the final word but, really, I'm comfortable in my own opinions and don't feel a need to crusade for validation and self-aggrandisement.

And if you can't see how you were a tad bit out of line in some of your recent responses directly/indirectly to me on a couple threads then wow. I would be hung out to dry if I behaved the same way.

I assumed tets wanted the more political-oriented discussion out of the football section, so I moved it off-topic. Why do you think you'd be hung out to dry? More victimhood! I'd rather you engaged than surrender the final word to me or whatever. I don't tally victories and couldn't care for that.

If tets thinks I'm out of order, all he has to do is say and I'll wind my neck in. What you do is just bad manners and it irritates me. If it shows, I'm sorry, it's hard to help!

**BonnieShels** · 07/11/2014, 8:42 AM

TOWK, I would love to engage with that response. But it's fantastical to suggest that MON is "tired" at this stage. Never mind the rest of the paragraph. Maybe after more coffee I might.

There's no point to this engagement anymore; it's like talking to a three year old. Or a wall.

**tetsujin1979** · 07/11/2014, 9:39 AM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

If tets thinks I'm out of order, all he has to do is say and I'll wind my neck in. What you do is just bad manners and it irritates me. If it shows, I'm sorry, it's hard to help.

Neither of you are out or order, I've no interest in reading you two debate the minutiae of whatever is going on any more. Take it off the forum if you want to continue

**gastric** · 14/11/2014, 9:27 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

This match report from an u21 game between Newcastle and Brighton describe him as a triallist: www.nufc.com/2014-15html/2014-10-20brighton-h-res.html

Without wanting to spark controversy, the FAI website describes Sadlier as on loan. The mystery deepens!

http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/irela...a-russia-games

**Closed Account** · 17/11/2014, 4:12 PM

Russia U21 0-1 Ireland U21 (12mins) Glen Rea

Couldn't find a lineup anywhere.

Rogers, Connors, Hoban, Lenihan, Griffin, Desmond, McEvoy, Connolly, Rea, Browne, Hamilton

**Closed Account** · 17/11/2014, 5:13 PM

Dylan Connolly has scored a second

Russia have scored 2 now to equalise

**Yard of Pace** · 17/11/2014, 5:39 PM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Dylan Connolly has scored a second

He was wonderful for the u-19s against Serbia.......A cracker of a young lad.

**Charlie Darwin** · 17/11/2014, 5:54 PM

2-2 now, Russia have scored twice since going down to 10 men. A lot of subs though.

**Ol� Ol�** · 12/02/2015, 8:56 PM

Cream of the crop supposedly picked for a home-based squad to play the Irish amateurs.

http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/king-...-training-game

Conor O Donnell (Limerick)
Stephen McGuinness (Bray Wanderers)
Colm Horgan (Galway United)
John Kavanagh (Cork City)
Robert Lehane (Cork City)
Darren Murphy (Cork City)
Sean Hoare (St Patrick's Athletic)
Lee Desmond (St Patrick's Athletic)
Ruairi Keating (Sligo Rovers)
Jake Dykes (Sligo Rovers)
Gary Armstrong (Sligo Rovers)
Dylan McGlade (Shelbourne)
Ryan Robinson (Shelbourne)
Mark Timlin (Derry City)
Ayman Ben Mohamed (Longford Town)
Luke Gallagher (Bray Wanderers)
Rob Cornwall (Shamrock Rovers)
Brandon Miele (Shamrock Rovers)
Mikey Drennan (Shamrock Rovers)

Interesting to note the amount of players in there who have been across the water and come home- McGlade, Gallagher, Miele, Drennan, Timlin (was at Ipswich briefly)- and some that have garnered under 21 call-ups for full squads- Desmond, Hoare. Probably missing some on each of those lists.

**Charlie Darwin** · 12/02/2015, 9:00 PM

Apart from no Alex Byrne or Sean Heaney, it's probably about right.

**nigel-harps1954** · 12/02/2015, 9:04 PM

Jake Dykes is a very poor footballer. He's only still at Sligo Rovers because of his father. A fair few players don't get a look in at their clubs there.

**Stuttgart88** · 12/02/2015, 9:20 PM

Is Ayman a real name or a makey uppy North African Irish hybrid of Eamon(n)?

**Stuttgart88** · 12/02/2015, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Apart from no Alex Byrne or Sean Heaney, it's probably about right.

yeah, if you'd have asked me for our best 20 U21s I'd have probably given you 18 of them

**DannyInvincible** · 12/02/2015, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Is Ayman a real name or a makey uppy North African Irish hybrid of Eamo(n)?

It's a traditional Arabic name. In fact - I couldn't resist - Ayman Maher might even be a more popular name in the Arab world than it is in Ireland!

**DeLorean** · 24/03/2015, 1:16 PM

An interesting addition to the U21 setup

The squad:

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21:
Daniel Rogers (Aberdeen FC)
Ian Lawlor (Manchester City FC)
Jack Connors (Dagenham & Redbridge FC)
Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers FC)
Sean Kavanagh (Fulham FC)
Thomas Hoban (Watford FC)
Glen Rea (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)
Kenneth McEvoy (Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Alan Browne (Preston North End FC)
Shamir Goodwin (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)
Matthew Hamilton (Wigan Athletic FC)
Callum O’Dowda (Oxford United FC)
Sean Long (Reading FC)
Pierce Sweeney (Reading FC)
Dylan Connolly (Ipswich Town FC)
Conor Wilkinson (Bolton Wanderers FC)
Lee Desmond (St Patrick’s Athletic FC)
Jack Byrne (Manchester City FC)

FIXTURE
Thursday, March 26
UEFA U21 Championships 2017 Qualifying Round Group One
Republic of Ireland v Andorra, RSC, Waterford (7.45pm).

**DannyInvincible** · 26/03/2015, 2:56 PM

'Conor Wilkinson committed to Ireland ahead of under-21 tie with Andorra': http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...orra-1.2153349

Originally Posted by Irish Times

It should be music to the ears of Kevin Kilbane to hear English-born Conor Wilkinson declare his undivided commitment to the Republic of Ireland ahead of Thursday’s opening European Championship qualifier against Andorra at the Waterford RSC (7.45pm).

Opt-out stance

At a time when the virtues of international football are being debated, crystalised by the current opt-out stance taken by Jack Grealish, the views of the Bolton Wanderers striker who is at present on loan with Oldham Athletic may be considered a breath of fresh air to the purists.

Wilkinson’s name aroused the interest of the English FA in 2013 when Bolton Wanderers took a punt on the teen by enticing him from fellow Championship club Millwall on a lucrative three-year-deal and a six-figure compensation fee for the club. That the agency that also represents Rio Ferdinand brokered the deal only added to the intrigue.

The gangly forward, 190cm (6ft 3in) in height, will not countenance having his head turned when it comes to international allegiance. It’s Ireland or nothing for the 20-year-old.

Cockney accent

“I wouldn’t play for England, no way,” he affirmed in his Cockney accent.

“My family would be disappointed in me more than anything else. My mum, Gina Foley, is from Dublin and my family is proper Irish. They’re as proud of my achievement of playing for Ireland since 15 as I am.”

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 26/03/2015, 3:02 PM

Why is Matt Hamilton ahead of Sean Maguire in the first place? Maguire has played men's football in Ireland and England over two seasons now and has made a match day squad for a Premier League team.

You would think young lads would be rewarded when they go out and impress at a proper level.

Still not up there with Lanre Oyebanjo keeping out several better CB's in terms of strangeness, granted.