European Championships - France 2016

**jbyrne** · 05/05/2016, 3:53 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

It just demonstrates the dearth of defensive talent available to us that O'Shea will not only be in the squad but vying for a starting place, despite hardly playing for his club.

I don't think MON is averse to making a surprise call on his team selections and so I wouldn't rule out keogh and clark starting against sweden. having said that o'shea has never really let us down but his lack of playing time is a problem.

**DeLorean** · 05/05/2016, 6:12 PM

I'd be surprised if it isn't Keogh and Clark to be honest.

We started off the campaign with an all-PL centre back pairing and will possibly end it with an all-Championship one.

**geysir** · 06/05/2016, 10:46 AM

It's not that we have any or much better defenders than O'Shea now but we are fortunate that Clark and Keogh have already been blooded and came through tense qualifying games with credit and even Duffy passed his preliminary test.

**SkStu** · 06/05/2016, 2:11 PM

Well the preliminary test is actually the Stutts gut test. Which he passed with flying colours.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/05/2016, 2:27 PM

But he didn't pass the Paul O'Shea test, which trumps everything

**geysir** · 06/05/2016, 2:34 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

Well the preliminary test is actually the Stutts gut test. Which he passed with flying colours.

Nah, determining football ability is more evidenced based than a gut feeling.

I'd see the role of Stutts' gut more to do with the intangibles, eg the quality of a player's ethnicity in relation to the greater cause (our team), and questions around the mysterious art of goalkeeping.

**paul_oshea** · 06/05/2016, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

But he didn't pass the Paul O'Shea test, which trumps everything

It Donalds everything.

You don't get to where you are today Stutts....

**Stuttgart88** · 06/05/2016, 3:22 PM

No CJ, I didn't

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 07/05/2016, 7:07 PM

Is one of them not out of place?

**Charlie Darwin** · 08/05/2016, 12:15 AM

Two actually. McCarthy and Coleman should switch to make it symmetrical.

**Closed Account** · 08/05/2016, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Two actually. McCarthy and Coleman should switch to make it symmetrical.

I think he means print media is a dying medium, they should only be promoting the tablet and mobile versions.

**Closed Account** · 19/05/2016, 6:22 PM

Scrape out of the group. Plucky wins against Turkey and Hungary set up Ronaldos Portugal in the Semi where a bloody head bandaged Richie Keogh goal gets us through to the Final against the Germans where a Darren Randolph sudden death penalty in the shootout sends the whole country on the lash.

http://www.nzz.ch/sport/euro-orakel-...3935294b3b67d9

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 20/05/2016, 11:12 PM

Darren O'Dea selects his Euro 2016 squad and explains each selection.

http://buzz.ie/do-you-agree-with-dar...ro-2016-squad/

**tetsujin1979** · 21/05/2016, 4:00 PM

Teaser released for the team song

According to their facebook page, they will be playing it before the Holland game on Friday

**DeLorean** · 24/05/2016, 12:16 PM

I make out there are probably only two outfield spots up for grabs now, two out of these -

Gibson, Arter, Meyler, Quinn, O'Kane, McGoldrick and Doyle. (Anybody else?)

Would that be right or could one of my twenty-one below still be left behind? McGeady's probably the only one at risk but by the way O'Neill's been talking I'd expect him to be there. I'd take Meyler as well, he has showed versatility in qualifying and seems like a good guy to have around the squad. He's contributed more than Arter and O'Kane also I think. What is the story with Arter? Still injured?

The final call is a tough one though. Gibson is good back up to have if Whelan or McCarthy get injured. McGoldrick probably offers something nobody else does if Hoolahan needs resting. I don't think we'd need Quinn if we bring Meyler, tough on him though. Doyle would be another good man to have around but do we really need him? Ideally I'd take him instead of Murphy.

1	Randolph	4	Coleman	12	McCarthy	18	Murphy
2	Given	5	Christie	13	Whelan	19	Walters
3	Westwood/Forde	6	Brady	14	McClean	20	Keane
		7	Ward	15	McGeady	21	Long
		8	Keogh	16	Hoolahan
		9	O'Shea	17	Hendrick
		10	Duffy
		11	Clark

**paul_oshea** · 24/05/2016, 12:36 PM

isnt it great to be dicussing our involvement at a championships? i wish we'd got to brazil though instead of the last 2.

**Stuttgart88** · 24/05/2016, 1:20 PM

Indo saying one of the hacks was told 21 out of the 23 are decided. O'Neill seemingly has a bit of boner for McGoldrick. I'd have much preferred Pilkington over Murphy and it'd have made sense for versatility too.

I'd definitely take Doyle.

I have a soft spot for Gibson but I think Arter is more deserving. Very harsh on Meyler but he's too ordinary for me. We need someone to deputise for Hoolahan and that'd be Arter or McGoldrick.

**paul_oshea** · 24/05/2016, 2:04 PM

ya i like the idea of mcgoldrick too but id be taking dolye over murphy any day of the week, similar enough players but doyle has the experience of playing international football and scoring murphy doesnt and hasnt shown an ability to score or get into good positions only on rare occassions has he and hten he didnt have the ability to convert those chances.

doyle over murphy for me too, id take mcgoldrick over arter or okane too.

id also take pilkington over murphy but i think its a case of send in the teaser with murphy. You wouldnt know about stallions and those things stutts, or maybe you would

(for your friends :P)

**DeLorean** · 24/05/2016, 2:14 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Very harsh on Meyler but he's too ordinary for me. We need someone to deputise for Hoolahan and that'd be Arter or McGoldrick.

I'm not overly fussed in the short-term (i.e. The Euros) about the guys who've contributed little so far, within reason. Arter has only played a few minutes for us, when he came on in that friendly against England and looked like a bit of a headless chicken actually, not that he ever looks that way for Bournemouth to be fair.

I think Meyler's got a good temperament and could do a decent job in most situations we're likely to be faced with. He even seemed to have a calming effect on Hull when introduced against Derby last week, which possibly made my mind up. Sure, Arter is a more dynamic player but it will probably take him time to settle into the Irish team and really find his feet, I'm not sure a major championship is the time to start that process. Of course he could also hit the ground running.

All that being said, it's not a decision that I'd be up in arms about either way.

I found it kind of worrying when you mentioned Arter or McGoldrick being best equipped to deputise for Hoolahan actually, we really don't have a like-for-like back up. I think Brady would be the best bet in that situation, but preferably using or moving Clark to left back instead of Ward.

I suppose the conservative choices would probably be two from Meyler/Gibson/Quinn/Doyle. The bolder selections would be Arter/O'Kane/McGoldrick. Maybe it'll be one from each.

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

isnt it great to be dicussing our involvement at a championships? i wish we'd got to brazil though instead of the last 2.

It really is, it would have been a depressing one to miss out on with so many qualifying, including the likes of Northern Ireland and Wales. Happy enough with Poland and France but Brazil would have been class alright. Germany in 2006 was a big one to miss also I felt.