Givens set to overlook home-based players for Portugal trip

[piratemousey]

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/premier...p?newsid=15381
check this out.
******.

[tiktok]

I've no problem with that. It's the right decision.

The fact that he went to pains to explain the decision means that he still considers the lads of the right quality, so that once the season starts up they'll be back in consideration.

[Éanna]

Givens is a total fool, but he's right on this one.

[A face]

Givens set to overlook home-based players for Portugal trip


Republic of Ireland under-21 team manager Don Givens will not consider any eircom League players for his side’s friendly international in Portugal next month.

The Irish youngsters take on their Portuguese counterparts on Tuesday, February 8th – the night before the seniors do battle at Lansdowne Road.


Read more at www.eleven-a-side.com

[A face]

Givens .... You are a PRíCK

I dont mind the players opting out ... getting rest etc. ..... but to not even consider them. This guy just keeps getting worse !!

[ColinR]

well in fairness they would just a week or so into pre-season training before joining up with an international team. it makes sense not to include them

[ccfcman]

piratemousey you havn't a clue, the players aren't fit enough atm.

[patsh]

well in fairness they would just a week or so into pre-season training before joining up with an international team. it makes sense not to include them

Its a friendly and players should be in the squad, if only for the training and team building. Givens has picked a few eL players by now, but he had to be almost forced to do so at first.

[paudie]

You would think for the sake of building team spirit etc he would pick his strongest squad, even if the EL players wouldn't expect to play.

Alterantively I suppose you could also say that he is using the EL off season to look at some new players playing in England.

Its only a friendly anyway. we should wait for the first squad for a competitive game. In fairness he hasn't been slow to play EL players over the last couple of years.

By the way where is this U21 game being played?

Since Cork can't be used for competitive U21 games because its too far from Dublin this would be a good game to give Cork supporters a chance to see the U21 team. We've always turned out in good numbers for these games before.

[ColinR]

if they were injured, they would not be in the squad for team building
if they were off form, they would not be in the squad for team building

so why should they be in the squad for team building if they are not even close to being match fit.

i don't rate givens at all as u-21 manager, but he has got this call right.

[drummerboy]

How can he pick them when they have been sitting their arses since November. If you refer to the thread about player spotting, you will see what O’Flynn and other u-21 players have been doing since the season ended. Its only a friendly and the players will come back into contention when their season starts plus it gives him a chance to try other young players. Givens results recently have been very good and he is not afraid to make unpopular decisions when its needed.

[tiktok]

I've no problem with it, and neither do a few others

[Éanna]

Givens .... You are a PRíCK

I dont mind the players opting out ... getting rest etc. ..... but to not even consider them. This guy just keeps getting worse !!

this is why eircom league fans have a bad name with some people- our players should be picked even though they're unfit, just because they're eircom league players? get real.

[Gary]

Givens .... You are a PRíCK

I dont mind the players opting out ... getting rest etc. ..... but to not even consider them. This guy just keeps getting worse !!

WTF? The fact the guy was at pains to explain why he 'dropped' them shows that they are both well withing his plans. Im sure had they been picked, and got injured, people would have been saying he was a fool to pick them for the squad