Republic of Ireland V Netherlands 27th May 2016 & Belarus 31st May 2016 Friendlies

**Closed Account** · 30/04/2016, 2:31 PM

Bored and laid up at home with a dislocated knee from a stupid tackle so thought I'd start this early.

Squad likely named on Friday 13th of May. Here's a look at the last 45 players called up and how they are doing this weekend.

Ciaran Clark, Shane Duffy, Stephen Quinn, Johnny Hayes, David McGoldrick and Adam Rooney have all scored doing their chances of making the final squad a boost, although Rooney went off injured later on.

Keiren Westwood the only goalkeeper seeing any minutes has secured a playoff spot with a cleansheet. The semi finals are between the 13th and 17th of May. The Final however, should they get there, is on the 29th of May and would rule him out of both friendlies I would think.

Follow goals, assists, yellow, reds and substitutions here: (All credit to tetsujin1979)
https://twitter.com/irish_abroad
and here:
http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Live

**Stuttgart88** · 30/04/2016, 2:57 PM

Hope the recovery goes well. No bad ligament damage I hope?

**Closed Account** · 30/04/2016, 3:40 PM

Done it before, seems alright. Speaking of injuries, Anthony Pilkington and Greg Cunningham both gone off injured today so far.....

Adam Rooney another one to go off injured

**Closed Account** · 02/05/2016, 8:32 PM

Not a bad side of out injured/out of favour players
Given;
Coleman, O'Shea, Wilson,
McGeady, Hendrick, Meyler, Judge
Keane, Murphy

**paul_oshea** · 03/05/2016, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Done it before, seems alright. Speaking of injuries, Anthony Pilkington and Greg Cunningham both gone off injured today so far.....

Adam Rooney another one to go off injured

Knee or Kneecap? Massive difference. I imagine if its kneecap there wont be much ligament damage if any.

If you've done it before, I'd recommend looknig at getting a TTT done.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/05/2016, 3:46 PM

Dutch squad named: https://twitter.com/OnsOranje/status/728572421826056192

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 06/05/2016, 3:48 PM

It really is something to behold how crap their squad is compared to 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago.

**Fixer82** · 06/05/2016, 4:19 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Dutch squad named: https://twitter.com/OnsOranje/status/728572421826056192

No Jack Byrne??

**Closed Account** · 06/05/2016, 4:35 PM

Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

It really is something to behold how crap their squad is compared to 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago.

Startling really. I wouldn't even know who to get on the back of a jersey if I was 13 again and they had qualified. Nice jersey tbf tbs

**Fixer82** · 06/05/2016, 4:38 PM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Startling really. I wouldn't even know who to get on the back of a jersey if I was 13 again and they had qualified. Nice jersey tbf tbs

Lovely jersey. Really like our white away jersey which I saw today for the first time.

**CraftyToePoke** · 06/05/2016, 4:52 PM

Its great to think there will be Dutch followers looking covetously at the young Irish kid on loan in their league.

**Closed Account** · 07/05/2016, 11:26 AM

Randolph starts. No Given or Elliot obviously. Wilson not fit enough for bench. O'Shea still out of favour. Arter starts but Walters hasn't forced his way in yet.

Jeff Hendrick is fit enough for the bench.
Greg Cunningham hasn't recovered from last week and is not in the squad. David Meyler, Daryl Murphy and Stephen Henderson have not recovered either. Alan Judge obviously still out.

Kieren Westwood is rested? Not in the Squad. And Simon Cox has featured for the last time for Reading, not featuring today.

McGeady starts in a somewhat 2nd string Owls side.

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

An assist for Doyle, Long Starts (would prefer if he wrapped in cotton wool), Adam Rooney still injured, no token start for Fordey.

**tetsujin1979** · 09/05/2016, 10:16 AM

Squad to be named on thursday, according to the Independent: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-34697842.html

Arter will be hoping to be a part of Martin O'Neill's squad for the upcoming friendly against the Netherlands on May 27 when it's announced on Thursday.

**Stuttgart88** · 12/05/2016, 9:31 AM

I’m quite excited by this squad announcement, although it could be cause for disappointment. People are always calling for changes at the fringes of the squad but I think now, more than in any time since 2012, there is a natural changing of the guard about to take place. The time is right and fringe players are in good form.

My guess is a large squad as usual, but this time making a statement that several players may not make the Euros but are in frame for WC18 qualification.

Obviously the Greens and Coxes (just released by Reading) would be a disappointment, probably also McShane and Pearce. Maybe too early for John Egan? Maybe Stephen Quinn's time has gone?

Names it would please me to see:
• Westwood
• Duffy
• Arter
• Hayes
• O’Kane
• Doherty
• Cunningham
• Jack Byrne
• Kevin Doyle – just in case there’s any doubt about his candidacy
• McGoldrick
• Scott Hogan – who I had barely heard of until recently!

Of these it would also please me if 3 or 4 made the Finals squad.

**Closed Account** · 12/05/2016, 10:32 AM

I'd be suprised if there were any uncapped players named. I can image a 40 man squad that includes everybody involved in the last 2 years. A couple more keeper injuries and Stutts might be called up.

Seems I was wrong as Tets has said. Callum O'Dowda the wildcard.

Cut: Elliot(i), Henderson(i), Cunningham, Doherty, Gleeson, Green, Judge(i), Forrester, Rooney(i), Stokes, Cox

**tetsujin1979** · 12/05/2016, 10:34 AM

Squad announced early: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/730706313051836416

Callum O'Dowda given a call up!

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?

**jbyrne** · 12/05/2016, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?

maybe the idea is to include a player per squad with a serious eye to the future. last time it was byrne and now its O'Dowda.

**DeLorean** · 12/05/2016, 11:00 AM

Wow... that's great to see. Hopefully avoid a Grealish situation although obviously he's a long way from being tied. Great that he's on the radar though, looks a super talent.

Slightly relieved Westwood is there. At least Henderson hasn't jumped in instead of Elliot or something silly like that.

A couple of minor disappointments, would have liked if Doherty was there anyway, but nothing too major.

**nigel-harps1954** · 12/05/2016, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I've nothing against O'Dowda, supposed to be a fine player, but he's playing in League Two - just promoted to League One. Surely there's League One/Championship players ahead of him? Off the top of my head Paddy Madden, Stephen Gleeson, Conor Hourihane, Jack Byrne and Cillian Sheridan all have a better case for inclusion?

100%. Not to blow the trumpet again, but League Two players being called up ahead of League of Ireland players again is just madness. Surely Chris Forrester deserves a call up ahead of O'Dowda as well?

Looking to the future, tying him down, or whatever you want to call it, regardless of this, he's a League Two player. It's the equivalent standard of a team at the bottom of the League of Ireland Premier Division and another slap in the face to those at teams like Dundalk in particular.