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

**tetsujin1979** · 26/05/2016, 10:40 AM

There's a Grealish thread in World Football, please use that for discussion on him

**tetsujin1979** · 26/05/2016, 11:28 AM

From today's press conference McCarthy and Clark not going to play tomorrow, McCarhy should feature against Belarus

**Stuttgart88** · 26/05/2016, 1:32 PM

Emmet Malone tweeting that he thinks Gary Rogers will be in the squad for the Dutch game having excelled in training. MON quoted as saying "brilliantly".

Cue Nigel to argue that he isn't even the best LOI keeper!

**KK77** · 26/05/2016, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Emmet Malone tweeting that he thinks Gary Rogers will be in the squad for these games having excelled in training.

Cue Nigel to argue that he isn't even the best LOI keeper!

The manager has said the same.

**OwlsFan** · 26/05/2016, 1:44 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Emmet Malone tweeting that he thinks Gary Rogers will be in the squad for these games having excelled in training.

Cue Nigel to argue that he isn't even the best LOI keeper!

He isn't even the best LOI keeper (thought I'd get in ahead of Nigel, whoever he is).

**paul_oshea** · 26/05/2016, 2:08 PM

ye have to be a proper LOI fan to have any credibility on that one, with a slight resentment or disdain towards the Irish team and squad - regardless of your support or not for the team, in fact if you don't support the national team*, its like a "super" like/respect level only reserved for very esteemed members.

*Similar to our GAA Brothers "I wouldn't cross the road to watch them/that/those". Oh but you find yourself here in Macedonia, all the way from Kosovo :8

**paul_oshea** · 26/05/2016, 2:18 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

There's no relation between the O'Dowda call-up and Grealish for me. Calling up O'Dowda is a continuation of calling up the best U21 players - Byrne and Browne - to see how they acquit themselves without the pressure of being in the actual squad.

Sorry i hate this multi-quote but wasn't sure how to get a reply to all as pretty much the same response. That would be a good point, but Grealish was the standout for the u21s also, and wasn't called into a big squad of players for the US trip.

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I'd agree that O'Neill is being more proactive with regards our future talent, I'd disagree that it has anything to do with Grealish. If anything, that whole episode may have put him off chasing guys who might not be fully committed as it turned out to be a waste of his time. He has fully explained the O'Dowda call up at this stage and I see no reason to suggest ulterior motives*, especially considering he's done the same with 'fully' Irish players in recent squads, as Charlie says.

(*major bonus if he turns out to be the next Gareth Bale and we have him tied)

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

My understanding is that he was on the verge of accepting a May/June 2015 call up but did a u-turn late on, forcing O'Neill to delay the squad announcement. If that's right it'd make 2014 largely irrelevant.

The point is being missed somewhat, I am not specifically trying to debate about Grealish(tets just being used as an example here), but there seems to be a succession of calling up standout players from our 21s into these expanded squads, an early fat penguin introduction, bedding them in for the future. That wasn't the case in may/june of 2014. Its irrelevant whether or not a year or so that players mind was changed, just as irrelevant if O'Dowda goes back to England next year or the year after. We might disagree on the reasons, but for whatever reason, if it wasn't the Grealish scenario, he has adapted and changed his policy of bringing in future "potentials" from may/june 2014. This "new" policy seems to have come around since Jack grealish finally decided who he wanted to play for.

**Stuttgart88** · 26/05/2016, 2:27 PM

What do statisticians say about sample sizes?

**paul_oshea** · 26/05/2016, 2:45 PM

I don't know but it worked well when you went into the pharmacy to ask for small condoms.

**Stuttgart88** · 26/05/2016, 2:49 PM

"Ah, Mr Stuttgart, did Paul send you in again?"

**geysir** · 26/05/2016, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

The point is being missed somewhat, I am not specifically trying to debate about Grealish(tets just being used as an example here), but there seems to be a succession of calling up standout players from our 21s into these expanded squads, an early fat penguin introduction, bedding them in for the future. That wasn't the case in may/june of 2014. Its irrelevant whether or not a year or so that players mind was changed, just as irrelevant if O'Dowda goes back to England next year or the year after. We might disagree on the reasons, but for whatever reason, if it wasn't the Grealish scenario, he has adapted and changed his policy of bringing in future "potentials" from may/june 2014. This "new" policy seems to have come around since Jack grealish finally decided who he wanted to play for.

It's hard to see what your point is now as it has shifted, but I take it you have now dropped the erroneous opinion that O'Neill only became proactive with chasing Grealish after Grealish became a star in April 2015 and you accept that O'Neill made direct approaches to Grealish before that season had even started?

What O'Neill has changed is to become differently proactive with fattening out his squads to include most everybody but Stephen Ireland and has brought in a few promising younger players to "engage".
It has little to do with a sudden onset of belated proactivity due to him being inactive (until the horse had bolted) re Grealish.

**paul_oshea** · 26/05/2016, 4:26 PM

Nope. Nothing has changed. He called up odowda who is in a similar situation to Grealish in 2014. We are disagreeing on the catalyst, well at least some of us are, I am not really sure what you are on about at all.

**Charlie Darwin** · 26/05/2016, 6:42 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Sorry i hate this multi-quote but wasn't sure how to get a reply to all as pretty much the same response. That would be a good point, but Grealish was the standout for the u21s also, and wasn't called into a big squad of players for the US trip.

He did offer Grealish a place in a senior squad (can't remember which) and was turned down. Besides, even if he didn't, it was a couple of years ago and the current (apparent) trend is far more relevant.

**seanfhear** · 26/05/2016, 6:51 PM

Grealish considered escaping.....Then Grealish escaped........ I don't think we can recapture him now........

Ah ! I don't think his heart was in it.

**paul_oshea** · 26/05/2016, 8:34 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

He did offer Grealish a place in a senior squad (can't remember which) and was turned down. Besides, even if he didn't, it was a couple of years ago and the current (apparent) trend is far more relevant.

He did but the time factor is important, he didn't get called up while playing in the lower league or obscure leagues like o'dowda and/or byrne.

**Charlie Darwin** · 26/05/2016, 8:42 PM

What have the leagues they're playing in got to do with it?

**Closed Account** · 27/05/2016, 2:22 AM

Jack G is not in our squad, discuss it elsewhere.

We named a squad of 35, some of whom are playing Playoffs, some of whom are injured. With two friendles in the next few days, who would you start?

Me? Since you asked:

Randolph (no need for more caps for Given lol)
Christie, Keogh, O'Shea(needs a game), Ward(we need Brady further forwar)
Arter, Hendrick
McGeady(if we bring him, get him matchfit), Hoolahan, Brady
Long

**gastric** · 27/05/2016, 4:02 AM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Jack G is not in our squad, discuss it elsewhere.

We named a squad of 35, some of whom are playing Playoffs, some of whom are injured. With two friendles in the next few days, who would you start?

Me? Since you asked:

Randolph (no need for more caps for Given lol)
Christie, Keogh, O'Shea(needs a game), Ward(we need Brady further forwar)
Arter, Hendrick
McGeady(if we bring him, get him matchfit), Hoolahan, Brady
Long

Nice attacking feel about this team,with a touch of flair too!

**DeLorean** · 27/05/2016, 8:25 AM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

With two friendles in the next few days, who would you start?

Good question! It's a tricky one for O'Neill actually. On one hand, it's our last proper game in preparation for the tournament, should we be playing as close to full strength as possible? On the other hand, it's pretty much the last opportunity for guys to impress and to get some guys up to speed a little bit. Maybe a combination of both. Is Coleman unavailable, yeah? Maybe something like this?

Given (give him the opportunity to mess up and/or get injured, sorry, bad form - only partially serious)
Christie (presume Coleman's not available or worth risking)
Keogh (didn't play in either friendly last time/Clark unavailable)
O'Shea (indeed, needs game time)
Brady (might as well continue as we're going to go forward, I think)
Gibson (had Whelan but makes more sense to give Gibson a go)
Arter (deserves his chance)
Walters (get him back motoring for us after absence)
McGeady (game time, spare Hoolahan or give him a run in second half)
Hendrick (could do with another game also)
Murphy (chance to break his duck, Long doesn't need a game, wrap him up in cotton wool)

(Formation - anything from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-2-1 to a 4-4-2 really)

I'd actually like Duffy to make the team from now on, performances depending obviously. He's probably as good, or definitely will be as good, as our other centre backs but he's an animal in the opposition's penalty box. Only Clark, to a much lesser extent, contributes in that sense. I think for a side so reliant on set pieces it could make a big difference.

**paul_oshea** · 27/05/2016, 9:38 AM

Does anyone think O'Shea might struggle to play 3 games in a short space of time, and/or perhaps pick up some small injury?

I think players can make a greater impact with as little changes in positional departments Delores. It would also be more likely that if they force the hand, they would be employed in the same position with those same regulars around them. Does that make sense? For example if Arter was going to play in midfield like you suggest then you would want either McCarthy or Whelan beside.

I often think we don't really learn that much when we see many changes and one or two particular player(s) stand out. For example McGoldrick.