Irish Future Squad

**Eirambler** · 12/04/2005, 4:31 PM

Scotland manager Walter Smith named his future squad today for the match against Austria in the 'Future Cup' which also features Germany Poland and Turkey.

The squad is a combination of fringe players from the senior squad and under 21s.

When you look at potential future Irish internations like Paddy McCarthy and Glen Whelan, they tend to be forgotton about when they exit the under 21's, and can't make the full senior squad. Similarly Kavanagh was a forgotton man for years playing in Division 2 with Cardiff and Stoke, possibly at the peak of his career.

Shouldnt we be looking at getting involved in a competition like this? I cant remember us playing a 'B' game in the last 5 years and if you ask me Don Givens is making a mess of the under 21's so they could probably do with a little guidance from Kerr in his spare time.

It would also give more international experience to players like Miller, Clarke, Maybury, Kenny and McGeady as Kerr seems to prefer to keep as much of his first eleven as possible in the side for friendlies. As well as that it would allow Kerr to assess the best of the under 21's first hand and give them experience at a higher level without them being thrown straight into the first team.

The best Eircom League players could also benefit from this and it would be a good test of where exactly the likes of Byrne, O'Flynn, Kearney etc. for example compare to the likes of Alan Lee and John Macken.

**Green Tribe** · 12/04/2005, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Scotland manager Walter Smith named his future squad today for the match against Austria in the 'Future Cup' which also features Germany Poland and Turkey.

The squad is a combination of fringe players from the senior squad and under 21s.

When you look at potential future Irish internations like Paddy McCarthy and Glen Whelan, they tend to be forgotton about when they exit the under 21's, and can't make the full senior squad. Similarly Kavanagh was a forgotton man for years playing in Division 2 with Cardiff and Stoke, possibly at the peak of his career.

Shouldnt we be looking at getting involved in a competition like this? I cant remember us playing a 'B' game in the last 5 years and if you ask me Don Givens is making a mess of the under 21's so they could probably do with a little guidance from Kerr in his spare time.

It would also give more international experience to players like Miller, Clarke, Maybury, Kenny and McGeady as Kerr seems to prefer to keep as much of his first eleven as possible in the side for friendlies. As well as that it would allow Kerr to assess the best of the under 21's first hand and give them experience at a higher level without them being thrown straight into the first team.

The best Eircom League players could also benefit from this and it would be a good test of where exactly the likes of Byrne, O'Flynn, Kearney etc. for example compare to the likes of Alan Lee and John Macken.

Do you know if any of those games will be played in Scotland?

**Eirambler** · 12/04/2005, 4:43 PM

The Poland and Turkey games are at home.

See Here

**Green Tribe** · 12/04/2005, 4:51 PM

cheers, i would like to see the Poland game, so that's good. Ireland should definitely be involved in something like this, it would be excellent....... SCotland will benefit from it and believe me, they really need to...

**NeilMcD** · 13/04/2005, 11:03 AM

Well Bertie Vogts did it for ages and it did not do much good.

**silentbob** · 13/04/2005, 2:43 PM

Could be a good idea alright. If Ireland were to play in the current "future tournament" name your squad? Mine would be something like

g Murphy
g Stack

d Maybury
d McCarthy
d Clarke
d S. Kelly
d Paisley
d Dillon
d ??

m S. Reid
m Miller
m Alan Quinn
m D Potter
m Willo Flood
m Rowlands
m A. McGeady

f A Lee
f M.Yeates
f J O'Flynn
f G Barrett

Really only off top of my head, anyone else think of anyone. Mix of players coming up through U-21's(flood) first divison players who havent progressed as they may of liked (Barrett) and best of eircom league (O'Flynn). I know most wouldnt put McGeady in as he should be in squad proper as i agree but if he aint getting his game with first team why not?

**Galwayexile** · 13/04/2005, 3:05 PM

what about a few from this small list
lawrence from sunderland,
graham coughlan from plymouth,
Glenn whelen sheff wed
Leon best southampton
anthony gerrard Everton
Paul Tierney Man Utd
Steven Gray Drogheda Utd
Darren Kelly Portadown
Wes houlihan Shelbourne

**Condex** · 13/04/2005, 3:38 PM

McGeady apart, the U21s I saw in Israel were a pile of rubbish..

**silentbob** · 13/04/2005, 3:40 PM

ye i actually meant to put wes holahan in it also.

**eirebhoy** · 13/04/2005, 4:29 PM

Originally Posted by Condex

McGeady apart, the U21s I saw in Israel were a pile of rubbish..

The Barcelona I saw in Villarreal were a pile of rubbish too.

The current U21's (the one that started this campaign) is by far and away our best ever if you were going by individual players. Don't ask me how the manager can drop Doyle and Kearney from the first team out of the entire squad. BTW, the team you saw in Israel was without the entire first choice back 5 and 2 first choice strikers. I think the 2 centre halfs were 18 and 19 in Israel.