Surely Rice will be too ashamed of himself to line out in this game? He'll fake an injury or something?
Can’t see Rice or Grealish playing. It would be just too provocative. England have plenty of options and plenty of other game to play them and its only a meaning;ess friendly. Why would they play them in a meaningless friendly ?
Surely the poppy thing won’t be an issue, it is not a domestic English game, it is an international friendly and there will be no expectation that a visiting nation wear a poppy.
Correct me if I’m wrong as my memory on it is far from clear but previously when The FA had the set to with FIFA which result in them wearing poppy armbands I don’t believe the opposition that night wore a poppy?
RE: The poppy, I thought this was going to be a non-issue based on my understanding of the etiquette in Canada (worn up to November 11). Is the poppy worn beyond that in the UK?
I remember a lot of those times we were robbed. We had fabulous players galore. I actually think our team in the early 80s was possibly better than what Jack had. I find it incredible how little Whelan for one is mentioned in the running for our greatest 11s. A rolls royce of a player in one of the greatest club sides of all time and a stalwart of Liverpool for well over a decade, when they were majestic.
The thing is our current team has a generally solid keeper, a decent defence, a lot of piano movers in midfield and no current goalscorers. I like McGoldrick and he offers something but he isn't going to bag 7-8 goals over a campaign. We have no world class players or anything close. We have two very good premier league players in Doherty and Coleman whose best position is the same. We have a few good premier league players to be fair.
We have a very bright future imo. The numbers of excellent young players coming through makes me think that we will have a very good team in about 4 years. It's not hard to qualify for a euros these days so lets use the next campaign to get them ready for the 2024 campaign which I would expect us to qualify for.
The teams of yesteryear with the quality of the players needed to go after qualification. This team needs to give it's all and show big improvements over the next two years. If it does that I'll be happy.
If Connolly could be tutored a little to relax in front of goal he might be our rough diamond striker. Reminds me of how Sterling would need 4 chances before scoring one, then someone got a hold of him and taught him to score. What Ireland need is a forwards coach. Maybe apply some old fashioned training methods, like play with a lighter ball, or use a softer ball, (ball with some air let out) to improve touch.
With a full Irish squad, no injuries or Covid 'outees' we will give England a game, my reading being England want a runout and are less concerned about the result.
Ive been thinking about this game this morning and rather than look at it negatively like I had been there might be some positives.
If we just take the game on its merits and forget all the other crap I dont think England will hammer us as some people are saying. I would have much rather a "smaller" team that we could pick up a win from but we always raise our game against England. When does any one remember them giving us a hiding? We all know about the big games like in 88 etc, but I have a very specific memory of the 1995 game that was abandoned. We had so many injuries in the squad that on the morning of the game I remember my father suggesting that we might not travel to Dublin for it because there was no point. For the half hour or so that was actually played we were great and we all know what happened after David Kelly put us into the lead. My point is though that we raised our game massively that night, even with basically a B team.
The players wont fear the English players as they play against them every week. Player for player they are better than us, but we've been in that situation plenty of times. What better time for Kenny to get a great result and get the general public on board. Realistically I wouldnt be betting any money on us winning the game but I'd be very confident of putting in a great performance and see where that brings us.
I really don't fancy playing this mob at so low an ebb. It's just a really bad idea.
If ever there were a time for a friendly against Oman, it's now.
It's actually a Canadian institution, originally, later imported into the UK. What was once a simple mark of respect for, in the main, working-class British and Irish men conscripted into a war that was largely futile, and hugely barbaric - a disgraceful waste of human life - has now taken an unfortunate and rather sinister turn.
It's now a jingoistic and rather tacky event, ever increasing in timescale and scope, and something that, if I were I a footballer, I would refuse to have any part in.
Actually Kenny used an old fashioned idea for one of the corners in the last Irish game. I would term it 'a double/treble cross'. Pass the ball to the opposite edge of the box, over players heads, pass ball back to corner taker who then crosses to attackers in box. This has the effect of turning the opposition twice, while the Irish players stay in the correct position to receive the ball.
Old move but it nearly paid off.
Too many players hitting the ball over the crossbar early in games? It comes down to an energy rush, they will always hit it harder in an actual match than in training. They need a type of 'softness' order, via mind training to get into the habit of underhitting the ball early in games.
Kenny give me a call if yer stuck, we'll bate them old Swinging Chariots and take their wheels home with us.
Timing is a valid issue against this game happening but if it is to be played, best to have it as the first game. The game v Wales doesn't matter if Bulgaria (a pot 5 team) are beaten.
The game will be played in an almost empty stadium, not a poppy or abusive jingoists in view.
Kenny can use the game to the benefit of the team. It's England and if you don't want an Ireland v England game to happen in some shape because of a fear of getting beaten then there is no reply to that because there is no sense to it.
Yes but attitude doesnt fix it, we have no dangerous dribblers like Frank Stapleton nor a Tony Galvin out and out marauding winger as stubburn and as good as old Tony, we are gonna get mauled by the english this time,
My point is Kenny plays it openly, thats very easy to attack,
no attendance some no pressure factor for them, it is easy to perform, with flair players like mount, maddison, grealish, sterling, kane, foden and rice
They have 3 times at least our very best eleven players at the highest level, (randolph, coleman, egan, clark, stevens, doherty, mccarthy, hendrick, brady, mcgoldrick, connolly.) r it is just too much to ask.
The difference is notorious and outrageous. 4-0 or 5-1 for the Empire.
The only chance is playing it tight, all men behind the ball under this circunstances , go for a low key defeat, 2-0. Bad timing.
that's a bit defeatist. its a decent opportunity to maybe kickstart the SK era. we don't concede many goals so I am not overly concerned about us. we cant just hide in the corner and avoid challenges like this. our football history is littered with decent friendly results against the odds
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