QuoteIn a friendly against New Zealand? Why not?Originally Posted by CSAD
Idk, maybe looking at players who have potential to improve the Irish side in future like Moran etc. McClean has shown like Hourihane and J.Collins that he's done at this level and has no ambition in his club career (bare in mind even these 2 mentioned are more worthy of a call up than McClean). He's a L2 player so should be treated like one and put to pastures months ago.
In a friendly against New Zealand? Why not?
I think at this stage it's more important that we have a blow-out on the beer ~ A sort of a reset ~ This was basically what worked for Jack Charlton (wink) !
James always showed up and did his best. If all the other Irish players did the same over the last 15 years or so, we would probably be in better shape.
"Why not?" Because its a waste of a cap, the game would be far more beneficial to players like Roughan/McNulty/Armstrong etc who are far more deserving on form than McClean who's just washed up already.
Kenny continuing to reward mediocrity is one of the reasons we are where we are.
Showing up and giving you're best is a given at this level, if that's the best praise you can give him then that is another good reason why he shouldn't be in the squad. His form over the last year for club and country has not been good enough to warrant a "send off". Even French TV mocked us for picking him, that says it all really.
How many subs can you have for a meaningless friendly ? !
Well, if the French mock us ~ You have a point !
I dont know, any wasted on bringing on or off McClean is one too many.
I think it's still 6 or so. Eriksson took the **** while manager of England and FIFA took objection to that, so they changed the rules.
Regardless, I don't get the hate for McClean. And I've been calling for better succession planning at wingback longer than most. He's not taking Armstrong's place in the squad (and it's too soon for him anyway, based on club/under 21 form). MacNulty is a centre-back afaik; we've plenty of those so he has to get in ahead of them first. Roughan is doing ok for himself but he's playing for a mid-table third tier side; he's better with the 21s for now.
Might as well have a Hooley for James McClean ~ Sure there is nothing else happening at senior level for ages now.
I love how you are saying Armstrong isnt ready when he's a regular in the championship and Roughan is better staying with the u21s because he's only playing for a mid table third tier side but then dont condemn the call up of McClean when he's 35 and playing for a FOURTH tier side...
There is literally 0 justification for calling up McClean.
And btw McNulty has been playing in the Eredivisie as a LB.
You mean waste an opportunity to blood young players in order to just give a 35 year old washed up player who should have been ousted years ago another cap? This right here is why were are where we are.
Sinclair has played a full game once this season, hasn't started a game in a month, and he's played 45 minutes of football since then.
He's fine with the U21s
Or, it's an opportunity to give the U21s their best chance of continuing their 100% start to their group, with two of their most difficult fixtures in the group. It's one of the rare occasions when it's better to leave players with the U21s. If anything, the Gibraltar game was the time to give players their senior debut.
I'm not condemning the call-up of McClean for one last send-off. Big difference.
Armstrong has something like one goal in 35 games for QPR, and was very wasteful in the U21 game against San Marino. Let him develop more of a goal threat and he's an option then. Regardless, I don't know why you think McClean is keeping a forward out of the squad.
Roughan hasn't gone beyond mid-table third tier in terms of ability yet; it's too soon to be bringing him to the senior squad. If MacNulty is playing on the left, then fair enough, he's an option - but I still wouldn't begrudge McClean one last cap in a meaningless friendly.
Even with all that being the case Armstrong is still a better option than a 35 year old washed up L2 player. Also bare in mind even players like O'Riordan and Curtis from the u21s would also be more worth while call ups as they each have potential upside unlike McClean.
We screwed giving our u21s their best chance of qualifying when we pulled out the captain so I doubt they care too much.
His one last stand off should have come over a year ago, now he's outstayed his welcome and that should have been confirmed when he decided to sign for Wrexham. What you dont seem to get is all the options I mentioned despite some of their flaws are still preferable to McClean.
If McClean wanted his stand off cap he needs to have something to offer us and I'm sorry to tell him but offering effort doesn't quite cut it when the rest of what he offers us is severely lacking, he should have thought about that before he signed for Wrexham. Like I said in a previous comment along with the options mentioned Connor O'Riordan and Sam Curtis would be better call ups than McClean as at least they have potential upside and have at least *some* football IQ...
Conveniently leaving out the fact I also mentioned Roughan & Garcia McNulty, both of which play in his position for their club and are playing at a higher level and at least have potential upside. And like I said recently Curtis and Riordan are arguably better options for a call up when you consider their upside. If these were important games maybe I could understand McClean's call up because of his experience but in meaningless games like the ones we are playing he's pointless.
?
While he is not good enough anymore to warrant a squad place, picking him for a meaningless game is a small price to pay to show recognition for his loyalty and service to the Ireland team. After all, he has over 100 caps for his country, and it does send a message to the other players that their efforts are appreciated. It is far too easy to disregard this element of the game, they are people too and I won't be too quick to dehumanise the process.
At the end of the day not getting minutes in one meaningless friendly, that will also be the last game for the manager, will not negatively impact the development of any of these younger players who in other circumstances would maybe be in the squad. Would it be good to have them in the squad ahead of him? Yes, does it actually make that big a difference? No, not really.
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