Anyone of our senior squad would be running the show week in week out if they were playing LOI. I know quite a few lads who play LOI and they would say the same. Also, the point above about training is relevant, if you watched the LOI lads train with our senior squad you would understand within 2 mins why they are not called up as they would stand out a mile. Why would you weaken our squad for a competitive game just because its Gilbratar?
Also if the lads from the Championship etc who were speculated to get called up/go to a training camp were playing in the LOI, they would also be running the show every game. I'm taking about the likes of Szmodics, Azaz etc.
Farrugia was in the training camp and Byrne already played for the national side so multiple international managers seem to disagree.Originally Posted by LurcherLover
Azaz played in League 1 by the way. Same as Danny Mandroiu who came fresh from doing well but not really running any shows in the LoI. Very good player but not the best in the league at any point.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
Exactly, and they were obviously nowhere near the standard to get a game for the snr squad apart from Byrne who got his chance and hasn't had a look in since.
I know Azaz plays in L1 buts hes a Championship standard player. If you don't think that the likes of Smallbone, Cullen, Molumby and even Szmodics or Azaz wouldn't be absolutely running the show every week in the LOI and that the likes of Farrugia etc bring any strength to the squad, then I don't know what to tell you really.
Not sure you're actually reading my posts? Where did I argue that the players you mentioned would have any impact on the LoI, positive or negative? If Azaz was a Championship standard player he'd play in the Championship surely?
So strange to me how Irish football fans respond when there is any light reference to the LoI in the context of the national side.
All I said was that Jack Byrne would be useful in the type of game we will have against Gibraltar. If you want to say we have better players who can do what Byrne can do that's fine. It doesn't have to turn into an analysis of the entire LoI. I do wonder what the pecking order is for attacking midfielders. McGrath doesn't convince me. Would Azaz, Ronan, and Moran be just behind Smallbone? Personally I think Byrne would be useful in the squad but of course there are other options.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
I think Byrne has had more than enough opportunities to show that he's any more than a League of Ireland standard player at this point. He hasn't taken any of them, it's long past time to move on.
Honestly the only League of Ireland player I'd have made any kind of case for in terms of the senior squad for this window would have been Curtis. He's the one who just might have the potential to step up to that level in future, maybe. It might have made sense to take him to Bristol for the experience and to see first hand the standard that he will need to get to in order to make it at a high level.
Keane O'Shea Given Best Smallbone
That's all been covered on the Jack Byrne thread and doesn't really need to be discussed on a match thread here. Suffice to say he's already played well at higher levels. Football isn't as simple as you are suggesting. Luck, injuries, mental states and a host of other things come into the picture.
Whether people like it or not, there have been, are and will be LoI players in the pecking order. They'll be in standby squads and training camps as we've seen with Farrugia recently. It's how things are right now. We have very limited options in certain areas. Again, we don't have many players who can unlock stubborn defenses. We've been so poor in those types of games. Who would you have ahead of Byrne in a creative role? That's a more interesting discussion. Saying Cullen or current starters are better players is a bit redundant. Of course they are. They aren't the same type of player though. Johnston might be the man for the job hopefully. At least he can take a few players out of the game. And again, I'm not even saying Byrne should have been included. I'm saying this would have been the right window for it and that I'd have him ahead of options like Farrugia and Gaffney. It's absolutely understandable that he isn't in there.
I'm not sure which Curtis you mean by the way but if you think 17 year old Sam Curtis is performing at a higher level than Byrne, Forrester or indeed quite a few others then......ok. He's also a defender.
Last edited by ontheotherhand; 10/06/2023 at 8:38 PM.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
There's always an excuse when it comes to Jack.
Of the players you mention, Sam Curtis is the only one with even a remote chance of having a sustained international career. I'd have liked to see him being brought to Bristol to be part of the setup and see what the standard is that he needs to aspire to. He's not going to see that at St. Pats. I wouldn't have taken him to Turkey though as he's better off with the Under 21s for the time being. But he could have gone to the Bristol camp rather than wasting a spot on Farrugia.
Keane O'Shea Given Best Smallbone
You're having a pretty different conversation here. Sam Curtis will get a chance in about 3 years. He's a bit behind Farrugia as it stands. Those who watch the league saw that only a few weeks ago. Either way, neither would be very useful against Gibraltar.
Last edited by ontheotherhand; 10/06/2023 at 9:51 PM.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
I think it's you that's having the different conversation, I never mentioned playing him against Gibraltar. In fact I specifically said I'd only have had him in the first training camp for the experience he'd get.
If the requirement for a League of Ireland to be involved with the Ireland seniors is that they need to be useful in a competitive game then the honest answer is that there is currently the correct number of League of Ireland players in the squad - zero.
But in someone like Curtis you actually have a player in the League who may well be good enough to be a starter for Ireland down the line. So I'd be prioritising a place in a training squad for him over lads in their mid and late 20s who we know will never be good enough, even if they're better than him at this point in time.
Keane O'Shea Given Best Smallbone
This thread is about the Greece and Gibraltar games.
The last two pages are you arguing for Byrne & Farrugia's inclusion in this squad.
The squad for the Greece and Gibraltar games? ?
Whatever about Byrne, I haven't once argued for Farrugia's inclusion for these games. You're not reading the posts.
What I've said:
"And again, I'm not even saying Byrne should have been included. I'm saying this would have been the right window for it and that I'd have him ahead of options like Farrugia and Gaffney. It's absolutely understandable that he isn't in there."
"Sam Curtis will get a chance in about 3 years. He's a bit behind Farrugia as it stands. Those who watch the league saw that only a few weeks ago. Either way, neither would be very useful against Gibraltar."\
Last edited by ontheotherhand; 11/06/2023 at 2:30 PM.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
Greek squad was announced two days ago
Breakdown of the squad on Twitter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece...l_team#Players
And the Gibraltar squad
Squad breakdown: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibral...l_team#Players
Good to see a bit of LoI representation after all!
One of their defenders is fully retired and still getting picked. Not sure I've seen that before.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
All the Cannon talk a bit of a distraction from probably biggest week of Kenny's tenure so far. 4 points an absolute must from the 2 games.
For the Greek game I'd probably go with this...
Baz
Doherty Collins Egan O'Shea O'Dowda
Cullen Molumby Smallbone
Idah Ferguson
Idah probably the only controversial call but his ability to hold up the ball away from home could be vital. Would allow Ferguson to drop deeper at times too like he does for Brighton .
That’s a team I can fully get behind.
We've had a real result with the weather if the forecast is anything like accurate. They're predicting 22°C in Athens on Friday night.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
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