Elliot or Connolly?

**NeilMcD** · 31/08/2005, 9:06 AM

I think there is more to International football than just club form. Kerr watches them in training, deals with them on the phone, watches them in club games and also sees them at first hand in international matches. All of this contributes to whether someone makes a squad or not. I would say that Kerr has seen Connolly enough times in training and for Ireland, that he does not fit in with his plans. We see this at club level all the time where a player may be a very good player but he does not fit into the plans of the manager. This could be style of play or personality difference etc. But Kerr is not stupid and he would never turn his back on Connolly for good as he may need him in the future if Keane and Elliot were injured. I think Connolly is competing directly with Elliot for the place. Doherty provides an option in the last few mins of a game and is cover at the back too.

As for Miller well, I suppose Kerr feels that you need a certain amount of cover in every position so he would not go with the idea of dropping a midfielder for a forward.

**tetsujin1979** · 31/08/2005, 9:16 AM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

David Connolly ??

You must be joking. how many "Connolly you are crap " threads are there ? He has been given so many chances and failed everytime.

I cant see him ever playing for Ireland again.

He's currently joint top scorer in the Championship and Wigan are willing to splash out 3 million on him. I reckon he'll definately play for Ireland again before the year is out.

**pete** · 31/08/2005, 9:19 AM

Threads Merged.

Theres nothing new about Connolly playing well in the english Championship. Simple fact is he is great goal scorer at that level but useless at international level.

We all know Connolly is useless. WE don't know if Elliot is useless yet.

Wigan must be nuts to be signing him but suppose they'll be relegated so he'll come good next season

**zinedineontour** · 31/08/2005, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

Why not drop one of the midfielders? We really need Liam Miller?

agree miller could be let out of the squad .. but whoever put this poll up needs shooting ? are you for real connolly or elliott ..ffs connolly had his chance many a time refused to play for us once so **** off ...

**eirebhoy** · 31/08/2005, 10:51 AM

I don't have a the best of memories but of Connolly's 40 caps, name 3 starts without Keane that he was useless for us...

**superfrank** · 31/08/2005, 11:07 AM

I really can't stand either of them. But I think Elliott is a better player and that's who you'd want, the better player. Ideally it'd be Kevin Doyle.

**Stuttgart88** · 31/08/2005, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I don't have a the best of memories but of Connolly's 40 caps, name 3 starts without Keane that he was useless for us...

You should keep a copy of your original post & just paste it on a weekly basis

Even so, I prefer Elliott.

I can also justify Miller's inclusion in the squad. For a start he's creative. So he's another option that Kerr has. Presumably he's of use even in the practice matches. I actually thought he was good in MUFC's recent CL qualifier.

Colgan's selection is the one that I find increasingly hard to justify. I think we should have 2 keepers (like in Big Jack's day) and have a third on standby.

**Donal81** · 31/08/2005, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I don't have a the best of memories but of Connolly's 40 caps, name 3 starts without Keane that he was useless for us...

I see what you're saying Eirebhoy but Keane will always start if he's fit and rightfully so. If Connolly can't adapt to that, why should he be in the squad if Keane's there? Why not focus on someone who can hopefully play with Keane? Connolly has played well for us at times but has had more than enough chances. If he can't adapt to Keane's play, that's his loss and Kerr has to deal with that. He has never, ever performed consistently for us and it makes much more sense to give Elliott a chance.

**zinedineontour** · 31/08/2005, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

I really can't stand either of them. But I think Elliott is a better player and that's who you'd want, the better player. Ideally it'd be Kevin Doyle.

ffs why cant you stand elliott ? what has he done to annoy you ? quality for sunderland last year and has shown how good he is in the championship ...I will reserve judgement on doyle though good to see him score the other day.. connolly chose not to play for us against greece the little ****e and has had chance after chance .. lets give elliott his chance ...

**oconghc2** · 31/08/2005, 2:10 PM

just completed the deal - 3 years.

hope he does well - th emore strikers playing higher level the better

**tetsujin1979** · 31/08/2005, 2:14 PM

Notice on Wigan's official site - http://www.wiganlatics.premiumtv.co.....html?ptvParm=
Just hope he gets regular football there.

**EnDai** · 31/08/2005, 2:17 PM

At a cost of �2,000,000 he will be playing regularly I'd imagine!

**jorge** · 31/08/2005, 2:26 PM

ELLIOT

Theres NO contest.

Why even make a poll?

**tetsujin1979** · 31/08/2005, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by jorge

ELLIOT

Theres NO contest.

Why even make a poll?

Well how about a Connolly/Doherty poll? I think Connolly is worth his place in the squad, but Doc offers something different up front. None of our strikers are blessed with height.

**Macy** · 31/08/2005, 2:34 PM

Is this a trick question? There's no way anyone could seriously be suggesting giving that mug Connolly another chance to prove he's not good enough....

**Fergie's Son** · 31/08/2005, 3:26 PM

Well, Wigan seem to rate him well enough to splash out 2-3 million on him so he must be doing something right. Elliot hasn't exactly set the world on fire in the Prem. It's early days and he's playing in a poor team but I can't see Elliot doing much this year. Maybe another year in the Championship will do him good. If Connolly starts scoring in the Premiership then I think he has to get back into the Ireland squad.

**eirebhoy** · 31/08/2005, 6:07 PM

Originally Posted by Donal81

He has never, ever performed consistently for us and it makes much more sense to give Elliott a chance.

I wouldn't say never, ever. He probably had the better start to an Irish career than any other Irish striker, ever. As soon as Robbie came along he became crap. Even so, he has still played well for us when starting without Keane. Why have him in the squad if he can't play with Keane? Because he is the best alternative we have to Keane if he's unavailable or goes off injured. He is better than Elliott atm imo but Elliott has age on his side. When you are young you will be rated probably 50% higher than you actually are. If Elliott was 28 he wouldn't be rated half as highly. I'd prefer to have Elliott in the squad because he has the potential to be first choice for us up front but I'd have Connolly in instead of Doc.

C'mon, if Elliott scored 7 in his first 15 caps and 42 in 63 in the Championship he'd be potential world class to most people. Connolly is proven. He may not be 100% proven at international level but neither is Elliott. Connolly will do well in his first season in the prem imo.

**Condex** · 31/08/2005, 8:10 PM

Just goes to show our dearth of a quality/reasonable strikers when we are talking about Connolly again, never did for Ireland and never will....

**zinedineontour** · 01/09/2005, 9:07 AM

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

Well, Wigan seem to rate him well enough to splash out 2-3 million on him so he must be doing something right. Elliot hasn't exactly set the world on fire in the Prem. It's early days and he's playing in a poor team but I can't see Elliot doing much this year. Maybe another year in the Championship will do him good. If Connolly starts scoring in the Premiership then I think he has to get back into the Ireland squad.

guess you havent watched or listened or read about sunderlands games this year.. elliott has been playing very well so far but is playing on the right of midfield which isnt his position ... connolly is a waste of space.. People who say wigan spent 2 million he must be good is a ****e statement ... they were also willing to spend 750,000 on Dean Windass from Bradford ... Panic Buy imo ...

**Donal81** · 01/09/2005, 9:19 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I wouldn't say never, ever. He probably had the better start to an Irish career than any other Irish striker, ever. As soon as Robbie came along he became crap. Even so, he has still played well for us when starting without Keane. Why have him in the squad if he can't play with Keane? Because he is the best alternative we have to Keane if he's unavailable or goes off injured. He is better than Elliott atm imo but Elliott has age on his side. When you are young you will be rated probably 50% higher than you actually are. If Elliott was 28 he wouldn't be rated half as highly. I'd prefer to have Elliott in the squad because he has the potential to be first choice for us up front but I'd have Connolly in instead of Doc.

C'mon, if Elliott scored 7 in his first 15 caps and 42 in 63 in the Championship he'd be potential world class to most people. Connolly is proven. He may not be 100% proven at international level but neither is Elliott. Connolly will do well in his first season in the prem imo.

All of the above are fair points but do you not think that Connolly has been given more than enough chances and blown too many of them? He's not as bad as some make out but I'd take Elliott over Connolly any day, given that I reckon Elliott has as much chance of scoring for Ireland as Connolly and Elliott's attitude is much better. Remember Elliott against the Faroes: fair enough, the opposition was muck but he got stuck into the game. When was the last time Connolly did that?

And as for the Doc...They're completely different players. The Doc isn't a natural striker, obviously, but does well for us under certain circumstances such as the last 20 minutes and we're up against it.