Stephen Hunt

**billybunter** · 09/02/2008, 2:12 AM

Originally Posted by shanekerins

One question - when was the last time Duff put in a truly excellent performance in a competitive game for Ireland?

against slovakia last march. next question.

**ifk101** · 09/02/2008, 9:21 AM

Under Kerr the focal point of our attacking creativity was centred firmly on Duff. The opposition knew this and knew that if they wanted to limit our attacking threat they had to stop Duff. So opposition teams invariably doubled up on Duff and marked him out of games.

When the opposition haven't done this, usually in friendly games, we have witnessed what damage Duff can do. For example, Stan's first game in charge against Sweden. The Swedes let Duff roam free and he duly tore them to bits. When Duff is let roam free like that everyone can see what a talent he is and our expectations on him are consequently raised. The opposition see the same as we do and when we come to competitive fixtures we need to realise that whoever we are played are going to single out Duff as our attacking threat. They know if they want to stop Robbie Keane they have to stop Duff getting the ball.

Whilst I don't think McGeady is at or will reach Duff's "level" I welcome his inclusion in the team because it takes opposition focus away from Duff as McGeady, in his own right, can cause the opposition trouble. McGeady inclusion in the team adds an attacking balance to the team as now we can attack down the right as well as the left wing. We need Duff in the team to win matches and IMO starting with McGeady will help Duff.

As for Hunt, I like his energy but I think that that is really the only dimension to his game. He doesn't have the trickery McGeady and Duff have and anytime I've seen him he looks like he's going to get a booking or red card. As best he is an impact sub but if would be interesting to know what "the iffy reasons" given were.

**eirebhoy** · 09/02/2008, 9:50 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

When the opposition haven't done this, usually in friendly games, we have witnessed what damage Duff can do. For example, Stan's first game in charge against Sweden. The Swedes let Duff roam free and he duly tore them to bits. When Duff is let roam free like that everyone can see what a talent he is and our expectations on him are consequently raised.

I was talking to a Swedish girl about that match a couple of weeks ago and she said the full back that played in that match hasn't been called up since.

**ifk101** · 09/02/2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I was talking to a Swedish girl about that match a couple of weeks ago and she said the full back that played in that match hasn't been called up since.

Yeah that's right - Alexander �stlund, Southampton's very own Jesus. He doesn't like talking about that match

. Feel sorry for him as he was first choice for that position and on his way to the World Cup until Damien Duff came along ....

Duff also ended the international career of a Danish full back - can't remember his name but he never played for Denmark again after we beat them 3-0 6 or 7 years ago.

**paul_oshea** · 09/02/2008, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by beautifulrock

Good work Paul, thanks for giving us all the heads up, it saves me having to read all the other "illogical" posts, you are some tickets I will say that. If I could have also your take on climate change and the US Elections it will save me buying the papers. Thanks in advance

rock: are ye upset i didnt include you?! I meant to actually, dont get so upset, it was just a mistake. I wont forget next time

Btw, I don't really know much about climate change other what what I read, so you need to keep buying those papers and reading those books....

Duff has been by far and away our best play along with Given since the '02 world cup imo. Pity we hadn't got motm polls going on this forum before now. Too many people have very bad memories. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Duff was our best player in close to 50% of the matches he has started since the world cup.
__________________

I'd second that, its because people expect him to play like he did against spain etc, whereas he hasn't hit those heights he is still by far one of better performers.

**paul_oshea** · 09/02/2008, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Under Kerr the focal point of our attacking creativity was centred firmly on Duff. The opposition knew this and knew that if they wanted to limit our attacking threat they had to stop Duff. So opposition teams invariably doubled up on Duff and marked him out of games.

When the opposition haven't done this, usually in friendly games, we have witnessed what damage Duff can do. For example, Stan's first game in charge against Sweden. The Swedes let Duff roam free and he duly tore them to bits. When Duff is let roam free like that everyone can see what a talent he is and our expectations on him are consequently raised. The opposition see the same as we do and when we come to competitive fixtures we need to realise that whoever we are played are going to single out Duff as our attacking threat. They know if they want to stop Robbie Keane they have to stop Duff getting the ball.

Whilst I don't think McGeady is at or will reach Duff's "level" I welcome his inclusion in the team because it takes opposition focus away from Duff as McGeady, in his own right, can cause the opposition trouble. McGeady inclusion in the team adds an attacking balance to the team as now we can attack down the right as well as the left wing. We need Duff in the team to win matches and IMO starting with McGeady will help Duff.

As for Hunt, I like his energy but I think that that is really the only dimension to his game. He doesn't have the trickery McGeady and Duff have and anytime I've seen him he looks like he's going to get a booking or red card. As best he is an impact sub but if would be interesting to know what "the iffy reasons" given were.

great post. very well thought out summation.

**Kingdom** · 09/02/2008, 11:00 AM

I would like to see Hunt get 45 mins in the middle of the park. He is usually a decent passer of the ball, he has plenty of energy and isn't afraid to get a foot in. It might be terrible but it could work.
Lets call a spade a spade. Our central midfield partnership hasn't worked for a long time. I don't subscribe to the theory that Lee Carsley is doing anything positive for us. He is playing a different role for us than he is for his club and it unbalances us. This is the galling thing about the last campaign. The most ridiculous things were tried. Andy Keogh perfect for the "hole" played on the right, yet not once was a bit of outside the box thinking used for the central midfield problem or how to solve it. Lots of kids were brought through, Long, Keogh, Murphy, that weren't really needed either because they weren't consistently getting game time or there were perfectly good existing internationals in those positions that were ignored, yet it was the likes of Potter mcCann, Garvan who have been playing consistently for 2 seasons or so that were ignored. Its time to bring these guys on now and mould them. It has to happen sooner or later, and due to the dearth of talent in the middle of the pitch I think it has to be sooner.

**paul_oshea** · 09/02/2008, 11:29 AM

kingdom, ive seen that mccann fella twice live, and he was overshadowed by other players, particularly kyle lafferty from what I remember. So i think he has a lot more to do before he deserves a call up. On the hunt thing Ive thought about this before, he is a real box to box type player I reckon, as he would run his heart out, it would be interesting to see his positional sense though, I wonder would he just be a headless chicken running all over the place, or would he have good positional sense, that and the fear of him getting sent off would worry me about playing him in midfield, because he is so uber-exuberant that he could get caught up in the whole thing, and start flying round the place. Thinking outside of the box is key to the next manager, something done like this could be the key to unlocking this team to greatness.

**eirebhoy** · 09/02/2008, 11:46 AM

There's no way Hunt has the positional sense to play in the centre for us imo. Very similar to Kilbane really.

**kingdomkerry** · 09/02/2008, 12:18 PM

McGeady is a class attacking player. I would have him nearly first on the team sheet for every home game. I would play a more defensive player/formation for away games.

Obviously stan did'nt agree he played McGeady for away games and dropped him for the home games

**RivaldoBabb** · 09/02/2008, 1:37 PM

Originally Posted by drogfood

Duff has not had a decent game for anyone since Ranieri left Chelsea

Rubbish.

Duffer has probably been OUR best player in the last 3 years. I couldnt give a fiddlers about what he does at club level, its what he does in the green that counts for me, and he has been brilliant, look at the 2 games last year in Croker, he was the one class act in green amongst a load of headless chickens.

**Noelys Guitar** · 09/02/2008, 1:56 PM

Pat Dolan said on Setanta that Hunt was told by Givens that Duff was playing because he is Damien Duff!

**eirebhoy** · 09/02/2008, 2:25 PM

That's fair enough. Club form shouldn't matter for a player like Duff. He's too good to drop and constantly proves that for Ireland.

**tetsujin1979** · 09/02/2008, 2:30 PM

that's 3rd hand information, at best, coming from Dolan. Dunno how much stock I'd put in it

**eirebhoy** · 09/02/2008, 2:32 PM

Should he even be asking why he didn't get a starting place though? Respect the manager no matter who it is.

**tetsujin1979** · 09/02/2008, 2:38 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Respect the manager no matter who it is.

Yeah, good point.
It's not like Givens is going to be picking the next team. Is he?

**Stuttgart88** · 09/02/2008, 2:48 PM

I've heard it said a few times during the last year, most tellingly in a Daniel McDonnell article, that there is an old guard / new guard split in the camp. I think players like McShane, Hunt and Doyle feel that some of the others are living off their 2002 reputations. The rumoured situation above is consistent with this.

In my opinion Hunt should stay quiet. If the manager wants to pick an attacking line up in a meaningless exhibition match then that's his prerogative. At least he's in the squad and gets used unlike Clinton Morrison. Daryl Murphy should have got time alongside Robbie on Wednesday but I haven't heard him complain.

McGeady and Duff both did enough to justify their starts on Wednesday and though I'm a fan of Hunt, I thought he was very poor when he came on.

**aidz1** · 09/02/2008, 3:58 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

Hunt is a Kunt....he started thelling Steven Ireland to "be a man" in the paper a few months back. what a t osspot

Have some respect for a man who is proud and passionate to wear the green of ireland. Hunt has contributed quite a bit for us in the last 12 months. He has also been playing consistently well with his club (so much that keane considered his worth at �7m).
He may have mouthed a bit, but he's a bit of charachter (a welcome in this age of overpaid footballers).