Squad Announced

**Paulie** · 16/02/2006, 12:25 PM

I think that when we have all our players available to us we have the makings of pretty decent team. As is always the case with us it's when you take a look at our bench that the problems really begin. I know it's a big if but if the new uncapped players fulfill their potential I think the following line up can be competitive in our qualifying group:

Given

J O'Brien rb
Dunne
O'Shea
Finnan Lb

McGeady
Kavanagh
S Reid
Duff

Keane
Doyle

I don't think Stephen Ireland is ready to start a competitive game for us yet but, who knows, maybe by early September he will be ready. I have my doubts about O'Shea at CB, it's just that we have very few options there and I still believe that somewhere in John O'Shea there is a good footballer trying to get out. The fact that Staunton was a defender himself, hopefully he can help O'Shea to become the player he once looked as though he could be.

**klein4** · 16/02/2006, 12:55 PM

jebus wept will someone give neil that moderators job that he so obviously craves....talk about your passive agrression

**Karlos** · 16/02/2006, 1:03 PM

happy with the squad. Very good mix of youth & experience. No problem with the inclusion of Gary Breen. He's a hugely experienced player who supposedly displays great leadership off the field and is strong character in the dressing room. This will be vital to the squad considering the wealth of experience that walked out the door with Keane, Cunningham & Carr. Wheter he will actually start is open to debate but I think Stan has been very clever with his first team. There's enough new players in there to help him make this team his own and enough experience in there to help the team make too many youthful mistakes.

In my opinion, Stan has handled his business well so far

**NeilMcD** · 16/02/2006, 1:04 PM

I dont have the qualifications for the job to be honest. Anyway back on topic. I agree there Paulie regarding O Shea, for some reason lots of people think O shea could make it as a player but he has not done the business for a while, although his form did improve before the injury.

**zinedineontour** · 16/02/2006, 1:22 PM

decent squad was hoping for a shocker from the granny rule but nothing ... breen should have been out with mc carthy in .. delighted for lawrence will give us a natural right midfielder rather than using duff or andy reid ..

**Armando** · 16/02/2006, 2:37 PM

The squad is too small. It's Stauntons first game and its a friendly. Why not name a 30 man panel. A few of the players he has named are injured at the moment like O'Shea and Elliot so I don't expect them to play and another 2 or 3 at least will drop out before the game as always happens. This makes the squad even smaller and more than likely he will have no more than 18 players to work with when they meet up.

I thought it would make most sense to call up as many players as possible, within reason(we don't have much more than 30 realistic options anyway), for the first international so he could outline his plans for the next 4 years and everyone could feel they were in on this new beginning from the start. I don't see the sense in leaving out someone like Gary Doherty. He'll probably end up calling him into the squad anyway because of withdrawals, but now Doherty knows that Staunton doesn't really fancy him as a player.

It's a mistake excluding willing players like Doherty, who has previous experience, at this early stage of his tenure.

**Paddy Garcia** · 16/02/2006, 2:39 PM

Did you know that Breen has a better goal ratio than Duff ?

...not really sure what this means

**Superhoops** · 16/02/2006, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by Over the post

Not great options at centre half, I agree it would have been interesting to see McCarthy or even McShane given a run out. I don't reckon either O'Brien or Breen are good long-term options. I still think O'Shea's best position is in the centre of the defence, if only he could play regular club football there!

Good reason why he cant. He is not good enough!, not even good enough to get the nod over Sylvestre.

**Superhoops** · 16/02/2006, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

Look at the central defenders we have Breen/O'Brien/Dunne/O'Shea - we're seriously lacking.

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

4 Premiership centre halfs !

I only see three! JOS - dont think so!

When qualification starts two of these will be ex-Premiership centre-halves!

**tetsujin1979** · 16/02/2006, 2:52 PM

Bit harsh there Armando, Doherty was only ever a squad player, and is injured anyway according to Sky Sports.

**Karlos** · 16/02/2006, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by Armando

The squad is too small. It's Stauntons first game and its a friendly. Why not name a 30 man panel. A few of the players he has named are injured at the moment like O'Shea and Elliot so I don't expect them to play and another 2 or 3 at least will drop out before the game as always happens. This makes the squad even smaller and more than likely he will have no more than 18 players to work with when they meet up.

I thought it would make most sense to call up as many players as possible, within reason(we don't have much more than 30 realistic options anyway), for the first international so he could outline his plans for the next 4 years and everyone could feel they were in on this new beginning from the start. I don't see the sense in leaving out someone like Gary Doherty. He'll probably end up calling him into the squad anyway because of withdrawals, but now Doherty knows that Staunton doesn't really fancy him as a player.

It's a mistake excluding willing players like Doherty, who has previous experience, at this early stage of his tenure.

Firstly you can't say for certain that Stan hasn't already spoken to all the players outlining his plans for the future, & secondly you can't say for certain that he hasn't spoken to Doherty about his situation either (there could be a number of reasons why Doherty was left out).

I'm also not so sure calling 30 players up is a good way to start your career - at least 10 of them won't get a game and return downheartended after arriving in the hope they might play - new UEFA rules restirct the number of subs allowed in Friendlies these days. Besides all that Staunton being unable to choose a normal size squad would have been seen as a weekness by some and that he's unable to make tough descisions - the media & the anti-Staunton brigade would have had a field day with that one. It was always going to be a lose lose situation for Staunton as far as certain facets of the Irish Media & Support were concerned.

Players who aren't selected have the right to be downheartened but they need to work harder to get back into the bosses reckonening. I don't believe in massageing their ego's by calling them up just for the sake of it. Replacement players will get called up after someone pulls out & then those players will have their chance to show the boss he was wrong about leaving them out - that's football.

**colster** · 16/02/2006, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by KarlosIRL

Firstly you can't say for certain that Stan hasn't already spoken to all the players outlining his plans for the future, & secondly you can't say for certain that he hasn't spoken to Doherty about his situation either (there could be a number of reasons why Doherty was left out).

I'm also not so sure calling 30 players up is a good way to start your career - at least 10 of them won't get a game and return downheartended after arriving in the hope they might play - new UEFA rules restirct the number of subs allowed in Friendlies these days. Besides all that Staunton being unable to choose a normal size squad would have been seen as a weekness by some and that he's unable to make tough descisions - the media & the anti-Staunton brigade would have had a field day with that one. It was always going to be a lose lose situation for Staunton as far as certain facets of the Irish Media & Support were concerned.

Players who aren't selected have the right to be downheartened but they need to work harder to get back into the bosses reckonening. I don't believe in massageing their ego's by calling them up just for the sake of it. Replacement players will get called up after someone pulls out & then those players will have their chance to show the boss he was wrong about leaving them out - that's football.

Very good points there. I'd have the 4 center halves named ahead of Doherty and McCarthy anyway.

**bawn79** · 16/02/2006, 3:09 PM

Originally Posted by colster

Very good points there. I'd have the 4 center halves named ahead of Doherty and McCarthy anyway.

Ya but Breen represents the past, surely mccarthy represents the future.

**Armando** · 16/02/2006, 3:13 PM

I didn't mean to come down hard on Staunton. I just feel there is nothing to lose in calling up players like Mark Kennedy, Ronnie O'Brien and Paddy McCarthy if they are fit, especially when it's just a friendly. I obviously don't expect everyone to play against Sweden, that wasn't my point. I thought it would be better to call up all those in his thoughts to keep everyone on their toes and get off to a fresh new start with everyone available involved from the get go. I obviously don't know if he has or has not spoken to ommited players, but I still feel the squad is too small for his first game and if he has left out players because he was working to a set squad size of 23 then that is a mistake.

I didn't realise Doherty was injured. He played a full game on Tuesday and I hadn't heard that he picked up any injury.

**Karlos** · 16/02/2006, 3:29 PM

Originally Posted by Armando

I didn't mean to come down hard on Staunton. I just feel there is nothing to lose in calling up players like Mark Kennedy, Ronnie O'Brien and Paddy McCarthy if they are fit, especially when it's just a friendly.

That's a valid point and I'm all for trying new things in friendlies. I imagine it's been a balancing act by Stan. He could have named far more new players in the squad but if we got a hiding he would have been slaughtered for being naiive. I think he's mixed it up with youth and experience in an attempt to mould the team but also win the game to silence some critics! The players you mention I'm sure will all get a run in future friendlies I'd imagine if their good form continues. I understand Stan not wanting to overload the team with newbies for his first game though

**klein4** · 16/02/2006, 3:38 PM

silence what critics???
he is gettin the easiest ride imaginable...(outside of coppers on a mon nite...)
Paul Hyland had an article today basically sayin how well he looks in a suit!and how by lookin well he is doin the FAI a lot of favours...!!

**NeilMcD** · 16/02/2006, 3:53 PM

i agree there Klein he has got an easy enough ride but I would not take anythign that muppet Hyland has to say to be honesst.

**Karlos** · 16/02/2006, 3:57 PM

Originally Posted by klein4

silence what critics???

we must not be reading some of the same articles/commentaries I have or you must have missed some of the posts on foot.ie promclaiming the end of our national team and the mass exodus of fans as a result of the appointment!

Originally Posted by klein4

he is gettin the easiest ride imaginable...(outside of coppers on a mon nite...)
Paul Hyland had an article today basically sayin how well he looks in a suit!and how by lookin well he is doin the FAI a lot of favours...!!

Using anything Paul Hyland says as the basis for fact, is seriously dodgy ground.