Sure I can't ever remember Owen Heary having a bad game at right-back, but before people jump at me I accept his selection is NEVER going to happen
I'm never one to start calling for eL players to represent the National team but Owen Heary wouldn't be far off. One of the few players in the eL who genuinely could have played at the highest level in England.
A call up wouldn't be out of place in my opinion.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
o'shea - o'brien - cunningham - kelly
if finnan and carr are injured then kelly deserves a look in. if maybury plays then we're going down the same road that mick went down... sticking to his favourites when there's better, younger options out there
According to the News at One, Finnan is out of both games. Ireland are going to havea lot of possession in this game and the ability to get down the wing and provide crosses is going to be vital. Kelly should at least be called up.
Always look on the bright side of life
I don't particularly want to get into this again as it's been argued loads already but Israel have been lucky so far. They're not a bad side in that they kept themselves close to ourselves and France in each game but they got a last minute goal against us, a late goal against the French (both home games for them), were drawing against the Cypriots (again at home) 15 minutes until the end and were drawing with Cyprus away until four minutes from the end. Like I said before, that's 8 points that they're riding their luck on. Who knows, they might ride that luck the whole way to the end but I doubt it.Originally Posted by zinedineontour
These aren't the dark horses they're being presented as. A few results have gone their way and that's it. If we win at home - and there is no reason in the world why we shouldn't - we'll go two points ahead of them with a game in hand against the Faroes. Assuming we win that, we're five points ahead of them and they're out of it. They've still got to go to Switzerland and play, which might actually be trickier than Paris these days.
Does anyone know if Steven Reid has been called up?
Sorry the the old He's in the EL therefor shyte rule comes into play here, so we'll stick with world beaters like Maybury.
I know f*ck all about eL football but I would have thought that Brian Kerr does? Certainly more than McCarthy? If there was a quality right-full in the eL, would Kerr not know about him?
Obviously he wouldn't, obviously he didn't watch the Deportivo game where Heary marked a 15m rated Spanish international winger and got MOTM, or this wouldn't even be a debate.
I dont think Israel are great, but I dont think that late goals are lucky. IN fact I think they are the opposite, ify ou score late its not cause you are lucky its cause you have not given up. THere is nothing lucky about winning in the last minutre or drawing in the last minute. I agree with your post other than that.
In Trap we trust
Fair point but I think that luck comes into it when a team is sitting on a 1-0 lead. They got a great goal against us 60 seconds from time. They didn't give up but plenty of teams don't give up either but don't get the lucky bounce, shot, etc.
It just bugs me when average teams are built up just because a few results go slightly against the script. The same thing happened with Iran. Someone on here said a while ago that they're nervous about Cyprus away. Nothing wrong with being cautious but there is such a thing as giving a team too much respect.
If there is one thing the Israeli's have it is an abundance of pace. If it is one thing O'Shea and Harte cannot handle it is pace. I'd have Kilbane at left back before Harte or O'Shea.
Heary had a lot of trouble with that winger in the early stages of the game. He got booked and was lucky to stay on the pitch after another foul. Admittedly he did get on top of the guy as the game wore on. However the stepup is two big for EL players imho. Think Maybury will struggle in competitive game also.
Always look on the bright side of life
He got MOTM, I'd hardly say he found the step up too much at all. Heary has played against Deportivo, Lille (Finished second in the French league and are automatically in next years champions league) Rosenborg, Bromby and many others and not once in all of that time, not to mention in the league, have I ever seen a winger get the best of him and run him ragged. I think he can handle the massive step up in class that Celtic in a friendly and the Faroe Islands would present. Don't forget, Heary will have match sharpness against Israel and the Faroe Islands that only Ian Harte in our squad will have.
On the other hand, I have seen wingers get the better of Maybury in a way that they simply don't against Heary. Worse ones than Hearys come up against too.
Yep, that was me!
We should go out there & do a professional job and win.
I thought Cyprus were muck at Lansdowne, much worse than they're capable of I reckon. They have a new coach too. Recently they've threatened Israel twice, Switzerland only scored at home in the 90th minute and they came close (hitting a post too I think) a few times at home to France.
Given our tendency to underperform away, I reiterate my concerns about Cyprus away.
Heary should have been capped by now, putting him in against Israel is not the game for him to make his debut of course, but he should be given his chance in a friendly I think.
It is intresting that the two EL players to be capped in recent years have both been strikers. The step up there is more significant because it is up to a striker to get the better of a defender, while a defender just has to make sure a forward doesn't get the better of him (if you know what I mean).
Heary is unquestionabley the most important player on the best team in the EL - that was proved againist Linfield when he was missing.
Last edited by TheOwl; 27/05/2005 at 2:34 PM.
I thought it was you but I wasn't sure!
Again, there's nothing wrong with being cautious and I didn't know they have a new manager. Still, I've seen nothing in them that should trouble us. They've one point from six games and that was a draw with the Faroes! I wouldn't be concerned.
Just been on the news that stevie is ok for the israel game ... happy days
A Brian Kerr Republic of Ireland XI take on Celtic in the Jackie McNamara Testimonial on Sunday afternoon at Celtic Park as Ireland’s preparations for the World Cup qualifiers begin in earnest.
With the crucial qualification clashes against Israel at Lansdowne Road and the Faroe Islands in Torshavn coming up in the next two weeks, Ireland manager Kerr believes that the testimonial is ideal preparation.
Kerr said: “The result isn’t all that important but we took the game to make sure the players have a chance to get their sharpness back particularly as the Premiership and Championship have been over for so long.
“Some of the players’ seasons were extended a bit so we’ve been mindful of that as well. Andy Reid and Robbie Keane were away with Spurs, Damien was away with Chelsea and the three Manchester United lads (Roy Keane, John O’Shea and Liam Miller) were involved in the FA Cup final.
“Others have had breaks and in training, I certainly don’t see any tiredness. Everyone knew what was coming up since February and look fresh and prepared.”
Kerr insists he will use the game to ensure that freshness and sharpness are balanced with next week’s competitive fixtures in mind. “Some of our players haven’t had much action in the last few months of the season and we’ll give them a run while others have had a lot of games.
“Players like Andy Reid hasn’t played too often towards the end of the season, Damien Duff missed the last few games as has Robbie Keane which is good for us.
“But others have played a lot like Stephen Carr and we’ve to be mindful of that.”
On the injury front, Champions League winner Steve Finnan will join the squad as planned last week after Liverpool gave him the all clear on Friday despite a slight thigh problem while Leicester City’s Alan Maybury is also unavailable on Sunday because of knee problem
In Trap we trust
Well personally I'm not judging them on their results. They were the better team against France and Switzerland and were unlucky not to win both in the end.
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