What would the Irish B team look like?

**Paddy Garcia** · 22/03/2006, 10:38 PM

England are considering a B international, and a lot of very useful players are being touted.

If we had to put out a B team, not really sure what it would look like! Don't feel too confident it would beat England 4-2, like a few years back.

A suggestions below, happy to take any advances (especially up front):

W Henderson

A Dunne
G Coughlan
P McCarthy
S Foley

James O'Connor
O Garvin
M Doyle
K Andrews

R Foran
A Lee

**livehead1** · 23/03/2006, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

England are considering a B international, and a lot of very useful players are being touted.

If we had to put out a B team, not really sure what it would look like! Don't feel too confident it would beat England 4-2, like a few years back.

A suggestions below, happy to take any advances (especially up front):

W Henderson

A Dunne
G Coughlan
P McCarthy
S Foley

James O'Connor
O Garvin
M Doyle
K Andrews

R Foran
A Lee

i feel if there was to be a B game then the likes of lawrence, s.kelly, a.maybury would be included. would also have elliot in there, some people seem to forget that when you add it up he has little more than one season in professional football. stack would be in there as well, so would kenny, jon macken, theres loads of players who are on the fringes or who haven't played enough games. very few if none of them are good enough at international level though so it could possibly be a waste of time.

on a positive note though, the quicker we can get the likes of k.doyle, garvan and supple in the full swuad on a regular basis the better. These are the lads that the future is going to be built around and they have a great chance of being involved come the qualifiers if they keep there present form, age is no barrier at any level of football.

**TheJamaicanP.M.** · 23/03/2006, 4:16 PM

Good thread. My B team would be slightly different. Something like the following:

1. W. Henderson (Brighton)

2. S. Kelly (Spurs) 4. D. Delaney (Hull) 5. P. McCarthy (Leicester) 3. C. Clarke (West Ham)

7. S. Ireland (Man City) 6. J. O'Brien (Bolton) 8. O. Garvan (Ipswich) 11. A. McGeady (Celtic)

9. L. Trundle (Swansea) 10. K. Doyle (Reading)

Subs:
12. G. Stack (Ipswich)
13. K. Foley (Luton)
14. P. McShane (Man U/Brighton)
15. A. Bruce (Birmingham)
16. M. Painter (Birmingham)
17. R. O'Brien (DC United)
18. G. Whelan (Sheff Wed)
19. G. O'Connor (Burnley)
20. J. Tabb (Brentford)
21. D. Murphy (Sunderland)
22. A. Lee (Ipswich)

Obviously, some of the listed players are currently injured. However, I would prefer to see the young, unproven players in the squad with a handfull of older players that might still have something to offer. Of the young players, Owen Garvan is the one I'm most excited about. I've only seen him on a few occasions but he looks like he has the credentials to be an excellent midfielder. Considering that he was in poor health at the end of last season, I think its incredible that he's had such an outstanding season. I can only see him getting better.
If anyone questions the importance of B internationals, all they need to do is take a look at the starting XI that played a Northern Ireland B team in early 1998. Although the North won 1-0 that night, we had Nick Colgan in goals, Richard Dunne and Alan Maybury at the back, Kinsella and Kavanagh in midfield, as well as Robbie Keane and Duff in a 3 man attack with the then Barnet striker, Sean Devine! Robbie Keane and Duff were outstanding that night and it could be argued that the B international catapulted them into the senior squad.

**Risteard** · 23/03/2006, 4:22 PM

Wouldn't a B team be the players outside the squad reckoning rather than the players who make the squad but not the team. I wouldn't have Doyle and Elliot in the B squad and if there was one i'd definitely have Jason Byrne in it.
Though Gamble is a better player than Georgie from week to week in the eL i think George would cope better in internationals in the unlikely event of a call up.

**pete** · 23/03/2006, 4:45 PM

B team squad should be made up of players currently outside the senior squad but too old for U21s.

Doyle & Elliot probably expected senior squad players now. Garvan is young enough for U21s.

**livehead1** · 23/03/2006, 4:47 PM

Originally Posted by Risteard

Wouldn't a B team be the players outside the squad reckoning rather than the players who make the squad but not the team. I wouldn't have Doyle and Elliot in the B squad and if there was one i'd definitely have Jason Byrne in it.
Though Gamble is a better player than Georgie from week to week in the eL i think George would cope better in internationals in the unlikely event of a call up.

take off them sunglasses, jason byrne is a million miles away from being good enough for international level!!! jesus

on the other hand, i do agree with you about o'callaghan, he could still offer something, but if he is to get picked by staunton he will have to leave cork, whether thats good or bad i don't know.

**pete** · 23/03/2006, 5:19 PM

TBH i don't know if George O'Callaghan is good enough for the senior team but he would certainly deserve a chance at B level. Then again international football would appreciate his abilities...

**The Legend** · 23/03/2006, 5:35 PM

Chances of Ronnie O Brien getting on a flight to be a sub at a 'B' international at somewhere like Turner's Corss are probably low i'd say!

**jorge** · 23/03/2006, 6:21 PM

................Kenny

Kelly McCarthy Painter Clarke

..................Gamble

.........O'Brien McGeady

..................Ireland

..............J.Byrne D.Murphy

**livehead1** · 23/03/2006, 9:16 PM

Originally Posted by The Legend

Chances of Ronnie O Brien getting on a flight to be a sub at a 'B' international at somewhere like Turner's Corss are probably low i'd say!

i'd forgot about ronnie o'brien. Not many if anyone on here has seen him play regularly so we can't really comment but i'm certain ireland has scouts in america that has resulted in a few players in the youth setup so maybe he just isn't good enough.

**Dr. Ogba** · 23/03/2006, 10:59 PM

Can't see the use of them to be honest...If we're talking about aiding the development of future Irish players surely thats what the u21s is all about??

In my humble opinion once they "graduate" from the u21s if they are good enough they should already be in the Irish boss' radar for a senior call-up, (prime examples: Richie Partridge, Ronnie O'Brien - just not good enough)

Lets be honest here, do you really think that an extra match playing for a second-rate Irish team against a second-rate English (or other international team) is really going to be the catapult on to greater things??

Whoever said that the B team international was the catapult for Duff, Keane, Dunne etc surely must be taking the p!ss, can anyone actually remember that match??? no, me neither.

Lets face it, the "A" international thing works in rugby due to players developing at a later age but the B thing is just pointless for football and not really going to help anybody...

**livehead1** · 23/03/2006, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by Dr. Ogba

Can't see the use of them to be honest...If we're talking about aiding the development of future Irish players surely thats what the u21s is all about??

In my humble opinion once they "graduate" from the u21s if they are good enough they should already be in the Irish boss' radar for a senior call-up, (prime examples: Richie Partridge, Ronnie O'Brien - just not good enough)

Lets be honest here, do you really think that an extra match playing for a second-rate Irish team against a second-rate English (or other international team) is really going to be the catapult on to greater things??

Whoever said that the B team international was the catapult for Duff, Keane, Dunne etc surely must be taking the p!ss, can anyone actually remember that match??? no, me neither.

Lets face it, the "A" international thing works in rugby due to players developing at a later age but the B thing is just pointless for football and not really going to help anybody...

you make several points but fail to justify any of them. Firstly, twice you mention that under 21's are where players should be developed to see if they can cut it at international level. Well that is just nonsense, they have to be played against men, players who will chop them to bits. Anyone remember Kevin Kilbanes debut, now he has gone on to play 60 odd games for us. Surely we would have been better discovering that he wasn't ready in a B game and not a full international.

Also, the point regarding the lack or remembrance of the B international involving Duff and Keane. There is no doubt that they would have made the grade sooner or later to the full side, but there is a possibility that the then manager saw a risk in including them but this game helped to allay his fears somewhat, leading to their inclusion sooner than would have occured had the match not taken place.

You mention that A internationals work for rugby but are pointless for football. Your apparent justification is that they are "not really going to help anybody". Maybe you are right, but you must at least attempt to explain why they are not going to help anyone. It is my opinion that they could be extremely helpful to us in gauging whether a player is suitable for international football. Football is full of late developers, John Aldridge and Teddy Sheringham being prime examples. Indeed, it may prove of great benefit to the current international setup if Lee Trundle were to be given a chance in a match under Steven Staunton. We must remember that not always the best players are the suitable for international football. There are a number of english strikers that come to mind on this point such as Andy Cole and Ian Wright. Cole was part of the most feared strike force in Europe at one time but was simply not suited to the game at international level. Perversly it may also be the case that there are a number of players who are not setting the world alive at domestic level, but nevertheless are suited to the game at international level.

And that my friend, is why we should have a B international.

**Qwerty** · 24/03/2006, 12:50 AM

The problem with B games is you have 11 players playing together for the first and probably last time against 11 players playing together for the first and probably last time. Surely a player's ability is better measured at Premiership or Championship level week in week out? How many Premiership or Championship teams would be beaten by an Ireland B selection? I'd say egg 'n spoon races are about as useful and probably a lot more fun to watch

**Risteard** · 24/03/2006, 1:36 AM

Originally Posted by livehead1

take off them sunglasses, jason byrne is a million miles away from being good enough for international level!!! jesus

Its a B squad. There's 4 strikers in a squad. He is one of our top 8 strikers, surely.
Byrne is 'a million miles' ahead of any striker in the eL and has been for several years. The stats don't lie.
Though Shels fans might be ****ed off with his attitude now, he is going to be the scorer of the vast majority of their goals anyway.

**pete** · 24/03/2006, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Qwerty

The problem with B games is you have 11 players playing together for the first and probably last time against 11 players playing together for the first and probably last time.

This i think is the advantage of a B International. Shows the ability of a player to adapt to new surroundings & play with team hes never played with before - something which you can't see when playing club football with same players week in week out.

**gustavo** · 24/03/2006, 2:26 PM

Originally Posted by livehead1

jason byrne is a million miles away from being good enough for international level!!!

Originally Posted by livehead1

i'd forgot about ronnie o'brien. Not many if anyone on here has seen him play regularly so we can't really comment

I take it then that you have seen Jason Byrne on a regular basis therefore enabling you to comment.

**livehead1** · 24/03/2006, 2:51 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

I take it then that you have seen Jason Byrne on a regular basis therefore enabling you to comment.

I have indeed seen Jason Byrne a good few times over the last 18months due to spending and extended time in Dublin so I feel able to comment. He is a good player, but then again the standard, no matter which way you want to argue it, isn't all that great. Just think to yourselves how many goals David Connolly would score in the EL. An absolute hatful. The same with Alan Lee and many other strikers who aren't and shouldn't be in the squad. I've found a couple of comments from other people who are apparently in a position to comment on Byrnes ability.

Originally Posted by Dyl10

I would have my doubts over jayo makin it in the championship I dont know if he would be up to it

Originally Posted by 4tothefloor

Jason Byrne for Ireland - lol

Originally Posted by carnstien

I think it could be just a case of him being the token Eircom league player rather than him actually being good enough to force his way into the team, which would hardly be fair on the rest of the squad.

I'd prefer to see John O'Flynn, or even Callaghan

**gustavo** · 24/03/2006, 3:54 PM

fair enough livehead you know i just like disagreeing with you

**Hither green** · 24/03/2006, 4:27 PM

I presume a B-international commits you to a country? Stan chatting up any half-decent uncapped english/Irish player is probably the reason england are thinking of having a B-team game.