Republic of Ireland V Russia

**CollegeTillIDie** · 29/05/2006, 7:20 AM

The next World Cup Qualification Group game for the Republic Of Ireland Women's Senior team will take place on Saturday June 17. Venue and kick off time to be confirmed , but we know who the opponents will be ... Russia.

Ireland played them in Moscow last July but were beaten 5-1 in scorcing temperatures. Bouyed by a recent creditable 0-1 defeat away to Germany Noel King's team are confident of getting a better result against Russia this time.

**pool 7** · 03/06/2006, 8:39 AM

Heard Noel King was in Mayo last weekend,working with Mayo league team.I wonder was he looking at 1/2 players for senior panel.It would be great for Mayo soccer if players made the panel.Have some good players??

**CollegeTillIDie** · 03/06/2006, 8:52 AM

Mayo has always produced a high number of underage internationals it would be no surprise if one or two made the senior panel. You would have had one by now only Clare Egan chose thugball instead. The Nevin sisters( Eilis and Tara) are currently playing in the Dublin Women's Soccer League with one of the Dundalk teams and might be knocking on the door soon. Very good performances last season during the successful Cup campaign.

**pool 7** · 03/06/2006, 9:04 AM

Ya.Egan would have made it.what about Mullin,Lilly,Ruane,current players??

**CollegeTillIDie** · 03/06/2006, 8:00 PM

Originally Posted by pool 7

Ya.Egan would have made it.what about Mullin,Lilly,Ruane,current players??

Emma Mullin is already an Irish Universities Soccer International. Myles Kelly, who is Noel King's assistant with the Senior Republic of Ireland team, looks after them so she is being monitored.But I suspect she will opt to play against Australia in the thugball international series instead.

**pool 7** · 06/06/2006, 3:24 PM

CTID would you agree but alot of the good players feel they have to play in dublin to be seen??nothing against dublin.but if so i think its wrong.4 strong regions has to be more beneficial to womens soccer???

**Countryripple** · 06/06/2006, 3:55 PM

Thats where a National League would come in handy instead of itsy bity leagues all over the place. Lot more scope for seeing players throughout the country then.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 06/06/2006, 6:47 PM

Originally Posted by pool 7

CTID would you agree but alot of the good players feel they have to play in dublin to be seen??nothing against dublin.but if so i think its wrong.4 strong regions has to be more beneficial to womens soccer???

Well I think, Countryripple is right, what we need is a National League for Women's Soccer, so players based in the Regions would get to play against Dublin sides and vice versa. This would enable players to be seen and gauged against opposition deemed to be of a high standard which would enable them to show if they have what it takes to be international standard players, without them having to leave their own region.

But pool7 the real problem with all the players you listed is they dissipate their energies playing the other code.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 06/06/2006, 8:11 PM

According to UEFA.Com the game takes place on Saturday June 17 2006 at Richmond Park with a 7 p.m. kick off. Russia have beaten Scotland 4-0 away recently. Scotland beat Ireland 2-0 at Richmond Park in our last home game.

**pool 7** · 07/06/2006, 9:00 AM

Yes a National League is important.But how far away is it??How would a national league be structured.Is womens soccer in ireland ready for it.
Maybe there are a lot of itsy bity leagues but they must help a little!!!

**Number9** · 12/06/2006, 2:50 PM

Rasher's Western League is a great step forward at senior level - the itsy bitsy leagues provide representative teams who then compete against each other. Quite a few of these itsy bitsy league teams would then compete in the senior cup.

To be seen at national level, the best players have to be picked for a representative panel (eg at underage - the Gaynor Cup). If the representative panel manager is not neutral ( has this ever happened??) or indeed is not fair (surely this has never happened!!!) ,then chances are that some of the better players will be allowed to slip through the net. A mechanism needs to be put in place to catch these players. Perhaps an FAI RDO should be put in place to manage each development panel, rather than volunteer coaches/managers. Especially at underage.

I believe that there is TALK of Regional Acadamies or Schools of Excellence. Perhaps an insight into one of these, it's requirements and it's objectives will be revealed on Wednesday in Merrion Square at the launch of the female development plan. These Acadamies may be the vehicles to prevent players from being overlooked. By the way - WHY LAUNCH THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ON A WEDNESDAY??

Even if these Acadamies are set up and patch up some of the holes in the catchment net, I believe that the national selectors must travel, ie leave Dublin - and not just for a weekend at the start of July to watch the Gaynor Cup. Or perhaps the FAI RDOs be asked to cover selected matches (perhaps these matches could be hand picked by the itsy bitsy leagues to showcase players passed over by selectors of representative panels and/or national panels) with analysis being sent back to Dublin HQ. Better to see a player in competitive action playing with players they know well as opposed to a training session or a practice match or a trial match.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 13/06/2006, 7:52 AM

Originally Posted by Number9

Rasher's Western League is a great step forward at senior level - the itsy bitsy leagues provide representative teams who then compete against each other. Quite a few of these itsy bitsy league teams would then compete in the senior cup.

To be seen at national level, the best players have to be picked for a representative panel (eg at underage - the Gaynor Cup). If the representative panel manager is not neutral ( has this ever happened??) or indeed is not fair (surely this has never happened!!!) ,then chances are that some of the better players will be allowed to slip through the net. A mechanism needs to be put in place to catch these players. Perhaps an FAI RDO should be put in place to manage each development panel, rather than volunteer coaches/managers. Especially at underage.

I believe that there is TALK of Regional Acadamies or Schools of Excellence. Perhaps an insight into one of these, it's requirements and it's objectives will be revealed on Wednesday in Merrion Square at the launch of the female development plan. These Acadamies may be the vehicles to prevent players from being overlooked. By the way - WHY LAUNCH THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ON A WEDNESDAY??

Even if these Acadamies are set up and patch up some of the holes in the catchment net, I believe that the national selectors must travel, ie leave Dublin - and not just for a weekend at the start of July to watch the Gaynor Cup. Or perhaps the FAI RDOs be asked to cover selected matches (perhaps these matches could be hand picked by the itsy bitsy leagues to showcase players passed over by selectors of representative panels and/or national panels) with analysis being sent back to Dublin HQ. Better to see a player in competitive action playing with players they know well as opposed to a training session or a practice match or a trial match.

Agree with you about the Western League being a step forward.

The Development plan is being launched on a Wednesday for two reasons
1/ Wednesday is a slow news day, so the papers are more likely to give it a bit of coverage.

2/ It is also being used to publicise the International game on Saturday and as there are some international players back home preparing for this game they are also being brought to the event to help launch the plan.

Well the last section I would endorse 100% too

**Magicme** · 13/06/2006, 7:56 AM

What time is the launch at?

As for RDO's the FAI in the process of recruiting Womens Football RDO's so that is a positive step and the centres of excellence, while in the planning stages, some should be a reality in the next 3-4 years from what I hear.

**Number9** · 13/06/2006, 12:48 PM

While the development plan, Noel Kings appointment, RDOs etc may be positive steps, a time scale of 3-4 years for SOME centres of excellence to become reality does in my opininion reflect what the WFAI is all about - lets maintain the status quo, lets put things on the long finger, leave it long enough and it'll be forgotten or maybe we'll just put our heads back in the sand, well hasn't it always been done that way, lets get the girls out on the pitch - isn't that what it's all about anyway? Sure it is if you don't want to raise standards.

Be transparant, enforce your rules and regulations to make the game better, support the itsy bitsy leagues, become pro-active, stand on peoples toes if necessary, acknowledge that there are always (at least) 2 sides to every tale, encourage grass root volunteers to stand up and be counted, let them rock the boat. Rock the boat yourself. With good leadership it won't sink.

The female game needs a major overhaul - let's hope it's in the plan.

**Magicme** · 13/06/2006, 2:56 PM

I am not saying that centres wont be open until 3-4 years but I have heard of some in the pipeline and it will take time for all the wonderful facilities that are needed to be put in place.....am just guessing it will take a few years b4 they are up and running properly.

Afaik the RDOs are on their way very soon. Again this is all just from reading and listening to what is being said.

Wanted to go to the launch of the development plan myself but cant get out of work tomoro and its on at 12.45 so no way would make it....oh well.

**Countryripple** · 13/06/2006, 3:39 PM

Where is it on?

**Magicme** · 13/06/2006, 3:48 PM

Merrion Square next door to FAI I think

**Henry14** · 13/06/2006, 4:49 PM

College til I die: How do you feel you know so much about these so called "thugball" players? If you knew as much as you think you did you woul know that Emma Mullen only began playing GAELIC FOOTBALL with Mayo (this year) when Mayo had reached the League Semi Final, BECAUSE she had been concentrating on her college SOCCER career. She had been focussing on soccer as her no1 sport in the hope that she might get a call up to Irish Senior Squad. I think she has again proven herself in the League as one of the top goalscorers. However its that ignorance that makes people think that she is focussed on as you call it "thugball". We should be complementing her ability to play 2 sports at the highest standard rather than discouraging her away from gaelic football.