Clinton

**theworm2345** · 19/08/2006, 1:15 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Don't be bring Connolly into this debate. He is useless & always will be. Wigan spent 3m on him but never played him in the Premiership as preferred midfielders in attack instead of him. BTW Connolly only scored against minnows & friendlies.

He was hurt most of last season, the last international goal he scored was against Turkey, a match we drew, and Turkey went to the semi finals of WC 2002

**pete** · 19/08/2006, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by thew0rm2345

He was hurt most of last season, the last international goal he scored was against Turkey, a match we drew, and Turkey went to the semi finals of WC 2002

A friendly. Can't remember his last goal before that. His international goals tally looks ok but hides the fact he scored against very small teams.

**Reddladd** · 21/08/2006, 3:04 PM

Morrison got a move to Birmingham which was helped by the exposure he got from playing international football. It was proved he wasn't up to the task as he started relatively few games. He is a championship player at best.
As Pete mentioned earlier he stalled on declaring for anyone in the hope that England might come calling(what a laugh!) and when that didn't happen he decided he was Irish and wanted to play for us.
There's plenty of talking in Morrison but not much else!

**Ceirtlis** · 21/08/2006, 4:06 PM

I might be wrong but i think David Connolly got a hat trick against liechtenstein or someone like that

**tetsujin1979** · 21/08/2006, 9:36 PM

When Clinton got a run in the Birmingham side, players like Heskey were calling him the most important player in the side because all the work Clinton was doing was helping him score, then Bruce would drop him again for no apparent reason. He's a proven goalscorer at Championship level, and I expect him to get about 15 goals this season. He's not 100% yet, and has admitted this in interviews, but is also willing to fight for his place at Palace.
I did question his loyalty to Ireland when he first declared, but some of the performances, particularly his workrate, that I've seen from him made me change my mind and I've great time for him now. We might have better options available now (Doyle, Elliott) but for me, it's a weaker squad without Clinton.

**dr_peepee** · 21/08/2006, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

When Clinton got a run in the Birmingham side, players like Heskey were calling him the most important player in the side because all the work Clinton was doing was helping him score, then Bruce would drop him again for no apparent reason. He's a proven goalscorer at Championship level, and I expect him to get about 15 goals this season. He's not 100% yet, and has admitted this in interviews, but is also willing to fight for his place at Palace.
I did question his loyalty to Ireland when he first declared, but some of the performances, particularly his workrate, that I've seen from him made me change my mind and I've great time for him now. We might have better options available now (Doyle, Elliott) but for me, it's a weaker squad without Clinton.

Good man Tests.... Them's my sentimony's also!!

**irishfan86** · 22/08/2006, 2:41 AM

Morrison still has an important role to play, and until Doyle starts banging them in regularly in the Premiership, I'd pick him alongside Robbie to start in Germany.

Doyle, though advertised as good in the air on this website and others, has quite a small frame and lacks the physical part to the game that I think Clinton brings to the table.

Skillwise I don't doubt Doyle beats Morrison, but without an aerial option I think our attack will be fairly limited.

Keane and Doyle will simply not win balls fired into the box from the likes of Duff and McGeady on the wings.

Morrison is no Niall Quinn in the air, but he is a step up from Doyle and Keane.

Clinton has a role to play, and is still one of our best options.

Keep him around.

**theworm2345** · 22/08/2006, 4:21 AM

Lets just say there is not a big chance hell be dropped this campaign unless some sort of injury comes about

**eirebhoy** · 22/08/2006, 9:23 AM

irishfan86 - I disagree. I don't think Morrison has proven to be any better than Doyle in the air. It's just Morrison's stlye of play that he's obviously going to be battling with the centre halfs for headers. Doyle plays more off the shoulder but I do think if there was crosses being whipped in he'd have no problem putting them in the back of the net.

Almost half his goals for Reading have been headers...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJNeqiOPmDw

Even from kickouts against Holland I noticed how much Doyle was winning in the air compared to Morrison. I won't be overly disappointed to see Morrison on the teamsheet for the Germany game but I'd like to think Doyle has overtaken him.

**NeilMcD** · 22/08/2006, 10:20 AM

I agree Doyle is better in the air than Morrisson.

**youngirish** · 22/08/2006, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by thew0rm2345

He was hurt most of last season, the last international goal he scored was against Turkey, a match we drew, and Turkey went to the semi finals of WC 2002

How easy we forget. Connolly was and still is absolutely diabolical at International level. He could score goals against the likes of Liechenstein but looked way out of his depth against anyone half decent in a competitive match. Against the Swiss at home for the last European Championship qualifiers he gave possibly the most inept display that I've ever seen from an Irish forward in a competitive match. In fact when has he ever played even half decent in a competitive match against reasonable opposition? Never.

There is no way he should be allowed back into the squad at the expense of Morrison who can on occasion provide something useful against the top teams. If we are going to replace Morrison with anyone in the squad I'd suggest giving Long a chance or Daryl Murphy.

**dr_peepee** · 22/08/2006, 7:56 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

How easy we forget. Connolly was and still is absolutely diabolical at International level. He could score goals against the likes of Liechenstein but looked way out of his depth against anyone half decent in a competitive match.

Last time I looked we were struggling to score against "The likes of Liechtenstein"... There's more than two or three teams in a group and someone who can "slum it" aginst the minnow is most definately an asset. Connolly is just an easy target, same as the Kilbanes and Hartes of this world. He's a good goalscorer against average teams. Big deal.

What have the Doyles and Elliots achieved that he hasn't. At the moment they're the lads in posession of a place in the squad but for me, at this point, pound for pound, outside Robbie Keane there's not much difference in class between the rest of them.

**theworm2345** · 22/08/2006, 8:28 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

Last time I looked we were struggling to score against "The likes of Liechtenstein"... There's more than two or three teams in a group and someone who can "slum it" aginst the minnow is most definately an asset. Connolly is just an easy target, same as the Kilbanes and Hartes of this world. He's a good goalscorer against average teams. Big deal.

What have the Doyles and Elliots achieved that he hasn't. At the moment they're the lads in posession of a place in the squad but for me, at this point, pound for pound, outside Robbie Keane there's not much difference in class between the rest of them.

I dont suppose you watched the Faroes match, youngirish? Kilbane scored one off a deflection and Harte nailed a free kick. No nothing for anyone else. Actually, they almost scored on us, I have the video here of Shay making a good save. Liechtenstein are ranked about 45 higher than the Faroes by FIFA, and about even in ELO. We really couldve used 3 more against the Faroes, even if only for Goal differential. Connolly was/probably still is better than good at the Coca-Cola Championship level, you cant really say more than that for Morrison and Elliott, they both were OK in the Premiership, but they werent playing behind two of the best strikers playing right now in Heskey and Camara

**eirebhoy** · 22/08/2006, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by thew0rm2345

but they werent playing behind two of the best strikers playing right now in Heskey and Camara

Heskey and Camara are two of the best, or have I misunderstood you?

I don't think Connolly's a bad player but he can't play with Keane. He needs a Quinn or even a Doherty to partner him if he's going to produce his best.

**theworm2345** · 22/08/2006, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Heskey and Camara are two of the best, or have I misunderstood you?

I don't think Connolly's a bad player but he can't play with Keane. He needs a Quinn or even a Doherty to partner him if he's going to produce his best.

Perhaps I over-exaggerated a bit, but they are both consistent goalscorers at the highest league in the world, so they definitly arent bad. I cant remember if it was on BigSoccer or here, but I explained exactly why he should be in the squad along with Keane, not necesarrily as a starter (Keane would start, but he would get tired, if we needed fresh legs, and Doyle and Elliott cant play without Keane, I dont know something like that, it sounded good at the time, perhaps it still does)