Time to Pick Irish players

**eirebhoy** · 09/10/2006, 4:08 PM

Originally Posted by Block G Raptor

McGeady opted for Ireland because Scotland where muck at the time Bet he was sick when he heard their result on saturday

McGeady opted for Ireland at the age of about 14 or 15 so I doubt it was down to the quality of players.

**theworm2345** · 09/10/2006, 4:25 PM

Originally Posted by McGeady10

I hope you don't include McGeady in that...

I'd say a key difference in McGeady and the anglo-Irish is that McGeady COULD HAVE played for the country of his birth but has so much pride in his Irish roots he'd walk over glass barefoot to play in the green.

Others though only play for us cause they'd never play for England cause they are not good enough

Were Houghton, Cascarino and Aldridge either not good enough to play for England or just wanted to play for Ireland (This was before I was born)? Once they started they clearly tried their best. Also, Steven Reid and David Connolly both clearly wanted to play for Ireland, Connolly started when he was 17 I think, and Reid started when he was 20 maybe (at least for the Senior squad), though he started in the England setup. McAteer was 23 when he first got into the Irish squad, so I cant be sure about him either. By the way, Clinton's son is named Shay...cant be too ****ed about not being allowed in England. He started when he was 21. Andy O'Brien was also in the England youth set up, and played his first match when he was about 21
But how can you judge? I'd say either look at a celebration after goals or look at them singing the national anthem.

**Ceirtlis** · 09/10/2006, 4:53 PM

while i dont think its wise to open the plastic paddy debate again, its worth noting that Cork City easily beat an Omonia Nicosia side that had a number of players in the Cypriot squad.

Cork beat Appollon Limassol and they didnt do it easily either. I agree with the jist of what your saying though.

**Fergie's Son** · 09/10/2006, 7:51 PM

A little bit of a knee-jerk reaction don't you think?

The reality is, most players who play in England are better than those who play in Ireland.

As for Ray Houghton, evidently he is quite Catholic and felt a "calling" to Ireland over Scotland. YMMV.

**Dave77** · 09/10/2006, 7:53 PM

The EL players do deserve a chance, players like O Brien are good but defnitely not match fit, I believe the best players should play and the EL has got some excellent defenders and should be given their chance.

**tricky_colour** · 09/10/2006, 9:13 PM

Originally Posted by Pablo

Its time Irish players who would have pride in wearing the green jersey. Third rate nobodies like andy O'Brien shouldn't be left anywhere near our squad.

An Eircom League XI would have beaten Cyprus on Saturday. FFS i stood in that very same stadium 2 months ago and saw Cork City knock out the Cypriot champions comfortably.

And if the Cyprus team had been composed of players who played for the Cypriot champions, or the best of the Cypriot equivilent of the Eircom league, we would have probably hammered them, however they had enough sense to realise that there were better eligible players playing for overseas clubs.

**Billsthoughts** · 09/10/2006, 9:26 PM

I think they did play players from their league...

**CollegeTillIDie** · 09/10/2006, 9:30 PM

Question to those of you still besotted with English football....

How is the Football Combination ( reserve League where Andy O'Brien plays)
or the Coca Cola Championship, a higher standard , than where Derry City and Drogheda United who are full-time professional teams, playing in the UEFA Cup, or Cork City playing in the Champions League Qualification Rounds ?

My answer is they are not.

**Soper** · 09/10/2006, 9:33 PM

Posted this in another thread.It's honest.

I will say this, I watch Cardiff City at every home match, and there is no doubting that Cork, Derry, Shels, Drogs (with Sligo Rovers and Bohs next season) would hold their own in that league.People go on about EL players just being failed english lower league players, but there are an array of players in the Championship now who have failed at championship or league one standard, gone to league two or the conference, and ended up back in the championship playing regularly.Derry would beat Wolves. Luton, Coventry out of the teams I have seen come to Ninian Park this season.This is fact.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 09/10/2006, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

And if the Cyprus team had been composed of players who played for the Cypriot champions, or the best of the Cypriot equivilent of the Eircom league, we would have probably hammered them, however they had enough sense to realise that there were better eligible players playing for overseas clubs.

Excuse me but all the players bar the two who play for Olympiakos Piraeus in the Greek League, are Cypriot League players, who if they had taken all their chances, would have beaten the so called stars on the Irish team 9 or 10-2!

**Billsthoughts** · 09/10/2006, 9:43 PM

its got nothing to do with being besotted by english football. the system(if you can call it that) in place at the moment is that kids go to england and if they are good enough they make it and if they arent they dont. in general these are the best players we have. they are learning their trades in a better envioroment than learning it at clubs here. its not a put down of the league here to say this. its merely pointing out the insanity of the system which we expect to produce a good international side for us. arguably after a certain stage in a players development it would be better for them to be playing regular football in which case a strong domestic league is a necessity. its the system that is insane not people who point out where are good players are. apart from all that do you really want any player from the EL associated with the current fiasco? they are better off away from it. when kerr was let go there was an underlying feeling of smugness that "what do you expect from someone who came from the eircom league" I wonder will the same people be dismissing the English Premiership now staunton has been proven to have has much knowledge of the game as someone newly arrived from mars.

**tricky_colour** · 09/10/2006, 10:15 PM

Some of the players played for Cyriot clubs, some for Greek clubs, they picked the best players available, which is the sensible thing to do.
To be fair though only four of the starting 11 didn't play for Cypriot clubs. However all the goals were by players from 'foreign' clubs the Cypriots formed the 'defensive' side of the team (which conceded two goals).

**Soper** · 09/10/2006, 10:17 PM

Stop making excuses, they are a team.It's not as if they were big mistakes they made defensively - A lucky header and a pot shot.We were lucky to score.

**tricky_colour** · 09/10/2006, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

Excuse me but all the players bar the two who play for Olympiakos Piraeus in the Greek League, are Cypriot League players, who if they had taken all their chances, would have beaten the so called stars on the Irish team 9 or 10-2!

Well after much googling (took ages) I made it four non-cypriot players.
After half time it was 5. Got my info from here:-

http://home.skysports.com/matchrepor...ional&cpid=235

here:-
http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer...174676679.html

And here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
(to look up the clubs).

**CollegeTillIDie** · 09/10/2006, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Well after much googling (took ages) I made it four non-cypriot players.
After half time it was 5. Got my info from here:-

http://home.skysports.com/matchrepor...ional&cpid=235

here:-
http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer...174676679.html

And here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
(to look up the clubs).

Should read NON CYPRIOT LEAGUE PLAYERS... obviously if they were Non Cypriot they wouldn't be bloody well playing for Cyprus now would they?

**tricky_colour** · 09/10/2006, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

Should read NON CYPRIOT LEAGUE PLAYERS... obviously if they were Non Cypriot they wouldn't be bloody well playing for Cyprus now would they?

Dunno maybe they used the grandmother rule

**OwlsFan** · 10/10/2006, 7:29 AM

How many players are playing in the EL that didn't make the grade in England ? A fair few I am afraid.

I have seen all this before in my years of following Irish soccer. When the team goes in to a spiral, the call is made to play LoI players. Like all the leagues in the smaller countries in Europe (Norway, Denmark, Holland, Scotland, Sweden etc etc), the better players eventually go to the leagues in the bigger countries in Europe. So has it been. So shall it always be.

**Soper** · 10/10/2006, 2:54 PM

You fail to take into consideration that maybe the players that failed in Britain could have improved by playing professional and first team football as well as European games.Also, the fact that the league has improved, player wise.