Stan says NO to only championship players with 10+ goals

**Stuttgart88** · 11/05/2007, 9:46 PM

Originally Posted by zinedineontour

Better goal ratio than the much lauded david nugent.

That's a fair point.

Connolly suffers from being (a) incompatible with the superior Keane - look at eirebhoy's stats for proof and I'm not one too cite stats in the ordinary course, (b) not having the benefit of youth on his side.

Connolly is undoubtedly one of our better forwards (somewhere from 4th or 5th downwards) but I think any credible international manager would be correct to fill the later squad places with a look to the future rather than loading the squad with the very best available at any given time.

Also, you've got to assume that Connolly's success at Sunderland is down to the fact that, by and large, Sunderland have superior players or a superior team to their opponents and his goal output benefits as a result. Sure, you've got to give him credit, but in Ireland's case we struggle in midfield and find it hard to dominate even inferior teams, hence the value of real quality up front. We just about have that in Keane & Doyle and may well have it in the near future with the exciting emerging talent.

But given our lack of quality midfielders to get a grip on a game, and an abundantly obvious lack of physical stature in the team, I really can't see Connolly being the answer.

In Jack's era, with a dominant midfield and physical stature throughout the team, Connolly's predatory abilities may have been more appropriate, but not now in my opinion.

**Stuttgart88** · 11/05/2007, 9:50 PM

Also, for anyone saying 10 (or a bit more) goals in the Chamionship is great, bear in mind there are 46 games against 38 in the Premiership. Is a goal in one in every 4.6 games in England's second tier really worth getting excited about? Youth can be excepted in this context for obvious reasons.

**kingdom hoop** · 11/05/2007, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

That's a fair point.

Connolly suffers from being (a) incompatible with the superior Keane - look at eirebhoy's stats for proof and I'm not one too cite stats in the ordinary course, (b) not having the benefit of youth on his side.

Connolly is undoubtedly one of our better forwards (somewhere from 4th or 5th downwards) but I think any credible international manager would be correct to fill the later squad places with a look to the future rather than loading the squad with the very best available at any given time.

Also, you've got to assume that Connolly's success at Sunderland is down to the fact that, by and large, Sunderland have superior players or a superior team to their opponents and his goal output benefits as a result. Sure, you've got to give him credit, but in Ireland's case we struggle in midfield and find it hard to dominate even inferior teams, hence the value of real quality up front. We just about have that in Keane & Doyle and may well have it in the near future with the exciting emerging talent.

But given our lack of quality midfielders to get a grip on a game, and an abundantly obvious lack of physical stature in the team, I really can't see Connolly being the answer.

In Jack's era, with a dominant midfield and physical stature throughout the team, Connolly's predatory abilities may have been more appropriate, but not now in my opinion.

Good post there Stutts. A rock of sense. I would be one of the defenders (bit oxymoronic but there ya go!) of Connolly but that post puts my mind at rest.

**theworm2345** · 12/05/2007, 3:47 AM

Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

Good post there Stutts. A rock of sense. I would be one of the defenders (bit oxymoronic but there ya go!) of Connolly but that post puts my mind at rest.

Not me, if Keane's out (as he is) Connolly is, in my mind, the best replacement for him just because they do play alike and when he gets the chances he will score (as he has done wherever he has played (Wigan he was hurt so we can't count that))

**livehead1** · 12/05/2007, 9:23 AM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

Not me, if Keane's out (as he is) Connolly is, in my mind, the best replacement for him just because they do play alike and when he gets the chances he will score (as he has done wherever he has played (Wigan he was hurt so we can't count that))

cop yaself on. jewell would have saw more than enough of connolly on the training ground to be able to judge for himself whether he was capable of playing in the premiership...he sold him at the first available oppurtunity

**theworm2345** · 12/05/2007, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by livehead1

cop yaself on. jewell would have saw more than enough of connolly on the training ground to be able to judge for himself whether he was capable of playing in the premiership...he sold him at the first available oppurtunity

Once again...

Originally Posted by ME

...he was not so much released by Wigan so much as that Keane wanted him at Sunderland and he wanted to go there (as he and Keane I assume are friend being that Connolly and Breen were the one who supported him during Saipan). He still had 2 years left on his Wigan contract and perhaps would have kept them out of relegation this year (who knows?)

I believe Connolly was 3rd choice striker there and he played 75 minutes against Arsenal in his last game there after Camara hurt himself (where I think he set up a goal, can't remember). Wigan have the 4th worst Goal Difference in the EPL, maybe because they don't have any real strikers besides Heskey and Camara (and Aghahowa, who doesn't seem to play that much...and neither does Folan perhaps because he was hurt though he is no longer hurt)

**kingdom hoop** · 12/05/2007, 3:17 PM

Originally Posted by livehead1

cop yaself on. jewell would have saw more than enough of connolly on the training ground to be able to judge for himself whether he was capable of playing in the premiership...he sold him at the first available oppurtunity

It was the last day of the August transfer window that he was sold, and then Jewell rushed out and bought Wales' David Cotterill to replace him suggesting that Wigan didn't deem him entirely surplus to requirements. Maybe it was the first available opportunity to sell him but one would imagine it was because Connolly wanted to leave rather than Jewell forcing him out.

If Connolly starts the season well I'd have him in the squad for Czech/Slovakia. I reckon Stan hasn't dismissed him from consideration, he would know what Connolly is like from playing with him over the years but wants to have a look at the emerging talent in the US.

**theworm2345** · 12/05/2007, 4:27 PM

Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

It was the last day of the August transfer window that he was sold, and then Jewell rushed out and bought Wales' David Cotterill to replace him suggesting that Wigan didn't deem him entirely surplus to requirements. Maybe it was the first available opportunity to sell him but one would imagine it was because Connolly wanted to leave rather than Jewell forcing him out.

If Connolly starts the season well I'd have him in the squad for Czech/Slovakia. I reckon Stan hasn't dismissed him from consideration, he would know what Connolly is like from playing with him over the years but wants to have a look at the emerging talent in the US.

I just dug this up
http://www.wiganlatics.premiumtv.co....877999,00.html

reder · 15/05/2007, 6:03 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I believe this means when Roy Keane buys in replacements for Connolly & others they won't be in the squad either.

No they wont. Perhaps im mistaken but I cant really think of the PL strikers which are available for him to buy which are also elligible to play for Ireland.

Personally, I dont think Keane can afford or will do a massive striker clean out at Sunderland. He may be able to afford one decent PL standard striker but also needs to invest in other areas around the pitch. The bulk of that squad are nowhere near good enough to keep Sunderland in the PL.