Ireland vs. Ecuador

**Jerry The Saint** · 24/05/2007, 10:51 AM

Interesting stat that 5 of the 17 players used last night are playing, or have played, for eircom League clubs. Also O'Halloran and Stokes were attached to Cobh and Shels youth sides.

Republic of Ireland:

Colin Doyle (Birmingham City);
Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City), Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Alan Bennett (Reading), Stephen O�Halloran (Aston Villa) (Joe O�Cearuill Arsenal 73);
Andy Keogh (Wolves) (Joe Gamble, Cork City 69), Darren Potter (Wolves), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic) (Stephen Gleeson, Wolves 79), Stephen Hunt (Reading) (Anthony Stokes, Sunderland 69);
Kevin Doyle (Reading)(Shane Long, Reading 60), Daryl Murphy (Sunderland) (Joe Lapira Notre Dame Uni 85).

Stephen Quinn and Jonathan Douglas would have been called up if available and then you have Crowe and Byrne who have played in recent years and B international O'Donovan.

It's not an overwhelming number but it is a good sign of things starting to change (even allowing for the severely weakened squad). For almost 20 years there were only a handful of players in the Ireland squad with experience of playing in our own league (Paul McGrath, Roy Keane, Curtis Fleming, ???). I know a lot of people would prefer to have more current LOI players in the squad but the biggest problem, IMO, has been the lack of any connection between the league and national team. Hopefully we are starting to realise that it's not in our best interests to farm our best young prospects over to England and rely on their clubs to develop our future internationals.

**dcfcsteve** · 24/05/2007, 10:55 AM

I was pleased to see Gamble get a decent run out, and he certainly didn't look out of his depth.

An entertaining game - even if I am knackered today as a result of watching it !!

**Dodge** · 24/05/2007, 10:56 AM

It'd be nice to think that way Jerry but I honestly don't believe the FAI hierarchy actually think that way. I agree 100% that the FAI's dismissal of the league and the failure to connect the league to the national side are major points in the public's view of the LOI.

**GavinZac** · 24/05/2007, 10:56 AM

If we throw in ifs-and-buts, colin doyle was supposed to sign for Cork City but was refused by FIFA (a sort of prequel to the Healy/Farrelly situation), and if roy o'donovan rather than joe 'frat boy' lapira was the one with dual nationality he'd have called him up.

all in all, very encouraging. seeing benno and gamble playing for ireland together was bizarre - both of their last senior games were for Cork City. ridiculous situation that apparently a couple of months in reading reserves turned bennett into an international player! he was as good, if not better for the benefit of competitive games, 12 months ago.

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

I was pleased to see Gamble get a decent run out, and he certainly didn't look out of his depth.

the neighbours would've been woken up if he hadnt been hacked down through on goal!

garyderry · 24/05/2007, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

I was pleased to see Gamble get a decent run out, and he certainly didn't look out of his depth.

An entertaining game - even if I am knackered today as a result of watching it !!

Yeah I know the feeling Steve,

I enjoyed it a lot more than the competitive games, most of the players actually wanted the ball and wanted to play, good sign's for the future, with the likes of potter doing very well.

**Dodge** · 24/05/2007, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

If we throw in ifs-and-buts, colin doyle was supposed to sign for Cork City but was refused by FIFA (a sort of prequel to the Healy/Farrelly situation), and if roy o'donovan rather than joe 'frat boy' lapira was the one with dual nationality he'd have called him up.

Its more to do with not flying him around the world

ridiculous situation that apparently a couple of months in reading reserves turned bennett into an international player! he was as good, if not better for the benefit of competitive games, 12 months ago.

In fairness he was probably 8th choice centre half then too

**michaelguineys** · 24/05/2007, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

Interesting stat that 5 of the 17 players used last night are playing, or have played, for eircom League clubs.

R

What's even more interesting is that 4 out of that 5 are all current or ex Cork City players.
There was 4 of City's 2005 League winning team on the pitch last night.
If only we had hung onto them!!
But still, a very proud day for everyone involved in Cork City FC

**BohsPartisan** · 24/05/2007, 11:11 AM

Just shows the class that exists at the top end of our game here.

**Dodge** · 24/05/2007, 11:12 AM

You can't be claiming Long as part of that league winning squad!?! Even Doyle is stretching it as he played so little of it

Good luck to all of them

**Steve Bruce** · 24/05/2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Just shows the class that exists at the top end of our game here.

Well yes and no.

Yes - You have produced some quality players and have transfered to England/Scotland.

No - Because they are not in your league any more so the quality has moved from your league to another.

But the encouraging thing is, the top end of the LOI is now attracting clubs of higher importance and size to come over and have a look at what the local game has to offer.

And it is also having a knock on effect towards Irish League football in Northern Ireland to. Ipswich supposidly after Mannus of Linfield, Celtic after McCallister of Dungannon, Teams after Scullian of Dungannon to. There are more players rumoured to be being watch as well but cannot think off hand to who they are as i cannot access Irishleagueforums from work.

It's always good to see ex local players play on the international scene.

**michaelguineys** · 24/05/2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You can't be claiming Long as part of that league winning squad!?! Even Doyle is stretching it as he played so little of it

Good luck to all of them

Long was officially part of the squad then.
As for Doyle, you having a laugh???
Doyler played for nearly half the season and had something like 7 or 8 goals??
He even came back last year to receive his medal so how can you say he is stretching it???

**GavinZac** · 24/05/2007, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You can't be claiming Long as part of that league winning squad!?! Even Doyle is stretching it as he played so little of it

Good luck to all of them

Doyle played a full third of the season and was one of our top scorers and one of the league's top scorers. long couldn't get a game - he was behind doyle, o'flynn, o'donovan and capped-at-every-underage-level Denis Behan.

so yeah, if coaches in irish youth leagues start pointing to the international team and showing that playing in ireland can lead to an international career,it'll be good for the league and whats good for the league is good for the international team.

**GavinZac** · 24/05/2007, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

But the encouraging thing is, the top end of the LOI is now attracting clubs of higher importance and size to come over and have a look at what the local game has to offer.

It's always good to see ex local players play on the international scene.

ah that trademark linfield dearth of ambition. refreshing to see it out in the cold light of day when the man who molested ye was capped last night!

**Steve Bruce** · 24/05/2007, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

ah that trademark linfield dearth of ambition. refreshing to see it out in the cold light of day when the man who molested ye was capped last night!

Do I need to go through the Linfield squad of internationals

And Northern Ireland are on par with the Republic at the moment internationally according to rankings. Or in real terms we are actually better as we have been beating teams like Sweden, Spain and England in recent times.

**OneRedArmy** · 24/05/2007, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Do I need to go through the Linfield squad of internationals

And Northern Ireland are on par with the Republic at the moment internationally according to rankings. Or in real terms we are actually better as we have been beating teams like Sweden, Spain and England in recent times.

Its all a bit try hard Steve.

You're like a child begging the parents for affection.