I'm not fussed about O'Brien, especially as Duff is out. He's the kind of player whose pace may win you a free kick or whatever.
But Colgan. Again. Oh my God.
I'd be the first to say that Douglas was solid against the Czechs but he is a very limited player, has been injured for a while and is playing in the third tier of English football for a team that may well be relegated in the coming season. What do Glenn Whelan and Owen Garvan need to do to get called up? I'm finding it an increasingly worrying trend with Garvan as regards being snubbed by u19 u21 and senior squads - must be something very wrong there...
"Well I think they'll be a little disappointed with that" - Matt Holland on TV3 after 5-2 drubbing by Cyprus
I'm not fussed about O'Brien, especially as Duff is out. He's the kind of player whose pace may win you a free kick or whatever.
But Colgan. Again. Oh my God.
Why no Folan or Norris (or whatever his name is)? Staunton's great at talking about all these guys but never does anything about it. Not that I want him to, but it seems pointless. What is REALLY pointless is Douglas. He can't be serious with it surely. Then throws O'Brien in on top of it. I just wonder how much we would see of O'Brien if Devlin wasn't around. Anyone any info on how he's doing for Hibs?
'And Crouch must score'
is s reid still injured?
also i assume carsley is in the team for september? we are very light weight in midfield, that squard is real lightweight.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Republic of Ireland senior squad for friendly v Denmark in Aarhus, 22 August, 2007:
Goalkeepers:
Nick Colgan, Colin Doyle, Wayne Henderson.
Defenders:
Stephen Carr, Richard Dunne, Steve Finnan, Stephen Kelly, Paul McShane, John O'Shea.
Midfielders:
Jonathon Douglas, Stephen Hunt, Stephen Ireland, Kevin Kilbane, Aiden McGeady, Alan O'Brien, Darren Potter, Andy Reid.
Strikers:
Kevin Doyle, Stephen Elliot, Robbie Keane, Andy Keogh, Shane Long, Daryl Murphy.
BTW hunty had a great game yesterday from what i read and watchin the last few mins he was still full of running.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Wsa it Staunton who bigged up Norris, or was it the press doing a feature on Norris? I can't remember.
I think O'Brien has made a couple of sub appearances. He got injured late pre-season so wasn't expected to start for Hibs.
Douglas I can take or leave. Remember, here's a guy who played well against the Czechs and started against Wales. In hindsight, I wish he'd started in Cyprus.
For me Colgan is the really daft one. Why not bring Joe Murphy along? He can't argue that the keepers need experience among them for a friendly. Surely Alan Kelly can provide all that.
On the positive side, at least young guys like Murphy, Keogh, Long, Kelly, the 2 keepers and Potter are beginning to make an impact in the squad, and McGeady is now a core squad member. Now, and only now, is Staunton's Ireland beginning to look like the transitional squad he's claimed it was all along. Exciting times ahead hopefully. Even Tuff Paddy thinks so!
I'm hoping against hope that Liam Miller will take his (last) chance to prove himself capable at playing at a high level consistently.
Why isn't Liam Miller in the squad? Has changed the game for Sunderland in their first 2 games.
good posts stuts ( as always ), sometimes when i read these squads I honestly beleive that staunton reads stuff off hear or on the papers and then decides to pick a player. He honestly doesn't seem to know about irish players plying their trade in the first division. What does he do for 320 days of the year? He should be flying over checking out games in div 1 and the premiership ( along with EL games obviously) instead of relying on his "sources", whatever, whereever and whoever they are.
I do think we are seeing consistency though, and a lot more so than kerr we are seeing a squad and team that WE the supporters would pick also. That really is a good thing, and shows that stauntons has got a strong idea of his team.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Noely, it could be an overhang from pulling out of the US trip for "family reasons" (holiday?) when if anyone needed to prove himself and make the effort it was him.
From the highlights, Hunt appeared to play very well. Didn't allow the Chelsea hecklers phase him one iota. I think it spurred him on and that's the sort of character you want in a squad.
Without Duff, he could be crucial in September in running with the ball and taking pressure away from the defence.
In the qualifiers, a willingness to have a go at the Slovaks/Czechs to a certain degree will have a huge bearing on how we do.
Noone wants to face the prospect of another Croatia away.![]()
Quoting years at random since 1975
I don't think Nick Colgan, Jonathon Douglas and Alan O'Brien should be in the squad. They're not good enough and there're better options available.
I'd also question the wisdom of including 6 strikers in the squad.
There's only 6 defenders in the squad and 4 of them are full-backs. Granted JOSH can play centre-half but surely in a friendly Stan should be looking for back-up players in defence. What happens if both Dunne and McShane get injured?
I'm worried about Finnan in the left-back position. IMO the only chances Slovakia had against us stemmed from Finnan favouring his right foot to clear the ball. The is a big problem area for me but it doesn't seem to be of concern to Stan.
Based on the Wales and Slovakia games we look a decent team with a 4-5-1 formation and I'd like Stan to continue with this formation with the two important games coming up. However looking at the squad he has picked, it's certain he'll revert to 4-4-2 formation for the Denmark game.
I agree with alan o'brien big time,Think O'Halloran should be in ahead of him, our defence has no left leg there, and isn't potter there on the same credentials as Halloran very good USA tour and all. Halloran had a very good pre season, is in Villas squad for all games, surely he should be there.
COBH RAMBLERS FIRST DIV CHAMPS 2007
http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/GameDayDetails fantastic website by tetsujin1979
Carsley obviously doesn't do friendlies anymore
Agree with Stokes omission. Saw him in the Sunderland game in Cork. He has a bigger mouth than the River Lee. Constantly arguing.
O'Halloran omission is dissapointing. Especially since McDonald is working at Villa. He obviously doesn't have the same influence as Devlin does
Potter should start. We need someone younger in the Carsley mould that will be able to protect the vagaries of Stephen Ireland's play and defensive work.
It is a squad in transition, but one with potential. Team for game as
Colin Doyle
Steve Finnan, Richard Dunne, Paul McShane, Stephen Kelly,
Stephen Hunt, Stephen Ireland, Darren Potter, Andy Reid.
Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane,
Last edited by DeNiro; 16/08/2007 at 1:07 PM.
'And Crouch must score'
COBH RAMBLERS FIRST DIV CHAMPS 2007
http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/GameDayDetails fantastic website by tetsujin1979
I see Johnathan Douglas a lower league journeyman playing for League 1's Leeds gets into the squad again instead of Championship regulars Chris McCann and more worryingly Owen Garvan. Also Alan O'Brien instead of Jay Tabb? Where's Leon Best when Staunton is building for the future and trying to get those players to commit to us that are not Irish by birth?
The hamster spinning that wheel in du gafur's head mustn't have got beyond a slow jog again.
Last edited by youngirish; 16/08/2007 at 1:27 PM.
it's not that I disagree with your substantive issue -but "Lower League Journeyman"? He's had two clubs. Blackburn and Leeds United.
Mythology. There's no "building for the future" in international football no matter what Stan says ...it's a fig leaf for his fcuk ups.
" I wish to God that someone would be able to block out the voices in my head for five minutes, the voices that scream, over and over again: "Why do they come to me to die?"
This squad glaringly shows the stupidty of Staunton in my mind. What can be gained from including Carr, nothing. He has been a disgrace for club and country for the past two years. Surely O'Halloran played his way into the squad after America. Dont even get me started on O'Brien. And 6 strikers!!! Garvan has obviously upset the FAI somehow and Staunton being the model employee that he is will not go near him. IMO Staunton seems to get the all the simple things wrong.
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