Irish Team to face Czechs Announced

[carloz]

Is Hunt being punished for going to America with an injury??? Hell i think he deserves praise for going to what was a pretty pointless end of season tournamnet. He would have played a hell of a lot of games that season too. Nice to see him going with a knock when you had certain players pulling our for family reason i.e. they had booked the holiday to Portugal

[geysir]

All the nonsense predates Hunt starting against Denmark where he played POORLY. McGeady played very good.
McGeady was given a vote of confidence to start in the team.
A vote of confidence means, ye played crap but we still believe in you.

A vote of confidence does not mean ye played crap so feck off back to the bench.

I´m all for stability, I hope McGeady plays a stormer.
And Hunt comes on as a sub with 20 minutes playing time.

[shakermaker1982]

I just wish we introduced Hunt on Saturday. Ignoring Stan's team selection I'd move Killer to LB and have Hunt on left wing. O'Shea and Kelly can toss a coin for the right back spot.

[paul_oshea]

All the nonsense predates Hunt starting against Denmark where he played POORLY. McGeady played very good.
McGeady was given a vote of confidence to start in the team.
A vote of confidence means, ye played crap but we still believe in you.

A vote of confidence does not mean ye played crap so feck off back to the bench.

I´m all for stability, I hope McGeady plays a stormer.
And Hunt comes on as a sub with 20 minutes playing time.

Great rational post, this is what I am hoping for too, as i cnat see mcgeady playing in the last 20 mins unless searching for a goal. Unfortunately this is waht I hoped the last day too, but then on came douglas and murphy.......I almost think staunton thought we had it won and was giving murphy the chance to get international competitive action

[tricky_colour]

Also im fairly sure Geary isnt a regular starter for Sheffield united so we certainly should look past that

He was voted fans favourite for August.

http://www.scotland-mad.co.uk/news/l...601&teamno=463

MOTM

http://www.scotland-mad.co.uk/news/l...594&teamno=463


Incidentally, Derek Geary was named fans favourite during the 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane last weekend.


http://www.scotland-mad.co.uk/news/l...862&teamno=463

Sheffield United defending duo Chris Morgan and Derek Geary were named in the Championship Team of the Week; as named by the Football League.

MOTM v Colchester
http://www.sheffutd.vitalfootball.co...le.asp?a=78741

So two MOTM awards and a POTM award for Geary. Now let me check through the news for Stephen Kelly.....tap.. tap.. tap..ah now their is a ssurprise - absolutely nothing.

Now which one will big Stan pick? The man in form or the one who had done f**k all. Well I think you know the answer to that one.


He was first choice most of last season and has played 3 out of 4 this season (MOTM twice and third choice in the other IIRC), he must be first name on the team sheet.

[backstothewall]

I don't agree with the Hunt or McGeady debate. I would rather start the Hunt AND McGeady debate. McGeady is naturally right footed and as far as i know, the right wing is his prefered position. I certainly remember him causing problems there when he came on against the dutch, all be it that we were 4-0 down by then.

[DeNiro]

Why would he name the team so early? Managers used to always play cat and mouse with each other until an hour or so before kick off. Is this more naivety? God only knows if it's a stunt and he changes something before kick off to throw the Czechs off. He did say he was going to make a few changes, so what has he found out since Sunday that stopped him? He admitted the pitch was sapping and the players tired. It looks rather odd to me.

[finnpark]

Ireland are 5/1 with Totesport

That is an incredible price. When these teams last met Ireland were a lot poorer and the Czechs have seemed to have gotten worse if anything. I think Ireland will beat the Czechs tonight as the Czechs like Ireland are rubbish. In fact this is a really rubbish group.

Ireland to win and Staunton will keep his job

[Morbo]

The Czechs are no great shakes but they are at home and even if we go up a goal, I can't see us holding onto it unless we score in the last minute. 1-1 draw is my prediction

[Supreme feet]

F**k it. Come on Ireland. Head says it'll be a nervous draw between two out-of-form teams. Heart says that we'll be the only team on the pitch who gives a f**k about qualification. We give out about our players underperforming and not caring about the jersey - what about the Czechs? They were rubbish in Lansdowne and without Koller, who do they have? Nedved? Retired. Rosicky? Lightweight. Baros? Headless. Galasek? About 104 years old. Plasil?!

We've every chance. They're not Barcelona. They're not Brazil. What happened in Bratislava was typical bad luck, see Brussels 83, Turkey/Lineker 91, Skopje 99. No-one is to blame, but everyone likes a scapegoat (even me, in the heat of the moment). Everyone likes to think that they could do better. If we had survived the last minute in Bratislava, we would all be optimists, despite being in almost the same position that we now find ourselves.

I think we have better players than the Czechs. We should not be afraid. And this pessimistic knee-jerk stuff that I've read, about 'Irish football being crap', restructuring the youth system, dissolving the Eircom League, decrying the foreign players in the EPL; shouldn't be instigated by a toe-poke from a nobody Slovakian. I'd rather blame our current misfortune on the absence of a fully-fit Duff/Finnan/Steven Reid and the relative youth (naivety) of our more promising players. Lets not forget that Jack Charlton's results suffered badly in the face of injuries to key players. (eg, Spain in '93)

Lets not rule ourselves out... just yet. I won't believe that we're out until we drop more points in this group. It's still in our own hands. As for Staunton, I don't care who's in charge; the players take the final responsibility. We can still qualify. I don't like Staunton as a person, then again, I don't like Paul McCartney either. And what did he do, despite his lack of personality?

Come on Ireland!!!

[dr_peepee]

Harrumph!!!.....

We can do it!!

Andy Reid is gonna be key tonight.. Thing is you can't get ninety good minutes out of him and we've no replacement or alternative available on the bench so I hope he hits the ground running.

[billybunter]

F**k it. Come on Ireland. Head says it'll be a nervous draw between two out-of-form teams. Heart says that we'll be the only team on the pitch who gives a f**k about qualification. We give out about our players underperforming and not caring about the jersey - what about the Czechs? They were rubbish in Lansdowne and without Koller, who do they have? Nedved? Retired. Rosicky? Lightweight. Baros? Headless. Galasek? About 104 years old. Plasil?!

We've every chance. They're not Barcelona. They're not Brazil. What happened in Bratislava was typical bad luck, see Brussels 83, Turkey/Lineker 91, Skopje 99. No-one is to blame, but everyone likes a scapegoat (even me, in the heat of the moment). Everyone likes to think that they could do better. If we had survived the last minute in Bratislava, we would all be optimists, despite being in almost the same position that we now find ourselves.

I think we have better players than the Czechs. We should not be afraid. And this pessimistic knee-jerk stuff that I've read, about 'Irish football being crap', restructuring the youth system, dissolving the Eircom League, decrying the foreign players in the EPL; shouldn't be instigated by a toe-poke from a nobody Slovakian. I'd rather blame our current misfortune on the absence of a fully-fit Duff/Finnan/Steven Reid and the relative youth (naivety) of our more promising players. Lets not forget that Jack Charlton's results suffered badly in the face of injuries to key players. (eg, Spain in '93)

Lets not rule ourselves out... just yet. I won't believe that we're out until we drop more points in this group. It's still in our own hands. As for Staunton, I don't care who's in charge; the players take the final responsibility. We can still qualify. I don't like Staunton as a person, then again, I don't like Paul McCartney either. And what did he do, despite his lack of personality?

Come on Ireland!!!

i wasn't sold on staunton when he was appointed, but after having met the guy on 2 occassions (at a practice prior to wales game in croker) and at half time during ireland / bolivia game in Boston, he comes across as an absolute gentleman. He may not be 'guus hiddink" on the "astute manager"scale, but i can not say i dislike the guy. supremefeet - you are a true fan though. I share your optimism, i havent slept a fookin wink since saturday night, and have replayed every possible scenario in my mind as to what will happen tomorrow. i'm settling for the ireland 2-0 scenario, with Stan to get it right. hunt and Long coming on with half an hour to go, and a glorious night in prague (and Tampa!)

[boysingreen]

I'm with you two lads. There's 90 minutes to play against a team we can no doubt compete with. We have to believe, fight for every ball, take the game to the Czechs and take the chances when they come. We don't have Ronaldinho, but neither do they. One good run and McGeady beats his man or stretches the defense in the process, one great pass from Reid gives Robbie a chance. This is not a game plan, just a reminder that we're not hopeless. We have impact subs, and here's hoping they'll be utilized. The campaign is still in our hands despite plenty of blunders, who's to say we can't finally get it right. The team that wins tomorrow is the team that wants it the most on the day. That's why we'll all be watching, because we know it could be us.

[irishfan86]

I'm not sure if this has been responded to, but I have to address the wingback debate.

People criticizing Stan for playing Kelly and O'Shea "on their wrong wings."

Kelly is a right back, and O'Shea is a centre back who plays everywhere but centre back.

That said, Kelly has played at left back for Birmingham more than O'Shea has played left back for United this term, if that means anything to anybody.

As for Derek Geary, he is a right footed RIGHT BACK that is improvised as a left back at Sheffield United (and I think he's pretty good, if lacking a bit in the pace department).

We have no natural left back in the squad, only players who play their from time to time.

Kilbane is playing there now for Wigan, but has been sent off 2 out of his 4 starts.

He is way too clumsy to be a defender.

Kelly and O'Shea would be my choice to start at wingbacks, Kelly at left back, O'Shea at right.

Anybody genuinely upset over our wingback situation needs to give their heads a shake.

[Hibs4Ever]

F**k it. Come on Ireland. Head says it'll be a nervous draw between two out-of-form teams. Heart says that we'll be the only team on the pitch who gives a f**k about qualification. We give out about our players underperforming and not caring about the jersey - what about the Czechs? They were rubbish in Lansdowne and without Koller, who do they have? Nedved? Retired. Rosicky? Lightweight. Baros? Headless. Galasek? About 104 years old. Plasil?!

We've every chance. They're not Barcelona. They're not Brazil. What happened in Bratislava was typical bad luck, see Brussels 83, Turkey/Lineker 91, Skopje 99. No-one is to blame, but everyone likes a scapegoat (even me, in the heat of the moment). Everyone likes to think that they could do better. If we had survived the last minute in Bratislava, we would all be optimists, despite being in almost the same position that we now find ourselves.

I think we have better players than the Czechs. We should not be afraid. And this pessimistic knee-jerk stuff that I've read, about 'Irish football being crap', restructuring the youth system, dissolving the Eircom League, decrying the foreign players in the EPL; shouldn't be instigated by a toe-poke from a nobody Slovakian. I'd rather blame our current misfortune on the absence of a fully-fit Duff/Finnan/Steven Reid and the relative youth (naivety) of our more promising players. Lets not forget that Jack Charlton's results suffered badly in the face of injuries to key players. (eg, Spain in '93)

Lets not rule ourselves out... just yet. I won't believe that we're out until we drop more points in this group. It's still in our own hands. As for Staunton, I don't care who's in charge; the players take the final responsibility. We can still qualify. I don't like Staunton as a person, then again, I don't like Paul McCartney either. And what did he do, despite his lack of personality?

Come on Ireland!!!

"Rosicky? Lightweight" !!!


The guy is pure class, he is there main player and will cause us lots of problems tonight, no doubt about it

[shanman2]

Rosicky running at John O'Shea . . . .

OH Dear.... It will be a massacre..... O'Shea will kick lumps out of him

[paul_oshea]

'We have an understanding. He's got a tremendous left foot and he can see the pass not many other players can, so he is a big player for us.'

....said keane.

[paul_oshea]

i wasn't sold on staunton when he was appointed, but after having met the guy on 2 occassions (at a practice prior to wales game in croker) and at half time during ireland / bolivia game in Boston, he comes across as an absolute gentleman. He may not be 'guus hiddink" on the "astute manager"scale, but i can not say i dislike the guy. supremefeet - you are a true fan though. I share your optimism, i havent slept a fookin wink since saturday night, and have replayed every possible scenario in my mind as to what will happen tomorrow. i'm settling for the ireland 2-0 scenario, with Stan to get it right. hunt and Long coming on with half an hour to go, and a glorious night in prague (and Tampa!)

I had a dream....that keane scoreds a drop volley into the corner of the net tonight. I hope this one comes true.

[ifk101]

I had a dream....that keane scoreds a drop volley into the corner of the net tonight. I hope this one comes true.

... and hopefully that is the last kick of the ball in tonight's game. Otherwise they'll equalise.

[monutdfc]

OT Tuff Paddy, no apologies to Westlife necessary, they didn't write that song or record the original version they only covered it