Ireland 0-0 Germany- Post game thread

**eirebhoy** · 15/10/2007, 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

He's been playing shockingly for ireland for the past 10 to 15 games and there hasn't even been a consideration to drop him. If any other striker went through the form he has, there's no doubt he'd be dropped and rightly so.

I agree. I just don't understand people getting annoyed at Keane. He doesn't choose to play badly.

**paul_oshea** · 15/10/2007, 9:35 AM

I agree. I just don't understand people getting annoyed at Keane. He doesn't choose to play badly.

someone just pointed out to me, he doesnt do it on purpose, he just isn't good enough, simple as that.

**OwlsFan** · 15/10/2007, 9:36 AM

Originally Posted by mackannovic

Thats where Stan has to come in and stop him doing this. Keane is a stupid footballer who needs clear instruction, otherwise you get what Ireland have had for the past 4 years, a headless chicken playing all over the place doing nothing effective.

So who else got a scoring opportunity for Ireland? Doyle? A "headless chicken" doesn't get in to the right spot or make the right run to be in a position to score a goal. Keane was the only one on Saturday who looked like scoring (apart from the Shane Long effort). He missed his two opportunities which strikers frquently do but at least he was in the right spot. He turns out for his country evey time. Never has feigned an injury and works hard whenever he puts on the green jersey. "A stupid footballer" who is our leading scorer.

Some people make me laugh they are so myopic.

**onceahoop** · 15/10/2007, 9:42 AM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...s-1166786.html

Sums it up really.

**Hibs4Ever** · 15/10/2007, 9:42 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

someone just pointed out to me, he doesnt do it on purpose, he just isn't good enough, simple as that.

I think his form when playing for Spurs shows he IS good enough

**mackannovic** · 15/10/2007, 9:42 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Do you think Keane should drop out of the team himself? What are you annoyed at him for? He didn't purposely miss.

This is possibly the worst case for Robbie Keane I have ever heard. True, he didn't purposely miss but in the same way Gary Doherty isn't purposely a insult to the term "Professional".

**youngirish** · 15/10/2007, 9:44 AM

Apparently McGeady had a great 10 minutes (this is very debatable I'd say he was decent but hardly brilliant) so Staunton was a fool not to have started him. Some of the reactionist rubbish spouted on here makes me laugh.

Yes McGeady was ok for 10 minutes in a meaningless match which in fairness before a ball had been kicked we had by any realistic assessment already failed to qualify. Let's all just conveniently forget he was absolutely dire in all 4, yes 4 of his previous starts in the competitive games in this group. He even managed to make JOS look good in the last 2 games. Rubbish player. Never going to be near consistently good enough for International football.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/10/2007, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

He's been playing shockingly for ireland for the past 10 to 15 games and there hasn't even been a consideration to drop him.

Funny, I remember him scoring twice in Denmark.

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

If any other striker went through the form he has, there's no doubt he'd be dropped and rightly so.

Every other striker we have is going through the same form as Robbie. Doyle has scored as many in the last year as Robbie, and noone is calling for him to be dropped?
I didn't think taking off Doyle on saturday was the right decision, but Long did more in the 20 minutes he was on, than Doyle did for the rest of the game.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/10/2007, 9:49 AM

Independent's review of the game and match ratings: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...s-1166786.html

Think the ratings are a little harsh, especially Dunnes:

Richard Dunne: An imposing presence against an admittedly diffident offensive threat, was always on hand to disrupt nascent German attacks before they seriously threatened his goal. Loses kudos for dumb booking and consequent ban. 6

Man Of The Match
Andy Reid deserved his award although for me Finnan, Dunne and O'Brien were immense with Kelly, Carsley and Kilbane not far behind.

**grounded** · 15/10/2007, 9:53 AM

I forgot to buy one of those Ireland - Germany scarves. Does anyone know where I could still get one? Thanks!

**gustavo** · 15/10/2007, 9:59 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

someone just pointed out to me, he doesnt do it on purpose, he just isn't good enough, simple as that.

If Keane isnt good enough for us I dont know who is

**eirebhoy** · 15/10/2007, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by mackannovic

This is possibly the worst case for Robbie Keane I have ever heard. True, he didn't purposely miss but in the same way Gary Doherty isn't purposely a insult to the term "Professional".

The only thing I've been arguing in this thread is about the abuse Robbie Keane gets. Abuse players for being lazy, abuse players for not following instructions, don't abuse players for not being good enough. It's the one thing I can't stand at football games. Shouting at players for misplacing a pass or making a mistake.

**lionelhutz** · 15/10/2007, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

McGeady would have most likely been rubbish if he started. Dropping him to the bench was the best thing to do. It released the pressure. I know the mind of a confidence player inside out.

He knows a lot of the fans think he's rubbish. When the manager still picks you when you don't deserve to be picked it does no good.

Maybe this is what is happening to robbie keane at the moment

**lionelhutz** · 15/10/2007, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Funny, I remember him scoring twice in Denmark.

Every other striker we have is going through the same form as Robbie. Doyle has scored as many in the last year as Robbie, and noone is calling for him to be dropped?
I didn't think taking off Doyle on saturday was the right decision, but Long did more in the 20 minutes he was on, than Doyle did for the rest of the game.

Are you seriously putting 2 goals in a glorified training session as a case for the defence of keanes form?? Are you actually for real?

Doyle scored 2 vital goals - at the time - in qualifying games and contributes so much more to the team than keane - he holds the ball up excellently, wins the ball in the air, etc.

**mackannovic** · 15/10/2007, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

So who else got a scoring opportunity for Ireland? Doyle? A "headless chicken" doesn't get in to the right spot or make the right run to be in a position to score a goal. Keane was the only one on Saturday who looked like scoring (apart from the Shane Long effort). He missed his two opportunities which strikers frquently do but at least he was in the right spot.

He had two chances on Saturday over the course of the game. The first his first-touch let him down and he brought the ball too wide, and the second he made a complete mess of. Whats the use in getting into these positions if you aren't gonna score?? Whens the last competitive goal he scored against significant opposition?? His record post 2002 is pretty poor for Ireland. He's constantly coming far too deep to recieve the ball, at one point during the game teh other night he was right back on the edge of our own box. While it may look like hard work he then leaves Kevin Doyle isolated up front. I don't want to get into tactics but in my opinion he does a lot of running but with very little end product.

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

He turns out for his country evey time. Never has feigned an injury and works hard whenever he puts on the green jersey. "A stupid footballer" who is our leading scorer.

1. Because he's never dropped no matter how poor he plays.
2. What has feigning an injury got to do with Robbie Keane not playing well for Ireland.
3. I can't stand this cop-out of players working hard. That should be a given, you're praising him for something thats expected.
4. Yes, a stupid footballer who continues to do make stupid decisions on the pitch.
5. Its some international scoring record when David Healy a championship level player has scored more goals than you.

**mackannovic** · 15/10/2007, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

The only thing I've been arguing in this thread is about the abuse Robbie Keane gets. Abuse players for being lazy, abuse players for not following instructions, don't abuse players for not being good enough. It's the one thing I can't stand at football games. Shouting at players for misplacing a pass or making a mistake.

The most annoying thing about Keane is that people are aware of what he's capable of but he just hasn't performed. Perhaps because at Spurs he knows that he has to perform or he doesn't play, he doesn't have that pressure playing for Ireland because the previous three managers haven't had the balls to make the decision. It looks as though he approaches internationals without the conviction he has at Spurs.

**dr_peepee** · 15/10/2007, 10:52 AM

Stan getting booed at half time...

Haven't heard anyone booed as bad since Chris Doran at Lansdowne a couple of years ago. heh heh..

Sad state of afairs I know, but fans have no medium now to the FAI and the team so this is their only vent!

**tetsujin1979** · 15/10/2007, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

Are you seriously putting 2 goals in a glorified training session as a case for the defence of keanes form?? Are you actually for real?

I'm saying his form isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. to say he hasn't played well in over 15 games is a massive sweeping statement, considering he's scored 6 goals in those game

**hunt4the** · 15/10/2007, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by mattie

I have spent a long time looking at threads on this site and wondering whether i should post and tonight spurred me into posting.

First of all I would like to acknowledge a player who is constantly slated on this forum. Robbie Keane was brilliant tonight. He missed a few chances, but any player who has played up front at any level will recognise that the work he did tonight was unbelievable.

A lot of people have made reference to the fact that he seems to play better for Tottenham than he does for Ireland but I believe that if you look at the guy on the park he puts in as much effort than I've ever seen anyone put in for Ireland.

Another man whot is regualarly made fun of is Steve Staunton!

I'm sick of looking at the telly/radio/forums and regularly hearing so-called experts/fans dismiss his contribution to our national team.

When Brian Kerr took charge of Ireland I was delighted. I thought, "Here is a guy who understands our game, who has grown up in Ireland with the league as it is here, and who knows how it is to be a supporter of Irish football."

I feel Staunton has learned from the mistakes of Kerr. He has brought players into the team who would never have got a look in under any other manager. These players have a loyalty to the manager who gave them their first cap. Look a Keogh tonight. He didn't use the ball well at all times but when we were with or without the ball, he showed that he had a desire to play well for team and manager.. for country.

I also want to praise the contribution O' Brien made tonight. Coming into the side and distributing the ball excellently as well as playing well positionally (and this is not an easy thing to do) was a welcome sight for me. This man really stepped up to the plate.

The performance of Andy Reid will be talked about by one and all. This fella should start every international for us.

here here absolutely spot on,
the abuse robbie gets is just pure irish he's our best striker fact and has been for years, sure he missed one or two chances tonight but i couldnt see anyone else getting into decent scoring positions.

**hunt4the** · 15/10/2007, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Apparently McGeady had a great 10 minutes (this is very debatable I'd say he was decent but hardly brilliant) so Staunton was a fool not to have started him. Some of the reactionist rubbish spouted on here makes me laugh.

Yes McGeady was ok for 10 minutes in a meaningless match which in fairness before a ball had been kicked we had by any realistic assessment already failed to qualify. Let's all just conveniently forget he was absolutely dire in all 4, yes 4 of his previous starts in the competitive games in this group. He even managed to make JOS look good in the last 2 games. Rubbish player. Never going to be near consistently good enough for International football.

a lot of people said the same of duffer when mick first threw him in,
and the two players are so similar in style, another 2 years and he could be a class act, just nothing's really working for him at the moment,
I wouldnt hang him just yet