The Irish Squad and Player Pool

**4tothefloor** · 15/10/2007, 1:07 AM

GK: Shay Given, Colin Doyle, Wayne Henderson
Reserves: Nicky Colgan, Darren Randolph, Shane Supple, Paddy Kenny

Def: Steve Finnan, Steven Carr, Kevin Kilbane, Steven Kelly, Richard Dunne, Paul McShane, John O'Shea, Joey O'Brien
Reserves: Andy O'Brien, Darren O'Dea, Alex Bruce, Paddy McCarthy, Ian Harte, Derek Geary, Alan Bennett, Alan Maybury, Colin Hawkins

Mid: Lee Carsley, Steven Reid, Andy Reid, Liam Miller, Steven Ireland, Damien Duff, Stephen Hunt, Aidan McGeady, Darren Potter
Reserves: Owen Garvan, Stephen McPhail, Alan Quinn, Stephen Quinn, Jonathon Douglas, Darren Gibson, Alan O'Brien, Wes Hoolahan, Michael Doyle, Jay Tabb, Kevin Thornton, Glenn Whelan, Joe Gamble

Fwr: Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Anthony Stokes, Andy Keogh
Reserves: Steven Elliott, Daryl Murphy, Alan Lee, Clinton Morrison, David Connolly, Billy Clarke, Stephen Ward, Roy O'Donovan

Based on a 25 man squad, in bold is my first choice squad with the reserves and rest of the player pool underneath.

Considering the disaster that this campaign has been, and looking at how distinctly average squads like Scotland, Northern Ireland, Croatia and Sweden continue to achieve results, and not just results but results against stronger/seeded opposition, the question has to be asked 'what are we doing wrong'? We have a better squad and players than N. Ireland and Scotland. Scotland have the likes of Lee McCulloch, James McFadden, Darren Fletcher and Kenny Miller as their key players - we have better players in all those positions. I won't even start with Northern Ireland.....We're generally on a par with Sweden and Croatia.

Yet we can't get results and struggled badly in a relatively poor and dare I say it, easy group. We all know Staunton is a plonker and should not be anywhere near the job, but it's just criminal that we're performing the way we are. Saying the players aren't there is a load of s**te. They are there. Of the players in bold 20 are premiership players with 16 being 1st team starters at their clubs. The other four - John O'Shea, Shane Long and Anthony Stokes feature regularly for their clubs, as will Joey O'Brien now that he is fit again. Of the remaining five members - Andy Reid, Andy Keogh and Darren Potter are all 1st team starters in the championship and Aidan McGeady is a regular with Celtic. The players are there, it'd just be great if Staunton could pick a proper squad and stop the messing

I just have a bad feeling about the next 2 years, Staunton is not the man to do the job correctly. We have a great bunch of young players coming through, but I think Staunton could ruin the whole thing with his eccentric squad selections.......

Should we be hoping for bad results in our next two games in the hope that Staunton will be sacked, for the good of our longterm future? Thoughts?

**theworm2345** · 15/10/2007, 2:02 AM

You know you're going to get **** from the EL faithful

**Kivlehan** · 15/10/2007, 2:20 AM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

You know you're going to get **** from the EL faithful

And the Joe Lapira fan club.

**rambler14** · 15/10/2007, 9:12 AM

Take Carr out of the squad before u give Stan ideas. Lookin at it on a broader scale i'mm surprised wes hoolahan hasn't been given a chance.

**4tothefloor** · 15/10/2007, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by rambler14

Take Carr out of the squad before u give Stan ideas. Lookin at it on a broader scale i'mm surprised wes hoolahan hasn't been given a chance.

As far as I know, Hoolahan wasn't playing for a while though because of a dispute between Blackpool & Livingston that went to a FIFA deliberation.

I'm an EL fan and as far as I can see the best players in the EL recently are now all across the water - Doyle, Byrne, Ward, O'Donovan, Hawkins, Hoolahan, Bennett etc. Apart from Joe Gamble, and maybe Owen Heary, there's no one else that's good enough for international football. So bite me...

**Dodge** · 15/10/2007, 11:51 AM

Hawkins wasn't in the top 3 centre halves in Ireland his last few years here (The best was Sean Dillon who's now at Dundee United btw)

Hoolahan is an ever present in the league this year (playing 10 times, scoring twice)

**RiffRaff** · 15/10/2007, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Hawkins wasn't in the top 3 centre halves in Ireland his last few years here (The best was Sean Dillon who's now at Dundee United btw)

Hoolahan is an ever present in the league this year (playing 10 times, scoring twice)

I would like to see Dillon given a chance - can play a number of defensive positions and also looked a very composed defender when he was in the EL.

**4tothefloor** · 15/10/2007, 4:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Hawkins wasn't in the top 3 centre halves in Ireland his last few years here (The best was Sean Dillon who's now at Dundee United btw)

Hoolahan is an ever present in the league this year (playing 10 times, scoring twice)

Haven't really seen Dillon play (live that is), so can't comment. Didn't realise he was at Dundee either

**Diarmo** · 16/10/2007, 1:29 AM

Remember Caleb Folan who was called up last year but didn't play? Maybe he could be added and tried in a friendly sometime. He's pretty tall....

**SunderlandBohs** · 16/10/2007, 11:45 AM

What about Brian Murphy of Bohemians? Surely he should get a chance ahead of Supple?! Maybe if he moves to England to play reserve team football he'll get his chance.

**Armando** · 16/10/2007, 12:38 PM

Keith Fahy, maybe?

**Metrostars** · 16/10/2007, 2:53 PM

Stephen O'Halloran

**the doc** · 16/10/2007, 4:35 PM

Sean St Ledger, a far better prospect with more natural ability than the likes of McShane and Bruce.
Seen him play for Preston a few times, good on the ball, reads the game well, has pace, good in the air and the ground.
Can play at CB, Sweeper, RB and defensive Midfield.
Been in and around the squad a few times and recently on standby, just getting back after picking up a slight groin strain from earlier in the season.
Has to be worth a shout.

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/Kelly-imp...39s.1945109.jp

**Cymro** · 16/10/2007, 8:09 PM

Originally Posted by SunderlandBohs

What about Brian Murphy of Bohemians? Surely he should get a chance ahead of Supple?! Maybe if he moves to England to play reserve team football he'll get his chance.

This would be the Brian Murphy that did actually play reserve team football in England for us (Swansea) and didn't make the grade here?

Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again: that Lee Trundle is not at least mentioned is a crime.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 16/10/2007, 11:05 PM

Can't believe Stuttgart hasn't mentioned Mark Yeats by now.

**Stuttgart88** · 17/10/2007, 8:53 AM

What about Mark Yeates?

Shane Supple is a very talented young keeper. One for a few years' time.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 17/10/2007, 7:55 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

What about Mark Yeates?

You always seem to be praising him, thought you would be mentioning him to be included in the squad.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 17/10/2007, 9:35 PM

Robbie Keane isn't fit to lace David Healy's boots at international level.
He's auditioning for the international edition of '' Can't Score , Won't hit a Cow's Arse with a Banjo in a Green Shirt''.