U21s v England

[cheifo]

Italy,Portugal and France always seem to take underage tournaments very seriously(i.e. results do matter!).I would rather have someone like Shane Long gaining int experience and helping the u21 rather than sitting on the bench when someone like Clinton is as good if not better option.

[stiofain]

Just checking the trains from London to Southampton for Tuesday's game.

Getting there in time after work should be easy enough for me, getting home trickier.

Where in Southampton is St. Mary's?

Is Southampton Central the best station? How far is it from the ground?

The last train from Southampton Central back to London is 10.00pm (unless you take the slower train which takes 2.5 hours).

Is anyone driving back to London?

It does look a bit tricky alright. Apparently, its a half hour walk to the ground from Southampton Central station. The match tickets actuctally come with return bus tickets attached, presumably for the shuttle bus that takes fans from the station to the ground.

More info here; http://www.footballgroundguide.co.uk/

[jmurphyc]

I just find it irritating that our U21 team has long since ceased to be a team representative of our best U21 talent. Results have been crap as a consequence and it's demoralising. Furthermore it gives the likes of Roy Keane and Frank the Plank a reason to point that there's nothing coming through and that there's no reason to think the future is decent. It also gives Givens a tailor made excuse for poor results (ah sure my job is to develop individuals for the senior team not to actually beat Montenegro).

I'd like this team to be taken seriously again as I think being competitive at this level is probably a better way of building for the future than ad hoc promotions to the senior team. When U21 players are ready it should be obvious.

I read Andy Keogh saying that training with Robbie Keane was a big help to him so that's clearly the flipside.

I agree with you there. If we want our younger players to take the senior games seriously then surely getting good results the whole way down is the best way. If winning games is driven into them from the Under 15s upwards then they'll know that they can't just doss about when they represent Ireland.

Also, while training with Robbie Keane et al is beneficial to the younger players surely this should be a reward for good form and getting selected for your club and not just given to players with little or no experience at club level. If they know it's difficult to get into the senior set up then they'll surely work harder and strive to get into it and be more committed when they do arrive. The only reason a younger player with very little experience (unless there's no other option in his position) should be called up is for him to see what it's like training with the top players once and then the manager can explain to him that if he wants to make his squad place permanent then he needs to start getting games and putting in top performances for his club first and then he'll be considered.

[Deckydee]

Just checking the trains from London to Southampton for Tuesday's game.

Getting there in time after work should be easy enough for me, getting home trickier.

Where in Southampton is St. Mary's?

Is Southampton Central the best station? How far is it from the ground?

The last train from Southampton Central back to London is 10.00pm (unless you take the slower train which takes 2.5 hours).

Is anyone driving back to London?

Is this on TV? Sky Sports???

[jmurphyc]

Is this on TV? Sky Sports???

The question was already asked earlier in the thread. Yes, it will be.

[olegunnar]

If we want our younger players to take the senior games seriously then surely getting good results the whole way down is the best way. If winning games is driven into them from the Under 15s upwards then they'll know that they can't just doss about when they represent Ireland.

Also, while training with Robbie Keane et al is beneficial to the younger players surely this should be a reward for good form and getting selected for your club and not just given to players with little or no experience at club level. If they know it's difficult to get into the senior set up then they'll surely work harder and strive to get into it and be more committed when they do arrive. The only reason a younger player with very little experience (unless there's no other option in his position) should be called up is for him to see what it's like training with the top players once and then the manager can explain to him that if he wants to make his squad place permanent then he needs to start getting games and putting in top performances for his club first and then he'll be copnsidered.

After England failed to qualify, I read Trevor Brooking say that he felt U21-U18 squads should be picked as strong as possible, to develop the winning habit in players and the winning mentality in the International Squads. If the top players grew up qualifying for latter stages of Euro U18 comp, they'd have the belief they could beat the teams in later years.

So I agree with the last statement. Someone like Clinton is a seasoned pro, and a Shane Long type is often a bencher for Reading, so Shane could get 10 caps at u21 level, as a key player, and Clinton is an experienced option to spring from bench when needed, or start when needed.

[Closed Account]

Goalkeepers
Joe Hart Manchester City Darren Randolph - Charlton Athletic
Tom Heaton Manchester United Shane Supple - Ipswich Town
Joe Lewis Peterborough United
Defenders
Craig Gardner Aston Villa Eddie Nolan - Blackburn Rovers
Michael Mancienne QPR Richard Keogh - Bristol City
Joe Mattock Leicester City Joe O’Cearuill - Barnet
Nedum Onuoha Manchester City Darren O’Dea - Celtic
Ryan Shawcross Stoke City Stephen O’Halloran – Aston Villa
Steven Taylor Newcastle United Darren Dennehy - Everton
David Wheater Middlesbrough
Midfielders
Lee Cattermole Middlesbrough Stephen Quinn - Sheffield United
Tom Huddlestone Tottenham Hotspur Darron Gibson – Manchester United
Adam Johnson Middlesbrough Owen Garvan - Ipswich Town
Aaron Lennon Tottenham Hotspur Jim O’Brien - Celtic
James Milner Newcastle United John-Joe O’Toole - Watford
Fabrice Muamba Birmingham City Chris McCann – Burnley
Mark NobleWest Ham United
Jamie O'Hara Tottenham Hotspur
Andrew Surman Southampton
Forwards
Cameron Jerome Birmingham City Billy Clarke - Ipswich Town
Luke Moore Aston Villa Andy Keogh - Wolverhampton Wanderers
James Vaughan Everton Adam Rooney - Stoke City
Theo Walcott Arsenal Anthony Stokes - Sunderland

Likely lineups
Randolph Hart
Nolan Onouha
Keogh Wheater
O'Dea Taylor
O'Halloran Mattock
O'Brien Lennon
Garvan O'Hara
O'Toole Noble
Quinn Milner
Keogh Walcott
Stokes Jerome

Not much between those teams. I'd say Ireland have a good chance. However the fact that there are no recognised wide players(O'Brien, striker, Quinn, CM) in the Irish squad, I'd fear Ireland will play that gimp Givens's 4-3-3(4-5-1) defending formation which has been largely unsuccessful at this level.

[tetsujin1979]

Likely lineups
Randolph Hart
Nolan Onouha
Keogh Wheater
O'Dea Taylor
O'Halloran Mattock
O'Brien Lennon
Garvan O'Hara
O'Toole Noble
Quinn Milner
Keogh Walcott
Stokes Jerome

Not much between those teams. I'd say Ireland have a good chance.

Randolph is on the bench in the Championship. Hart has forced out the Swedish number one in the Premiership

Nolan was out on loan in League 1. Onuoha is in and out of the Man City starting XI recently
Keogh has been on loan at 2 League One clubs this season. Wheater plays regularly and has scored in the Premiership
O'Dea can't get off the bench for Celtic. Taylor is a regular for Newcastle
O'Halloran just made his first appearance of the season at Southamption. Mattock is a regular for Leicester in the Championship

Jim O'Brien just got a loan deal with Dundee United. Lennon is playing well for an attacking Spurs team
Tough call between Garvan and O'Hara, O'Toole and Noble, Quinn and Milner

I'd have Keogh ahead of Walcott at the moment, tough call between Stokes and Jerome.

Basically if we're going to get anything out of this game, it'll be down to the midfield. I'd rate England's defence ahead of our own, and the strike force is about the same.

[eekers]

haha there no way huddlestone wont be in that starting 11 posted above. he is englands u21 captain after all. interesting to see o hara playing against ireland

[Closed Account]

Steven Taylor is England U-21 Captain. Huddlestone and Cattermole started in midfield in the last England U-21 game, I just picked O'Hara and Noble in my own opinion based on form. O'Hara had been started ahead of Huddlestone who got drafted in as emergency centre half at Spurs. I agree with Tets view that the game will be won and lost in midfield. Players like Garvan and O'Toole should have something to prove against premiership players.

[tetsujin1979]

I thought Onuoha was the U-21 captain? Almost certain the commentator said he was for City's game at the weekend against Sheffield United?

Is O'Dea our U-21 captain?

[Stuttgart88]

It does look a bit tricky alright. Apparently, its a half hour walk to the ground from Southampton Central station. The match tickets actuctally come with return bus tickets attached, presumably for the shuttle bus that takes fans from the station to the ground.

More info here; http://www.footballgroundguide.co.uk/

Thanks for the info.

[Closed Account]

I thought Onuoha was the U-21 captain? Almost certain the commentator said he was for City's game at the weekend against Sheffield United?

Is O'Dea our U-21 captain?

Possible, he's been injured for the last few U-21 games, so Taylor was captain. I doubt they'll take it off him. O'Dea is Captain yes.
Would Ireland be much stronger with McGeady, McShane, Ireland, J O'Brien and Shane Long in the squad.(Obviously, but how much)

[Jerry The Saint]

Slight correction...

Joe O’Cearuill - St. Patrick's Athletic.

[billybunter]

just saw on foxsportsworld over here in the states, this u-21game is televised live!! happy days. Half day for me next Tuesday, and the same on wednesday (altho wednesay may be a dodgy internet stream!)

[Sligo Hornet]

Looks like it will be a "sell-out" on Tuesday night......got my ticket and must say I am looking forward to it

[geysir]

FAI

Darron Gibson is out
Chris Mc Cann out

REVISED SQUAD

Darren Randolph - Charlton Athletic
Shane Supple - Ipswich Town (On loan to Falkirk)
Eddie Nolan - Blackburn Rovers
Richard Keogh - Bristol City
Joe O’Cearuill - St. Patrick's Athletic
Darren O’Dea - Celtic
Stephen O’Halloran – Aston Villa (On loan to Southampton)
Darren Dennehy - Everton
Stephen Quinn - Sheffield United
Shane McFaul – Brighton and Hove Albion
Owen Garvan - Ipswich Town
Jim O’Brien - Celtic (On loan to Dundee United)
John-Joe O’Toole - Watford
Anthony Stokes - Sunderland
Ian Morris – Scunthorpe United
Adam Rooney - Stoke City
Andy Keogh - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Billy Clarke - Ipswich Town (On loan to Falkirk).

[eirebhoy]

Ah balls. Really disappointed with that news. I'm starting to get worried that I'm never going to see a best 11 available for Ireland at any level.

[Stuttgart88]

Quinn-Garvan-O'Toole-O'Brien is still a good looking midfield 4. At least it makes selection easier. O'Toole is at least as deserving of a place as Gibson & McCann, or at least not far off it. I'd like to have seen Gibson at this level though.

[cheifo]

Would have like to have seen McCann in there to offer the defence a bit of protection but hownever its still a fairly healthy looking midfield.