QuoteThanks again Stan for blooding a few centre halves during your disastrous two year tenure. Anyone care to remember squads with two centres halves and Alan O Brien.
Dunne's comments after the ceremony kind of confirmed it though...
Strange timing. I'd love to know the thinking behind his retirement.. Is he attributing his good club form to not being involved in the international set up? If so is he forgetting his good international form whan he wasn't involved in the club set up? I dunno...
I still think the shambles from the top down in the asc is a factor.
Thanks again Stan for blooding a few centre halves during your disastrous two year tenure. Anyone care to remember squads with two centres halves and Alan O Brien.
How is our lack of central defenders down to Stan? We're not exactly blessed in that department when you consider who we can call up.Originally Posted by macdermesser
Gary Breen is still doing the business for Wolves . . .
- Alex Bruce: Has done ok with Ipswich, probably our third choice behind Dunne and McShane.
- Darren O'Dea: Too inexperienced to be thrust into international football. Let's see if he's challenging for a spot at Celtic next year first.
- Alan Bennett: Has been in the horrors at Southampton, doesn't look good enough.
- Joe O'Cearuill: Playing at too low a level to be considered.
- Sean St Ledger: I've never seen him play, but he's rated by some, doesn't strike me with confidence that his team is third bottom in the Championship.
He's not at Barnet anymore, he's moved to Pats now
Besides when has the level a player plies his trade at been an obstacle to gaining an international cap.....................Joe Lapira & Jonothan Douglas are testimony to that
You show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser - Vince Lombardi
yeah precisely. Step down...
By all acounts St.Leger has been playing really well, despite his team's position.
John I Shea is a centre back too and would be ahead of Mc Shane in my view. Its Dunne and O Shea for me.
In Trap we trust
who would you have at LB Neil? I'd have Kelly at RB and O'Shea at LB.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
Probably Joey O Brien at right back and Kelly at left back or Kilbane at left back.
In Trap we trust
The trouble with Andy O'Brien is he can't see past his nose
Well I still hope that we can coax O'Brien to stay unretired....
However our options at CB are limited but we could survive.
John O'Shea
Paul McShane
Pat McCarthy
Alan Bennett
St. Ledger
Alex Bruce
Darren O'Dea
And of course Joey O'Brien can play there also...
Can Stephen Kelly?
Kelly (O'Brien is injured) - Dunne - O'Shea - Kilbane (and pray!)
Without bothering to check, i'm pretty sure Marc Wilson can do a job as a CB on Footie Manager. Worth a shot?
would ya look at this. mr givens was unable to get in contact with him so he called up Bruce
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0204/ireland.html
Last edited by MojoPin; 04/02/2008 at 8:10 PM.
It has to be O'Dea or St Ledger in the long term, Someone like Bennett or McCarthy would only be a stop gap, McShane is in the driving seat right now but really has to up his game
You show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser - Vince Lombardi
Kilbane played left back against Cyprus, right in front of where I was sitting, and he was foul. Granted, he's played there a bit more for Wigan since then but his positional sense was woeful, didn't know when to push up, deny space to the opposing right winger, and seemed to drift into the penalty area quite a bit.
The last thing O'Dea needs is to be put in the first team. If he plays poorly or makes a mistake, the hyenas in the Irish press will crucify him. Let him prove himself in the under 21's and establish himself as a first-teamer for Celtic.
By calling up more than three centre halves ... by giving some of these young lads a chance in games. He wasn't afraid to put Alan O Brien in at Stuttgart for reasons unknown to all. O'Dea should have been called up by Stan, inexperienced as he might be. Why call Dixon and Alan O Brien and leave out a young centre half where we are struggling for centre halves?
Yes he has, been on top form all season, easily the player with the most potential compared to the likes of the limited McShane and the slow, Bruce.
Why Givens called up Bruce is beyond me, then again Givens has his own agenda and circle of friend and foes in Football.
If Bruce was thought that highly of, the how come the FAI, wanted to fly St Ledger out for the game in Boston, after Bruce's less than convincing game against Ecuador.
St Ledger had to return back to PNE after picking up an injury whilst training with the squad in Dublin, prior to the USA trip.
Having watched St Ledger, McShane and Bruce in many games over the past two seasons St ledger is by far the better player in terms of pace,reading the game, positioning, and all round footballing ability.
Something Given is unable to see judging from past managerial record at U19 and U21 level.
Another point, as St Ledger has not played in any games for the Republic is he still free to play for other countries if selected?
Could be a big loss if he continues to progress with many tipping him for a move to the Premiership, it would therefore be fool hardy not to play him in at least one of the games coming up.
yeah I've been saying this for a while now. anytime i've seen him playing left full he has constantly tucked inside so much so that he's practically been playing as a third centre half!
hate to say it but its time to leave killer out of the first xi now, he's been a great servant but there is just no place for him in our side now.
which means we're stuck with O'Shea at LB
"Well I think they'll be a little disappointed with that" - Matt Holland on TV3 after 5-2 drubbing by Cyprus
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