Under Trapattoni are we better than 2002?

[Torn-Ado]

I'm actually just watching Spain v Ireland again tonight. Have a look at this clip of Kilbane and Keane both skinning Puyol (Kilbane also puts another guy on his arse):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YciOwBodD44

And btw, Puyol regularly made a fool of himself at that age (he still does the odd time). Cut Paul McShane some slack. Look past the dodgy barnet and style of play and he's a good reader of the game imo.

Why didn't he pass it?

[Qwerty]

I must disagree with your opinion on our players more than the people on here with a bias against us. Kinsella deserves credit but I wasn't Matt Holland's biggest fan. I don't think Kinsella and Holland could be classed as above average by anyones standards anyway.

Indeed, when you look at Ireland's midfield from mid-80's to early 00's you can see just how weak we are now - Brady, Whelan, McGrath, Townsend, Keane.

We don't have anyone fit to tie the bootlaces of those gentlemen do we?

It's always nice to have a rock in midfiled, we got pebbles baby

I don't expect much from either Reid as both have had injury problems pretty much regularly, I think Andy can be excellent, Steven though really hasn't built on the promise he showed in 02.

Carsley is decent but his role for Ireland is different to that in which he excels at Everton.

Then who we we have Miller? Makeshifts like o'Shea or Kilbane - our backline is so weak they can't be spared for midfiled duty.

And then we have the potential plyers like Potter, Gibson, Garvan, Whelan. But potential doesn't win games.

Having said all that we have enough quality to be competitive, Tarpp will organize us, my fear though is that we end up like the Kerr team, not giving away many golas but struggling to win.

[Morbo]

my fear though is that we end up like the Kerr team, not giving away many golas but struggling to win.

After the last campaign I would have settled for us being like the Kerr team, at least that team never got humiliated and were somewhat unlucky not to make the playoffs even if they did go out with a bit of a whimper at the end

[eirebhoy]

Plus we've much better attacking players now than Kerr had so I'd fancy us to get a goal or 2 playing on the break.

[Stuttgart88]

Does Trapatoni have better raw materials than McCarthy had at the start of the qualifiers? if we do then I reckon Trap can surpass anything achieved by McCarthy or indeed Jack when it comes to harnessing this raw ability

The problem is that most other countries, especially the third, fourth and fifth seeded teams are generally better too. I think the standard of athleticism in particular has increased markedly.

I think trap has the makings of a very good team though but there are a few gaps to be filled and a few imbalances to be rectified.

Regardless of the standard of player we had in 2001 and 2002, that team was a really well balanced team, with every position (bar Duff upfront) filled by a natural in that position, and every little part of the team complementing each other, every partnership, every triangle etc..