Ireland Squad for Roos Game...

**Peadar** · 07/08/2003, 1:54 PM

Our striking options are woeful!

Shay Given Newcastle United
Nick Colgan Hibernian
Joe Murphy West Bromwich Albion
John O�Shea Manchester United
Stephen Carr Tottenham Hotspur
Ken Cunningham Birmingham City
Gary Breen Sunderland
Andy O�Brien Newcastle United
Ian Harte Leeds United
Richard Dunne Manchester City
Steve Finnan Liverpool
Lee Carsley Everton 28
Colin Healy Unattached
Matt Holland Charlton Athletic
Mark Kinsella Aston Villa
Kevin Kilbane Sunderland
Steven Reid Blackburn Rovers
Alan Quinn Sheffield Wednesday
Damien Duff Chelsea
Gary Doherty Tottenham Hotspur
Robbie Keane Tottenham Hotspur
Clinton Morrison Birmingham City
David Connolly West Ham United

**Dodge** · 07/08/2003, 2:00 PM

definitely, especially when you look at Kewell and Viduka...

**Slash/ED** · 07/08/2003, 3:35 PM

I wouldn't call Morrison and Keane woeful, they both have superb international records...

**Dodge** · 07/08/2003, 3:45 PM

Keane was obviously an exception but Morrison doen't have an international record, never mind a superb one.

**Peadar** · 07/08/2003, 3:56 PM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
I wouldn't call Morrison and Keane woeful

Morrison is not "World Class" and what options do we have with just the two of them?

**bitored** · 07/08/2003, 4:19 PM

Surely our lack of striking options is an example of what makes supporting international football (and Ireland in particular) such a joy!
It's not like club football where if you're lacking a couple of strikers you just get the chequebook out and sign Jermain Defoe or Christian Vieri or whoever and it's just soulless.
I'm not saying I'm happy with our forwards - I'm not - but what can you do? There's no point in complaining - Keane, Morrisson, Doherty and Duff are (arguably) the best we've got.
Let's hope the likes of Alan Lee and Richard Sadlier and maybe Richie Partridge (did I read somewhere that he's moving to Leicester or somewhere?) all have good seasons and give us a few options in future.

**Paulie** · 07/08/2003, 5:04 PM

The fact of the matter is that we will always have to play with at least one or two average players in our side. Take what I believe should be our current first choice 11 of Given, Carr, O'Shea, Cunningham, Finnan, Duff, Holland, Healy, Reid, Keane and Morrison. We are just short 2, maybe 3 players of producing a first class starting 11 (central midfield is a concern). The main problem though is the lack of cover throughout the rest of the squad. For example take Keane and Duff out, which could easily happen, considering how injury prone they both are, particularly Duff, and see who takes their place - Connolly and Kilbane. Still, such are the joys of supporting your intl. team.

**Slash/ED** · 07/08/2003, 10:17 PM

I never called Morrison world class but he isn't woeful, and his record is 10 caps 4 goals, good in intself but I believe when you break it down to a goals per minutes played it works out at just over one every 90, if that isn't good then I don't know what is. That's by far our best partnership and is more then capable of working at international level.

**NigeSausagepump** · 08/08/2003, 7:26 AM

The worry regarding Morrison is that Birmingham have signed this "new Batistuta" punter from Argentina Figueroa, which will make it very tricky for him to get into the starting XI. Dugarry is a God there and is all but guaranteed a place, so Morrison will have to battle it out with Figueroa, Stern John and Geoff Horsefield for the other striking position. May well be another one of our starting XI is on the bench for his club before long.

Also a worry that Robbie may be asked to play off the front two at Spurs given the arrival of Postiga, Zamora and Kanoute. What we don't need is Duffer playing out of position up front partnered by Robbie who is playing the "Peter Beardsley role" week in week out for his club.

**SeanieBoy** · 08/08/2003, 7:56 AM

I would like to see young Thornton thrown in for the Aussie game & maybe even Andy Reid or Liam Miller, these young lads have great potential. Strikers wise, Morrison is not exactly a new Ian Wright, but he can get himself in goal poaching positions unlike Keane who sometimes tries to do everything himself!! I really think we have a strong squad now, couple of weak links, but the young lads coming through should sort that in the next year or so.

**colster** · 08/08/2003, 10:21 AM

Originally posted by NigeSausagepump
The worry regarding Morrison is that Birmingham have signed this "new Batistuta" punter from Argentina Figueroa, which will make it very tricky for him to get into the starting XI. Dugarry is a God there and is all but guaranteed a place, so Morrison will have to battle it out with Figueroa, Stern John and Geoff Horsefield for the other striking position. May well be another one of our starting XI is on the bench for his club before long.

Also a worry that Robbie may be asked to play off the front two at Spurs given the arrival of Postiga, Zamora and Kanoute. What we don't need is Duffer playing out of position up front partnered by Robbie who is playing the "Peter Beardsley role" week in week out for his club.

Firstly Morrison will get his share of games for Birmingham. This Argentinian is going to take a while to settle and Morrision will probably complement Dugarry better than John and Horsfield.

I think that Keane and Ireland would benefit enormously if he were to play behind a front 2 for Spurs.
Keane needs to learn when to pass the ball and not always try to beat his man.
Behind a front 2 he would have options to pass to.
Ideally I think that Irelands front line should be Morrison and Keane with Keane dropping deep and interchanging with Duff and Reid on the wings. Keane is best when he drifts in front of the midfield and behind a striker/s.

**colster** · 08/08/2003, 10:26 AM

Originally posted by SeanieBoy
I would like to see young Thornton thrown in for the Aussie game & maybe even Andy Reid or Liam Miller, these young lads have great potential. Strikers wise, Morrison is not exactly a new Ian Wright, but he can get himself in goal poaching positions unlike Keane who sometimes tries to do everything himself!! I really think we have a strong squad now, couple of weak links, but the young lads coming through should sort that in the next year or so.

I don't think the Aussie game is the time to blood these players. We need to use the Aussie and Turkey friendlies as looseners for the 1st team ahead of the important qualifiers.

The likes of Thornton, Reid and Miller should all be given a chance in friendlies after Christmas in the run up hopefully to Portugal.

**Slash/ED** · 08/08/2003, 4:29 PM

I'd of thought the Turkey match would be another mass debut match, like Czech Republic in 1998, where we blood a load of youngsters, the reason being is it's 3 days after an imporant qualifyer and the clubs aren't going to like their star players playing two games so close together when one is a friendly. I'd imagine Kerr will name something like a 30 man squad and play, more or less, two completley different teams, one with Miller, Thornton, Healy, Butler, Reid and a few others in it, as well as fringe players, with the regulars playing in the Russia match only.

**Junior** · 09/08/2003, 8:52 AM

I think the Turkey match, is more likely to reflect issues that come out of the Russia game, in an attempt to sort any problematic areas prior to 'THE' game in Basle the following month.

I can't see it being a free for all, blooding U21's etc.... Its the last chance before the Swiss game to get things in order, plenty of time post the euro04 qualifying campaign to play those sort of friendlies.

Though I take Slash's point, I can't see the premiership teams being too pleased with the notion of a second match being played so soon, though it is an international date and other players will be out also playing competitively for their countries.

Jnr

**Estar** · 09/08/2003, 9:19 AM

Originally posted by Peadar
Our striking options are woeful!

Nick Colgan Hibernian
Ian Harte Leeds United
Mark Kinsella Aston Villa
Kevin Kilbane Sunderland
David Connolly West Ham United

All the above should start/get a run, if they fail to perform heads should roll.

Some U-21's should have been included in the squad, even if they did'nt get a game.

**johnmac** · 09/08/2003, 10:00 AM

That our attacking options are limited has been well known for some time. I would think Morrison would start up front with Keane, but I just hope he gets several Premier games under his belt with Birmingham prior to the Russia game. Not a certainty given his late start and Birmingham's other options.

The only person missing from the squad I would have liked to have seen there would have been Liam Miller.

I agree that this is not the time to experiment, but should the Healy issue NOT be quickly resolved, he is going to be short of match fitness early September. Kinsella seems unikely to be a regular Villa starter, and I think Miller should be the option if the above 2 scenarios come about.

Probably Brian Kerr would play Lee Carsley in central midfield given Miller's lack of experience, and Carsley certainly didn't let us down Rt midfield against Georgia.

Breen is another who could struggle to be match fit by the Russia game.
Long term would love to see Carr, O'Shea, Cunningham and Finnan as the back four, but can't see this Kerr playing O'Shea and Finnan in these positions before the Swiss game, if they are not playing there for their clubs. Finnan definitely won't be, and O'Shea unlikely. We have insufficient friendlies before the Russia Swiss games to give that back four a chance to flourish.

Finally, well as Carsley did against Georgia, I hope Brian gives Stephen Reid his opportunity against Australia.

**johng** · 09/08/2003, 11:04 AM

Spot on johnmac - I assumed Miller would join the senior squad for this match even just in case things didn't fall into place for Healy in time for the big games ahead.
The Russian game is not long away now and the uncertainty over Healys new club and lack of match sharpness has to be a worry - its not as if he notched up 30 /40 games last season and needed the break.