Ireland's Future Midfield?

[drummerboy]

IMO opinion Garvan is twice the player Quinn is. Expect to see him playing in the Premiership in the next year or two. Little unfair to compair them because Garvan is a box to box midfielder while Quinn is better suited to the left wing.

[irishultra]

Its weird not seeing Darron Gibson in anyones possible midfield considering his early promise.

[kingdomkerry]

Forgot about him actually. I have'nt been following his progress but from what i know hes played out on the right at wolves and has done alright without setting the world alight.

[redmn7]

Thanks for all the replys.

There are the two players who I was wondering if anyone has seen play, and that's Connor Clifford who is in the Chelsea accademy and Connor Hourihane is was on the team of the tournament list for the u-17's recently and also got into Roy Keane's first team at Sunderland at the end of last season.

Thanks.

[jmurphyc]

From the little I've seen of Quinn I'd be surprised if he becomes a squad regular during these qualifiers. I've probably caught the wrong games but any time I've watched him he's been relatively anonymous. He still looks quite lightweight too. TBH I doubt we'll see a drastic change in the team in four years time. If the two Reids are fit they will probably get in (Andy definitely) as will McGeady and Duff may well still be good enough.

[Drumcondra 69er]

I'm about to defend Ciaran!!!!!!

The players we will have in 4 years time are very similar to ones we have today. There is a temptation to think in predicting a team 4 years away that all sorts of young people will have made it. History shows that change is much more gradual than that unless you have lots of retirements at the same time. Look how long it has taken McGeady from his first cap to being close to a regular player. So for instance Scannel will probably not be a regular for another 5-6 years.

On the other hand look how quick Kelly, Babba and McAteer establkished themselves. Not really involved in the qualifying campaign yet played a major part in the finals. Could be either, impossible to predict the future.

[Sligo Hornet]

I think if John Joe O'Toole continues his rapid maturity (and eventually moves to a Premier team...) he could be just the strong tough tackling midfielder we need to support our good passing midfielders.

[boovidge]

Max O'Power

[robbieos88]

Keith Fahey should be in the Ireland midfield

[carloz]

Its weird not seeing Darron Gibson in anyones possible midfield considering his early promise.

A lot of Wolves fans were turning on him by the end of the season. Doesnt look good if he cant cut it at that level yet. Fingers crossed the future will be bright for him. I think an important element that we need to create in midfield is being physical. It is noncense to say we can have a midfield with A. Reid, Ireland and McGeady. IMO that is much too lightweight and wont happen. During the national anthems before the Cyprus match last year i was amazed at the height and physical bulid differences between us and them. Dont need to remind people what happend afterwards

[Manc Irish Wolf]

A lot of Wolves fans were turning on him by the end of the season. Doesnt look good if he cant cut it at that level yet. Fingers crossed the future will be bright for him. I think an important element that we need to create in midfield is being physical. It is noncense to say we can have a midfield with A. Reid, Ireland and McGeady. IMO that is much too lightweight and wont happen. During the national anthems before the Cyprus match last year i was amazed at the height and physical bulid differences between us and them. Dont need to remind people what happend afterwards

You're right about the reaction of the fans to Gibson. Came with so much promise, however never stamped his authority like I had anticipated. Was unlucky with injuries so maybe we never saw the best of him. Looked good in his first couple of games - not afraid to have a shot and did try to pass and move - could potentially be that the players around him weren't on his wavelength (had the same problem with Keane), as they didn't always antcipate the balls he was trying to play. Hopefully it was just a lesson on the learning curve as the feature of his game that most impressed was his confidence in the face of the moaning hoardes down the Molineux, which sadly was the death of Potter.

Agree that a physical ball-winning centre-midfield could be the crux of our shape (like De Jong & Engelaar) and was really impressed with Garvan & O'Toole against England U21's. Garvan is leggy with a good passing range and O'Toole looks big, strong, good in the air & scores goals. Could be a nice basis for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Add McCarthy (Or Stephen Gleeson @ Wolves) as the attacking edge of a midfield triumverate and we should be sound enough in 5 years time.

[Greenforever]

I'm about to defend Ciaran!!!!!!

The players we will have in 4 years time are very similar to ones we have today. There is a temptation to think in predicting a team 4 years away that all sorts of young people will have made it. History shows that change is much more gradual than that unless you have lots of retirements at the same time. Look how long it has taken McGeady from his first cap to being close to a regular player. So for instance Scannel will probably not be a regular for another 5-6 years.

How long did it take Robbie Keane and Damien Duff to establish themselves???

[Razors left peg]

How long did it take Robbie Keane and Damien Duff to establish themselves???

Robbie became a regular very quickly but it did take Duff a few years to establish himself as first choice under McCarthy.... would I be right in saying that it was the game against Portugal in Lansdown that he really produced what he was capable of and went on to become a regular there after??

[Greenforever]

Robbie became a regular very quickly but it did take Duff a few years to establish himself as first choice under McCarthy.... would I be right in saying that it was the game against Portugal in Lansdown that he really produced what he was capable of and went on to become a regular there after??

I think you're right, some players establish themselves as a fixture within a very short space of time others take years. So Ireland's future midfield for 4 years time is a impossible task to perdice and if we dont unearth at least 4 new players in that time we are in trouble.

Given the average span for an international is probably less than 8 years you need 3 new squad members breaking through every year.

[ramblersnb1]

There is a very handy midfielder from Cork aswell Gearoid Morissey hes just signed for Blackburn.

[The Legend]

There is a very handy midfielder from Cork aswell Gearoid Morissey hes just signed for Blackburn.

Good luck to the the non-irish commentators pronouncing his name right!

[geysir]

Gear is easy enough - Gear oyd

possibly - Geah royd

[eirebhoy]

Same name as me. Gar-ode would be the way most people pronounce my name. It'd be great if this guy became a star so I wouldn't get as many strange looks when someone asks me my name.

[musicinmouth]

I think John-Joe O'Toole looks really good... I hope he's given a chance...

And I really hope McCarthy gets a senior game soon...

My prediction for our midfield that will play in the 2014 world cup in Brazil:

James McCarthy (central midfield)
John-Joe O'Toole (central midfield)
Aiden McGeady (right wing)
Damien Duff (left wing)

[irishultra]

In my opinion Duff doesn't have the intelligence to go on that long, like a Figo for example. I would be suprised to see Duff still around by 2012.


I also think we will have three in midfield with Garvan definetly, and hopefully McCarthy, Clifford, O'Toole, Quinn, A.Reid(as the defensive creative player)