EL players in National Team

**irishultra** · 01/07/2008, 11:54 AM

Do you think any of them are capable?

I was just watching MNS and witnessed a pretty good pass by Keith Fahey, and was thinking maby a player like Fahey would thrive with the pace of International football and playing alongsid good players like Keane and McGeady.

**elroy** · 01/07/2008, 12:48 PM

I always think two good barometers of how well the league is placed is:
1: performances in european games
2: former el players performances in the premier league etc

Bar kevin doyle and he had a very poor season last season, there has been few players who have left the El in recent years and made a decent job of playing in the epl or even championship.

Secondly el teams performances in europe over the last few years have improved but none the less fallen short. Last season drogs did well, shels did extremely well not that long ago.

But in summary, while i think the standard of the top teams in the el is very good, im not sure many of the players really would be good enough for a mid epl team, let alone international football.

**superfrank** · 01/07/2008, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

Bar kevin doyle and he had a very poor season last season, there has been few players who have left the El in recent years and made a decent job of playing in the epl or even championship.

Wes Hoolahan.

**SunderlandBohs** · 01/07/2008, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

I always think two good barometers of how well the league is placed is:
1: performances in european games
2: former el players performances in the premier league etc

Bar kevin doyle and he had a very poor season last season, there has been few players who have left the El in recent years and made a decent job of playing in the epl or even championship.

Secondly el teams performances in europe over the last few years have improved but none the less fallen short. Last season drogs did well, shels did extremely well not that long ago.

But in summary, while i think the standard of the top teams in the el is very good, im not sure many of the players really would be good enough for a mid epl team, let alone international football.

Daryl Murphy had a two good season with us. Chipped in with a few important goals. Sure many of the current squad aren't good enough for 'mid epl team'. ie Paul McShane, Anthony Stokes to name just two.

**micls** · 01/07/2008, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

would be good enough for a mid epl team, let alone international football.

How many of our internationals(squad) are playing regularly with mid-table EPL sides?

**superfrank** · 01/07/2008, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Not a chance. The best EL players are of League One standard, which is two tiers where the required level is.

How often do you watch the EL?

Some of the best EL players are also getting European experience, something the Championship and lower-end Premiership players aren't getting.

**micls** · 01/07/2008, 3:55 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

How often do you watch the EL?

Some of the best EL players are also getting European experience, something the Championship and lower-end Premiership players aren't getting.

I cant believe you're responding to Ciaran......

**superfrank** · 01/07/2008, 4:03 PM

Originally Posted by micls

I cant believe you're responding to Ciaran......

Why? Ciaran's responses are glorious, mis-informed drivel. It's hilarious!

**Dodge** · 01/07/2008, 4:23 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

Bar kevin doyle and he had a very poor season last season, there has been few players who have left the El in recent years and made a decent job of playing in the epl or even championship

And Doyle didn't score for Pats in two seasons...

I hink this thread should be locked BTW as its been done to death at least 1,000 times here.

**GavinZac** · 01/07/2008, 4:51 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

Secondly el teams performances in europe over the last few years have improved but none the less fallen short. Last season drogs did well, shels did extremely well not that long ago.

Cork City have beaten or drawn with Dutch, Swedish, Icelandic, French, and Cypriot teams with basically the team they have now. I wouldn't fancy our national team to do the same against theirs.

**SilkCut** · 02/07/2008, 7:38 AM

Originally Posted by superfrank

How often do you watch the EL?

Some of the best EL players are also getting European experience, something the Championship and lower-end Premiership players aren't getting.

Playing Rhyl, TNS, Aberdeen, Lovech etc.. (I know Shels played Depor and Bohs played Celtic once upon a time) Hardly counts as European experience does it?? Cos if it does,does playing against Spanish and French students mean I have european experience?? There are some decent players in LOI who would probably do quite well for smaller Scottish teams or in league 1 or 2 but any player over 23 in LOI is pretty much never going to be good enough to play for Ireland. Glen Crowe, Jason Byrne to name two were deemed good enough but failed to follow up on early promise. There will always be the exception to the rule (Doyle and maybe Hoolahan) but realistically there is no-one in the LOI likely to become a regular Irish team member. Sad really.

**finnpark** · 02/07/2008, 9:04 AM

The LOI players are as good as what are in the squad. At least if the LOI players were in the squad they wouldn't be out boozing before matches and they might actually try for their country.

**Hibernian** · 02/07/2008, 9:25 AM

Originally Posted by irishultra

Do you think any of them are capable?

I was just watching MNS and witnessed a pretty good pass by Keith Fahey, and was thinking maby a player like Fahey would thrive with the pace of International football and playing alongsid good players like Keane and McGeady.

Simple answer to that.

NO

**Macy** · 02/07/2008, 9:30 AM

Originally Posted by irishultra

Do you think any of them are capable?

I was just watching MNS and witnessed a pretty good pass by Keith Fahey, and was thinking maby a player like Fahey would thrive with the pace of International football and playing alongsid good players like Keane and McGeady.

Not for a full competitive squad, but compared to some of the no marks that are called up from lower league reserve teams for some of the friendlies, definitely.

Originally Posted by finnpark

At least if the LOI players were in the squad they wouldn't be out boozing before matches and they might actually try for their country.

Aye, it'd be a chance for them to progress, not to go on the beer in Dublin.

**Hibernian** · 02/07/2008, 9:33 AM

Originally Posted by SilkCut

Playing Rhyl, TNS, Aberdeen, Lovech etc.. (I know Shels played Depor and Bohs played Celtic once upon a time) Hardly counts as European experience does it?? Cos if it does,does playing against Spanish and French students mean I have european experience?? There are some decent players in LOI who would probably do quite well for smaller Scottish teams or in league 1 or 2 but any player over 23 in LOI is pretty much never going to be good enough to play for Ireland. Glen Crowe, Jason Byrne to name two were deemed good enough but failed to follow up on early promise. There will always be the exception to the rule (Doyle and maybe Hoolahan) but realistically there is no-one in the LOI likely to become a regular Irish team member. Sad really.

100% agree

if jason byrne cant make it at Cardiff then forget it... People might think otheriwse but lets get real here.

Think Hoolahan deserves a crack at first team

**SunderlandBohs** · 02/07/2008, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by finnpark

The LOI players are as good as what are in the squad. At least if the LOI players were in the squad they wouldn't be out boozing before matches and they might actually try for their country.

To true Finnpark! Take Brian Murphy been over looked for that Westwood. Murph is probably the 3rd best Irish keeper behind Given & Kiely. As a Bohs fan I'm resigned to the fact he'll be playing in England very soon & he will make it with out a doubt.But Westwood, who was playing in League1 at the time for a side not much better (if not worse) than any in the LOI got picked. Why? Because he plays in England & as he stated " I'm not Irish as much as a good Catholic". His really going to give his all for "his" nation.

**irishultra** · 02/07/2008, 11:13 AM

But somone like JP Kelly must have talent...he was captain of the Liverpool youth team, so he must have had something going for him.

Same with Fahey, Aston Villa signed him for 250,000 as a nobody Irish teenager from Arsenal.

I'm convinced a lot of players have a lot of talent here, but don't have the mentality or physical condition that is required for the very top.

**Emmet** · 02/07/2008, 11:16 AM

I don't watch EL football so I'm not an expert on this but how far away do those of you who do watch it reckon we are from seeing an EL side in the Group phase of the Champions League?

**gustavo** · 02/07/2008, 11:29 AM

Not really sure ,However we regularly play players who never have nor never will play in the Champions League

**jebus** · 02/07/2008, 11:48 AM

This again...............

I would love for Trap to put a team of the EL's finest out against Bulgaria in the World Cup qualifiers just to end this debate once and for all. It would nearly be worth mssing out on South Africa to finally give a resounding No answer, underlined, put in bold and followed by ten exclaimation marks.

O'Callaghan was considered one of the league's shining lights when he moved to Ipswich (mid table Championship) was he not? What an impact he had there. He might become a solid League One player next season. Doyle is a solid Championship player, not intelligent enough to be an effective Premiership striker over a few seasons and I really think he should be dropped for the national team at this stage (Keane/Doyle partnership doesn't work).