The ultimate sloppy seconds. Welcome aboard.
Mark Noble is a decent player. Himself and McCarthy could be a good midfield pairing. I presume Noble will now be the first of many ex-England U21's to switch.
Last edited by TrapAPony; 29/08/2014 at 8:27 AM.
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
The ultimate sloppy seconds. Welcome aboard.
Someone who doesn't feel Irish in the slightest, who never had any interest in playing for Ireland, who spent 3 Qualifying campaigns neglecting to declare for Ireland amid strong interest, someone who was said to have wanted guarantees of playing time, someone who is a quite mediocre West Ham player ready to declare.
Who next, Jamie O'Hara?
Well, Stutts, does he pass your gut test?
Presumably Noble won't have to earn his place in team at all so he will jump ahead of one of Gibson, Hendrick, Meyler, Hoolahan or Reid. Does that sound fair? Again, what kind of message does this send to young players when their passage to the first team is going to be blocked by a crap 27 year old English player who spent 3 qualifying campaigns turning down call ups?
If English born players come up through the youth teams, declare at a young age, have the right attitude, are of a decent standard and will improve the team and won't cause friction within the squad then fair enough but this is a ****take from O'Neill and Keane; just like the Given call up to be completely honest.
Majorly disappointed if this is true.
Last edited by TheOneWhoKnocks; 29/08/2014 at 9:36 AM.
Is he better than Gibson or McCarthy though? Centre mids aren't exactly what's required in the Ireland team at the minute.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
How can you say Noble will be first choice? O'Neill nor Keane would never make such a guarantee. Noble would start as a squad player at best and would have to earn his spot like anyone else. What he is is another midfield option which increases our options and depth.When I watched Algeria in the WC, I enjoyed their honesty and endeavour, their background was a secondary issue. The same applies to us.
Anything's better than Glenn Whelan FFS.
If he wants to play and is eligible, who cares...
Im just glad that the subject of the thread now makes sense
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
I'm a bit torn. The idea of a 27-year-old player - who has repeatedly turned down the chance to represent us before - suddenly coming on board, now that he knows he'll never get an England call-up, doesn't sit well with me. I'm excited to see how the likes of Hendrick, Gibson, Meyler and Reid can do in this campaign, and someone like Noble coming in and possibly jumping the queue seems a bit distasteful.
Jack Charlton's squad, however, did have a few English-born players with tenous lineage, who declared late in their careers. Our success under Charlton inspired a whole generation of young Irish-born players - including Duff, Robbie Keane, Dunne, O'Shea and Andy Reid - to play football, win tournaments at underage level and become full internationals. If we qualify for tournaments, it generates interest, which is good for the game. To qualify, we need to play the best available players (while also laying adequate foundations to ensure that the next crop of young Irish talent is managed properly). I dont like exploiting the granny rule to this extent, but it may be a necessary evil.
This is what happens when you base the economic model of a country on mass emigration.
That is nonsense. The vast majority of people who emigrate have/had jobs over here when they leave. A significant amount of Irish people who emigrate go to America and Australia without any guarantees of work. A lot remain there when their visa's expire.
If people don't want to remain in Ireland for whatever reason, that's their prerogative, but let's not pretend they are forced into it.
Edit: OK modern context.
As for Noble, he doesn't deserve to be in the starting 11 on merit so how is he going to be the difference in us qualifying and not qualifying? It's an oxymoron. If he does get regular playing time straight away, does this effect squad harmony? It's the same thing with Given.
Last edited by TheOneWhoKnocks; 29/08/2014 at 11:20 AM.
Harry Kane's ruled himself out: http://www.tottenhamjournal.co.uk/to...cter_1_3749558
We really are beginning to look like beggars.
This isn't anything new. In fairness, at least he isn't messing around.
I'm sure Noble would have categorically said the same thing when he was Kane's age so no point completely ruling it out.
Noble getting a good bit of stick across all forums now. Part of me thinks the Mail 'source' could have been part-constructed by Noble himself to measure how Irish fans would react to him. If he's paying attention, he'll probably think it's more hassle than it's worth.
Just out of interest, how would people react if it were an uncapped Spanish or German player, lets say Illarremendi, Arteta or Lasogga, who just discovered a long-lost Irish granny? I'd imagine we'd be slightly more welcoming!
Last edited by Supreme feet; 29/08/2014 at 11:43 AM.
Last edited by TrapAPony; 29/08/2014 at 11:49 AM.
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
Something isn't right. Presumably, if Noble is declaring, he would have been one of the players O'Neill vaguely referred to as "close to declaring" weeks and months ago.
Yet.....
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foot...m-9668659.html
Just two weeks ago, Noble said he would never give up on his England dream.
The rte.ie article, the most 'up-voted' comments are slating him. Not a great reaction on Football365 either. Like it or not, it is a polarising issue, and you don't need to be a 'Little Irelander' or 'Armchair Nationalist' to have misgivings about it - same as people would have misgivings about Diego Costa's 'transfer' from Brazil to Spain. It's a rather demeaning element in the international game, and I'd have more respect for people like Dave Kitson who turned down an Irish call up because, in his own words, he didn't 'feel Irish', and didn't want to take a spot from a player who would value it more.
I've already said that I'd accept it as a necessary evil, but with a certain degree of distaste.
Brilliantly said, Supreme feet.
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