QuoteTwas probably less than a decade ago we had way less EPL starters to choose from.
I honestly can't remember a time when we had so few players starting for Premiership teams. Is this the worst team we've ever had, historically speaking?
Twas probably less than a decade ago we had way less EPL starters to choose from.
I think it's pretty weak, not because of the depth of the squad, we have plenty of players playing at a decent championship or even premier league level, but because of the lack of match-winners and game-savers. This is the first time I can remember Ireland being without a McGrath, Keane, other Keane at the height of his powers, Duff, Dunne, Staunton, Given... I don't really think the "filler" is any worse than it was. Doyle and Walters, for example, are as good as Morrison, and better than Doherty. Andrews is as good as Kavanagh. McGeady is as good as Lawrence or Gary Kelly on the right. We just don't have the stand-out players who can turn a solid team into a good one.
we can still field a team with
Coleman O'Shea Clark Wilson
McGeady Whelan Gibson McCarthy
Long Walters
I think the depth of talent isn't there, but there's certainly more Premier League players available. Think I read somewhere that Ireland are third behind France and England in terms of number of players on Premier League squads?
I would say that on paper we have a pretty decent batch of good premiership players like Hoolahan, Pilks, Long, McCarthy, Walters, Wilson, Coleman and Gibson. Certainly not a batch of players to be sniffed at. We also have a few players like Westwood and The Saint who will do a job for you against most international teams.
What we don't have is world class players. Around 2001/2002 for example, we had Keane (Roy), Given, Duff and possibly Carr. Then we had Robbie Keane who was on his day world class. Then we had guys like Harte and Kelly who were getting in Premiership end of season elevens.
On 28/10/1980 the FAI was able to get players released from English clubs for the first time according to wiki.
They lost to FR 2-0.
The starting lineup was:
Gerry Peyton
David Langan
Mark Lawrenson
C Hughton
Kevin Moran
T Grealish
Mick Martin
L Brady
Steve Heighway (a hot rod enthusiast no doubt)
F Stapleton (Would later become a super sub)
Mike Robinson (was actually Czech not Irish)
and...Gerry Ryan (not of star trek) came on as a sub. Eion Hand was the manager i believe.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
The problem is, other nations have plenty of players in La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and the Bundesliga as well, which we don't have. Just looking at the EPL gives a skewed picture.Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
As opposed to what other way of speaking?
I think we've already discussed the strength of the Irish squad versus the Swedish squad and the consensus was that, Zlatan aside, our squad is pound for pound on a fairly level par with what they have at their disposal. Looking at Austria's squad, I'd say the same.
It's a shame we've no world class player(s) at the moment but plenty of international sides would probably give their right arm for some of our players and any manager worth his salt should be able to fashion a decent side out of what we have, imo.
I think it is safe to say the team from 1967-1972 was the worst, they did not win a game for 4 & half years !!!, they won on the 22/11/1967 against Czechoslovakia and their next win was 18/06/1972 against Iran. In all, that was 20 games without a win.
Tattoos?
Uh, I'd say the current Irish team have achieved more than most Irish teams have. So, no, they're not the weakest.
Perhaps a better way for me to ask the question would have been:
Is this the weakest group of players an Irish manager has had to pick from in a very long time?
This current Irish team has achieved nothing. This current Irish team didn't qualify for the Euros. That team had Given, Dunne, and Duff in it.
OK, I get you. The answer is still no. We've had plenty of groups of players weaker than this. We're undoubtedly weaker in goal without Given and Duff has yet to be convincingly replaced, but Dunne has only really done the business for us since Trap took over. Our striking options are possibly the best they've ever been, we have good wingers, a couple of good full backs and some promising midfielders. Whether Trap is selecting the right players or getting the best out of them... I'd say he's not, but it's a good crop of players, something we've not always been blessed with. We've also got a good crop of players coming through from the U19s and U21s who are actually playing regularly at a good level and showing signs of breaking into the senior team, and we haven't always had players who could make a smooth transition from underage to senior football.
You're correct.
Have gander at www.transfermarkt.de
A wonderful site.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
The funny part to this is its also the weakest Premiership in memory.
there is quite a bit of truth in that Colbert
There isnt its like saying a team that played one game in autumn has achieved nothing, this "team", what team? the last 6 months? The last 3 games? What players? It hasnt been a consistent team since the Euros. This thread is completely pointless.
I think what he was originally trying to say was Traps Team, and then he decided to take out Duff, Dunne, Given. Even if he is talking about the squad they haven't been together a wet week!
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
consistent or not, with Dunne, Duff, Given gone and players like coleman, mccarthy , brady, westwood, wilson starting to force their way into the first team - i would view it as a new team.....even if they only are together a wet week.
Although I do somewhat agree the thread is a bit pointless, but equally i would view it as a a potentially new team
Difficult to directly compare because there were still some class players in the WC 1998 squad but they were mostly past it and if you look at some of the players who got capped you would have to say our strenght in depth is better now.
A close call and the first team was probably better than now but I would say this was a worse squad when you consider the ages of the players and the ones that replaced them when they were injured. Also this was not the keane of the WC 2002 qualifiers.
Player Appearances
Tony Cascarino 12
Ian Harte 11
Jeff Kenna 10
Steve Staunton 10
Andy Townsend 10
Alan McLoughlin 9
Kenny Cunningham 8
Mark Kennedy 7
Roy Keane 7
David Connolly 7
Shay Given 7
Denis Irwin 7
Ray Houghton 7
Gary Breen 6
Gary Kelly 6
Jason McAteer 6
Alan Kelly 5
David Kelly 5
Phil Babb 3
Alan Moore 3
Jon Goodman 3
Lee Carsley 3
Keith O'Neill 3
Niall Quinn 2
Terry Phelan 2
Curtis Flemming 2
Liam O'Brien 1
Tommy Coyne 1
Mickey Evans 1
Kevin Kilbane 1
John Aldridge 1
Last edited by Irish_Praha; 08/03/2013 at 9:30 PM.
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