I honestly believe that while Ireland have a decent team now we should be enjoying a golden period in our footballing history by the time of the next European championships comes around. I base this claim because of the from the amount of young Irish talent that is starting to make waves across the channel.
So how good will Ireland be then if we do qualify for the next European Championships? To try and answer this question I've compiled a list of a probable team Ireland might field in such a competition. I think most will agree that it looks to be a far better unit than the one we currently can assemble (also there's no Gary Doherty in the squad).
Goalkeeper
Shay Given - Currently One of our few world class performers. In 2008 he will be 32 but he should still be one of the best keepers in the Premiership. He could even be playing for a better club by 2008 (Arsenal maybe?).
Right Back
Steve Finnan - Finnan will be 32 by the next European Championships but should still be playing at the top level anwill still be as a consistent performer for us as he has been in recent years. A top quality full back.
Centre Back
Richard Dunne - Dunne will be 28 at the time. Hopefully he will have continued to improve over the next three years at the same level that we've seen in the past three but even if he doesn't get any better he's still a very decent central defender. He does lack a bit of pace though so a quicker alternative coming through would be nice to have.
Paul McShane - I've been very impressed by Mc Shane during his time at Brighton eventhough I've always known he had potential. At 19 he looks like one of our most promising young players and in three years he could easily be an established regular at either United or another Premiership team.
Left Back
John O'Shea - Unfortunately O'Shea will probably still be a first team player as there's no serious contenders on the horizon for the left back position. I see him as the single weak link in the team though hopefully he'll have improved in the 3 years as we've been expecting him to do for so long (instead he's gone backwards if anything).
Central Midfield
Joey O'Brien - Has the potential to be a top quality central midfield player. Only 19 and already breaking into the Bolton first team where he's playing with some of the best midfielders in Europe (Okocha and Nakata). I watched him against Lokomotiv Plovdiv yesterday in the Uefa Cup and while Bolton were poor he was one of their better players and wasn't afraid to stick his foot in. He won the ball on countless occasions and I didn't notice him losing possession once. I reckon he'll only get better and better if he can make himself a regular in Big Sam's team.
Stephen Ireland - Ireland can establish himself as one of the best young players in the Premiership by the end of this season. He's played a few games for Man City already and when I've seen him he looks to be at another level than the players around him. The Man City fans have a very high opinion of him and from reading their forums they would like to see him as regular starter in the team at the expense of Reyna or Sun Jihai. Ireland and O'Brien would make a formidable central midfield pairing with the perfect blend of solidity and creativity.
Left Midfield
Damian Duff - Will still be around in three years time though at 29 he might not be quite the player he is now as he'll probably have lost a bit of pace. Should still be one of our most influential and talented players though.
Right Midfield
Andy Reid - Hasn't exactly set the world alight since his move to Tottenham but on his day he's still one of our most skillful and creative players. He's still young and new to the Premiership so I'd expect him to be an improved player in 3 years time when he's 25.
Strikers
Robbie Keane - Our record goalscorer will only be 27 and will be in his prime. Hopefully he'll be playing regular Premiership football at the time.
Stephen Elliot - Looks a player when he's played as a striker and not out on the wing as Mc Carthy has opted to do on occasion this season. Still young so plenty of time to develop his undoubted talent. He'll be 24 by Euro 2008 and should have improved considerably once he gets a few more seasons of top flight football behind him.
Squad members:
GoalKeepers:
Shane Supple
Paddy Kenny
Defenders:
Stephen Kelly
Stephen Carr
Andy O'Brien
Paddy Mc Carthy
Midfielders:
Owen Garvan
Aidan Mc Geady
Jay Tabb
Matt Holland
Forwards:
Kevin Doyle
Anthony Stokes
This is all hypothetical of course but I've never seen as many young, exciting Irish players breaking through in such a short period of time. We've had the odd one here and there over the years, many of whom's reputations have been built up to unreasonable levels and have then failed to meet those unrealistic standards. Miller, Mc Phail, Thornton and Kennedy immediately spring to mind. Even with the obvious talent around at the moment we can expect that with another 3 years to go another gem or two should be unearthed.
I might head down to Paddy Power now to see what odds I can get on Ireland for Euro 2008. It's money in the bank.
Last edited by youngirish; 30/09/2005 at 1:34 PM.
You could add Glen Whelan and Willo Flood to that list.
I think we're all aware of the potential of some of the younger players we have, but right now that's all it is - potential. We've seen too many players come through the ranks only to fall at the last hurdle so I'm cautiously optimistic rather that outright delighted at the prospect of the team you've listed above lining out in Switzerland/Austria
the same was said about these years 5 years ago though.
ya gustavo, have to agree, we have been banking on talent coming through for too long. tbh i would wait till it happens if and when it happens.
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
There are so many players there that arent doing it. Its so hard to say which player should be in the first 11. For example Duff, he hasnt been doing it for a while.
He was top class against Italy, and Anderlecht recently. If he's allowed do what he does best he usually always performs. Unfortunately Mourinho won't let him do it in most games.Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
BTW youngIrish - That central midfield is a bit too attacking.
There wasn't the talent coming through five years ago to justify any such hype. Robbie Keane we perhaps would have expected to get better and he hasn't really. Other than that only Graham Barrett and Mc Phail had any talent to justify us believing that they might be top quality players though in Barrett's case he wasn't even near making a breakthrough to the Arsenal first team even in his early twenties.
The difference now is Ireland, O'Brien, Elliot, Mc Shane, Garvan, Kelly and Doyle are all young Irish players who are getting regular games at a decent level and have been performing well at that level (thus far). There's far more talented young players around at the one time than I can ever remember.
I think Ireland is about to go through a big drought at international level.
i disagree young irish if you look back five years ago we did have players that would be on a similar level to those that are coming through now . maybe i'm cynical or maybe i dont know enough about these players but none of them scream out at me that they will be really big stars , of course thats the way i like it cos they are always the ones that come good in the end , so maybe the future is bright after all
The key is the midfield players - if they turn out to be strong then I can see us having a very good team - but its too early to say. Ireland and O Brien need to start playing regularly for their clubs. Liam Miller needs to go out on loan to a team like sunderland/west brom and it would do him the world of good.
I dunno why but I have a feeling that we will win our last 2 games and get a playoff place
Go on I know you want to talk about Whelan and the holding roleBTW youngIrish - That central midfield is a bit too attacking.he's holding on firmly to the bottom of the table, ah I'm only slagging...
We'll always have a decent 11 - it's the options on the bench abd the manager we have to worry about.
will Holland not have retired/be forgotten about by then?Midfielders:
Owen Garvan
Aidan Mc Geady
Jay Tabb
Matt Holland
I want some of what youngirish is smoking.
PP
Semper in faecibus sole profundum variat
Fair play youngirish. I enjoyed reading that.
Liam Miller is s***e he will never be good enough for the top level and I would dread to think that he'll still be hanging around the Irish team in 3 years. Garvan, Ireland and O'Brien should all be ahead of him in the pecking order.
Everyone is saying we were in this position five years ago but name me 5 young Irish players at the time that were getting a regular game in Championship (Division 1 at the time) or Premiership teams that we had high hopes for that failed to live up to their potential. Only McPhail springs to mind.
At the moment Elliot, Doyle, Kelly, Garvan, Ireland and O'Brien are all getting regular games for their clubs.
McPhail as you mentioned. Sadlier and Healy both stricken by injuries, hopefully Healy will make it. Steven Reid has hardly fulfilled expectations. Jason Gavin. Joe Murphy. Dare I say Richie Partridge? Alan Quinn hasn't won as many caps as I would have expected 5-6 years ago. And others whose names I now forget but were touted as the next great thing etc etc etc.
Yeah he will be well gone, only to be replaced by another Mr Invisible - Liam Miller.
Some reckon Ireland has been in decline since Euro '88. I think we will have a lot of English priemer based players in the team but only 2 world class players and we will be very ordinary by 2008.
None of the players coming through look world class. Jut compare when Duff, Robbie Keane, Roy Keane were coming through to these fellas. Hardly a likely comparison.
i admire your optimism youngirish, but the reality always tends to be different.
i see a very lean patch on the horizon for what is already looking a relatively poor irish side.
you are basing your assumptions on a: players remain injury free and b: all their careers go on an upward trajectory.
neither of which can be certain in football
Sadlier was playing in the old English third division 5 years ago. The equivalent of Andrew Keogh today. You couldn't compare him to any of the players I mentioned who are playing at a much higher level. Partridge was nowhere near the Liverpool team and Healy was nowhere near the Celtic team at that time. People might have had high hopes for these players but it was totally unfounded.
Also it was known 5 years ago that Gavin wasn't good enough. He started coming through at Middlesboro before then while Reid hadn't even declared for Ireland. Joe Murphy and Quinn I'll agree to but I still reckon Quinn is a useful player and will probably be plying his trade in the Premiership next year.
Trust me lads you'll be saying in Euro 2008 that youngirish knew his s**t. I wish I had put that fiver on in Paddy Powers.
Last edited by youngirish; 03/10/2005 at 10:30 AM.
There's quite a bit of young talent bubbling under the surface that could well be involved before too long. I thought this last 7 days was a great week for the Irish in England.
I tend to share youngirish's optimism (I've said as much on another thread recently - Tetsujin's Stephen Ireland thread I think) but I think the first response to your post by Tetsujin says it all.
As to "knowing your sh1t" I think we all like to think we do - that's why we're here! Anyone of us could list who are most outstanding near-term prospects are but who knows what'll happen in the next 2 years? In early 2002 I'd have said Sadlier, Reid & Healy would be shoe-ins for a starting place. 2 years ago I'd have said the same about Miller. But two weeks ago I'd have known little about Stephen Ireland other than what's been on foot.ie over the last year (again stats provided by Tets) & soccercentral. Now he's getting MOTM in the Premiership. Last year McGeady was a revelation. Now he's struggling for form and a place at Celtic. There were 5 Irish in Ipswich's FA Youth Cup winning side, one of whom is holding down a starting spot at 17 in central midfield.
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