Euro 2012 qualifiers (1 Viewer)

[ratmonkey]

Is either Reid even fit? S Reid seems to be playing right back these days, and has the advantage of being not Paul McShane.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

great to see him casting the net a bit wider. i imagine he'll bring a couple of them into the main squad, with the rest on standby for the next bunch of qualifiers. suggests to me that some lads who played the last campaign might be on their way out.

andy keogh, though, what can we hope to learn from that?

stephen reid ever gonna play again? or andy for that matter?

Andy has been out injured for a fair while now. Steven was playing with West Brom but I think he has a small injury at the moment. Trap knows what he can do anyway, so I wouldn't have expected him to be called up. The only thing with having Keogh is giving him the chance to play up front. He's not a right winger at all but that's the only place he's played for us.

 

[Richie]

Keogh did quite well for Wolves early in the season and then got injured for ages, seems to be a favourite of Trap's though. Steven Reid's just been offered a contract by West Brom, apparently doing grand there as a full back, as Cinnamonboy said I'd imagine Trap's left him out of this squad because he already knows what he can do. I'm quite optimistic about the midfield and defensive positions, plenty of options coming through, the next big issue we might have is finding a goalscoring striker (Doyle is a fine player but he's more of a workhorse and chance creator than a poacher\finisher type) to take over from Robbie a couple of years down the line. Stokes hasn't really shown that he can cut it at the top level yet and Best\Folan\Long are much of a muchness at the moment.

 

[washingcattle]

23-man Training Squad in advance of the upcoming Ireland friendlies announced:

Keiren Westwood
Joe Murphy
Brian Murphy

Stephen Kelly
Eddie Nolan
Paul McShane
Shane Duffy
Kevin Foley
Stephen Ward
Marc Wilson
Darren O'Dea

Keith Treacy
Darron Gibson
Andy Keogh
James McCarthy
Liam Lawrence
David Meyler
Keith Fahey
Paul Green

Caleb Folan
Leon Best
Shane Long
Anthony Stokes

Given the way Trapattoni stuck to his choices from the last training session (Glen Whelan etc) these get togethers seem to have a fair bit of importance attached. Bit surprised that Seamus Coleman of Everton didn't make it though he may well be involved in the playoffs with his loan team Blackpool at that stage. Paul Green is some lad that plays right midfield with Derby County. Good to see Meyler, Fahey, Ward, Duffy and Wilson getting a chance.

This is exactly the squad I wanted to see announced. Actually looking forward to the games now plus the RDS is within walking distance. Sweet.

Coleman will be in the playoffs and is getting a good run in the side there. He looks a real prospect. Duffy probably would have been out on loan too but our center half issues have been too serious to let anyone go. He's a shoe in to make an appearance and finally put the Norths issues to bed.

We're so weak up front though can't see many goals in either match.

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

That's crazy talk - CALEB FOLAN is extremely large and will score many goals.

 

[washingcattle]

Eh... yeah ?

Shay Givens shoulder, not good news. Don't know if he'd dislocated it before but the first time is by far the most painful. Gets a wee bit easier after that. It's one of those recurring injuries that you can't do fuck all about though so hope City have better medical staff than defenders.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

We have great players, but the other teams also have great players. We will be trying to qualify, 100%. I am confident that we can achieve a lot and maybe even qualify for the UEFA European Championships Poland-Ukraine 2012.

 

[ratmonkey]

We have great players, but the other teams also have great players.

I suspect you are not using the John Giles approved definition of greatness.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

I suspect you are not using the John Giles approved definition of greatness.

UEFA definition.

 

[washingcattle]

UEFA definition.

that means "Alive"

 

[Moods For Mallards]

that means "Alive"

There is nothing that makes me feel more alive than running out onto the field for a UEFA Euro 2012 Poland-Ukraine preliminary qualification tie, the fans cheering and showing happiness. This makes me also happy, it is very important.
But we must always remember that the other team is strong and we will have to play at our maximum to advance.

 

[Jerry Twig]

Look forward to seeing Meyler in an Irish shirt. How's Leon Best getting on at Newcastle. It's important to know, given that Folan is about 5th choice at Hull.

 

[Hector Grey]

when's these matches? in the rds is it? who are we playing? why do i know nothing about this?

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Algeria and Paraguay. 24th and 28th or something like that in the RDS.

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

Caleb watches.
Caleb waits.

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

Steven was playing with West Brom but I think he has a small injury at the moment

Scored an own goal last night against Palace which nearly sent Sheffield Wednesday down...
Thanks Steven!!

 

[washingcattle]

Side for the match against Paraguay isn't the experiment i had expected. McShane is playing for a start. Big welcome back to John O Shea the defense looks very fallable and going forward it's the same front six that took on France and Italy. Bit odd. At this rate Duffy and Coleman could be regulars by this time next year. full line up according to MNS is

.................Westwood

Kelly....St Ledger....McShane......O Shea

Lawerence....Andrews..Whelan...Duff

.........Doyle...Keane

 

[Richie]

It's pretty much the strongest available side but I'm sure he'll give the likes of Fahey, Green, Wilson, Stokes etc a run out in this match or the Algeria one. Pity about Meyler, McCarthy and Ward all being unavailable, they were the players I was most hoping to see in these games. Meyler especially, could be out for an entire year apparently, extremely unlucky considering he's already had two lengthy injury layoffs this season.. hopefully he doesn't turn into another Steven Reid or Richie Sadlier story.

 

[washingcattle]

Any side with Paul McShane in it is fundamentally flawed. This is, therefore, not the strongest side available. O Shea at center half, left back is a serious issue, but McShane just got relegated while playing for a team that conceded 104 goals. It doesn't take a genius. You can just about get a away with a weak-ish full back if your left sided midfielder is willing to put the work in but I wouldn't wish McShane on my worst enemy. We need a petition or a facebook like "1 million Irish against Paul McShane".

 

[washingcattle]

Reid calls it a day.

Steven that is

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/irish/8815047.stm