Good man Stephen Ireland... (1 Viewer)

Stephen Ireland is not the type of player that suits Trappatonis system, chances are he would be lucky to get his game even if he were in the team. Trap prefers those holding, direct, grafting, style of mid fielders ala Andrews, Whelan and Lawrence. Not as classy as Ireland by a long way but perfectly suited to the system that Trap employs. Stephen Ireland showed temperamental issues under Mancini and Houllier -( his unwillingness to track back and help his team mates out was a major reason why Mancini off loaded him) and his refusal to obey the coach was another. This led to a an ever spiralling downward dip in his confidence and form which has only now resurfaced under McCleish.
trap is 142, though, he ain't gonna be around for ever. we can't have austerity measures on the football pitch as well, can we?

with the cnfidence of being one of europes top teams again, and some really good looking young players coming up in the premier league, the future could be bright. it's the present that's a bit worrying. dunne won't be around for ever, and o'shea looks like he's shot his bolt since he left united. at least robbie looks reasonably sharp, but what's the story with doyle? he's been in a funk all year.

thing is, trap is gonna pick the boys that got him there, regardless of form. you could pick the 23 man squad now, and probably be right. trap isn't versatile, and we have no plan be. mccarthy, ireland, they could play a different game, one that might work against a team like spain. but trap will never change. he didn't survive the borgia's and the bubonic plague by being changeable. i suppose in order to qualify, we had no chance but to play like that, and that's grand. i've no complaints. the football from ireland has always been pretty dour.

it's funny, it was a qualification devoid of excitement. none. the crucial result in the entire campaign was when armenia beat slovakia. and even the play off had no drama. how dull was the second leg? that's our lot, and fuck it, i don't care. i'd like to see a clearout after this tournament though.

anyway: guess the squad.

gk: given, westwood, randolph?
def: o'shea, stledger, kelly, dunne, kilbane, big nose, o'dea?
mid: duff, mcgeady, whelan, hunt, andrews, faw-hey, mccarthy?, walters ?
strikers: keane, long, cox, doyle

really only 3 places possibly up for grabs?
 
squad for friendlies:Shay Given (Aston Villa), Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall); John O'Shea (Sunderland), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O'Dea (Leeds), Kevin Foley (Wolves); Glenn Whelan (Stoke), James McCarthy (Wigan), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Keith Andrews (West Brom), Keith Fahey (Birmingham), Darron Gibson (Everton), Damien Duff (Fulham), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Stephen Hunt (Wolves); Robbie Keane (Aston Villa), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long, Simon Cox (both West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke).i forgot about darron. which was a good thing, as far as i'm concerned. no new faces, so i'd imagine there'll be no change between now and the summer, even though simon's cocks can't get a game for his club. or st ledger, for that matter. of course, not remotely surprising.
 
squad for friendlies:Shay Given (Aston Villa), Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall); John O'Shea (Sunderland), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O'Dea (Leeds), Kevin Foley (Wolves); Glenn Whelan (Stoke), James McCarthy (Wigan), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Keith Andrews (West Brom), Keith Fahey (Birmingham), Darron Gibson (Everton), Damien Duff (Fulham), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Stephen Hunt (Wolves); Robbie Keane (Aston Villa), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long, Simon Cox (both West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke).i forgot about darron. which was a good thing, as far as i'm concerned. no new faces, so i'd imagine there'll be no change between now and the summer, even though simon's cocks can't get a game for his club. or st ledger, for that matter. of course, not remotely surprising.

No McClean - unfuckinbelievable!! I agree in large part with your earlier post but some encouragement can be gleaned from K Doyles excellent substitute appearance against QPR last week. Hopefully this is a precursor for things to come.
 
In theory now an Irish B team made up of players either out of he starting 11 or not picked for the squad at all would easily beat our first team

Kenny

S Reid - O'Shea - O'Dea - Coleman

McClean - McCarthy - Fahey - Walters

Long - Cox

You could probably make a C team involving Leon Best banging in long Rory Delap throws that would give the A team a good go too.
 
i doubt that..even if it's true, where's hoolahan, or pilkington? it just means that trap isn't gong to try anything new between now and the tournament, which is a shame. for friendlies, is there anything he can learn from those players that he doesn't already know?

there's quite a few irish players in the premier league now that aren't getting a look in at international level. those lads got us there, i know, but a bit of compettion wouldn't go amiss. also, i don't like the cliqueyness, who was it came out and said we don't want any lads declaring yadda yadda. it's actually like a club squad, with not enough money to buy any decent players.
 
westwood isn't a bad keeper either.

i'd play a 4-3-3

westwood
kelly odea duffy wilson
clarke
mccarthy ireland
mcclean rooney pilkington


just for giggles, you understand. maybe even the team from the future.
In theory now an Irish B team made up of players either out of he starting 11 or not picked for the squad at all would easily beat our first team

Kenny

S Reid - O'Shea - O'Dea - Coleman

McClean - McCarthy - Fahey - Walters

Long - Cox

You could probably make a C team involving Leon Best banging in long Rory Delap throws that would give the A team a good go too.
 
it's better than costa rica, tobago and canada in colorado or whatever. glorious failure and moral victories, that's what we're about.
 
westwood isn't a bad keeper either.

i'd play a 4-3-3

westwood
kelly odea duffy wilson
clarke
mccarthy ireland
mcclean rooney pilkington


just for giggles, you understand. maybe even the team from the future.

I'd give Colin Doyle, Alex Pearce and Robbie Brady a run out for sure instead of Westwood, O'Dea and McCarthy.
Foley instead of Kelly.

I'd play Paul Green before Stephen Ireland.
 

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