Irish squad for Croatia game

Coumtay

Irish squad
Goalkeepers:
Shay Given, Nick Colgan, Paddy Kenny

Defenders:
Alan Maybury, Steve Finnan, Kenny Cunningham, Stephen Carr, Andy O'Brien, Gary Doherty, Richard Dunne, Gary Breen

Midfielders:
Matt Holland, John O'Shea, Kevin Kilbane, Liam Miller, Andy Reid, Graham Kavanagh, Alan Quinn, Graham Barrett, Aiden McGeady, Damien Duff

Forwards:
Alan Lee, Stephen Elliott, Robbie Keane, Jonathan Macken


Glad to see Elliott getting a call-up, it will be good to see himself and McGeady getting a run out....It's a pity about Flood but I guess he has plenty of time ahead of him yet!

Villain

Wheres Roy Keane?? :rolleyes:

Coumtay

I guess Kerr is letting him take it easy in Manchester rather than calling him up for a friendly. He's played a lot of game for Utd recently and I'd say Ferguson had a word in his ear about this international match.

The_B_Man

no sign of Ian Harte!
i take it brian kerrs excuse last time bout the spanish league not starting was only a cover for harte bein crap?

i see john o shea is in midfield. dont think theres any need for him there. and looks like kerr will be forced into a new striking partnership with the absence of morrisson. should be interesting.

PS Go on the Barrett!! Up the Kilnamanagh!

eirebhoy

I'd like to see us experiment with using a different formation. Given rested and Kenny a bit of experience. Cunningham shouldn't be playing every game at his age so needs a break and Finnan should get a game at right back. O'Shea also needs a game (although he might be getting an operation which would rule him out).

I'd like to see McGeady play in his best position as, unlike Celtic, our squad has the players to accommodate him. We have to see how Elliott and Keane play together too.

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Kenny

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Finnan--Dunne--O'Brien--O'Shea

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Holland

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----Kavanagh---Kilbane

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McGeady

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Elliott---Keane

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thejollyrodger

yeah more to the point where is hearte !! he should be in the squad ! Roy needs a rest. He could have also called in Flood.

Xterminator

Well i think Ian Harte must have messed with Brian's daughter or something?

Cant be football reasons, as Levante are on a good run, and Ians played every game. i mean Alan Maybury, and Gary Breen, in the squad ahead of Harte?

I dont think Willo Flood can expect a call up based on a few games. Give him a season to prove himself in the first team at city, then call him up.

X

Dewey

I very surprised Harte isnt in the team. His club who only got promoted this season are 3rd in La Liga. And i was reading in a magazine that he is the only former Premiership player doing well in Spain( this was before Owen started scoring for Real) Harte should really be in the squad.

Glad to see Aiden McGeady, Stephen Elliott. But i think Stephen Elliott might be ruled out because of a foot injury i heard on the radio. i hope he plays.

cournioni

Delap should have been given a chance, he's earned it more than McGeady or Elliott, IMO. He's been playing well in the Premiership for some time now. Anyone know why he is not in the squad ahead of Division 1 players?

Harte should be called up. Maybury and Breen are in no way better than him. It's a joke.

The Rooster

I agree that Delap is very unlucky - would surely deserve to be in there ahead of Quinn and Barrett, though maybe they're both playing very well too? But given that Rory is 5 years or so older than both of those, maybe its a case that Delap's international career is close to an end? Not to mention that fact that Miller and Flood also play in a similar position. Though to be honest if this was a big qualifier and the choice of right sided midfielder was between Quinn, Barrett, Miller, Flood, McGeady and Delap - I'd certainly go with Delap. But maybe there's more merit in playing any of the others in a friendly, as hopefully they've the potential to be better than Delap.

I think the fact that O'Shea is named at midfield means that he's a certainty to start there, therefore Maybury will be at left back. Agree with eirebhoy that Finnan and Dunne should start.

Just because Levante are doing great doesnt mean that Harte is. In all likelihood he still has the same deficiencies. Levante are live on Sky Sports this weekend, so we'll get a chance to see him in action.

Delighted that Elliott got called up. IMO he's superior to both Lee and Macken, though unfortunately I think both of those will see action before he does.

eirebhoy

Xterminator wrote:

i mean Alan Maybury, and Gary Breen, in the squad ahead of Harte?

Well Breen isn't blocking Harte from getting into the squad and IMHO I'd have Maybury ahead of O'Shea in the pecking order. I doubt we'll get to see O'Shea play more than 5 games at left back this season as Heinze and Silvestre are ahead of him in that position while Maybury is playin well in the UEFA cup (at left back suprisingly, saw him against Feyenoord).

Here's a quote from Kerr yesterday, its obvious what he meant but still funny:

"I have eight very good defenders in my squad, nine if you include Gary Doherty."

Jivin Turkey

I think Delap should definately be there. I dont understand how someone like Barrett is there ahead of him, considering he hasnt even played every game for Coventry this year.

I also think we should take another look at Harte. I have to say Im not Mayburys biggest fan.

eirebhoy

Jivin Turkey wrote:

I have to say Im not Mayburys biggest fan.

Neither am I but Fergie doesn't even see O'Shea as a left back any more. The last player, other than Heinze, to play at left back was Fortune against Birmingham (O'Shea was left on the bench), that says it all really. He's not even making the bench for Utd any more even though he's named in all the provisional squads that travel to the games.

You may say that Maybury wouldn't make the United bench but I'd prefer to have a player playing regular football at full back rather than someone playing no football other than the Carling cup. Now if O'Shea had actually played a good game in the last few month things might be different.

Pigman II

Kerr has this strange fondness for defenders who can actually defend. Hense you won't be seeing Harte for a while.

MrJoeSoap

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Delap should have been given a chance, he's earned it more than McGeady or Elliott, IMO. He's been playing well in the Premiership for some time now.

Rory Delap is one of the many weak links in an incredibly poor Southampton team. How he manages to keep his place is beyond me (he's played in every game this season). Two goals against Arsenal do NOT justify a call up.

cournioni

He has played well for the last number of seasons and is regaining form this season. You think I was going on just those two goals?! Do you think I'm stupid or something?! Of course you have to do more than score two goals, you need to perform well. And he has done that. He is keeping his place in the Southampton 11 for a reason, and that is because he is playing well.

Besides, he is a very versitile player. We give him a chance to play up front, and see how he does. He can't be any worse than Doherty.