So you've replaced Stan as Ireland manager...

Green Giant

...who would be in your squad and starting XI? (assuming no injuries)

Squad of 23
GK: Nicky Colgan, Shay Given, Wayne Henderson
DF: Stephen Carr, Richard Dunne, Steve Finnan, Stephen Kelly, Paul McShane, Joey O'Brien, John O'Shea
MD: Lee Carsley, Damien Duff, Stephen Hunt, Stephen Ireland, Kevin Kilbane, Aiden McGeady, Liam Miller, Andy Reid
FW: Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane, Alan Lee, Shane Long, Anthony Stokes

Starting XI
Given - Finnan, Dunne, McShane, Kelly - Ireland, Hunt, Kilbane, Duff - Doyle, Keane\Long

leninbenjamin

assuming no injuries? where the fup is Stephen Reid then ya dongle??? and how can you justify 3 left wingers in the starting 11?

Xavi6

I'd have Weso Houlihan in the squad straight away.

godtabh

Green Giant wrote: »

Starting XI
Given - Finnan, Dunne, McShane, Kelly - Ireland, Hunt, Kilbane, Duff - Doyle, Keane\Long

You aslo have 12 players starting

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Xavi6 wrote: »

I'd have Weso Houlihan in the squad straight away.

Who?

Xavi6

DesF wrote: »

Who?

Bit of a no namer really. Doubt many would have heard of him of bothered to see him play.

PHB

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Given

---

Finnan-Dunne-McShane-O'Shea
-Hunt--Reid--Ireland

---

Duff

---

Doyle-Keane

---

_blank_

PHB wrote: »

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Given

---

Finnan-Dunne-McShane-O'Shea
-Hunt--Reid--Ireland

---

Duff

---

Doyle-Keane

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Andy?

What about Stephen?

whatawaster

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Given

---

Finnan

---

Dunne

---

McShane

---

Kelly--

---

S Reid

---

A Reid

---

---

Ireland

---

Keane

---

Duff

---

---

Doyle

---

Subs:
Doyle
J O'Brien
O'Shea
Miller
Hunt
Long
McGeady

In the long term, our priority should be to find a strong Central Midfield partnership, So I feel players like O'Brien, Gibson, Miller, S Reid and (dare I say) John O'Shea should all be given opportunities there under a decent manager.

Pigman II

Green Giant = Steve Staunton online?

zAbbo

Sack Stan, and pick identical squad/XI as he has. ??

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Given

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Finnan-Dunne-McShane-Kelly

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JOS

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S.Reid

---

A.Reid

---

Hunt

---

Long----Doyle

---

joker77

Anyone hear how Stephen Reid is doing recently? He was our best centre-mid before getting the injury.

whatawaster

joker77 wrote: »

Anyone hear how Stephen Reid is doing recently? He was our best centre-mid before getting the injury.

I think he's playing for their reserves tonight. Hopefully he takes things slow and gets back to full fitness. I've no doubt he'll walk into our midfield if fit.

Evil_Clown

Given

Finnan Dunne(C) McShane Kilbane


Duff A Reid S Reid Hunt

Keane

Doyle


Manager: Paul Jewell

This is my team for the World cup 2010 Qualifiers

whatawaster

Evil_Clown wrote: »

Given

Finnan Dunne(C) McShane Kilbane


Duff A Reid S Reid Hunt

Keane

Doyle


Manager: Paul Jewell

This is my team for the World cup 2010 Qualifiers

I agree that replacing Keane as captain is crucial. Dunne is the obvious choice, Given as vice-captain.

ROCKMAN

Evil_Clown wrote: »

Given

Finnan Dunne(C) McShane Kilbane


Duff A Reid S Reid Hunt

Keane

Doyle


Manager: Paul Jewell

This is my team for the World cup 2010 Qualifiers

whatawaster wrote: »

I agree that replacing Keane as captain is crucial. Dunne is the obvious choice, Given as vice-captain.

Dunne as captain, would be my first move as well.

gustavo

GK , Given , Henderson , Doyle

Def
Dunne , O'Brien A , McShane , O'Shea , Harte , Finnan , Carr

Mid
Duff , A Reid , S Reid , Carsley , Ireland , Miller , Kilbane , McGeady

Strikers
Keane , Doyle , Long , Morrison , Keogh

Team
Given
Finnan McShane Dunne O'Shea

Reid Reid

Doyle Ireland Duff
Keane

PHB

DesF wrote: »

Andy?

What about Stephen?

Steven, drop Andy

leninbenjamin

---

Given

---

Finnan - Dunne - McShane - Kilbane

---

S. Reid

---

A.Reid

---

---

Ireland

---

Duff

---

Hunt

---

Doyler

---

that's what i want to see in the long term. Keane dropped initially anyway, if i were to bring him back in it would be for Hunt, generally give him license to roam/swap with duffers... iirc one of Doyle's best performances in a green shirt came when he was up front on his own. him and Keane together up top will never be a viable partnership anyway, they don't really link up, just happen to appear in the same general area. Ireland spearheading the midfield and generally told to get into the box as much as possible, he looks best at getting on the end of things for me, so have two behind him to give him more freedom to do this.

Edit: didn't notice how similar Gustavo's is to mine until i posted it. Keane shouldn't be the one up top though.

Green Giant

kearnsr wrote: »

You aslo have 12 players starting

Keane\Long means Keane OR Long

And I shall add Stephen Reid to the squad, with the removal (which I'm sure will be criticised) of Alan Lee

Xavi6

Green Giant wrote: »

And I shall add Stephen Reid to the squad, with the removal (which I'm sure will be criticised) of Alan Lee

Why would that be criticised? Lee's sh1te

genericgoon

Shay Given(C)

Steve Finnan Richard Dunne Paul McShane John O'Shea

Damien Duff Steven Reid Andy Reid Stephen Hunt

Kevin Doyle Robbie Keane

eirebhoy

---

Given

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Finnan--Dunne--McShane--Kilbane

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Garvan

---

---

Reid

---

Reid

---

---Keane

---

Duff---

---

Doyle

---

Pretty much the same system I've wanted for ages.

Kilbane in there because he's playing left back for Wigan and we don't have much of a choice.

Garvan is only 19 but has been a first teamer at Ipswich since he was 17 (bar his long term injury). Arguably Ipswich's best player and a player that'll definitely be a regular for Ireland in the future. Why not now?

Keane I feel is much better playing from deep. If we got a manager in that focused on passing it would be great.

Bounty Hunter

seems most people would pick atleast 2 LW (hunt and duff), do we not have a RW cant S.Reid play there.

---

Given
Finnan--McShane--Dunne(c)--O'Shea

S.Reid---Ireland----A.Reid---Duff

---

Doyle----Keane

subs: Long, McGeady, Hunt, O'Brien, Henderson

PHB

Surely Ireland's natural position would be RW, I just prefer him in teh center. I like the system that eirebhoy has, although if we're gona through youth in for the hell of it, Gibson looks a much better prospect.

_blank_

PHB wrote: »

Surely Ireland's natural position would be RW

He said he didn't like playing RW, I think it was after the Wales game in CP.

Xavi6

eirebhoy wrote: »

Garvan is only 19 but has been a first teamer at Ipswich since he was 17 (bar his long term injury). Arguably Ipswich's best player and a player that'll definitely be a regular for Ireland in the future. Why not now?

Spot on there eirebhoy. The lad's quality. Seen him play a fair few games and every time he looks impressive.

What about his team mate Shane Supple for nets? He's won the FA Youth Cup and played in 36 first team games. Colgan needs to go.

loyatemu

whoever plays, Dunne should be the new captain. Robbie is a good player (well, sometimes, mainly for Spurs tbh) but he is not a captain.

CantGetNoSleep

I think Green Giant is about the only person i'd have Stan managing Ireland ahead of

ROCKMAN

loyatemu wrote: »

whoever plays, Dunne should be the new captain. Robbie is a good player (well, sometimes, mainly for Spurs tbh) but he is not a captain.

I agree and maybe taking he captains armband away i.e ( extra duties and responsibilities on/off the pitch) may help him find some form for Ireland.

whatawaster

PHB wrote: »

Surely Ireland's natural position would be RW, I just prefer him in teh center. I like the system that eirebhoy has, although if we're gona through youth in for the hell of it, Gibson looks a much better prospect.

I'd like Gibson to do a McShane and get out of United though. Doubt he'll see much action there. Though i've no doubt he's better than Carrick.

Another problem position could be left back. Kelly is not a natural there, O'Shea is dodgy everywhere and off the top my head I can think of nobody else bar Harte who plays there?

~Rebel~

ROCKMAN wrote: »

I agree and maybe taking he captains armband away i.e ( extra duties and responsibilities on/off the pitch) may help him find some form for Ireland.

Agree. Would be easy to spin it as relief rather then punishment as well. Say we'll let Robbie just do what he does best, no need for him to be running back having words with people. Leave the dirty work to Dunne.


Ill go with

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Given
Finnan--Dunne--McShane--Kilbane

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Reid--Reid
-Ireland

---

Keane

---

Hunt

---

Doyle

Duff would be straight in for Hunt if he reclaimed some sort of form on his theoretical return from injury, and we do actually have competition for places in that position. S.Reid comes straight in as he's probably our best midfielder.
Keane id like playing deep enough that he's able to be facing goal when he receives the ball.

Roar

Given

Finnan-- Dunne--mcshane-- O'shea


Hunt-- A.reid -- Ireland -- Duff

Doyle -- Behan

Xavi6

Roar wrote: »

Given

Finnan-- Dunne--mcshane-- O'shea


Hunt-- A.reid -- Ireland -- Duff

Doyle -- Behan

LOL good one. As much as i dislike Robbie Keane I wouldn't insult him (or Shane Long for that matter) by picking Behan instead. I'll put it down to Cork blinkers.

_blank_

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'll put it down to Cork blinkers.

I put it down to romantic infatuation tbh.

Xavi6

DesF wrote: »

I put it down to romantic infatuation tbh.

Ah well I can relate to that. Imagine Xavi had an Irish passport....mmmmm

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Xavi6 wrote: »

Ah well I can relate to that. Imagine Xavi had an Irish passport....mmmmm

:eek:

I don't know what's more disturbing.

This, Roar's lust of Denis behan or JoeSoap's obsession with Gareth Bale last year. Just how close were you two?

GuanYin

at the moment:

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Given

---

Finnan

---

Dunne(C)----McShane

---

Kilbane

---

S.Reid
Ireland

---

A. Reid

---

Duff

---

Keane--

---

Doyle

---

I think Hunt and Long could easily come in and challenge Ireland (assuming he ever comes back) and Keane for their places (and hope they do).

I wouldn't like to see Carsley disposed of and I think Miller should be back in the squad.

If someone can screw Carr's head back on, he'd be a better solution than Kilbane as a full back (switch Finnan).

From there, I'd take some of the youngsters into the squad but I'd play our best team every game and have none of this crap where players like Miller are only drafted in through injuries but manage to get game time.

Mr.Nice Guy

I would go with...

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Given

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Finnan--Dunne--McShane--O'Shea
Duff---Ireland--A. Reid----Hunt

---

Doyle

---

Keane

---

I wouldn't pick Steven Reid as we don't know yet if he can recapture his previous form. I'd be confident that Duff can.

mikemac

---

Given

---

Finnan

---

Dunne(C)----McShane

---

Kilbane

---

S.Reid
Hunt

---

A. Reid

---

Duff

---

Ireland--

---

Doyle

---

I want Kilbane in the team as I rate him and reckon he can do an effective job.
If Ireland doesn't do much then I'd try Shane Long up front.
Robbie Keane needs to be dropped for the next 2-3 games imo.

Why is Paddy Kenny not in the squad and Henderson and Colgan are?
Kenny has Premiership experience. I know he withdrew from a squad but is he retired?

Bounty Hunter

definitely seems RW and LB to be Irelands problem positions with either Mr.Versatile but ****e in green John O'Shea or Zinidine "what a feckin donkey" Kilbane being picked by most at LB and central midfielders (Ireland) or left wingers (Duff/Hunt) being picked at RW.

~Rebel~

I think Irelands getting his mentions on the right (including from me) because he's played well and deserves his place based on his performances, but isn't ready to play center midfield at International level. Better to have 2 proper CM's with Ireland on the right/freeish role to create things.

leninbenjamin

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I think Irelands getting his mentions on the right (including from me) because he's played well and deserves his place based on his performances, but isn't ready to play center midfield at International level. Better to have 2 proper CM's with Ireland on the right/freeish role to create things.

but when he played on the right he was at his best when drifting into the center according to my memory, he didn't really do the wide man role at all did he?

GuanYin

Actually, I don't give a flying fnuck what formation any manager plays so long as our best 11 players are on the pitch for most of the games.

~Rebel~

leninbenjamin wrote: »

but when he played on the right he was at his best when drifting into the center according to my memory, he didn't really do the wide man role at all did he?

That was exactly my point. When there are 2 proper midfielders to do the dirty work, Ireland can move around in a fairly free role, creating things and making a nuisance of himself. You lose him in this respect if you demand that he be one of the 2 in CM doing the hard work. When he was there the game passed him by a fair bit.

Hence why i said, "Better to have 2 proper CM's with Ireland on the right/freeish role to create things."

Think of it as the Gerrard situation. He's a center player, but from an attacking creative sense if you take the responsibility of bossing the midfield off his shoulders you get a different dimension. This is done for Gerrard to accentuate his attacking play, it would be done for Ireland to limit his need for the hard graft, and increase how much time he gets to go into space looking for the ball to start moves off.

Evil_Clown

I can't see why so many people have JOS in their teams
First of all he doesn't regularly play for his club and even when he does it seems to be in a different position each time
Aswell I don't know about anyone else but I clearly saw him pull out of at least 2 tackles against Cyprus which makes me think his head was still in Manchester
He is a good player at times but I would not have him in the Ireland team at the moment IMO

_blank_

Stephen Reid played last night.

http://breakingnews.ie/sport/mhmhmhmhkfql/