Match Thread: Norway vs Ireland.

Mr Alan

i would give the lad the benefit of the doubt and think that he meant, we have a weaker selection of english/scottish cast offs to choose from due to the influx of foreigners in the PL, not like the glory days of Aldridge/Houghton/Townsend etc.

eirebhoy

pesireland wrote: »

Lads lets face it Ireland Have a Very Average Squad imo, to make the world cup would be a massive acheivement for Trappa.

We have very average players, playing at poor Premier League clubs and Championship Players and some are not even regulars at their clubs, Gone are the good days when we had a few from Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal, Villa, Chelsea Etc.

Hajduk Split, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Heerenveen, Hertha Berlin, Shakhtar Donetsk, Tottenham, FC Salzburg, Schalke 04, Portsmouth, Hamburg.

^^ The clubs that the Croatia Euro 2008 11 play for.

All 2nd tier clubs, UEFA cup standard. And they're regarded as one of the best teams in Europe now.

Draupnir

Not many Croatian teams there either Eirebhoy, I wonder is there a Croatian version of boards.ie where little cry baby Croatian league team supporters moan about their national side not picking home based players?

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Draupnir wrote: »

Not many Croatian teams there either Eirebhoy, I wonder is there a Croatian version of boards.ie where little cry baby Croatian league team supporters moan about their national side not picking home based players?

If I didn't know I'd call you names

Draupnir

Des wrote: »

If I didn't know I'd call you names

Sure you've called me names loads of times in the past, to my face!!

Myxomatosis

International football is a very different game than club football.

With decent organization, solid shape and a pinch of passion and a genuine want to win, you can go very far with a group of average players.

The Ireland squad are a bit above average in my opinion, and should without question be qualifying for the World Cup Finals.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

pesireland wrote: »

Tbh haven't seen enough about Murphy to make a fair judgement of his skills, so i'll bite my tongue for the moment on this one.:)

Maybe some sunderireland fans can shed some light on murphys pros/cons

Murphy is a ****e targetman and often gets outjumped by midgets half his size (he is 6'3 BTW). If we were to play him it would be as left wing, in which he puts in his best performancesfor Sunderland, but we are quite comfortable in that department.

I would persist with Doyle or possibly Andy Keogh. Maybe Mooney will be worth a shot in a year? Caleb Folan might also be worth a call-up.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

eirebhoy wrote: »

That first half was very encouraging. Some of the passages of play were superb.



O'Shea is just an average centre half. A safer option than McShane because you know what you're going to get but McShane's a lot more likely to dominate an opponent. I definitely favour the McShane-Dunne partnership after tonight. Maybe I'm just been paranoid towards a player I desperately want to succeed but if it was that ginger guy with the dodgy run struggling with the balls over the top tonight I think he'd be getting plenty of stick.

.

McShane is terrible, one of the worst players I have ever seen play for Sunderland. Everton (a) in which Sunderland lost 7-1 (Lawro nicknamed him McShame due to it) and a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle away were disgraceful. I would stick with O'Shea or BEG Andy O'Brien to come back who puts in solid displays for Bolton every week.

eirebhoy

I know all that. I've seen plenty of McShane over the last 3 years.

You can forget about that game against Newcastle btw. He played right back in his first appearance in 3 months. He's no right back.

He's had some terrible games but what about his games against the Czechs? Spurs? Bolton? Blackburn? Man of the match performances. Dominant performances against decent players.

_blank_

He's probably just low on confidence.

eirebhoy

Des wrote: »

He's probably just low on confidence.

I still can't believe someone who loves the game can't understand how important confidence is in a player. It bewilders me. Confidence can turn a world class player into a pretty average player.

shane86

Des wrote: »

Dave Mooney has made the Magic Flight, maybe he should get a chance, he's obviously good enough now that he's gone to England.

You yourself stated there is nobody good enough in the EL to play international football. Make up your mind.

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shane86 wrote: »

You yourself stated there is nobody good enough in the EL to play international football. Make up your mind.

Dave Mooney isn't in the EL.

But now he plays in England I'd expect him to get a call-up.

It's the natural order of things.

shane86

Des wrote: »

Dave Mooney isn't in the EL.

But now he plays in England I'd expect him to get a call-up.

.

Because he plays against players who, like players from Cyprus, Georgia and possibly Montenegro, are good enough for the championship?

Makes sense. They dont simply think "hmm, he is in England, call him up". They see how he plays against players good enough to make the national side of the smaller footbll nations.

noodler

Des wrote: »

Dave Mooney isn't in the EL.

But now he plays in England I'd expect him to get a call-up.

It's the natural order of things.

In fairness, Doyle was top scorer in the Championship when he got called up regularly. Not exactly just cos he went to England.

If Mooney does that then fair enough but I doubt it.