Republic of Ireland Team Talk/News/Rumours 2018/19

johnnyryan89

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

Does Ward get a game anywhere these days?

Nope. Has only played in two FA Cup matches since coming back from injury. Given he was out injured for three and a half months I think, his contract expires in the summer and he'll be turning 34 in August then he's surplus to requirements at Burnley.

Probably third choice at international behind Stevens, then Cunningham and I wouldn't be too surprised to see Mick playing Doherty there before given Ward a call up to play.

Rhys Essien

Ryan Nolan played today for Inter U19 vs Juventus. They won 2-1.

Mr.Nice Guy

Hourihane has scored 2 goals for Villa against Derby. It's 4-0 at Half-Time.

Shaun Williams has also scored for Millwall against Norwich. 1-1 in that game.

johnnyryan89

Luca Connell straight back into the Bolton starting XI after injury. Mick should seriously consider giving the young lad a call up to the seniors in March. 17yrs of age starting in midfield for a championship club even though he's a full back, as stated is primarily a full back so offers a versatile option from the bench having played LB, LWB and holding midfield for Bolton and biggest factor being the FA are looking at him so straight away it gets rid of the will he won't he talk by either accepting or rejecting the call up.

Ferris_Bueller

Who are our options up front now if everyone was fit and in what order would you have them?

Shane Long, Sean Maguire, David McGoldrick, Michael Obafemi, Aiden O'Brien, James Collins, Ronan Curtis, Scott Hogan.

Could be adding Will Keane and Patrick Bamford to that list, Bamford would be in contention for a starting spot if he was to be available. What is the story with Jon Walters is he on loan somewhere or just nowhere near the squad at Burnley? He is probably past it at this point but he just seems to have vanished.

dr.kenneth noisewater

Ferris_Bueller wrote:

Could be adding Will Keane and Patrick Bamford to that list, Bamford would be in contention for a starting spot if he was to be available. What is the story with Jon Walters is he on loan somewhere or just nowhere near the squad at Burnley? He is probably past it at this point but he just seems to have vanished.

Went to Ipswich on loan and got a bad injury

johnnyryan89

sugarman wrote: »

James Collins scored again for Luton in their 2-0 win over Rochedale, that brings his tally to 21 this season and top scorer in League One. A shoe in for a call up IMO.

EDIT: Supposedly Mick was there watching him today too, so probably more than a shoe in with Obafemi out and Long with a niggling injury.

It's gonna be interesting to see whether he makes the squad and what formation we'll be lining up with.

Ferris_Bueller

sugarman wrote: »

Curtis and O'Brien are predominately wingers, that can play up top if needed but are much better in their natural position IMO.

Callum Robinson can play anywhere across the front 3 and was in fine goal scoring form up front until his injury. Hes probably our most promising option at moment, as in hes young at 23/24 and playing/scoring regularly at a decent standard ...whos knows, one or two might be ready. Mick has had no bother throwing players in in the past.

Will Keane is on board AFAIK, paper work is being submitted and will take some time to clear. Wont be available until June at the earlist but probably not until September. Hes also injured at the moment. Bamford still hasnt met Mick yet but is open to the idea, he'd be a good addition IMO but again there will be the waiting around for the paper work.

Walters is finished I reckon. He went on loan to Ipswitch at the start of the season but injured his knee again after only 1 or 2 games and had the loan cut short. He still hasnt kicked a ball 6 months on and he'll be 36 in September. As good as he was for us, injuries and age are catching up with him. He was anonymous in the last campaign in the games he did play.

So if everyone was fit and in their most recent club form.. Id have McGoldrick, Robinson, Maguire, Obafemi, Long, Collins, Hogan in that order.

While the likes of Parrot, Idah, Connolly etc.. are looking very promosing, its harder to judge how they'll perform at senior level given they havent played any first team football yet for neither their parent club or out on loan. I feel its a bit soon for any of them just yet, but theres absoutely no harm in having them train with the squad to get some experience and more importantly a first hand look at them.

We seem to have a good few options at present but no real standout candidate. I agree Robinson is probably the most exciting of the current lot but would have had him down as more of a winger from what I've seen of him, I think he will get plenty of game time across this campaign anyway.

Interesting how you would rate them, I would still be tempted to go with Shane Long up front despite his chronic lack of goals, I feel he adds a lot to the team and is playing at the highest level (although not regularly of late). Gibraltar would be a great game to give someone like Maguire, McGoldrick or even Collins a chance to make a claim for the starting role though and I think McCarthy might go with McGoldrick which would be hard to argue against.

Mr.Nice Guy

I've no issue with Collins being considered but if we're considering him and Ronan Curtis then Aiden McGeady should be in the frame as well. I believe he's been just as good if not better than both in the same league.

Here are Stephen Elliot's thoughts:

https://twitter.com/SleevesElliott/status/1099392860166778881

Eod100

Coleman had good game today. Is squad due out sometime next week?

johnnyryan89

Eod100 wrote: »

Coleman had good game today. Is squad due out sometime next week?

This Thursday it's being named I think I read somewhere.

Loafing Oaf

Eod100 wrote: »

Coleman had good game today. Is squad due out sometime next week?

I'd say he'll probably squeeze in...

Eod100

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

I'd say he'll probably squeeze in...

I'd say so.. :P yeah should be captain again

OldMrBrennan83

https://twitter.com/ballsdotie/status/1102314408322179079?s=19

johnnyryan89

"We’ve exchanged text messages and Patrick is keen to meet up in the coming weeks."

Sound like a couple of teenagers.

OldMrBrennan83

In this day and age, couldn't he be at his door in the morning if he wants him?

sonic85

Why do they need to meet? Surely he's either going to play or he isn't? Does he need to be convinced or something? This Bamford thing has been going on for a while now - doesn't really seem like he's too bothered

Bamford has had a few injuries and is just getting back up to match speed.

Would give him a few weeks, but that's all. He's been pretty disloyal before, so would tell him he either jumps back on board or forget it and move on. He's not Maradona.

sonic85

sugarman wrote: »

I think hes probably happy to take his chances playing well for Leeds and hopefully get back into the PL to have a shot with England rather than playing for us. If he wanted to play for us, he already would be.

I'd say that's exactly what he's hoping for. I'd be telling him to jog on right now. I don't buy the injury thing either - what would that have to do with making a call/sending a text to say yes I want to play for you or no thanks I'm English and hope to get a cap for England one day? Wasn't he being talked about by MON a good while ago? How much time exactly does he need to make his mind up?

I have to say the pursuit of these types of players is really starting to bother me now. International football is kind of losing it's shine a bit for me and it'll probably get much worse. If you can pick and choose who you want to play for what's the point in International competition?

gmisk

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

"We’ve exchanged text messages and Patrick is keen to meet up in the coming weeks."

Sound like a couple of teenagers.

I'd say they will head to nandos innit

Eod100

Don't see the point in FAI putting this out especially so soon after the Rice unless it works out. Risk of him not declaring for us seems to outweigh the reward of putting it out in media and then signing him.

Looks like has caps with them at u19 and u21 level after cap with Ireland at u18. Grand if he's holding out for England senior cap but he's 26 in September, you'd think Southland would have come calling by now if they wanted to give him a senior cap.

pgj2015

if he has any sense he will declare for us, there is more chance of my mother getting an england call up than bamford. i hope he doesnt declare for us, dont want nathan redmond either or crowley. its obvious we are second best for all three of them.

Eod100

pgj2015 wrote: »

if he has any sense he will declare for us, there is more chance of my mother getting an england call up than bamford. i hope he doesnt declare for us, dont want nathan redmond either or crowley. its obvious we are second best for all three of them.

Yeah seems like a whole charade tbh. Qualifers start in less than 3 weeks, he either wants to play with us or not. Get it's part of Mick's job but it's a bit embarrassing to put it out so publicly.

Dunno is he hedging his bets, waiting to see if Leeds get promoted and get more visibility by playing in the PL and hold out for a possible England call up. Don't think it's fairly likely but not like he has anything to lose. Can hold out and see if Ireland qualify for Euros and make up his mind if an England call-up isn't looking likely.

The_Kew_Tour

Bamford is not good enough for England.

PTH2009

'Sent text messages' childish stuff us Irish are a joke of the international football world. Rice is having some laugh somewhere

TheCitizen

PTH2009 wrote: »

'Sent text messages' childish stuff us Irish are a joke of the international football world. Rice is having some laugh somewhere

It’s embarrassing and it doesn’t look like the FAI are going to do anything about it or have some guidelines about it. Why do we need to hear if Mick is texting Bamford. He either commits or he doesn’t we don’t need to hear the boring details of another will he won’t he saga. Are they not sick of this bullsht themselves?

Irishmale0399

Sending a text...childish...

Think this shows the level at which you have to deal with these lads, dont forget they are young and very seldom in one place too long as their clubs control most of their week with training and prep for games. I would imagine it was a text to ask if he was interested in a meeting or if he was up for playing for Ireland.....once the response was positive Mick will meet him.

Have personally seen a similar stratagie used to get a top PL players move from Germany to England started.....sms from a fellow player....could you imagine playing for club X...if yes the club will make a move.

henke

The FAI need to put proper guidelines in place around this stuff and not go public with this stuff until there is concrete news. I see McCarthy had a fair idea for two months Rice wasn't declaring yet the FAI tweet him a happy birthday in that timeframe. It is embarrassing stuff. On Bamford if he has sense he will declare as would Redmond because if either of them are fortunate to get England caps they will be few and for between and will never be go-to men for them. They could be difference makers for us. On the other hand its clear what they're first choice is.

Ferris_Bueller

It's not a big deal that it has come out that McCarthy has sent a text to Bamford, at least now we know he has been approached for definite and the ball is in his court now. If he doesn't play for us he has turned us down and we can move on, if we were always left in the dark about if he was approached or not we would be having the same conversations about him in another 2 years. Mick wants us to know he is doing his bit to get these players on board but he won't bend over backwards for them, I think he has a good stance on it.

McCarthy has been in management for 20 years, managing hundreds of players including internationals across the top 2 flights of English football to add to his own previous international managerial experience.

I think he'd have a fair idea if texting is appropriate communication. If he thinks it is, I think we should accept he would know.

henke

I imagine we wont hear much more of it now until they meet and a decision is reached. I wouldn't like the outcome of the meeting to be Bamford is "deliberating on which country to declare for". Would people have Luca Connell in the squad for Gibraltar? I would hope is speaking to him to suss out his long term intentions. We don't want another Rice scenario.

Banjaxed82

henke wrote: »

I imagine we wont hear much more of it now until they meet and a decision is reached. I wouldn't like the outcome of the meeting to be Bamford is "deliberating on which country to declare for". Would people have Luca Connell in the squad for Gibraltar. I would hope is speaking to him to suss out his long term intentions. We don't want another Rice scenario.

Why shouldn't Luca get called up? Who are the current championship midfielders (playing regularly) that won't be called up?

Eod100

Deleted User wrote: »

McCarthy has been in management for 20 years, managing hundreds of players including internationals across the top 2 flights of English football to add to his own previous international managerial experience.

I think he'd have a fair idea if texting is appropriate communication. If he thinks it is, I think we should accept he would know.

Don't think the issue is texting, it's putting it out there in the public domain.

LuckyLloyd

People losing their minds in talking about capping every young player with a pulse who may have dual nationality. Luca Connell is a 17 year old playing for Bolton who's made a handful of Championship appearances. No, he shouldn't be in our senior squad.

TheCitizen

Deleted User wrote: »

McCarthy has been in management for 20 years, managing hundreds of players including internationals across the top 2 flights of English football to add to his own previous international managerial experience.

I think he'd have a fair idea if texting is appropriate communication. If he thinks it is, I think we should accept he would know.

It's not about text messages or whatsapps or phone calls, he can talk to him any way he likes. We don't need to hear about it is the point, he doesn't need to announce that "he is texting Bamford and hopeful of a meeting soon". Go and talk to him and if he wants to play pick him and if he doesn't don't. We don't need to hear about the ins and outs of every player who might or might not declare for Ireland. Don't talk about these players until they are in a squad available to play.

johnnyryan89

henke wrote: »

I imagine we wont hear much more of it now until they meet and a decision is reached. I wouldn't like the outcome of the meeting to be Bamford is "deliberating on which country to declare for". Would people have Luca Connell in the squad for Gibraltar? I would hope is speaking to him to suss out his long term intentions. We don't want another Rice scenario.

I'd have him in the squad, not because he's dual national but because he's broken into the first team at Bolton when 17 in a postion that's not his natural postion.

Most of our midfielders imo play better as the attacking midfielder in a three man midfield (Hendrick, Browne, Hourihane) while Connell would be competing with Arter, Williams and Meyler but would be more of a footballing midfielder compared to the other lads who are defensive minded midfielders.

He's also primarily a left back and can play right back so I'd have him as back up to Stevens given Cunningham isn't getting his game and Derrick Williams will always be a bottom half championship player.

Eod100

Callum Robinson back training

https://twitter.com/CallumRobinson7/status/1102566618868133889

Banjaxed82

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

People losing their minds in talking about capping every young player with a pulse who may have dual nationality. Luca Connell is a 17 year old playing for Bolton who's made a handful of Championship appearances. No, he shouldn't be in our senior squad.

Nothing to with dual nationality or just tying him down for the sake of it. We have a 17 year old defensive midfielder who's getting in the first team in the championship. With no Declan Rice, we're very thin on the ground (with potential) in this area.

Our next games are against Gibraltar and Georgia. The perfect matches to give young blood a run out. If he was born and bred in Dublin, I'd still say call him up. And if Connell is tied down well that's a bonus, but not through design.

tayto lover

Wales weren’t afraid to play 17 year olds.
If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

johnnyryan89

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Nothing to with dual nationality or just tying him down for the sake of it. We have a 17 year old defensive midfielder who's getting in the first team in the championship. With no Declan Rice, we're very thin on the ground (with potential) in this area.

Our next games are against Gibraltar and Georgia. The perfect matches to give young blood a run out. If he was born and bred in Dublin, I'd still say call him up. And if Connell is tied down well that's a bonus, but not through design.

And it's not like his handful of appearances have been little cameos off the bench like Obafemi before he got a call up. Got a start in the FA Cup at LWB and had a good game getting an assist on the day. After that was starting for them in midfield, a postion we are technically limited at and seeing as he was straight back into the starting XI after injury he would've had 3 more starts under his belt only for that injury.

And given the size of our playing pool and the fact that Irish players never really get the opportunity to play senior football as a teenager in England (last two to do it consistently would be Grealish and Rice) that we can't afford to turn around and say sure he's only 17, he's only had five starts or sure he only plays with Bolton.

Come the match against Gibraltar he should have 8 starts under his belt and come the summer internationals will hopefully have 16 starts under his belt obviously barring injury but either way he's an Irish player whose established himself in the senior squad of team in the championship at 17.

Banjaxed82

I really don't see the big issue in calling Connell up. I'm not saying the guy is going to waltz in and be first on the team sheet for the campaign, but when you consider the alternatives we have in his position...and ageing alternatives at that.

Fingers crossed McCarthy comes back into the picture and is back in the team, but we have to work with what we have and if 17 year old is the best option, then so be it.

Saying that, I genuinely won't be surprised if Whelan gets called up given what we have on offer. That's a sad state of affairs.

Knex*

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/ballsdotie/status/1102314408322179079?s=19

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

"We’ve exchanged text messages and Patrick is keen to meet up in the coming weeks."

Sound like a couple of teenagers.

And a photo of Mick pointing at his balls.

The Talking Bread

tayto lover wrote: »

Wales weren’t afraid to play 17 year olds.
If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

IF you're good enough.

Ferris_Bueller

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

I'd have him in the squad, not because he's dual national but because he's broken into the first team at Bolton when 17 in a postion that's not his natural postion.

Most of our midfielders imo play better as the attacking midfielder in a three man midfield (Hendrick, Browne, Hourihane) while Connell would be competing with Arter, Williams and Meyler but would be more of a footballing midfielder compared to the other lads who are defensive minded midfielders.

He's also primarily a left back and can play right back so I'd have him as back up to Stevens given Cunningham isn't getting his game and Derrick Williams will always be a bottom half championship player.

I take your point and I wouldn't be against him being in the squad, but realistically I don't think he deserves to be in the squad yet. If he was an Irish born teenager with no risk of defecting would it seem like he is worthy of a call up? As in will he actually add anything to the squad?

Maybe it makes sense because he can cover two positions we are struggling in as johnnyryan said, maybe it also would be clever to integrate a young lad with potential into the squad, but if the decision is just based on ability there are better options out there.

Also weren't there rumours he was going to be the next one to declare for England? If we call him up to the squad and don't cap him to tie him down, it could be another huge backfire on the FAIs behalf..

Mr.Nice Guy

A few of our players involved in the Sheffield derby coming up on Sky Sports Football.

Enda Stevens and John Egan in the Sheffield United starting XI. David McGoldrick and Scott Hogan on the bench.

Keiren Westwood in goal for Wednesday.

Banjaxed82

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

A few of our players involved in the Sheffield derby coming up on Sky Sports Football.

Enda Stevens and John Egan in the Sheffield United starting XI. David McGoldrick and Scott Hogan on the bench.

Keiren Westwood in goal for Wednesday.

Poor Scott Hogan. Leaves Villa's bench for Sheffield Utd's bench.

You have to wonder has his time come and gone.

Mr.Nice Guy

David McGoldrick is on for the last twenty minutes to try and beat Westwood.

topmanamillion

quote="Banjaxed82;109585393"]
Our next games are against Gibraltar and Georgia. The perfect matches to give young blood a run out.[/quote]

Very much disagree with this point.
They are all conpetive games with crucial points at stake.
We've routinely struggled against Georgia over the last few years. We'll need our full strength out to get the better of them again this time.

As for throwing on a few young lads against Gibraltar, I don't need another Liechtenstein or San Marino moment, thanks.

Banjaxed82

topmanamillion wrote: »

quote="Banjaxed82;109585393"]
Our next games are against Gibraltar and Georgia. The perfect matches to give young blood a run out.

Very much disagree with this point.
They are all conpetive games with crucial points at stake.
We've routinely struggled against Georgia over the last few years. We'll need our full strength out to get the better of them again this time.

As for throwing on a few young lads against Gibraltar, I don't need another Liechtenstein or San Marino moment, thanks.

It's Gibraltar. I fancy Luca's chances against a part time footballer who plies his trade as an electrician by day.

Georgia under O'Neill were allowed to play and impose themselves on us. They have their technical proficiencies but they are not a great team. I fully expect a Mick team to beat them comprehensively, not necessarily from a goal perspective, but unlike O'Neill's Ireland, we won't be made look like the away team at the Aviva. O'Neill should be ashamed of how he had us set up and playing against Georgia.

This attitude of bigging up poor teams, for no good reason, does ourselves no favours.

The_Kew_Tour

As much as we would all like it to happen it just wont. Will be very few shocks in the team selection, if any.