Republic of Ireland Team Talk/News/Rumours 2020/2021 - see Mod Note in OP [18/11/20]

Neeson

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Here we go again...

It’s probably Calum Robinson.

weldoninhio

Neeson wrote: »

It’s probably Calum Robinson.

Rumour is that it's Calum O'Dowda. It's been running through Bristol City for a while now apparently.

adaminho

https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/1326506533849587713

TheCitizen

Norway v Israel called off.

There should be no international football till next Spring. People used to moan about the clubs having too much power and international football has been reduced in importance. While Covid was still an issue UEFA should have shelved it. What's the point in friendly matches in times like this. The Euro play offs should have been played next spring. The Nations League should have been abandoned. A shambles from UEFA.

Brock Turnpike

adaminho wrote: »

https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/1326506533849587713

That's disappointing about Connolly and Robinson. Likely that both would've started.

I expect* we might see this tomorrow

Randolph

Coleman
Egan
Duffy
Doherty

McCarthy
Hendrick
Hourihane

O'Dowda
Idah
Horgan


*Not the team I would pick myself, but the team I think SK will go with

~Rebel~

sugarman wrote: »

Because the international window of fixtures is packed right up until the 2022 World Cup finals in December 2022. Theres no room to be rescheduling fixtures and they can't be scrapped due to the TV rights and the hundreds of millions of Euro already paid out.

Its no worse than any other European football being played at the minute. Should the Europa League and Champions League also be scrapped?

There’s still a fairly huge distinction, in that EL and CL teams are still one team... one moving contained bubble that’s going off to play elsewhere. Of course the travel adds risk, but nowhere near as much as international football where 24+ lads from all different teams along with coaching and support staff are suddenly thrown together on top of each other for 10 days, and then all break off again and go back to their teams. It’s bad for the players, and it’s bad for their clubs.

But I agree that it’s very hard to cancel because of the money aspect. So they’re pushing through with what pretty much amounts to widespread negligence because the alternative is some National teams (our own included) likely going bust.

TheCitizen

sugarman wrote: »

Because the international window of fixtures is packed right up until the 2022 World Cup finals in December 2022. Theres no room to be rescheduling fixtures and they can't be scrapped due to the TV rights and the hundreds of millions of Euro already paid out.

Its no worse than any other European football being played at the minute. Should the Europa League and Champions League also be scrapped?

It's a lot worse than club European football for the reasons Rebel outlined there.

dubmick

Two strikers pull out and Shane Long can't make the squad. Ridiculous.

johnnyryan89

dubmick wrote: »

Two strikers pull out and Shane Long can't make the squad. Ridiculous.

Injured

Duff

Depressing stuff. If it wasn't for bad luck, Kenny would have none.

Ferris_Bueller

Two probable starters, our attacking options are slim at the best of times but they are really poor for these three games. Hard to feel optimistic going into these matches.

~Rebel~

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Two probable starters, our attacking options are slim at the best of times but they are really poor for these three games. Hard to feel optimistic going into these matches.

Very annoying for these few games, but even more annoying for the lost development time. We want these guys training and playing together to form a bit of cohesion up front, and that's all out the window for another few months.

BonnieSituation

Which then leads us down the "SK out" road again.
I still can't believe we thought it was a good idea to play the Tans atm.

Collie D

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Which then leads us down the "SK out" road again.
I still can't believe we thought it was a good idea to play the Tans atm.

I can only presume a friendly was obligatory and as we’re in Cardiff on Sunday it came down to logistics.

Adding any extra game when everyone already has two in the window was sillier IMO.

franglan

Collie D wrote: »

I can only presume a friendly was obligatory and as we’re in Cardiff on Sunday it came down to logistics.

Adding any extra game when everyone already has two in the window was sillier IMO.

The co-efficient is on a knife edge for the world Cup qualifier draw, playing a young hungry Engerland team, not convinced it's worth it rather than having an extended training camp before going to Cardiff.

Zico

Feck the coefficients.

I don't get some of you guys. Blowing hard unrealistically about a comical domestic league and worrying about which countries might kick our arse in qualifying for a major tournament.

If we're good enough we'll get there. Sneaking in and being humiliated is not something to look forward to... again.

BonnieSituation

Zico wrote: »

Feck the coefficients.

I don't get some of you guys. Blowing hard unrealistically about a comical domestic league and worrying about which countries might kick our arse in qualifying for a major tournament.

If we're good enough we'll get there. Sneaking in and being humiliated is not something to look forward to... again.

Well that's a good opening gambit.:rolleyes:

Cake Man

The very best of luck to Slovakia against that other shower of persons today.

Scoundrel

Cake Man wrote: »

The very best of luck to Slovakia against that other shower of persons today.

Yes hopefully our beloved northern neighbours are well beaten today.

Nunu

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

Injured

Where did you hear that? On naming the squad Kenny was giving reasons for Longs omission and said he was on standby but then with the withdrawals still no sign of him in squad. So yeah it makes sense he’s injured just haven’t seen it reported anywhere?

The 10th meeting since 1980 and have to say the least interesting.

I'm nostalgic for the clashes in Euro 88, Italia 90, the Euro 92 qualifiers. I'm still really pi55ed we lost 2 players for the Slovakian match and ended up losing on penos. So we could be playing a game with very serious consequences and instead we have a Mickey Mouse fixture.

Francie Barrett

franglan wrote: »

The co-efficient is on a knife edge for the world Cup qualifier draw, playing a young hungry Engerland team, not convinced it's worth it rather than having an extended training camp before going to Cardiff.

Said this a few weeks ago, but people are getting their knickers in a twist over the England friendly for no reason.

The game is a friendly, it has a lower importance than a nations league game, and an even lower importance than the Euro 2022 play-off's that are being played today. Also, because England are ranked so far ahead of us, even if we lose today, by my calculations, we will only lose about 3 ranking points. In fact, we only need to draw the match (not impossible given England look set to rotate their squad) and we will gain 2 ranking points.

In pure footballing terms, I think the England game is necessary too. We are going to be drawn against a tier 1 European team for the World Cup qualifiers. It's important that the players have experience playing against superior opposition, best way to prep that is through a friendly that has fairly low significance.

Francie Barrett

Cake Man wrote: »

The very best of luck to Slovakia against that other shower of persons today.

This is not a desirable result for us.

Slovakia are our biggest threat for the final 2nd seed spot for the World Cup 2024 qualifiers (they are just 1 point behind us in the rankings). If they win today, they will gain 12.5 points and overtake us with a huge lead because their play-off match has such a higher importance.

henke

I know people were talking about getting shirt printing on the new kit when it becomes available. Based on this image from FAI Social media pages with Katie Taylor I think it looks like an updated typeface. Might be of interest to those considering getting it or waiting until it is available.

robwen

Nunu wrote: »

Where did you hear that? On naming the squad Kenny was giving reasons for Longs omission and said he was on standby but then with the withdrawals still no sign of him in squad. So yeah it makes sense he’s injured just haven’t seen it reported anywhere?

Kenny said he contacted Southampton to call up Long after Robinson & Connolly dropping out but he wasn't available cause he had picked up a knock in training

markc91

Francie Barrett wrote: »

This is not a desirable result for us.

Slovakia are our biggest threat for the final 2nd seed spot for the World Cup 2024 qualifiers (they are just 1 point behind us in the rankings). If they win today, they will gain 12.5 points and overtake us with a huge lead because their play-off match has such a higher importance.

Do they get 12.5 points for winning the game in 90 mins or going through?

Francie Barrett

markc91 wrote: »

Do they get 12.5 points for winning the game in 90 mins or going through?

12.5 points for winning in 90 minutes or extra time. Less if it goes to penalties.

NI to win on penalties is probably the best outcome.

Francie Barrett

Any thoughts for the team? Given we have three games in a week, Kenny will probably go with a rotated team like the English are expected to. Reckon Coleman will almost certainly start. Kenny seems to rate Idah, so reckon he might be kept for the Wales game.

Travers, Coleman, O’Shea, Egan, Long, Molumby, Arter, Browne, Horgan, Collins, O'Dowda.

Kermit.de.frog

Scoundrel wrote: »

Yes hopefully our beloved northern neighbours are well beaten today.

Why? They are a better team than us.

Sounds like sour grapes.

Let's get behind them.

I hope NI win too. Wouldn't say they're better than us, but enjoyed seeing them in World Cups in the 80s and Euro 2016.

Brock Turnpike

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Any thoughts for the team? Given we have three games in a week, Kenny will probably go with a rotated team like the English are expected to. Reckon Coleman will almost certainly start. Kenny seems to rate Idah, so reckon he might be kept for the Wales game.

Travers, Coleman, O’Shea, Egan, Long, Molumby, Arter, Browne, Horgan, Collins, O'Dowda.

It's a weird situation because of the way things have started for him. He may have to name his strongest team for tonight in the hope of not taking a hammering and putting more pressure on himself*

I posted the team I think he'll pick a couple of pages back, but will post again since you asked about thoughts for the team. Not the team I would go with, but what I think SK will pick:

Randolph

Coleman
Egan
Duffy
Doherty

McCarthy
Hendrick
Hourihane

O'Dowda
Idah
Horgan

*Which is ridiculous so early on

Kermit.de.frog

Probably be our 9th game in a row tonight without a win.

Hoping we can sneak an unlikely draw.

Can think of nothing more depressing than getting hammered by England.

Scoundrel

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Why? They are a better team than us.

Sounds like sour grapes.

Let's get behind them.

They are better than us yes but I see them as rivals and thus want them to lose plus the added dimension of the many frankly undesirables that follow them really makes me want them to lose.

Captain Havoc

Even if England beat us tonight, we'll just start saying that they haven't beaten us competitively since 1980.

topmanamillion

Tonight's game is a hiding to nothing for Kenny.
No one will give a damn if we draw or even sneaked a win. It'll only be a friendly.
But get humped by England in Wembley say on the same night the Nordies qualify for the Euros. People will remember that.

redmgar

Unfortunately it will be 4-0 England

Francie Barrett

topmanamillion wrote: »

Tonight's game is a hiding to nothing for Kenny.

This is silly talk. Finland went to Paris yesterday and beat France 2-0 with a second string. Not for a second suggesting we are likely to win, but England will be more focused on their Nations League games. I think if we are set up right and have a solid game plan, I think we can at least be competitive.

scouserstation

mcCarthy out of the squad now aswell could we get any more bad luck during this window

Brock Turnpike

topmanamillion wrote: »

Tonight's game is a hiding to nothing for Kenny.
No one will give a damn if we draw or even sneaked a win. It'll only be a friendly.
But get humped by England in Wembley say on the same night the Nordies qualify for the Euros. People will remember that.

Don't agree with this. A draw or win would definitely be welcomed.

henke

statesaver

This on RTE ?

Dr. Bre

That’s cringe from paddy power

henke

statesaver wrote: »

This on RTE ?

Yeah it is.

simongurnick

So, anyone here give us a chance? It is a random friendly at the end of the day.

weldoninhio

simongurnick wrote: »

So, anyone here give us a chance? It is a random friendly at the end of the day.

More chance of being the 25th team at Euro 2020 than winning any of these 3 games.

Is it really awful to hope that McClean plays...and Rice and/or Grealish dwell on the ball a little too long within lunging distance?

clsmooth

Dr. Bre wrote: »

That’s cringe from paddy power

This phrase makes me cringe.

simongurnick

weldoninhio wrote: »

More chance of being the 25th team at Euro 2020 than winning any of these 3 games.

That's gloomy man. Bulgaria and Wales are no great shakes. Kenny needs a bit o luck in front of goal, get some confidence going. Here's hoping!

Brock Turnpike

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is it really awful to hope that McClean plays...and Rice and/or Grealish dwell on the ball a little too long within lunging distance?

It's always really awful to hope McClean plays. Always.

Ferris_Bueller

How do people expect we will line up? It's the only friendly we will probably have under Kenny so on one hand it might be the ideal time to play for of the fringe players. On the other, he probably wants to get his first choice team playing regularly and used to the new system, plus the fact that a tonking wouldn't look good I'd say he will play a fairly strong team.

I'll guess
Randolph
Coleman Duffy Egan Doherty
Molumby Browne Hourihane
O Dowda Idah McClean