Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Brighton fans are getting fed up with Connolly.

http://www.wearebrighton.com/newsopinion/time-is-now-for-aaron-connolly-to-grow-up/

It doesn’t help with him that he has what’s known as a punchable face.

Good interview here with Omobamideles coach from Leixlip.

Physically he looks weird now since he's bulked up at Celtic, looks too bottom heavy. As a scrawny 17yr old he looked a lot sharper and full of energy, even made his debut as a wing back. Now he looks like someone that struggles to get around the pitch, and the bulking up has slowed him down.

Hourihane and Egan starting for Sheffield United, Stevens back in training this week.

Ryan Manning got absolutely upended with a kick while 3-0 down and the kicker only got a yellow

https://twitter.com/amyclement94/status/1439235558090461190?s=21

Sky putting it down as an OG, Peter Kioso scored their second goal.

How'd Obafemi play? I see he played the full 90 anyway, which is great.

Has been a good week for him. Ticking along nicely so far this season for Bournemouth. Thankfully they couldn't get your man in from Newcastle, and Travers is so far showing them he can be their number one.

I think he's jumped ahead of Kelleher to claim that starting spot against Qatar if Kenny feels like changing keepers for that match.

Yeah for mistakes that Travers might have made I don't think the back three helped him much in that game with some poor defending, like Clark getting manhandled by Mitrovic but we also had Duffy in terrible form and Egan out. O'Shea was in the centre of the three which didn't suit him either. Coleman TBF did make some good blocks to prevent Serbia getting shots on target. They only had four on target, unfortunately three were goals.

For Azerbaijan and Qatar next month I'd like to see Kenny keep the same starting XI for both games if we've no injury concerns going into the game. We've never had a chance for him to get what he might feel is his strongest XI onto the pitch. For example whenever Idahs been fit Robinsons been playing injured, and vice versa. Next summer we'll have four games in 12 days, and friendlies in March so plenty of time to change things up for fringe players next year.

But keeping the same outfield 10 and putting Travers in goals would be good too, get to see Travers play in a team who'll want their keeper to be able to pass it about and start off passages of attack play.

Even though Portsmouth lost yesterday Bazunu had 100% passing accuracy which included "6 accurate long balls and four other passes into the opposition half" according to Kenny's Kids. Pompey fans claiming he's their best player this season and often dictate plays better than outfield players.

Tony Cascarinos Sunday Times article was interesting in plugging Chris Hughton to replace Stephen Kenny.

these are direct quotes...”I said on Irish radio I would play Shane Duffy at center forward, us saying it’s great saying we have brought down the average age of players, do you get points for that? I think most of them will sink.”

And further.. “that’s why Jack decided to bypass midfield , we are trying to move the ball around and pass in a different way but we don’t have the technical players to do that “

Bottom line for Cas seems to be is get newly sacked Hughton, stick Duffy up front, play long balls and stop playing young players?

I would value the opinion of Lisa Fallon a thousand times more than Tony Cascarino. Someone whose actually worked in sports, not just football as an analyst. And not just an "analyst" brought in to talk about a match because you were an ex player, but actually employed by the IFA to work as an analyst for Michael O'Neill and worked with Dublin GAA.

There's probably a reason why Cas became a poker player and spends most his times on radio talkshows rather than actually have done something in football after retiring. And that goes for a lot of ex players which people will lap up what they say.

How come we never hear the opinions of Lee Carsley, Steven Reid, Brian Barry Murphy, Curtis Fleming, Jim Goodwin or other ex players that are actually employed rather than writing in papers or brought on to shows for sound bites.

And I don't mean that as a dig at everyone that's not employed because I actually enjoyed listening to Brady during the last games. Spoke about the negatives but also gave positives. Even Roy Keane has been measured in what he's said at times often highlighting the lack of quality and goal scorers rather than having digs at Kenny himself. Even given the fact that Mick and Kenny were brought in to replace himself and MON, so took what he'd have to say originally with a pinch of salt because we know how Keane can be.

It's sort of elementary that you don't start a center back as a forward just cos he's good in the air. Chucking him up there for 10 minutes at the end when you're desperate for a goal and the oppo are desperate not to concede and are just defending their own box? That's one thing. Starting a center back at center forward is something else. They're completely different positions and beyond the physical attributes the skillset for one doesn't transfer to the other. Only a few exceptional players over the years have done it at a high level, and I actually can't think of one to do it in the last 20 or 30 years. Even a center back who's faster and more technically able than Duffy, let's say van Dijk, would struggle as a forward.

Yet here's Cascarino getting paid to suggest something so ridiculous as a serious option. It's invalidated all his opinions on football for the rest of eternity, imo.

A reasonably reputable source is suggesting that Middlesborough are interested in Brady. Hopefully the deal can get done pronto.

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/exclusive-middlesbrough-make-contact-with-29-year-old-over-agreement-as-celtic-interest-lingers/

Better a Warnock team than not playing at all.

Great to see him doing well over there. I never thought he would be good enough to make it to the senior international team but if he does well here you never know. A type of player we do not produce a lot of and in a position we are weak in, although would need to be playing with wingers to fit him in.

Only one's I can think of were Sutton, Wadhurst and our own Gary Doherty.

McCarthy is a talented player but a propensity for jumping into his foxhole mid-game has always been there.

John Joe Patrick Finn on the bench for Getafes game against Atletico Madrid.

Ryan Johansson back on the bench against Ajax after missing out last week. Possible fitness issues when you consider he played 9 and 5mins off the bench for the U21s early this month and has yet to make his debut for his loan club.

Kelleher at least starts for Liverpool in the League Cup, probably the first of his handful of appearances he'll get this season.

Omobamidele and Idah start for Norwich who play a back three and two up top against Liverpool. Should be a good game.

Live on sky so handy enough to find it somewhere, possibly find it over on you boys in green forum.