Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Not just talking about his accent, I'm talking about what he actually says, how utterly effusive he is about playing for Ireland, how delighted he was to get his first call up, how proud his Dad was of his call up, how much he's loved everything about the experience with the national team etc... like, just listening to him talk about Ireland (even saying one of the goals would be to be Ireland captain one day), along with him already being firmly in the system, and having all his friends and family in Ireland, he just demonstrably considers himself firmly Irish. So in this particular case, it seems one to worry a lot less about than others. (Would say Ferizaj has a bigger chance of potentially switching over for instance).

Like, maybe your hypotheticals will turn out true, and the Albanian presence in Italy will make him forget his life up till now - but they are just that, hypotheticals. For now, it probably makes more sense to deal with the realities of an irish kid who talks about himself entirely as an irish kid, proudly plays for the irish team currently, and maintains all his goals are with the Irish senior team.

The first part of your statement reminds me of Declan Rice.

I dont think he or Amankwah will switch but we need to be prepared to act if there is a chance.

Yeh i know. What about all the players who have played for us over the years that werent really irish though? Look at James McCarthy for example who was scottish born and bred apart from holidaying in ireland.A real outlier. With all the new Irish starting to reach an age now where they are playing senior football we are bound to lose a few to the parent or granny rule.

Aidan McGeady being another that comes to mind.

I see Jimmy Dunne is putting together a serious run of starts for QPR are they are well in with a shout of the playoffs this year. We really aren't stuff for central defenders at all when you look at the list below

Nathan Collins

Andrew Omabamdele

Shane Duffy

Seamus Coleman (Can play eight side of a back 3)

Jimmy Dunne

Dara O Shea

John Egan

Liam Scales

Kevin Long

Ciaran Clark

Mark McGuinness - A really exciting prospect in my view and we should be looking at him soon enough for senior level. Playing well for Cardiff.

Daragh Lenihan

Probably missing some of the younger lads. It's amazing really. Ok the likes of Ciaran Clark and Long might not feature much again but they are still in or around the PL.

I'd like to see Jimmy Dunne, McGuinness and Collins starting some of the friendlies together if fit enough. We might also see O'Shea getting some minutes. All those lads look capable of being PL central defenders.

Officially announced by Pats. Talk the fee is more than what City paid Rovers up front for Bazunu, but Rovers have been making money off Bazunu playing for Ireland.

Worrying regarding Roughan if I'm honest. Trialled with Chelsea and Southampton recently enough and heavily linked with Arsenal a while back. If he was that good surely staying and playing at Lincoln would be priorty. Might be for personal reasons either i suppose.

Yeh defo a good move for the Drogs. Just goes to show you can't really believe to much written these days.

Preston winning 2-0 against WBA. Browne and Cunningham both had cracking games and both were very involved in the two goals. WBA were abysmal and the three Irish lads couldn't turn things around.

MON called him up a few times when he was at his best for Preston but pretty he more often than not picked up injuries to rule him out.

Pitch needs a good helping of 18-6-12.

Was sure he was in a couple of squads in the 16/17 season but didn't make the final squad as he picked up a knock the weekend before or week leading up. Not 100% sure but can vaguely remember it happening once.

Had his bad injury in the 17/18 season but MON did have him in for friendlies in 2018.

Article says he has a medical with the club tomorrow. Interesting move for the lad with them pushing for promotion to the championship.

Darragh Lenihan being linked to a few Premier League clubs with his contract expiring in the summer. Wolves, Newcastle, Leeds, Everton, and Aston Villa are some of the clubs named.

Jim Goodwin says Jamie McGrath is in negotiations with two clubs and rumours one of them could be Hibs who tried signing him in the summer when a move to Boro didnt happen on transfer deadline day but came in to late in the day to get it finalised.

Cant do any worse than Parrott you would hope. Odubeko needs some football so lets see what happens. After a few weeks in Doncaster he'll have no issue togging for Ireland. Coming over here will be like a carribean holiday in comparison.

Could do a lot worse than Parrott who at least joined a team that try to play good football. Even when he joined Ipswich who aren't know for their silky footballing and didn't score much they were at least up there challenging for the play offs. Gonna be a different ball game slugging it out with the team at the bottom of the table.

Might soften his cough quite a bit and bring him back down to earth, which will be a positive straight away from this loan.

.......

It's a pity Kavanagh was injured throughout the summer and for the start of season. Warnock had Coburn up with the seniors last season towards the end and both lads played together with the U18s last season, though Coburn is a year older and about 6'4.

Kavanagh is the more all round player playing another across the front three and as the 10. If he had the full summer behind him and started the season way he did on his return from injury could have found himself on Warnock's radar.

Interesting to see how he'll take to senior football and might start out on the wing as Harrogate have moved to a 4-3-3 or might change back to a 4-4-2 which they've used more. Big few months for the lad to show he's up to the physicality of senior football.

It's a good move for him. He's probably not ready for first team football at Boro just yet, but too good to be rotting in the under-23's. At least this loan period will give him some experience a level up on what he's used to. Will be interesting to see does he sink or swim.

If he swims could have him on Wilder's radar for next season, and some cup appearances. Middlesbrough's three main forwards are all loan signings and Ikpeazu has been poor all season.

Robinson on the bench again, behind big Andy Carroll who gets a start following his move from Reading. Assuming Valerian survives, I wonder will he need to consider finding a new club in the Summer. Clearly not the type of target man that the manager seems to favour.

Looking at their line up it looks to be a 4-4-2. Hopefully he gets a run out today for his senior debut.

Connolly subbed off in the 56th, and replaced by Balogun who helps put Boro 1-0 with the assist in the 58th minute.

Dunne having a very good season with QPR this season who are 4th atm and only two points behind Blackburn in 2nd. Himself and Lenihan are putting their hands up for possible inclusion come March if Kenny feels the need to look at depth in CB.

Calum Kavanagh came on for the last 20mins to make his senior debut in Harrogate's 3-0 lose. Good to see the Harrogate manager give him minutes straight away and should see him get plenty of more between now and May.

It’s a concern no doubt about it but writing off 19-21 years olds so quick is bit OTT too.

Idah was been written off and look at him now.