Jesus, coming back to the office to do a bit of work hasn’t really happened. Was thinking over the weekend there about Ireland’s team for 2010 as I’ve given up on qualifying for 2008 (I know that galls some members here - sorry). Despite it being a rather bleak period for our team we do have a few prospects so here’s a team for discussion/dismantling.
Will he have the maturity to play central midfield by then? Stokes and Doyle both look like great players. Whenever Stokes does actually break through I don’t think he’ll look back. I think it’ll be a case of not being able to leave any of the three out.
Garvan - know little about him but have heard him touted as the next big thing. Apparently is a bit of an all-rounder. Obviously with Keane in there we’d need somebody who likes a tackle and is disciplined as the other three midfielders are very attacking. Not convinced by S.Reid in there and no one else springs to mind.
Yeah I think you’ve identified the area for concern - i.e. the centre of the park. Much as it would be difficult to accept him now Kevin Nolan might have been ideal.
I’m not sure Keane will ever be a central player but he’s certainly most capable of playing a holding role out of the three strikers you’ve included. There are some decent young Irish guys coming through at Celtic (one or two of whom are bound to make it) but none play in the centre of the park. Darren O’Dea is a centre half and has been on the bench most of this season so hopefully he can take O’Shea’s place.
Worried that Garvan will turn into nothing - heard great reports but the same applied to McPhail.
Guys like Paddy McCarthy, Steven Kelly, Andy Reid, Steven Reid, Liam Miller will all be around and in the squad I presume.
Lighweight midfield imo. Is Garvan not an attacker, no?
We need a proper organised coach to get the most out of a limited bunch of players. Like Paul McShane is now the future as he twiddles his thumbs on West Brom’s bench. My point being Stan Staunton isn’t going ‘to make the whole be more than the sum of the parts’. Guus Hiddink may have done though.
A taxi driver said something interesting to me on the day before the San Marino match (yes a taxi driver). He had a football hanging out of his rear view mirror so I assume he was a football fan. He said that a team is made up of a manager and players. If you have a bad manager and good players then you should get on ok (Domenech for France in the World Cup). Likewise if you have a good manager and bad players (O’Neill at Villa). But when both are bad then you have a huge problem - he pointed to Ireland as an example
While not in disagreement with what the taxi driver was said I’m not sure it’s all that profound, but I do take your point. I was all for getting rid of Kerr in the name of progress but if you’d told me at the time that Staunton was to be his replacement I’d have prayed for Kerr’s retention.
He’s by no means a great manager but we never went into important matches with such hopelessness that we are experiencing under Staunton.
Garvan made his first start of the season for Ipswich, from what I’ve heard he’s a great prospect, that virus he had really knocked the sh!t out of him and he’s only turning 19 in January so he’s nowhere near as big a waster as McPhail yet.
Don’t forget Billy Clarke at Ipswich either, has 3 in 6 starts this season and linked with Liverpool:
Also can’t see Steve Finnan in the squad in 2010-he’ll 34 at that stage and given the treatment he’s had so far with Ireland I reckon he’ll call it a day after this tournament.
Also based on the leaked stories from Jamie McCarthy’s agent he’ll be the lynchpin for our team by 2010, by which time he’ll be playing for Barcelona. ;D
I’m just so sick of young Irish players promising so much and letting us down so badly - O’Shea and Miller are two that come to mind. It’s probably whisky nose’s fault, the auld cnt. Steve Ireland, Stephen Kelly, Steven Reid, Andy Reid, f**kin list goes on. Have never seen any of those cnts show any consistency in green, I always thought when the Plastic Paddies of the Charlton Years gradually retired they’d be replaced with young natives giving everything for Ireland but this clearly hasn’t happened. Bring back the Plastic Paddy! Lee Trundle, Zat Knight and Kevin Nolan where are you?!
Come to think of it I have f**k all to add to this debate.