I agree on Doyle. While he has been a good player for us, he has regressed alarmingly in the last year or so. His performance against Slovakia where he replaced the injured Long in the starting line up and seemed to be sulking did him no favours.
He has still only scored one more goal for Ireland than Clinton Morrison.
Of which he’s shown time and time again, the media clamour for a player won’t be a factor. Look at the way he handled James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman over the past 2 years as examples.
Don’t get me started on Clint, a player cast aside too early.
I think he’s a good player Larry. He brings good energy to the game and gets forward and gets involved at both ends of the pitch. I haven’t seen him play 90 minutes that often so I’d like to see more but I think his style suits our current setup. Much will depend on how quickly he recovers his form after the injury though and he may struggle or never recover fully.
In current strikers I’d be going:
1 Keane
2 Walters
3 Long
4 Cox
5 Doyle
and I’d expect all of them to travel. Would be a big call to leave any of them out.
Wilson hasn’t been in too many squads since. I don’t recall anything being amiss with the other 2 as the clubs were involved weren’t they? Celtic had no involvement with Stokes withdrawing did they? I thought it was his own decision. He should have known the impact it would have having seen what happened previously with James McCarthy and to a lesser extent Andy Reid.
Both were newcomers to the international game battling it out with mainstays and in McCarthy’s case had a lot of questions over his commitment and attitude. The Long-Cox debacle (oh dear) is a different story as both as both possess the same amount of international experience and both are committed and experienced. There is very little to choose between them so the little things like that may help Trapattoni makes a decision.
I think it was actually the Slovakia home game where Long was named to start with Keane (ahead of Doyle and Long) but got injured and missed the game.
Trapattoni had a go at Gibson for his ‘groin injury’ that he withdrew with and I think he dropped Walters from a couple of subsequent squads after he pulled out.
I’m a big fan of Stokes but we played 4 games last summer that he withdrew from and that’s when Cox got his chance and he took it. There was nothing to say Stokes wouldn’t have had the same opportunity and he can’t really complain. Hope he hasn’t burned his bridges for too long - he’s still very young - but given our current glut of strikers he’s not likely to make the squad in the short term. He’s worth keeping in mind for the next campaign though, particularly depending how Doyle fares in the meantime.
He may have, but none of the above contradicts the point I made that both players clubs were involved as far as I remember so at least they had that to fall back on. I’m open to correction on that. And Stokes made the decision himself so had to take full responsibility for his actions. Rockos point above articulates it better than I could anyway.
There are many players who have withdrawn from a number of friendlies for skeptical reasons - Walters, McCarthy, Best, Wilson, Clark and Gibson have all had questions marks and skepticism raised about them by Trapattoni after withdrawing. So Stokes is not alone there, Walters has managed to get himself back in the squad. I just feel Stokes has not been granted a fair opportunity when he’s the most in-form Irish striker available.
:lol:
It didn’t matter whether the club were involved or not Trapattoni called them out bluntly about it. He even made reference to O’Dea and St. Ledger going over to Ireland despite being injured.
It does. If players pull out on ‘advice’ from their clubs they have something to fall back on. If a lad pulls out himself cos he feels tired then he only has himself to blame. Doesn’t matter if Trap calls them out or not. If they have medical proof of their reason Trap can think what he wants. Stokes had nothing only a desire to do what only he wanted to. He only has himself to blame.
Anyway, we can go around in circles on this all day. He hasn’t a chance of making the squad unless there are injuries so I don’t think he merits any further discussion 
The bottom line is Trapattoni didn’t believe them, I don’t have the exact quote on Gibson but he said something along the lines of it’s always the groin when players just don’t want to play. They may or may not have the club to fall back on but in his own head he didn’t believe they were injured and that they just wanted to get on with their holidays, he highlighted the involvement of O’Dea and St. Ledger with regard to this.
Stokes most certainly has the talent to be in the squad. I was really disappointed he pulled out of the summer matches particularly when even Lennon questioned it. I’d agree with totti in that he is probably in better form out of anyone but Trap quite rightly picks the squad/team based on internation appearances. Had Stokes turned up in the summer perhaps he would gotten a chance to get some international form (I do recall Stokes saying tiredness wasn’t the reason for his withdrawl which may be more acceptable though I’d wonder why Lennon didn’t know about injury if this is true).
Trap on Gibson’s move to Everton: “At last. Can I say?..At last!”
He also started talking about beautiful women and how he can’t watch football in the presence of a woman because he gets distracted and doesn’t notice the ‘little details’.
I believe it was Hoops fan Lisa Fallon who invited him on a date to a LOI game that illicited that response.
http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/images/stories/article-images/ladiesteamstaff.jpg
think the 5 forwards are a certainty. Id be disappointed if Clark wasnt given chances during the friendlies. He is definitely good enough anyway. Can play at centre back but his best position is in midfield I feel. He is probably a better option at left back than our other options there too.
The form of Doyle and Duff would be a worry. Is JOS playing at centre back for Sunderland these days?
Unfortunately there will no doubt be a few injuries to rule players out between now and the summer.
McShane shouldnt be anywhere near the squad. Had hardly got a game at Hull this season.
How can you know that McShane hasn’t had a game at Hull but not know if JOS is playing centre half for Sunderland?
[quote=“Mac, post: 634121”]
How can you know that McShane hasn’t had a game at Hull but not know if JOS is playing centre half for Sunderland?[/quote]
Because I checked how many games he had played this season
Didn’t say what position
Happy?