Irish squad for San Marino

1

Not really sure if there’s any glaring omissions yet. Good to see the Reading lads and Stokes in there. From Breaking News down the side:

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton has promoted seven of Irelands promising young footballers to the senior squad for the trip to San Marino on February 7.

Darren Randolph comes in to cover the goalkeeping spot vacated by the injured Shay Given (groin). Out also through injury is Charlton midfielder Andy Reid (hamstring) and Readings Kevin Doyle (hamstring).

Randolph, Darron Gibson, Wolves new signing Andy Keogh, Stephen Hunt and Sunderlands Anthony Stokes were all part of the recent B International Squad who played Scotland in November while Sheffield Uniteds Stephen Quinn and Shane Long have been rewarded for recent club performances.

Returning after lengthy absences through injury are Levantes Ian Harte and Stephen Carr.

Speaking at the announcement manager Staunton said, I knew when I took the job that there were young players with the potential to play senior international football and Im delighted that over the last year they have progressed to the point where I now can select them.

It is up to them now to show me that they should be in the starting eleven.

San Marino (V IRELAND): Wayne Henderson, Nicky Colgan, Darren Randolph, Steve Finnan, Ian Harte, Paul McShane, Richard Dunne, Stephen Carr, John OShea, Jonathan Douglas, Lee Carsley, Aiden McGeady, Damien Duff, Kevin Kilbane, Robbie Keane, Stephen Ireland, Darron Gibson, Alan Quinn, Andy Keogh, Stephen Hunt, Anthony Stokes, Stephen Elliott, Stephen Quinn, Shane Long.

2

Darren Randolph is a bizarre one - never even heard of the lad. Paddy Kenny asked not be picked for “personal reasons” but there’s no doubt he wasn’t happy at how Staunton treated him last time around.

Plenty of really average and unproven players there.

3

If they cant beat San Marino with that squad then Stan should give up the management game. Paddy Kenny no great loss. Faked injury so he wouldnt play against the Czechs.

4

From The Guardian:

After being left out of the Republic of Ireland team, Sheffield United defender Derek Geary has questioned whether Steve Staunton knows he is Irish. “I’ve been playing in the Premiership against the best players in the world, week in and week out. But I’ve not heard anything. You start wondering ‘does he [Staunton] know I’m Irish?’”

5

http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=17133

6

Republic of Ireland team for San Marino:
Henderson, Finnan, Dunne, Harte, O’Shea, Duff, Carsley, Ireland, Kilbane, Keane, Long.

Would have liked Stephen Hunt to get a game on the left as he’s been smashing this season and we’re not going to learn anything new by playing Kilbane. It’s imperative to have Harte back as despite his defensive deficiencies he’s the one defender who can actually pass the ball accurately. He was never going to leave out O’Shea but I would have. I’d like to see Stokes get some game time too.

7

Thats a brutal team, thank god its only San Marino we are playing

8

Very poor team. Not much more you can say about it. Lucky its San Marino is right.

9

I just read the FAI’s statement about the Croke Park ticket sell-out for the upcoming soccer internationals.

They call Hill 16 ‘The Northern Terrace’. Why? I don’t have a clue. It just seems odd though.

10

Anyone starting to get goosepimples ahead of the game later?

11

Not really

Where are people watching it? Said I would meet my brother for a life audit but may be up for a few after

12

0-0 was 79/1 before the game.

There might still be value in jumping on it now.

Inept is not the word.

Draw is down to 5/1 now!

Ireland -3 goals are 9/2. I’m going to dive in and say we’ll get 4 second half goals and throw a few quid on this.

13

another terrible perforrmance. i would like staunton to be sacked now. no chance of it i fear

14

Thats was like getting yours eyes rubbed with sandpaper. Its actuallt sickening. Staunton should have bben sacked on the spot after conceding that goal. Some gaul to face the media and say 3 points is what the game was about. Germany put 13 past these bunch of mechaniics etc. Embarrassing

15

Its worse that “Sham” got out of jail tonight with that win. At least say we not good enough and I expect us to beat the worst team in Europe by a few goals. Kilbane the most consistent player Ireland have at the moment which aint saying much.

16

I didn’t do that bet in the end!

That was some shambles. I’m so past caring that I actually laughed when we conceded.

Staunton is some comedian. I specifically waited to hear his interview and it was as embarrassing as the performance on the pitch.

I would have had some degree of respect for him if he had come out and said he knows it wasn’t good enough, accepted responsibility and said he’d do everything in his power to put things right.

Instead he started waffling on about ‘tremendous fighting spirit’ and how ‘San Marino will be a handful as the group goes on’. These are mugs who hadn’t scored a competitive goal since 1998! They lost 13-0 and 7-0 to Germany and the Czechs respectively. Stop kidding us on Stan, you clown.

As for the players, fook me they are hopeless. Still though 9 of them are playing in the EPL, Harte in La Liga and Henderson is only in the side due to Given’s injury. They should equally be ashamed of themselves. They, along with Stan, Delaney and the rest of the FAI, have allowed us to become a laughing stock.

Ratings:

Henderson - 0 (kept flying out of his goal in the 2nd half, eventually it cost us)
Finnan - 5 (3 for the cross for the 1st goal)
Dunne - 3 (nothing really to do but didn’t display any real urgency)
O’Shea - 3 (see Dunne)
Harte - 2.5 (wasted oceans of ball)
Duff - 3.5 (horrific first half, some decent moments in the 2nd)
Ireland - 6 (an assist, a goal and a few defence splitting passes. Too lightweight though)
Carsley - 4 (no real need for a deep lying midfield player tonight)
Kilbane - 5 (foraged away and took his goal well)
Long - 3 (everything went wrong for the kid)
Keane - 3.5 (got into a few god positions but fluffed his lines, would have expected him, as the experienced player, to link up better with Long)

Subs:
McShane - 3 (part of the mess for the goal)
Hunt - 6 (added a definite sense of urgency and should have had a goal)
Stokes - 6 (see Hunt)

Manager:
Staunton - 9 (any away point is a good point. Getting 3 in San Marino is an excellent night’s work. We all know San Marino is a difficult place to come - they’ve no airport in the country - and they will be a handful as the group goes on)

17

[quote=Bandage li
Manager:
Staunton - 9 (any away point is a good point. Getting 3 in San Marino is an excellent night’s work. We all know San Marino is a difficult place to come - they’ve no airport in the country - and they will be a handful as the group goes on)
[/quote]

i presume thats a typo?the interview at the end was shocking. he couldn’t manage a pub team. he is full of cliques and is really patronising. what a joker.

18

I was being sarcastic. Lowest form of wit and all that though.

Stan should be tarred and feathered, along with Delaney, in Merrion Square tomorrow morning.

Or would that be too lenient?

19

[quote=Bandage ]
I was being sarcastic. Lowest form of wit and all that though.

excuse my ignorance

20

If we draw 1-1 Staunton has to go, however we go and get a jammy goal which would have been offside had the last San Marino defender stepped out with his team mates, does this mean that Staunton gets to keep his job now because of an extremely lucky goal?

Do the decent thing Stan, thanks for the years you gave to Irish football (as a player!!!), now go.