Not a bad team.
In fairness I think most lads on here are passionate Irish supporters and attend matches. Well within their rights to ask questions of the most shambolic qualifying campaign in living memory. EPL and EFL fans would have a fair idea as the vast majority of our squad hails from those leagues. Some of the League of Ireland fans on here have been wary of Stephen Kenny from day 1, club bias may be a factor in that but there’s no hiding away from the fact that was sacked by Dunfermline and Shamrock Rovers.
James Collins? Not a fantastic striker by any stretch of the imagination but where are you getting this idea that he wasn’t a regular for them? He was a consistent goalscorer there and hit double figures in each of his championship seasons with them, thus earning a move to the more highly rated Cardiff.
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I can see why the Rovers boys locked Kenny out if the dressing room. No air of authority.
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Check it out for yourself, Collins was on the bench for second half of Luton’s season. I actually like Collins, gives 100% but no where near international level.
He probably should be starting, none of the others have even remotely come close to his body of work.
13 in 44 at championship level isn’t bad scoring by the standard of our current squad. I’d agree though that he’s nearly 31 at this stage and isn’t the most inspiring of subs to spring off the bench. We have a habit of suddenly relying on ageing strikers who couldn’t get into the team in their 20’ (Slab Murphy and Didsy as well), albeit Didsy was playing the best football of his career.
Reminiscent of the Hodgson era at Liverpool and comments after the defeat to formidable Northampton Town and famous win over Bolton.
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Shows the paucity of our options. I think Ferguson could be starting number 9 for Ireland in 2 years. Looked on a different level for under 21’s last Friday.
That the lad who played for Bohs against Chelsea in a friendly when he was only 14? We’re starting to do well at underage level again which is promising. Kenny taking a risk with the long-term view though because ultimately the development of the players mostly dependent on how their clubs coach them. Says he’s aiming for Germany 2024 now but he may not survive to see it.
Let him develop as a decent club player first .
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This is what lads were saying about Parrott two years ago…
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How many teenagers put on an Ireland jersey for the seniors and looked to the manor born.
Keane, Duff and Gary Kelly are the only three I can think of in my lifetime.
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Stephen Ireland. Crying shame
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Can we get a proper breakdown of our squad’s current club situation?
Bazunu - regular Portsmouth (League 1)
Coleman - regular Everton (Prem)
Duffy - regular Brighton, (Prem)
Egan - regular SU (C’ship)
McClean - regular Wigan (League 1)
Doherty - in and out? Spurs (Prem)
Cullen - regular? Anderlecht (Eredvisie)
Molumby - bench Brighton??? Or is he out on loan now??
Connolly - bench Brighton (Prem)
Idah - bench Norwich (Prem)
Parrott - regular MK Dons (League 1)
2 maybe 3 premier league regulars? It’s not great is it.
Yeah, he is an outlier as he only won half a dozen caps or so. Even lads who were highly touted and capped in their teens and went on to have very good pro careers like James McCarthy, Mcgeady, John O’Shea, Ian Harte and Shay Given all need three or four years after their debut before they really found their feet at international level.
While lads like Gibson and Stokes who were at big clubs and highly touted completely fizzled out
Its septic, worst ever. I think Kenny will get sacked but could not imagine any big name manager who would want that bunch.
He had 4 goals in 6 caps and looked absolutely made for international soccer. What would we give for a prime stevie now.
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Yeah, huge man for a 16 year old.
I was one i hold my hands up but i think Ferguson is a cert to make it. Plays like a full grown man at 16.
Doherty isn’t even in and out at Spurs
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