Ireland Squad for Brazil game

Villain

Republic of Ireland squad to play Brazil at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, on 18 February (kick-off 7.30pm): Given (Newcastle), Kenny (Sheffield United), Murphy (West Brom); Carr (Tottenham), Cunningham (Birmingham), Doherty (Tottenham), Dunne (Manchester City), Finnan (Liverpool), Harte (Leeds), O'Brien (Newcastle), O'Shea (Manchester United); Carsley (Everton), Delap (Southampton), Holland (Charlton), Kavanagh (Cardiff), Kilbane (Everton), McAteer (Sunderland), Reid (Nottingham Forest); Connolly (West Ham), Duff (Chelsea), Keane (Tottenham), Lee (Cardiff), Morrison (Birmingham).

Johnny_the_fox

just got in before me..


the only surprise is there is no surprise picks.. :dunno:

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Is that Paddy Kenny from Sheff Utd.

Didn't know he was Irish?

I thought that Stack from Arsenal would have gotten a call up?the keeper?

Johnny_the_fox

Originally posted by seansouth
Is that Paddy Kenny from Sheff Utd.

yep.

Originally posted by seansouth
I thought that Stack from Arsenal would have gotten a call up?the keeper?

I dont think he has played enough matches for arsenal to get a call up... Kenny plays week in - week out

Villain

Yea Kenny seems quite good.

Surprised at McAteer being called up, thought he would have went for youth with a freindly?

smemon

at last kenny (paddy) gets a callup. bout time too, he's a class keeper and proved it last year for sheffield utd.

definately ireland's no.2 imo.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Johnny_the_fox
the only surprise is there is no surprise picks.. :dunno:

which is good news IMO. It is too easy to get a callup for Ireland these days and it gets embarrasing. Stack has played a few Carling cup games and he is expecting a callup soon. What has Alan Lee done to deserve an international callup of late? I'd actually prefer to have Robbie Keane's cousin (plays in the Eircom league, forget his name) as tehy are supposed to play really well together and no each other inside out.

Didn't know he was Irish?

He was born in England but both his parents are Irish.

Duff is a huge doubt for the Brazil game and we really need him. If he is fit I can't see Ranieri wanting him playing the 90 minutes so we should see a bit of Zinedine Kilbane.

It will be interesting to see who Kerr plays at CB alongside Cunningham (who I assume is a certain). I would probably go with Dunne as he plays his heart out for Ireland and isn't actually as slow as I thought he was and looks. Anyway he played well against the second best player in the world so the third best should be know problem.

I wouldn't change the team too much that was put out against Canada and I would keep Given between the sticks for the whole game.

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Given

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Carr

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Cunningham

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Dunne

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O'Shea

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Holland/Kav

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Finnan

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A.Reid

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Duff

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Keane

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Morrison

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We really need a good partner for Keane who can actually head a ball.

James R

Originally posted by Johnny_the_fox

I dont think he has played enough matches for arsenal to get a call up... Kenny plays week in - week out

He deserved a call up ahead of Joe Murphy I feel. Murphy, from what I've seen of him at least, looks a really decent keeper but Stack is getting more first team games than him at the min

paddyduff

paddy kenny looks like a pub team goalkeeper! surely not an international keeper! in fairness to the lad, i've seen him put in some good displays. i wonder did he express an interest in playing for ireland all along or did kerr have to do some granny scouting? good luck to him anyway.

can't wait to hear the samba style "who ate all the pies?"

paddyduff

Originally posted by eirebhoy
Duff is a huge doubt for the Brazil game and we really need him. If he is fit I can't see Ranieri wanting him playing the 90 minutes so we should see a bit of Zinedine Kilbane.

Only heard that for the first time on saturday "Zinedine Kilbane" nearly choked on my pint when someone came out with it... still funny hearing it now! People have probably been saying it for ages but i never copped on to it before. Quality stuff!

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He expressed an interest last season, when Sheff Utd were in the play-offs I seem to remember.

Another player who has expressed an interest is Lee Trundle from Swansea City. He's a scouser, but he's tearing the Division apart for Swansea( Div2/3? can't remember). I think Kerr should take a look at him.

Yet another is John Macken from Man City.

Friendlies I hate, but they are there for managers to take a look at emerging talent, the result doesn't matter. Brazil will beat us, so who cares who plays, who even cares about the result anyway, it's only a friendly.

So what if Ireland beat Brazil, we are treating this game like the lower division sides treat cup ties against Premiership opposition, only we have nothing at the end of it.

paddyduff

ah seansouth!! c'mon! you have to make a big deal of brazil coming to our little **** heap. besides, friendlies these days have more edge to them and it will be a nice scalp if we can nick a result off them. i think there will be a nice charged up atmosphere at it and personally can't wait to be there! cherish the moment man!

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I think of friendlies this way:

Say a player like Robbie Keane is playing for Ireland. He is one of our best players ( I imagine you agree?). Say he gets injured, and is out for about a year, he could do his cruciate, or say his hamstring, which may well clear up is a month or so, but will always be suspect. say he then tweaks it again a couple of weeks before a proper match, and he's out for it?

What say you then? Ah well, sure he got to play in a meaningless friendly against Brazil, sure isn't he great, or more likely, ah no, I can't believe Robbie Keane is out for this match against France because he played in a friendly against Brazil.

Would you rather we had a fully fit squad for the matches in the WC2006 Qualifying campaign, or that we play a meaningless party game against Brazil.

originally posted by paddyduff
ah seansouth!! c'mon! you have to make a big deal of brazil coming to our little **** heap

Why? Are we so piss poor that we have to bow at the feet of this team. I'd rather make a big deal over the Faroe's thanks very much, at least we stand to gain something from them

It is this very attitude that we have to eradicate from Irish football, why should we make a big deal over the so called "Big Boys", would they do the same for us?

Exactly how much is it costing the FAI to bring Brazil here?

originally posted by paddyduff
cherish the moment man!

The only moment I'll cherish is when the final whistle goes, and all of our players walk off that Landsdowne pitch unharmed.

Great entertainment watching the teams bring on 12 subs each, at least the 4th official with the Numbers board won't have a boring night.

Personally, I won't be going, nor will I watch the match on TV.

Answer me honestly, would you rather we played Brazil and risk injuries, or just had a squad get together and kept everyone fit for the WC2006QC?

Villain

Originally posted by seansouth


Answer me honestly, would you rather we played Brazil and risk injuries, or just had a squad get together and kept everyone fit for the WC2006QC?

Both carry the risk of injuries. Actually a large precentage of players injuries are received on the training pitch. So risk either way.

The Fai need the money these games are going to generate and we get to watch the world champions in Dublin, no losers only winners man.

AngelofFire

is miller unavailable because of injury or has brian kerr gone completely mad

Kerr should be bold and try and experiment with a team we could use for the 2006 campaign

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Given

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--Carr

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Cunningham

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Doherty

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O`shea

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Mcaterr

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A.Reid

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Holland

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Duff

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Keane

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Morrisson

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Connolly:Waterboy

paddyduff

seansouth. lighten up a little for f u c k sake! so you're hung up on these friendlies with the french game in mind?? we play france when?

so., what? we play no friendlies whatsoever? i.e. not prepare? is that what you mean? you think we can prepare for competitive games with squad meet ups?

so robbie then goes on to play dozens of games for spurs without playing the brazil game and other friendlies and is under no threat of an injury at all? i mean, that's just bollox to be honest! plus your hamstring theory takes the biscuit. how many professional footballers have recurrences of hamstrings on their comebacks? i believe you'll find that's not many at all. it's not sunday league we're talking about here.

the outcome of the friendly doesn't bother me in the slightest... nor will it bother anyone for that matter. faroes my arse!! brazil are the world champions! how often do they come to town? they'll be a great spectacle and a joy to watch. they're superstars in their own right. they'll also give us a good game that we'll have to be on our toes for. good test.

Great entertainment watching the teams bring on 12 subs each, at least the 4th official with the Numbers board won't have a boring night.

wouldn't you prefer that considering your fear of injuries???

Why? Are we so piss poor that we have to bow at the feet of this team. I'd rather make a big deal over the Faroe's thanks very much, at least we stand to gain something from them

even you must want to retract that statement? gain something from them? what???

It is this very attitude that we have to eradicate from Irish football, why should we make a big deal over the so called "Big Boys", would they do the same for us?

Why the f u c k should they do it for us???

Personally, I won't be going, nor will I watch the match on TV.

ok, are you a grumpy old man or a little depressed boy? what is it? lighten f u c k i n g up!!! are you that type of person that just has to complain about everything?

eirebhoy

Originally posted by seansouth
Answer me honestly, would you rather we played Brazil and risk injuries, or just had a squad get together and kept everyone fit for the WC2006QC?

What the hell are you on about? It sounds like Brazil are bloody animal's, we would be playing friendlies either way wether it was against brazil or Azerbaizhan. To answer your question, I think every single manager in the universe would rather play a friendly and risk injuries rather than having no prep for the qualifiers, why do you think they are arranged? For a laugh?

Johnny_the_fox

Kerr will start with the following*:

1. Given
2. Carr
3. O'Shea
4. Cunningham
5. O'Brien
6. Holland
7. Kilbane
8. McAteer
9. Connolly
10. Keane
11. Duff

*barring injury

eirebhoy

Playing Kilbane on the right is a very bad idea. Both him and Duff haven't got a right foot but at least Duff cuts in, Kilbane would run down the line and have to stop, turn and then try and cross.

I don't know about McAteer in the centre, in fact I don't know about him anywhere. He is 33 and just after returning from a long injury setback. He has served the country well and I think his time has passed, we'd be better off giving the younger lads a chance.

Johnny_the_fox

I was thinking of a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Duff behind the forwards. Kilbane attacking from the left ..
McAteer - will do the job.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Johnny_the_fox
I was thinking of a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Duff behind the forwards. Kilbane attacking from the left ..
McAteer - will do the job.

That sounds a bit better but still not convinced about McAteer.

AmenToThat

Given


Finnan Cunningham O Brien O Shea


Carr Delap Holland Kilbane


Keane Morrison

I excpect Duff to withdraw due to injury so Iv put Kilbane on the left. O Briens now establish himself as first choice along side Woodgate and deserves a try along side Cunningham. Delap is now fit and Id like to see if he can cut it at international level, limited options in the centre of midfield anyways. Right side of midfield is a real problem area and it might be worth experimenting with that combination of Carr/Finnan for 45mins anyway.

PHB

I'd say Duff would want to play againist Brazil for Ireland if he could, even if it was only for a short period of time.

Remember its a friendly so as many substitutions as they want, they could sub him off 20 mins in

Tellox

Im fairly sure Duff will badly want to play, but Ranieri/Kerr will most likely pull him out, if he doesnt do so himself.

Team I'd like to see;

GK: S.Given
DL: I.Harte (Long balls, free kicks and corners are going to most likely be our best chance at getting anything against the brazilians)
DC: J.O'Shea
DC: K.Cunningham
DR: S.Carr
ML: D.Duff (subbed off at some stage because of his injury, if he plays. Most likely for Z.Kilbane)
MC: A.Reid
MC: M.Holland (subbed off for G.Kavanagh at halftime if Holland has another of his invisible man shows)
MR: J.McAteer
FC: C.Morrison
FC: R.Keane

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Tellox
DL: I.Harte (Long balls, free kicks and corners are going to most likely be our best chance at getting anything against the brazilians)

We say that all the time but at this stage Ian Harte is no better than anybody else at crossing the ball. He hasn't took one good free kick or corner for Ireland in I don't no how long and he will never get his confidence back. There are so many players that would take better free kicks and corners than Harte for Ireland, A.Reid, Kavanagh and Carr often take set pieces for there clubs while Duff is just as good.