Future Irish team

sidney

Had an interesting disscussion about this the other night; when McCarthy steps down, we'll say post 2002 euro championships (possibly sooner - 1 or 2 bad results in qualifying + a prolonged hate campaign from the pro-Keane members of the media could see McCarthy return to club management before Christmas, especially if a juicy premiership job becomes available)..... the Irish XI, which would once again include Roy Keane looks like a pretty decent side.

1. Shay Given
2. Steve Carr
3. Steve Finnan, who plays left full for Fulham occasionally
4. John O'Shea
5. Roy Keane - who might eventually drop back to play centre half
towards the end of his career, but you never know, he's
looked after himself so he could play midfield for a few years
yet
6. Colin Healy
7. Steven Reid
8. Matt Holland
9. Robbie Keane
10. Clinton Morrisson
11. Damien Duff - left wing


Add Harte, Breen, Doherty, Delap, & McPhail, to the equation AND another 2 years experience & development for the younger members of the squad (not to mention the couple of new players we'll have obtained by then aswell) and it doesn't look like a bad squad at all does it.

Johnny_the_fox

5. Roy Keane - who might eventually drop back to play centre half

Andy O'Brien IMO would be a better centre half this year playing Champions League football... and he''ll play with O'Shea... in the coming years...

Tellox

If we have qualify for the euro '04, and have roy keane back by then, I'd say we'd have a chance of coming out on top..

yop

I do not think Keano will ever play for us again, he is turning into a complete bitch.

But we do not need him, I think that if the lads progress they way they have been then we should have a shi* hot team.

Your mano Barrett should be a good player as well

Sand

I dont think Keane will play for us again tbh. Why would he want to come back to the sort of warm welcome he received from the boo boys who jeered him and riled him in that Iceland game because some journalist told them to ( sheep). Course they were shutting up by the end cos its kinda hard to criticise a world class player dominating a game but theyll be out in force again should he play for Ireland again. I couldnt honestly blame him for not wanting to deal with that crap again.

We do need him though. Theres not a team in the world who wouldnt want him.

Apart from that we do have some good promising young players, though they seem to have a knack of getting injured - Sadliers done himself in for a while , just when he might have had a chance to put himself about for a place and McPhails has been held back by his injuries a fair bit.

Barretts got potential but will never ever ever get into the Arsenal first team as a regular whilst Henry and co are there. Hes not french for starters.

O Shea and Healy seem to be very impressive - one or two years from now they could both be excellent players, for Ireland and their clubs ( which is a matter of doubt for Healy ).

All in all we should be very successful in Euro 2004 - after all we only have to beat 3 draws and a win.

Pigman

Originally posted by Sand

All in all we should be very successful in Euro 2004 - after all we only have to beat 3 draws and a win.

Might not be that easy mate! Ireland have a habit of manage to always grabing a draw from the jaws of defeat (or victory) and don't forget that theres absolutely no chance of a team as bad as Saudi qualifying for Euro 2004.

Regarding sidneys future-xi it's impossible to just predict it that way because I guarentee you there will be at least one player of that first-xi for Euro2004 who we don't even know about at this point.

For example can you honestly say that you saw Jason McAteer playing for Ireland at Wc94 back in Aug92 or Alan McLoughlin playing for us at Wc90 back in Aug88. A qualifying campaign is a long and winding road with many surprises along the way.

Michael Collins

I do not think Keano will ever play for us again, he is turning into a complete bitch.

Yeh, exactly. Come on, everone has to agree he's become very...well just strange recently. The elbowing of Jason was mean too, although he kinda deserved it, but still it was a stupid thing to do.

But IF he does come back, he will strike fear into the other team's hearts....and our team as well probably, especially our new manager.

Unless we do bad in the qualifying campagin, i.e. don't qualify, I doubt Mick will resign until aftwards.

BKtje

Im fairly sure Keane will never play for Ireland again. Hes pissed off too many players now so unless the manager and half the irish team disappear he hasnt a hope.

Be interesting to see if half the irish team disappears now