Ireland v Slovakia, what do you think ??

[r2d2]

I'm concerned that the boys in green led by Stan "I'm the Gaffer" Staunton might be in for a shock tonight against Slovakia......As a Liverpool supporter I for one have been supportive of Stan (not that I agreed with his appointment) but if the Slovaks find their form prior to the Germany and Czech Republic results we might find ourselves being embarrassed....... What do you think ??

 

[Irish Fire]

I'm concerned that the boys in green led by Stan "I'm the Gaffer" Staunton might be in for a shock tonight against Slovakia......As a Liverpool supporter I for one have been supportive of Stan (not that I agreed with his appointment) but if the Slovaks find their form prior to the Germany and Czech Republic results we might find ourselves being embarrassed....... What do you think ??

Hate to say it but I think your right.........

 

[z105]

Tut Tut - Yee of little faith !!

 

[r2d2]

Tut Tut - Yee of little faith !!

Pheeeew.....

I was moaning about the bumpy pitch last weekend but tonight I was thankful for it.......

Maybe the Gaffer can lead us to the promised land....

 

[CCOVICH]

We still found ourselves on the back foot for long periods in the second half because we can't hold the ball, but hey, we just made history .

At least we are better than England, alebit worse than Norn Iron.

Away to both Slovakia and the Czechs will be interesting. Do you think that Steve Coppell could get us a few more players in the meantime?

 

[ClubMan]

At least we are better than England

Er...

Group D

Republic of Ireland P6 W3 D1 L2 F10 A7 Pts10

Group E

England P6 W3 D2 L1 F9 A2 Pts11

 

[IrishGunner]

Better atmosphere than the Welsh game How did the Honey Monster get Man of match ? First half performance was ok and I thought we sat back in the second half. The Slovaks had a good few chances

Oh yeah have we any other song than bloody Ole Ole. Also Stand up for the Boys in Green. After all this time we must have a few more. Best I heard was in Paris to the Tune of Yellow Submarine 'We all dream of a team of Gary Breen a Team of Gary Breen.....

 

[CCOVICH]

Er...

Group D

Republic of Ireland P6 W3 D1 L2 F10 A7 Pts10

Group E

England P6 W3 D2 L1 F9 A2 Pts11

Lies, damn lies etc.

 

[RonanC]

Best I heard was in Paris to the Tune of Yellow Submarine 'We all dream of a team of Gary Breen a Team of Gary Breen.....

That wasnt outside the Moulan Rouge by any chance???

The match itself last nite was alot better than saturdays. I still cannot understand why one of the Premierships best right backs and defenders is playing at left back to accomadate John (i'll play anywhere) O'Shea... Everytime Finnan got the ball he had to get it onto his right which slowed things down and allowed the Slovaks to close him down. Paul McShane is a very good defender and has a bright future ahead of him but his range of passing from defence is shocking and he should leave the long range stuff to Richard Dunne. Given was World Class again. What would we do without him?

So roughly 150,000 fans packed into Croker over the two games.. At €50 per ticket that works out at €7.5m. Why are we only building a 50,000 all seater when we can sell out Croker for a midweek game?

 

[CCOVICH]

Paul McShane is a very good defender and has a bright future ahead of him but he range of passing from defence is shocking and he should leave the long range stuff to Richard Dunne.

Yeah-the techical ability of the Slovaks was of a much higher standard than the Irish, even in defence. To be fair playing for one of the better teams in the Championship is all about winning promotion, so graceful centre halfs are probably rare enough on the ground at that level

Given was World Class again.What would we do without him?

Yeah-doesn't stop Roy Keane from having a pop at him-losing more and more respect for him (Keane) every time he opens his mouth.

Given to save a penalty from Liam Miller (who isn't in the Irish team just because he is from Cork of course) and send Sunderland back to the Championship in 07/08?

 

[money man]

I would imagine even some of the pro-keaners thought that was a bit stupid of him to be criticising Shay Given for turning up for Ireland friendlies. He has indicated before that he has never faked injury to avoid playing for ireland. This is the only way that shay given could avoid playing a freindly match as clubs are obliged to allow players to represent their country if the are called. It makes a mockery of his previous lies on RTE. Ive never understood the guy but was beginning to respect him for turning things around at Sunderland. After his recent outburst re: Anti-Cork bias!!(someone give the man something for his paranoia!!) and for slating Shay given for achieveing 80 caps while still only 30 i have to review my opinion of him. I think everyone will agree we have alot to thank Shay given for having been our outstanding player for years.

 

[IrishGunner]

That wasnt outside the Moulan Rouge by any chance???

Yep was there singing it on the street. Now wondering If I should travel to Slovakia for the away game and the Czech game 4 days later. Looking at the highlights last night Dunne had a good game but I thought Mcshane was better

So are we better without Robbie Keane ? Well on last nights evidence we were ? However still like him to play but not as an out and out forward

 

[Irish Fire]

Pheeeew.....

I was moaning about the bumpy pitch last weekend but tonight I was thankful for it.......

Maybe the Gaffer can lead us to the promised land....

Will we hold our breaths seening as Stan is breathing again???

 

[Z100]

I would imagine even some of the pro-keaners thought that was a bit stupid of him to be criticising Shay Given for turning up for Ireland friendlies. He has indicated before that he has never faked injury to avoid playing for ireland. This is the only way that shay given could avoid playing a freindly match as clubs are obliged to allow players to represent their country if the are called. It makes a mockery of his previous lies on RTE. Ive never understood the guy but was beginning to respect him for turning things around at Sunderland. After his recent outburst re: Anti-Cork bias!!(someone give the man something for his paranoia!!) and for slating Shay given for achieveing 80 caps while still only 30 i have to review my opinion of him. I think everyone will agree we have alot to thank Shay given for having been our outstanding player for years.

No arguments about Given, he's been fantastic for us the last few years, and I really wish Keane had kept his trap shut, but I think most people seemed to miss the point he was making (or maybe they chose to because it was Keane? ).

The fact is that Given's understudies have got very little playing time in friendlies over the years, which was one of the reasons Dean Kiely packed it in. That's no problem if Given stays injury free, but he doesn't - so you get calamities like Paddy Kenny's performance against Cyprus, which was partly down to him and his defence being strangers.

Given said himself the other day that he wanted to win as many caps as he could for himself, so I wonder if he insists on playing in these friendlies? I'm not complaining about his obvious desire to play for Ireland as often as possible, but it hardly helps when his understudies get so little experience. That, as I understood it, was Keane's point, which I think is a fairly legitimate one.

Whatever, the row doesn't change my opinion: Given is our greatest ever goalkeeper, Keane and McGrath were our greatest ever players.

 

[Guest127]

Keane has done a wonderful job at Sunderland. No question about that.
he also WALKED out of the Irish team during the world cup finals. No question about that either.
He has absolutely no right to criticise anyone for playing every time that player is chosen to play for his country.

as for Stan. 105 caps for Ireland. total loyalty over the years. I personally wish he would play Miller. and Doyle. and Hunt. But I do not understand the media frenzy ready to devour him at every opportunity.
He was also a useful Gaelic player, something totally 'overlooked' by same media during the games at Croker. has to be a milestone of some sort, ie former gaelic player leads Irish soccer team out at gaa headquarters. But when some media 'experts' hope for Welsh/Slovakian wins you know where you stand.
2nd half wasn't pretty on Wednesday. didn't like the way Doyle was made to chase shadows. equally in the first game against Germany it could be argued that Ireland were unlucky.

 

[CCOVICH]

Keane has done a wonderful job at Sunderland. No question about that.

To be fair, let's wait and see. McCarthy has actually spent a lot less at Wolves, yet they aren't far behind Sunderland. Neither of them have made it back to the Premiership yet, and then the challenge is to keep them there.

I was no big fan of McCarthy's, but I think it is a useful comparison.

 

[Z100]

he also WALKED out of the Irish team during the world cup finals. No question about that either.

He didn't, hence McCarthy's boast that he "sent" him home. But please, let's not start this one again.

He has absolutely no right to criticise anyone for playing every time that player is chosen to play for his country.

Whether you agree with him or not you completely missed the point he made, ie about Given's understudies not getting experience.

I personally wish he would play Miller.

Miller isn't even a regular at Sunderland this season (which made Keane's support of him daft), so I'm not sure why he should be in the Irish team.

as for Stan....I do not understand the media frenzy ready to devour him at every opportunity.

Ireland 0, Holland 4
Cyprus 5, Ireland 2
San Marino 1, Ireland 2

And you don't understand why he deserves criticism?

He was also a useful Gaelic player, something totally 'overlooked' by same media during the games at Croker.

Trust me, I'm no fan of (most) of our media, but I think I read about Staunton playing for Louth in a Leinster under-16 final in Croke Park about 496 times in the build-up to the Welsh game. Overlooked?

But when some media 'experts' hope for Welsh/Slovakian wins you know where you stand.

You mean Dunphy? Who else?

equally in the first game against Germany it could be argued that Ireland were unlucky.

We weren't. Germany's goal was lucky enough, but they were far the better team and deserved to win.

 

[Z100]

To be fair, let's wait and see. McCarthy has actually spent a lot less at Wolves, yet they aren't far behind Sunderland.

Quinn says since he took over as chairman the club has sold 21 players and brought in 18, with a net outlay of £1 million - but Keane has spent £7m on players, and sold £3m worth. McCarthy hasn't brought in any money on transfers since he arrived at Wolves (any one who left, left for free) and has spent just under £2m.

So Keane has spent £2m more than McCarthy - fair enough, that's a good amount in Championship terms, but hardly the vast advantage over McCarthy that is often implied.

And bear in mind the team Keane inherited - had been relegated the season before from the Premiership with a record low points total (15 from 38 games )....forget who the manager was ....and second from bottom of the Championship this season. Wolves finished 7th in the C'ship last season, and only lost one significant player since then (Seol Ki-Hyeon), so by rights should have been promotion contenders again any way.

But these comparisons are suffering from that ugliest of diseases, Saipanitis The fact is Keane is, so far, doing brilliantly with Sunderland, McCarthy is doing very well with Wolves. Still have a feeling Sunderland will miss out on promotion, but hope not, the Premiership is where the boy Roy belongs.

 

[almo]

I watched the Welsh game on German tv and the commentary crew gave it a good boost, and weren't remotely as negative as I later read or heard from home. Missed the Slovak game but again the reports from home were grudging. I feel that Staunton could never win, as after destroying a decent manager in Brian Kerr, making sure to get rid of Mick McCarthy and aching for Mr. Keane to take over, the media in Ireland have done their best to destroy the rep of manager and players alike.

Roy Keane had a point in objecting to substandard prep (in his view) for 2002, but he is just a player, sorry, was, and players have to go along with what their manager says. There were two bulls in camp and both went for each other, there could be only one winner and luckily it was McCarthy. A captain has to fight to the bitter end, Keane went to run then was kicked out, fine. He was recalled, played a couple of good games, now has his words handpicked to swipe at former team mates and try to keep his image to the forefront.

 

[Z100]

I watched the Welsh game on German tv and the commentary crew gave it a good boost, and weren't remotely as negative as I later read or heard from home.

The Germans mustn't be fussy, a win's a win's a win but it was easily the worst game of international football I have ever attended...and I paid E70 for the pleasure (Clubman? Is that a rip-off?). I think we're entitled to better, especially from a team largely made up of Premiership players.

I feel that Staunton could never win, as after destroying a decent manager in Brian Kerr, making sure to get rid of Mick McCarthy and aching for Mr. Keane to take over, the media in Ireland have done their best to destroy the rep of manager and players alike.

Staunton? Ireland 0, Holland 4. Cyprus 5, Ireland 2. San Marino 1, Ireland 2.

Enough said.

Kerr? The media didn't dump Kerr, John Delaney did!

McCarthy? Blew it in Japan/Korea (not noticing Spain were down to 10 men his finest hour), humiliated in Moscow, dire against the Swiss. He was lucky to last as long as he did in the job. Let's be honest, it was Roy Keane and Shay Given who got Ireland to the World Cup, certainly not Mick (Wolves 0, Southampton 6) McCarthy. His record in the Premiership with Sunderland tells us all we need to know about his 'talents' - Steve Coppell had less to spend on Reading and look at them.

Keane? Based on what he has done so far at Sunderland it would be a dream if he took the Irish job, but that's as likely as me being named as the new Real Madrid boss. Half the Irish media loathe Keane, the other half aren't dumb enough to think he'd work for the FAI, so I don't know where this "aching" theory of yours comes from.

Roy Keane had a point in objecting to substandard prep (in his view) for 2002, but he is just a player

Good one!

players have to go along with what their manager says.

Even when the managers are incompetent and out of their depth?

...there could be only one winner and luckily it was McCarthy.

Luckily?

his words handpicked to swipe at former team mates and try to keep his image to the forefront.

Yeah, Keane is very low profile at the moment, he's hardly getting any attention, so mediocre has his start to management been