As we turn our attention toward Brazil what happens next? After leaving the Euros with a -8 goal differential how much do we shake things up? does Trap stay or get canned? have Keane and Duff played their last game in a green jersey? do we have a fire sale and toss the whole lineup aside? discuss gents
Trap is staying for the meantime. John Delaney gave an interview last week saying although he's dissapointed with the performace at these Euro's, Trappatoni has achieved his goal of qualifying, so he stays. Trappatoni is saying he's willing to ring in the changes for our World Cup campaign, to try a different system. Hopefully he will get over his tendency to hold grudges on players and reach out to our best. I'd like to see Stephen Ireland back in our squad. A Line-up something like this: Coleman Duffy Dunne Clarke McGeady McCarthy McClean Ireland Stokes Long Way too drastic. Stokes and Ireland probably won't get call ups under Trappatoni. But there are some great young players coming up. Conor Clifford at Chelsea is one to watch. Captained Chelsea's youth team to the Youth FA Cup (a central midfielder). And there's Robbie Brady at Manchester United (played on loan at Hull Last season). I reckon Trappatoni will have the first 4 games of the World Cup qualifying to prove his willingness to break his mold and move us forward. Fingers crossed.
In 2014 WC qualifying we're in Group C with Germany, Sweden & Austria (plus Kazakhstan & Faroe Islands). Germany's almost guaranteed 1st place. Sweden did OK in the Euros, beating France and losing by 1 goal in their other 2 games. Austria's a decent team traditionally. Ireland will have its work cut out for them and if they're a no show as they were in the Euros, they'll only be going to Brazil on vacation in 2014. They're at a point we're they can shake things up because this year was a disaster and nobody would fault the coaching staff for trying something different with the youngsters.
If Stephen Ireland asks to be included at the beginning of this next WCQ process then he should be allowed back in the squad. Seamus Coleman, Stephen Kelly, Marc Wilson, Ciaran Clark, Darron Gibson, James McClean, James McCarthy, Anthony Stokes, Shane Long. ^ All Premiership quality players (IMO) who didn't receive a lot of playing time under Trap who deserve to be and should be included in the squad for the qualifiers. We've got a good level of talent, we just need to use it.
The younger players some of you have mentioned may not be fully developed by the time the World Cup comes around and may just be long-term prospects(next Euros). With or without trap in charge line-up should go something like this: 4-3-3 Given, Coleman, St.Ledger, Clark, Foley, McCarthy, Gibson, Hoolihan, McClean, Walters, Long.
I forgot Shane Duffy. All of them are in their 20's with the exception of Shane Duffy. Hardly too young for international football, especially if they are playing premiership football. We would be torn to pieces with that lineup. Although I wouldn't mind seeing something like this given a shot: -----------------Given------------------ Kelly-----St.Ledger-Clark-------Wilson McClean-Gibson-McCarthy-McGeady ---------------Hoolahan---------------- ------------------Long------------------ Or if we needed to be more defensive (against Germany in WCQ). -----------------Given------------------ Kelly-----St.Ledger-Clark-------Wilson ----------------Whelan----------------- McClean-Gibson-McCarthy-McGeady ------------------Long------------------ Obviously if Richard Dunne stays he would start in the back. Hopefully Given stays. Keane and Duff would make valuable options off the bench.
What is Whealan doing in the team!!!??? He is one of the main reasons we were so bad at Euro 2012. Otherwise, I like what you got. The reason I went 4-3-3 was to be more attacking. Your formation makes sense though and you could switch and swap players with ease in that formation.
Unless you're Spain, you need a destroyer in midfield in the Keane/Makelele/Mascherano mould. The best Ireland have in that role now is Whelan and/or Andrews. Both are better than Gibson in that defensive role; neither are as creative. But if you take the field without a midfield destroyer or two, prepare to ship goals. Lots of 'em.
The problem is we have barely anytime to phase in any young/new players. We should keep the likes of Given, Dunne, Keane and then tinker with the rest to try and freshen things up. We MUST get off to a good start and not drop points against anyone but Germany.
You can't win any matches with a shit central midfield. Our central midfield is terrible. They can't pass to save their lives. One or both of Gibson and McCarthy deserve a chance. It's not like they are crap players. They are central midfielders who start for Prem teams. And they are good passers.
So if you pick both, who plays in front of the back 4 in the destroyer role? Because Trappatoni's whole midfield ethos is based around the Roy Keane-type midfielder. Neither Gibson nor McCarthy are better than Andrews or Whelan. Equally, however, neither of Whelan or Andrews are better than Gibson or McCarthy at passing.
Andrews will be 33 at next WC (if we qualify). If we play a 5 man midfield I think Gibson and McCarthy could both play (see above) but I'd be willing to see Whelan-Gibson.
It seems a long period of rebuilding is ahead as the tactics have to change. The hopeless long balls in to short forwards are not helping...and the midfield seems to weak to manage anything else
Even with the 4-5-1 formation against Serbia, Ireland still struggled to retain possession at times. We simply can't get away from the fact that a huge problem with this group of players is their basic technical limitations. They almost always seem to need a second touch... to look up and ponder their options before making a pass, and at international level that kills the momentum of any attacking move. I fear the likes of McCarthy, etc., though perhaps slightly ahead of Whelan/Andrews in terms of basic ability, still are not up to the standard of their continental counterparts. I always try to be optimistic, but I don't think I've ever been as gloomy about the state of the team at the outset of a qualifying campaign.
I think Mccarthy needs games and he will grow into a quality midfielder, we will never have silky smooth players like the ones from Italy, Spain or Germany but we have to make do with what we have. Theres some good young players on the horizon but if we can grind out this qualifying campaign we could have the bones of a good squad by 2014.
Disappointing campaign by the Irish and a tad unlucky in the first game against Croatia. Clear penalty on Robbie Keane. Changes the whole game. Just whitewashed vs the Spaniards and against Italy it was already over and the superior Italians had to win to get through. Always a hard task after the opening game. Nothing really to be ashamed of imo as the likes of Holland also lost 3 from 3 and had a poor tournament. You guys had a good 2002 campaign and also in 1990 and 1994. Beat England in the 88 Euros. I respect you guys. 2010 qualifying got two draws vs the Italians and were robbed vs France and deserved to be at the cup. Ireland are a gritty fighting nation and will always be thereabouts in qualifying for a major comp and putting up a decent performance from time to time. Irish pride will always run high. Cheers.