Ireland Vs Finland Match Thread Alright lads, we know what the squad is and it's looking like Breeno will be skipper so he should start, here's a bit of news I have so far. Don't expect Breen, Given or Andy O'Brien to play more then 45 minutes as Newcastle and West Ham have matches 48 hours before the Finland game, the trio will also join up with the squad later. At this moment in time, Millwall duo Reid and Sadlier are not 100% fit, I can't see either of these playing more then 45 minutes either. It's near impossible to predict the starting line up, as you can tell with the squad he's picked there's going to be experimentation, if I we're to take a wild guess at it this is what I think will start the match, followed by the usual mass substituions Dean Kiely, Steve Finnan, Steve Carr, Kenny Cunningham, Gary Breen (c), Damien Duff, Rory Delap, Matt Holland, Colin Healy, Robbie Keane, Clinton Morrison. I'd expect to see Deaneo get axed at half time for Colgan, same with Holland for McPhail, Carr for Harte and Finnan going to the right or just a swap with Kells. Breen will go off, I'd imagine for Doherty. Robbie Keane to come off for Sadlier, and after Souness did his nut after the Denmark friendly, Duffer to come off for Kilbane. So that leaves Finnan, Cunningham, Healy, Delap and Morrison getting the full 90 minutes, of course with Mick you never know but this seems like the best guess right now. Finland are expected to line up like this, main noteble absence being Forssell of Chelsea. Keeper: Antti Niemi (Hearts, Scotland) (To be replaced by either Enckelman from Villa or Jaaskelainen from Bolton in the 2nd half) Defenders: Janne Saarinen (Rosenborg, Norway) Hannu Tihinen (Anderlecht, Belgium) Sami Hyypia (Liverpool, England) Petri Pasanen (Ajax, Holland) Midfielders: Joonas Kolkka (Panathinaikos, Greece) Aki Riihilahti (Crystal Palace, England) Teemu Tainio (Auxerre, France) Mika Nurmela (Heerenveen, Holland) Strikers: Jari Litmanen (Liverpool, England) Jonatan Johansson (Charlton, England) They are also expected to experiment heavily with mass subs in and around half time, so the game will be incredibley open and the result could be absolutley anything with the amount of subs expected so the result will be purley random but it's always a good thing to get the win under the belt but the main priority before the Russia Game is not to come out with cards or injuries, espically to Steven Carr. Post the updates and post match anaysis from the budding Gil'seys of this world in here so it doesn't get confusing and all over the place.
I'd say Mick's gonna start with Harte again - he's already been defending him before the game even happens, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't start him to back that up as a matter of principle. He'll be gone at half time though.
Ireland Vs Finland Match Thread I know, frankly it depresses the absolute hell out of me that one person can be so stupid as to drop one of the best two full backs in the premiership for the sake of a free kicks.
Ireland Vs Finland Match Thread Also depressing is the fact that he will probably start with Kilbane wide left and keep with this fooking IDIOTIC idea of Damien Duff and Robbie Keane, three goals in two years, strike partnership.
I think Kevin could have a problem. From what I have been reading, he's not likely to have a starting place at Sunderland this season and, as loyal as Mick is to players, Reidy could be in, if he's in nick!
Kilbanes played all pre season but with Wright being bought now I'd say Butler, Wright, Arca and Gray will make up the wide positions for Sunderland, meaning Mick HAS to leave Kilbane out and take the already much much better Butler instead. Butler really will be an absolute superstar.
Arca's the name I've heard will play there. But don't be too quick to rule Kevin out of the Irish set-up. Mick stood by the likes of McAteer in the past and got a couple of important goals from it! He won't be shy about applying the same idea again in this case.
The real kicker this time is it will be an Irishman taking his place, Butler. We also have alot more debt now, he can't play Kilbane over Butler if Butler is playing over Kilbane at club level.
I'm not so sure, I've never watched an Ireland match online before so I haven't a clue where you could find one but if you do give me a shout, never know when it could come in handy.
Slash/ED Slash/ED is coming out with a lot of horsesh1t recently but his infantile remark about Kevin Kilbane viz. "the real kicker this time is it will be an Irishman taking his place, Butler" is a grave insult to one of the most honost and committed players we have ever had. I'm no great fan of his as a player but as far as I'm concerned this son of a Mayo father and Longford mother is more committed to his country than a lot of players born on this island particularly a certain person from Cork.
Re: Slash/ED In fairness, Mick McCarthy had a lot to do with Denis Irwin's decision to retire from international football when he did... Oh, you mean the other Cork person. Well, Colin Healy HAD gone on holidays by the time Mick thought about calling him into the World Cup squad and you can imagine how annoying all the confusion must have been. I don't blame him for having mixed feelings.
FAO Slash/ED and Pat Mustard So Slash, was this actually a dig at Kilbane being of Irish decent (as implied by PM) or was it, as i read, that it was merely that Butler is another irish player who would be ahead of Kilbane at club level?
The usual wave of drop-outs before a friendly - Carr, Dunne, Sadlier, Finnan, Reid, O'Brien and Morrison are all unfit to travel. Of more concern, Reid, Sadlier and Carr are all unlikely to be in the frame for Russia either... With Dunne and O'Brien out and O'Shea being kept in Manchester, The Babbster could be in line for a recall!
Ireland Vs Finland Match Thread Worst of all, we only have one person who plays as a striker at club level in the entire squad, we'll have to use Duff or Doherty again, unless there be a suprise Dominic Foley recall....
Mick called Butler into the squad this morning after the 7 defections (why do I think it'll be more than that after the Newcatle-Hammers game?!). He tried to get Kebabb in as well but he cried off with a back injury.
Ireland Vs Finland Match Thread Babb may have messed up his last chance, we we're crying out for a defender. When I saw Butler got in I thought it was Paul Butler since we need a centre half but I'm chuffed now, I've been raving about this guy since the Sunderland Charlton game last year and he will be a STAR.
Breen not named tonight for West Ham... Not sure if this means he's unfit to play. Good match to have sat out though, seeing the result! At this rate, Mick will be togging out.
Does anyone know where one can get updates of the score of the under 21 match? Again, I'm really missing Sports.com.
My team for Finland. Given Kelly Harte Cunningham Breen Kilbane Holland Kinsella McAteer Keane Duff And for 2nd half Kiely Kelly Harte Doherty Breen Butler McPhail Healy McAteer Keane Delap