Source : RTE's website "Brian Kerr has named a 31 man squad for the upcoming games against Romania, Nigeria, Jamaica and Holland. Roy Keane has been included, while Paddy Kenny, Steve Finnan, Gary Breen, Matt Holland, Rory Delap, Stephen McPhail, Jason McAteer, Robbie Keane and David Connoly are all back in the squad after missing the friendly against Poland. Four uncapped players have been included with Clive Clarke of Stoke City Martin Rolland of QPR Celtic's Aidan McCready and Michael Doyle of Coventy City all earning their first call ups. Ireland play Romania at Lansdowne on May 27 before heading to London for the Unity Cup which ends on June 2. Filed by Johnny Proby" I think that should read Aidan "McGeady", but he is obviously the interesting addition to the squad. The Scots will be looking on with interest also. I think that should also read Martin "Rowlands" who has had a fine season for QPR, albeit in Division 2.
Given (Newcastle United), Colgan (Hibernian), Kenny (Sheffield United), Maybury (Hearts), Finnan (Liverpool), Cunningham (Birmingham City), O'Brien (Newcastle United), Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Breen (Sunderland), Clarke (Stoke City), O'Shea (Manchester United), Holland (Charlton Athletic), Douglas (Blackburn Rovers), Miller (Celtic), Roy Keane (Manchester United), A Reid (Nottingham Forest), Rowlands (QPR), Kennedy (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Doyle (Coventry City), S Reid (Blackburn Rovers), Quinn (Sheffield Wednesday), Delap (Southampton), McPhail (Leeds United), Kinsella (WBA), McAteer (Sunderland), Barrett (Coventry City), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), McGeady (Celtic), Lee (Cardiff City), Connolly (West Ham United), Morrison (Birmingham City). Carr? Harte?
it's a non sense seing wasters like Maybury, Kinsella, Barrett, McPhail, Kennedy and Quinn in the side. If Kerr thinks they have an international future than I'm very, very, very worried. EDIT - The squad I saw elsewhere had Douglas in it. Weird that, probably just a typo.
Douglas IS in the squad. My apologies. Delap has been injured, but might play tomorrow. He's just coming back to fitness. Carr has been injured (and suspended) recently, so that might explain his abscence. Harte being left out is odd, I would still rate him ahead of Clarke. And as for McPhail, Barrett, etc. who would you have included instead?
J. Murphy? Stack? One of these guys probably will be the eventual successor to Given down the line, and need to be given chances. They are both quality and very young. Whatever about ousting Kenny for one of them, Colgan being in there just isn't right.
That he has Bishop Brennan. Delighted that Martin is in the Ireland squad and hope he gets some time on the pitch during the upcoming friendlies. Can play wide on the left, in the middle or at left or right back. Preferred position is on the left wing though. Decent pace, but not extremely quick, profited from lack of speed in 2nd division defences and looked much too good for the division all year. Scored a few great goals for us this year and was an easy choice for player of the year (fans and players alike). Size and speed could be limitations, but footballing skills certainly are not.
Thornton, Heffernen, Elliot, Byrne and Kelly are all better than the players he's picked. This should be about giving youth a try, which is partly why the McGready is there, so the younger lads mentioned there are worth putting in ahead of has beens like Kinsella and never was cases like McPhail, Barrett, Kennedy and company, while Byrne is plain better than Barrett. Barrett is in as a striker yet how many goals has he scored in his entire first division career? 3? How is he in there?
Barrett has been playing very well in midfield for Coventry in the latter part of the season. Thornton cannot beat out Jason McAteer at Sunderland. I think Elliott and Kelly should stay with the U-21's for now, though I would not be suprised to see them called up for the later friendlies. Heffernan should be in the squad, but I suppose he'll have to wait until he finds himself at a better club. I would have liked to see a couple of the Dunfermline lads, such as Hunt and Dempsey (who just scored against Rangers), get a run. I don't know about Byrne, but I wouldn't really have all that much confidence in any Eircom League player in a high-pressure match. And as for the rest of the squad, Robbie scored at the weekend, and Roy Keane didn't play for Man Utd again, and is a major doubt. Delap is surely out, as he wasn't in the Southampton squad yesterday. Harte and Carr underwent operations today, hence their ommisions.
It's hardly a high pressure match. I'd have more confidence in an EL player who's a star in his league, outscoring someone who was a star for our U21s, and has scored in Europe, than I would in someone who's impact in the first division has been as woeful as Barretts with both Brighton and Coventry. I mean you call for Hunt and Dempsey, ask anyone who follows the EL and they will tell you that Byrne was than either in their time over here, espically Dempsey who was no more than ordinary at best over here. Hunt, though, is young and has alot of potential. Barrett struggles to get a game for Coventry and has been called in as a striker. We've had better strikers in the U21s when he was playing there, Hunt being one alright. Thornton is doing well for Sunderland when he plays, which is more than can be said for Quinns Sunderland career. For christ sake, he's just been let go by a SECOND division club. Thornton is better and younger and clearly should be in there ahead of him. Kelly should be in, he's been in before, this whole London tournament is all about playing the youngsters. Kelly could be a big player for Ireland, if Carr leaves Spurs he'll be a first choice player in the premiership next year.
i think the ONLY reason mcgready is there is to stop scotland from stealing him back. all kerr has to do is get him on the pitch to kill of their chances once and for all. what are the odds he throws him on with a few minutes to go?
Frankk, as I believe you're called, playing McGready in any of these matches won't matter a jot in ending the Scottish claims. Until he plays in a competitive senior game for Ireland he will still be up for grabs.
Apologies, I stand corrected! To be honest i'm surprised he's even in the squad as he only has 3 appearances for celtic this season. i know he's played for most of our underage teams (u16 upwards) but from what i read elsewhere scotland are still trying to get him to declare for them. i still think the reason for his inclusion is to fast track him for a full 'competitive' appearance. his father has hinted that he would prefer him to play for scotland but the final decision is his (got it from an article in a donegal newspaper - he qualifies for ireland through a donegal grandfather). scotland would no doubt offer him a place in the senior squad so it would be obvious for kerr to make him a part of the senior set-up ASAP. would his inclusion in the squad have anything to do with the upcoming ireland v scotland u21 game where mcgready was expected to play had he not been promoted to the senior squad? had he of played then i'm sure he would've been in for a VERY hostile reception.
Here's the U-21 squad for Scotland @ Terryland Park. Wayne Henderson (Aston Villa) Brian Murphy (Swansea City)Stephen Kelly (Tottenham Hotspur)Stephen Capper (Scarborough)Stephen Brennan (Newcastle United)Stephen Paisley (Longford Town) Paddy McCarthy (Manchester City)Kevin Foley (Luton Town)Darren Potter (Liverpool)Michael Foley (Liverpool)Glenn Whelan (Manchester City)Paul Keegan (Leeds United)Liam Kearney (Cork City)Daryl Murphy (Waterford United)Jay Tabb (Brentford)Billy Mehmet (Dunfermline Athletic)Stephen Elliott (Manchester City)
Holland squad: (for both the friendly with us and Euro 2004) Edwin van der Sar (Fulham), Ronald Waterreus (PSV), Sander Westerveld (Real Sociedad), Frank de Boer (Glasgow Rangers), Wilfred Bouma (PSV), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Johnny Heitinga (Ajax), Michael Reiziger (Barcelona), Jaap Stam (Lazio Roma), Mark van Bommel (PSV), Phillip Cocu (Barcelona), Edgar Davids (Barcelona), Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan), Wesley Sneijder (Ajax), Rafael van der Vaart (Ajax), Boudewijn Zenden (Middlesbrough), Pierre van Hooijdonk (Fenerbahce), Patrick Kluivert (Barcelona), Roy Makaay (Bayern Munich), Andy van der Meyde (Inter), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United), Marc Overmars (Barcelona), Arjen Robben (PSV). Stand by: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea), Mario Melchiot (Chelsea), Paul Bosvelt (Manchester City), André Ooijer (PSV).
Steven Reid is the latest player to be ruled out of the end of season games. I see the knacker from Cork is only available for the Romanian game and will not be travelling with the squad for the games against Nigeria, Jamaica or Holland due to "domestic commitments". Just as well none of the rest of the squad have families or we'd never be able to put a team out.
I think I read about Keane having family commitments in either the Irish Times or the Independent. In any case, it was ages ago, and Kerr has known that Keane would not be playing on those dates for a long time. Lots of other players miss matches for family reasons. I think the most recent example was Kevin Kilbane a couple of matches ago. Delap is out, though that was expected since he hasn't played for Southampton in weeks.
Breen is out (injured, not retired). Roy Keane (two injuries) is doubtful, as are Miller (who apparantly hasn't been fit since his return from injury), and John O'Shea.
Also, McAteer and Connolly will play no part in the Romania (and likely Nigeria) matches, due to injury and the playoff final. PS: I'm off to Montréal for 10 days, so I probably won't be able to post between now and then. I might check in once or twice if I have the chance. I'll be back right before the Holland match. Come on you boys in green! Cheers!