Goalkeepers: Nick Colgan, Shay Given, Dean Kiely Defenders: Stephen Carr, Ian Harte, John O'Shea, Andy O'Brien, Gary Breen, Gary Kelly, Kenny Cunningham, Steve Finnan. Midfielders: Lee Carsley, Colin Healy, Matt Holland, Mark Kinsella, Alan Quinn, Kevin Kilbane, Stephen McPhail. Forwards: Damien Duff, Glen Crowe, David Connolly, Gary Doherty, Alan Lee, Robbie Keane. Hardly mind blowing stuff. Of that lot, I can almost guarantee O'Shea and O'Brien will be 'injured' while various end of season club issues or managerial prejudices may keep out Cunningham, Carsley, Holland and Duff. Sean Thornton where art thou? And to the chagrin of our MLS-ers, no Ronnie O'Brien!
I would like to see Alan Quinn and Alan Lee play and see what they are like. Also, is Delap still out injured?
Delap's just returned from his injury - he came on for the last 10 minutes of Southampton's win over Watford. Maybe Kerr feels that it's not worth rushing him back for. I take it that the inclusion of McPhail means that he's out of favour at Leeds (again) and not just injured (again)?
what's the point of playing Glenn Crowe. If he was good enough for Ireland, he wouldn't be playin in the LOI, end of story. Why doesnt Brian Kerr select me! Im crap at football too. Sweet Jaysus.
I would say Bohemians and Shelbourne would do pretty well in Division 2. Probably not well enough for promotion, but they wouldn't get relegated. They would fare better than many Division 1 Scottish Clubs.
McPhails name sticks out like a sore thumb of crapness, I can't believe he still makes Irish squad. Would have much prefered Thornton, probably a bit early for Delaps return aswell. Suprised to see Andy Reid missed out aswell, but if Keane doesn't cry off he could help Crowe alot on his home debut should he make it, I'd love to see him nick a goal.
Norway squad NORWAY SQUAD: Holtan (Odd Grenland), E Johnsen (Rosenborg), Olsen (Viking), Basma (Rosenborg), Berg (Blackburn Rvs), Bergdolmo (Ajax), R Johnsen (Rosenborg), Hansen (Arminia Bielefeld), Lundekvam (Southampton), Andersen (Wimbledon), Bakke (Leeds), Carew (Valencia), Flo (Sunderland), Larsen (Nurnberg), Leonhardsen (Aston Villa), Riise (Liverpool), Rushfeldt (Austria Wien), Solskjaer (Man Utd).
no suprise there, bit of a strange time to hold a friendly match, teams are playing for promotion & safety at the mo. So I can see a few more dropping out, possibly Harte, Finnan, Duff etc... Would like to see Thorton getting a run out on Wednesday also.
And I'd be amazed if John O'Shea played aswell, which would be a huge loss as the more experience he gets the better.
I'd like to see some new faces in midfield. The Kinsella/Holland partnership is not going to take us very far in the long term.
i'm dissapointed for o'brien (withdrawn because of a broken nose) as there were large pieces in yesterday's 'ireland on sunday' and 'sunday times' about how he's determined to claim one of the centre back positions as his own. he's becoming (understandably) frustrated that considering his champion's league experience and newcastle's position in the permier league that he's been kept out of the national team by a west ham reserve player.
Agreed. With the current trend of international players retiring prematurely to 'concentrate on prolonging their club careers', you'd have to wonder how much longer O'Brien will continue to soldier on for Ireland if he doesn't pick up more caps soon.
Sorry to change the subject, but does anyone know what the chances are of me getting some tickets for the 2 qualifiers in June, they are all block booked, so I will have to wait to see if the Albanians/Georgians take up their quota of away tickets!!
Try joining the Republic of Ireland Supporters Club in London immediately and assuming they have not sent in their ticket requests you should be right. www.apfscil.org.uk/republic_of_ireland.htm
To be fair, O'Briens injury is legit, he broke his nose and was forced off at around the 25 minute mark in the big derby match, and since he's been in and out of the Newcastle team he shouldn't be too frustrated with the Irish team, but, with Robson now noticeing what an oaf Titus Bramble is, he should hold down a regular place for his club from now on beside Woodate, which means his time will come with Ireland,
Thank's for that Samarkand, I will look into that. Where you at the WC in Japan yourself or was anyone else there...It was a great experience.
Went to Japan and Korea and met some of the RISSC - London guys, including some I had met on other far flung expeditions to exotic locales around the Continent and Iceland. (........ended up working behind the bar in a bar in the red light district in Lisbon on a Sunday night/Monday morning at 5AM, but that's a story for another day.........)
As expected O'Shea has picked up a knock and is a now a doubt. Also, Richard Dunne has been called up as replacement for O'Brien.
just terrific!!! any guess on the team for tomorrow? given carr, breen, dunne, harte finnan, holland, carsley, kilbane duff, keane