International call ups...

[#Beebot]

As has already been mentioned, Daryl Horgan has been called up by Ireland (though hasn’t played in either of their games).

A player in our B-team, Andre Burley, played for the mighty St Kitts & Nevis last week.

We had 2 called up for African games that weren’t allowed to go for quarantine reasons - Uche Ikpeazu (Uganda) and loanee Admiral Muskwe (Zimbabwe).

That's odd as there's a red list exemption for elite sport.

 

[Super_horns]

Collins got a goal for Ireland, typical Collins type goal more through endeavour, hassling and just bloody will to score a goal than of quality but very pleased for him as hes got a bit of abuse of the Irish for his performances for them, a touch unfairly i have

On 5 live they were pointing to him as an example of why Ireland aren't as good because he plays for you rather than one of the top Premier league players of the past (some of them who had probably never been to Ireland before getting picked!)

Someone did make a good point though - Scottish and Irish players used to always get games in the Premier league so they were competitive and able to have the Keanes/Quinn/Duff etc.

Now it's players from all over the place - Belgium's squad is basically full of Premier league players for example.

TBH Having seen the highlights the main issue seemed to be the defence - Luxembourg could have scored 3/4 goals and they let in 3 against Serbia when as you say the strikers scored 2 goals.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

On 5 live they were pointing to him as an example of why Ireland aren't as good because he plays for you rather than one of the top Premier league players of the past (some of them who had probably never been to Ireland before getting picked!)

Someone did make a good point though - Scottish and Irish players used to always get games in the Premier league so they were competitive and able to have the Keanes/Quinn/Duff etc.

Now it's players from all over the place - Belgium's squad is basically full of Premier league players for example.

TBH Having seen the highlights the main issue seemed to be the defence - Luxembourg could have scored 3/4 goals and they let in 3 against Serbia when as you say the strikers scored 2 goals.

Yeah I saw him getting a bit after the game for exactly what you’ve said - basically he only plays for Luton blah blah, when he certainly wasn’t the issue. He gets used abysmally for Ireland no quality on balls into the box which is what he thrives on. He got perhaps 2 decent balls in during that game, and fashioned himself 2 chances, not sure what more he could have done.

Feel it’s very harsh to call out individual players anyway when the issue is very obviously systemic failures within the way the Irish develop players - which they have essentially outsourced to England and relying on the Granny rule. There’s fewer of those players about as England, and football teams within, have become far more diverse and therefore Irish players are up against greater competition. In future the players on the fringes of the England team that they used to come in and attract are more likely to have relatives which mean they can represent other nations like Jamaica, Nigeria etc than Ireland as it used to be.

It wasn’t that huge a shock result to me, Luxembourg have been improving a lot in recent years got a result against France in the last round of qualifying and have players playing in decent leagues now. The goascorer is a regular witth Dynamo Kiev. Needs to be a bit of introspection in Irish football than just blaming individuals for that result

 

[#Beebot]

Yeah I saw him getting a bit after the game for exactly what you’ve said - basically he only plays for Luton blah blah, when he certainly wasn’t the issue. He gets used abysmally for Ireland no quality on balls into the box which is what he thrives on. He got perhaps 2 decent balls in during that game, and fashioned himself 2 chances, not sure what more he could have done.

Feel it’s very harsh to call out individual players anyway when the issue is very obviously systemic failures within the way the Irish develop players - which they have essentially outsourced to England and relying on the Granny rule. There’s fewer of those players about as England, and football teams within, have become far more diverse and therefore Irish players are up against greater competition. In future the players on the fringes of the England team that they used to come in and attract are more likely to have relatives which mean they can represent other nations like Jamaica, Nigeria etc than Ireland as it used to be.

It wasn’t that huge a shock result to me, Luxembourg have been improving a lot in recent years got a result against France in the last round of qualifying and have players playing in decent leagues now. The goascorer is a regular witth Dynamo Kiev. Needs to be a bit of introspection in Irish football than just blaming individuals for that result

Ireland have the weakest squad they've had in a very, very long time. It says a lot that Irish fans are talking about how things will be fine once their young prospects come through, when those are the likes of Troy Parrott, Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah. If they're pinning their hopes on them, I wonder what their thoughts are on Norway's prospects, who have pretty much the same population and have brought through Haaland and Odegaard.

 

[oakroader]

based on this season's current performances i reckon he's been lucky to get an international call up...
he's been missing many chances that would've been put away previously...
they must be really up shit creek to have him up front,responsible for goals, while he represents a mid table low scoring team...

 

[oakroader]

No one representing player wise tonight..
But we had a flag !!!

 

[Super_horns]

Be interesting to see who we play on Friday are 3/4 of ours played today.

Mind you apart from Sema not first team regulars.

 

[Atavistic]

Quite a few of ours in action again tonight (including Finland needlessly giving Pukki 15 minutes in a dead-rubber friendly), so it will be interesting to see what sort of team we put out on Friday. Would expect Pukki to be rested, while I imagine Hanley will be straight back in despite starting all of Scotland's games.

Hernandez should already be back in the country after Cuba's internationals finished early, so he'll be in contention, while Placheta should also be given he's already back in the country and didn't get any minutes against England tonight. Not sure about Giannoulis, McLean or any of the lads involved with England's Under 21s.

 

[Kenneth E End]

As mentioned a few days ago, Collins has been used as a scapegoat for Irish failings since he came into the side. He is not a fashionable striker - he is a bit cumbersome, not particularly quick. But has scored more times than Connolly and Idah who have scored a great fat zero. Significantly more kids are playing Gaelic football than "soccer" and you see many, many more posts up than football goals in parks especially in the western half of the country.

On another note, Rooney has a point - there is no way Championship teams should be playing on Good Friday in response to having players playing for their international teams 40 hours before a league game. Even players playing on Tuesday still have to have to travel back and have a rest day, even worse during Covid.

I love Bank Holiday football when crowds are allowed, but unfortunately FIFA's calendar to have three fixtures in a week including pointless friendlies should've put pay to that.

 

[oakroader]

Lockyer called up as replacement

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Pleased for him, was well on course to get a call up on form up until his injury which was very unfortunate. He’s been working at the club on his own desperately trying to get himself fit and ready so that’s paid off for him now.

From our perspective it would have been nice if he had the summer off ready for pre season as I think he’ll be massive for us next season but obviously what an experience to have to represent your country at a tournament

 

[BelizeHatter]

The flip side is he didnt need the rest as much as hed been out for a while. The rest is mental relaxation from the game tactics and drills as much as anything id imagine.

So he will get up to speed in a great exciting environment, not have to travel too far and prob wont play as a squad player, so will come back fit, firing and ready ro shine for future Club and Country

 

[SF_]

Browne & Cunningham were in line for Ireland call ups but pulled out because they need rest. Modern football.

 

[SeasideKurt]

Browne & Cunningham were in line for Ireland call ups but pulled out because they need rest. Modern football.

Soft lads. Dougall played Sunday and flew to Kuwait.

 

[SF_]

Soft lads. Dougall played Sunday and flew to Kuwait.

Desperate for his first cap (I had to Google who he plays for), the only highlight of his career.

 

[oakroader]

Interesting?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Pelly Ruddock played for Democratic Republic of Congo last night in a 1-0 defeat to Tunisia as well so we have a good little group of internationals now!

 

[BelizeHatter]

If he signs

 

[oakroader]

Euro 2020 | Faye Carruthers flying the Hatters flag with England! #LTFCNEWS #COYH
https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2021/june/euro-luton-links/

 

[Super_horns]

Your lad just set up the Wales goal .

 

[oakroader]

Not watching to be honest
Barbecue with granddaughters taking precedence....

 

[oakroader]

REVEALED: Luton Town's best international XI #LTFCNEWS #COYH
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/...led-luton-towns-best-international-xi-3270836

 

[Kenneth E End]

Your lad just set up the Wales goal .

Its the only thing he did do in the game. Without it, he would've been a 5/10.

 

[Super_horns]

Yes - Wales were lucky generally to get anything .

 

[BelizeHatter]

Your lad just gifted Macedonia a goal

 

[Super_horns]

Your lad just gifted Macedonia a goal

Yes he did unfortunately.

Made a key decent save later though .

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I see Stephen O’Donnell continues to play regularly for Scotland. A hard worker no doubt but genuinely an awful footballer, I still have visions of his crosses regularly clearing the Oak Road. Pretty amazing that he has had a pretty long international career.

 

[Super_horns]

The manager knows him from their time at Killmarnock will probably helps.

As you say probably lacks the quality at International level like a lot of Scottish players and it showed today .

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

The fact that O'donnell had a pretty good game this evening for Scotland shows how poor England were! Solid performance from him bouncing back from a bit of a dodgy one against the Czechs and a good result for Scotland.

Seriously though, what is Southgate doing with that group of players - both Phillips and Rice playing the full 90 against a low block. Abject.

Probably a horrifically anglo centric view of things but its an international tournament so whatever

 

[Super_horns]

After a bright 10 minutes we seemed happy just to pass the ball around with occasional attack.

As if we were already through as group winners.

They seemed much more up for it and should have won.