Nottseagull
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Ali J could have done that on Saturday.
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[Football] Shane Duffy fit again and Connolly may start for Ireland (2 pm kickoff)
- Thread starter Kalimantan Gull
- Start date
Tom Hark Preston Park
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- Jul 6, 2003
- 71,884
Guardian link on first post of THIS thread
http://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?375820-Connolly-has-truly-hit-the-big-time
How the hell does James Collins of Luton Town get the nod to start ahead of Connolly..? And why aren’t ROI fans up in arms about this? I could get it if it was a top flight striker...
Utterly baffling decision. As said it is good for us tho as he’s less likely to pick up an injury.
Utterly baffling decision. As said it is good for us tho as he’s less likely to pick up an injury.
Kalimantan Gull
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- Thread starter
- #24
Ireland doing a good Spurs impression here
Jolly Red Giant
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- Jul 11, 2015
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Like happens with a lot of managers - McCarthy never had the players that he needed to play expansive football. When he started with Millwall his team played passing, attacking football. He did the same with Ireland in his first stint - but made a lot of mistakes as a result of inexperience managing at that level.
In his only full season he got Millwall to the play-offs before losing to Derby - after Ireland he took Sunderland to the play-offs and then promotion, was never given the money for decent players and was sacked as a result - then at Wolves all the first team were sold and he put together a squad of youth team players and free transfers, got the team to the play-offs, the following season they finished 7th on goal difference, and then promotion. Without any decent players he kept Wolves in the PL for two seasons - and then with the Wolves board continuing to sell players McCarthy got sacked in February - he then took over at Ipswich and despite having no money and no players he kept Ipswich competitive for six seasons before being sacked - and look where they are now,
We all know another manager with a similar resumé - I don't think McCarthy is as good a manager as Hughton - but it is incorrect to call him a dinosaur. The Irish squad is devoid of good footballers - but McCarthy has brought the only decent passer of the ball in the Irish squad into the first team, Conor Hourihane. McCarthy was given the job with the remit of getting Ireland to the Euros - and that is what he is trying to do with the players he has at his disposal.
Would I pick the same players as McCarthy - no - I would have Shane Long in the team and make sure that Matt Doherty was picked in every game - I would play Egan instead of Keogh - but I don't get paid €500K a year to make those decisions. I am looking forward to the post Euros period - when Kenny is the manager (although I would have Hughton instead of Kenny) - and all the old heads (Whelan, McClean, Keogh, McGoldrick) gone and some of the very talented kids being given an opportunity. Kenny has done a really good job with the U21s and there is no doubt some of them will get their chance.
Jolly Red Giant
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- Jul 11, 2015
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Irish people are used to this - just waiting for Duffy to scored in the 80th minute with a header from a corner.
Jolly Red Giant
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- Jul 11, 2015
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Connolly wasn't even being considered for the squad a week ago - Collins is a grafter who has worked his ass off for ten years to climb the leagues and he deserves his chance. Is he as talented as Connolly - no - but he does a record of better than a goal every two games for Luton over the past two seasons.
Kalimantan Gull
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- Thread starter
- #28
One thing I thought I knew about Irish football was that they got stuck in and fought for everything. 35 minutes in and they are standing off everything, no pressing, no closing - and when they do get the ball they lose it very quickly.
Tom Hark Preston Park
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- Jul 6, 2003
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tl;dr
Jolly Red Giant
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- Jul 11, 2015
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That stuff about getting 'stuck in' hasn't been a reality for many years - O'Neill and Keane were not exactly the best motivators. In fact - rather McCarthy being a dinosaur as some have suggested - the dinosaurs were O'Neill and Keane. Their training sessions were having a kick about and then shouting at players. That was the reason they p*ssed off half the squad.
The Irish team - with pretty much the same players - are a lot better since McCarthy took over - and they do have a habit of getting a result - that is why they top the table.
blue-shifted
Banned
"A grafter" ... "not as talented as Connolly" "worked his ass off"
Sorry but you don't or shouldn't get international caps just because your the next cab off the rank. The best players play. Or else build for the future. In either case, Connolly plays
McCarthy is a dinosaur. Not because he's not progressive enough on the pitch, but because he sticks to the methods and players he always has and doesn't have the imagination or ambition to try to look any higher
Ireland need to bring on a striker with pace and mobility, a nightmare for their lumbering CB’s.
Right, but at a lower level right? aren’t Luton in the Championship?
Still think it’s a ludicrous decision to debut a Championship striker over the most promising ROI young player in years.
Jolly Red Giant
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- Jul 11, 2015
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Collins isn't getting his debut - he played and scored against Bulgaria a month ago - and again, please don't over-egg where Connolly is at - one start and a couple of goals doesn't make a summer.
Spot on... McCarthy comes off a bit clueless over this whole Connolly episode imo. The way he talked a young player down the other week was a disgrace (then hastily moving him to the seniors on the back of the Spurs game).
Ah well not my country. But I want all the home nations to do well.
Da Man Clay
T'Blades
- Dec 16, 2004
- 16,280
Connolly has scored 2 league goals and we’re demanding he should start for a squad he has been nowhere near before now? Laughable.
But it’s more logical to give a debut to a journeyman Championship striker?
McCarthy was protecting a young talent, no one perceived that as “disgraceful”. Until 7 days ago, barely anyone outside of a few football supporters in Sussex and Galway had heard of Aaron Connolly.
Kalimantan Gull
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- #40
Top Tip: If you've missed watching the Chris Hughton style this season, switch on the Republic of Ireland.