[Football] The official 'Best wishes to Aaron Connolly for tonight' thread

[Jolly Red Giant]

double post

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

The pundits - like me - are questioning why Shane Long isn't even in the squad, never mind not playing.

And they are saying - yes Connolly was poor - but things we're against him tonight - young kid, poor pitch, game didn't suit him - he has potential and hopefully will come good in the future.

Sums up my views exactly.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Comment on Connolly - can hold onto the ball - but e occasion got to him - he seems a talented lad who should develop - he wasn't the only one poor tonight.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Roy Keane was right about Mick McCarthy.

Ireland have blown this spectacularly and the Danes will put the final nail in their group qualification hopes next month. Watching them is like pulling your own teeth out. Saturday was awful to watch in Georgia along with tonight. Spoilt after England's brilliant performance last night? Probably.

Keane is the dinosaur (and I was on Keane's side over Saipan)

McCarthy just interviewed - Swiss were the better team - complained about the Irish players not passing the ball - says he wants them to take responsibility and pass it. Ireland are a team with limited ability who are punching above their weight - and they will try and win against Denmark and qualify.

You have to admire his honesty.

About Connolly - said he had a tough night - but told him after the match that he took off Kevin Kilbane in his first match and Kilbane won 120 caps - told Connolly to be proud of the fact that he was in the team on merit and said Connolly has a lot more to give.

Again - give McCarthy credit for doing his best to give Connolly a confidence boost.

I like McCarthy - I have repeatedly said that I think he is an under rated manager (who will probably retire from management after this campaign) - he left every team he managed better than when he arrived given the resources he had available,

 

[Mr Banana]

Not sure I've ever seen someone looking as upset in the mixed zone as Connolly. Also said that thing about not being able to sleep cos of a missed half chance in Georgia game. Someone needs to big him up when he's back in training I reckon

 

[Weststander]

The pundits - like me - are questioning why Shane Long isn't even in the squad, never mind not playing.

And they are saying - yes Connolly was poor - but things we're against him tonight - young kid, poor pitch, game didn't suit him - he has potential and hopefully will come good in the future.

Sums up my views exactly.

A very average ROI team were away from home against one of the quality European teams of recent years. By all accounts the Swiss took Denmark apart, but Schmeichal was amazing on the night. ROI were pretty much outclassed tonight.

All the ROI forwards got zero service. All very predictable. No slight on Connolly.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

As for the Irish team - there is a lot to be optimistic about - I see big changes after this Euros campaign.

The defence is solid - Randolph / Coleman / Doherty / Duffy / Egan / Stevens are a solid bunch of defenders

Behind them are two young goalkeepers - Kelleher who has just maðe his debut for Liverpool and Bazunu at Man City (I saw Bazunu when he played for Shamrock Rovers - was right outside the barrier behind the goal - I think he could be one of the best goalkeepers ever to play the game - the kid at 16 was incredible)

After that - O'Connor at Celtic - the kid Collins at CB who has probably been Stokes best defender this season - O'Shea who has been very good for WBA - Manning at QPR who could be in the PL after Christmas - Tyreke Wilson at Man City

High hopes for Molumby - Knight is playing well at Derby - Cullen and Coventry at West Ham

And then - a list of strikers with a lot of potential - Connolly, Olafemi, Alofabi, Idah and the darling of the Irish squad - Parrott. Add to that Conor Noss at Borussia.

On top of that is a couple of really good kids at Arsenal - three more at Man City - a really good kid at Norwich - and Phil Neville's kid at Man Utd.

Some of these kids will ultimately fall by the wayside - but the Irish underage potential has been nothing like this in 25 years.

I think 3-4 of these kids could potentially be massive players in the PL (from a small country - Gareth Bale type potential) and if they pan out you are going to see a very exciting Irish team in the future.

And for the record - I would love to see Chris Hughton get a chance to manage them and see what he could do - and I think he would surprise a lot of Brighton fans if he got the chance.

 

[amexer]

Needs to get out of habit of waving arms about in exasperation when things not going well and not receiving ball. Tonight was always going to be a game of very few chances

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Not sure I've ever seen someone looking as upset in the mixed zone as Connolly. Also said that thing about not being able to sleep cos of a missed half chance in Georgia game. Someone needs to big him up when he's back in training I reckon

Like I said - I think the occasion got to him tonight -

But I like the approach of McCarthy after the game as I outlined above.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Needs to get out of habit of waving arms about in exasperation when things not going well and not receiving ball. Tonight was always going to be a game of very few chances

He is still a teenager - a lot of growing up to do -

The entire Swiss team were rolling around the ground - waving their arms and whinging the entire game.

DelightedRandolph saved the penalty - disappointed that Duffy put the ball in his own net - gave the Swiss more than they deserved.

Ireland can beat Denmark - take Eriksson out of the game and they are very ordinary - and his head is all over the shop at the moment as he is trying to force his way to Real.

 

[Surrey Phil]

I thought the service to Connelly was awful, to be fair to the lad.

 

[Milano]

Ireland set up and play like a Championship side, it was like watching us Feb to May last season. McCarthy is a dinosaur.

 

[Mr Banana]

"It was obviously special to start for Ireland for the first time. I’m not too happy with my own performance, though. I was proud but it's ended in defeat so that takes away from my first start for Ireland.

"It was a tough night for us. The surface made things difficult. We improved in the second half but it wasn’t enough. We've come away with nothing and can't really complain. We're confident in every game so we believe we can get three points against Denmark and qualify. It's not too disappointing.

"I'm going to go back to Brighton, keep trying and hopefully I'll be back here for Ireland."

 

[Hugo Rune]

Yes! Had Duffy as anytime scorer. [emoji23]

I had him to score and be carded at 66-1

Although that happened, I assume there is the necessary small print in place to keep me from my winnings!

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Ireland set up and play like a Championship side, it was like watching us Feb to May last season. McCarthy is a dinosaur.

Why do people keep spouting this crap -

Half the Irish team are championship players - McCarthy started with wing backs - changed it because it wasn't working - spent the entire game screaming at his players to pass the ball - and criticised them at the end of the game for not taking the responsibility and passing the ball around.

There are a lot of things that MCarthy could be criticised for - not having Shane Long in the squad for example - but a dinosaur he has never been.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

"It was obviously special to start for Ireland for the first time. I’m not too happy with my own performance, though. I was proud but it's ended in defeat so that takes away from my first start for Ireland.

"It was a tough night for us. The surface made things difficult. We improved in the second half but it wasn’t enough. We've come away with nothing and can't really complain. We're confident in every game so we believe we can get three points against Denmark and qualify. It's not too disappointing.

"I'm going to go back to Brighton, keep trying and hopefully I'll be back here for Ireland."

That is positive - and I suspect McCarthy's chat with him after the game fed into that response - he seems a good kid with a level head - I have high hopes for him

 

[super-seagulls]

Can we get this into a song...?

Let it be - The Beatles

Connolly, Connolly, Connolly, Con-nol-ly.
He’s our Bearded man-child, Connolly.

Etc etc.

 

[OzMike]

Hyped up and maybe too eager to please, a little over enthusiastic, the team not playing the same way as Brighton do didn't help.
He may have been expecting other team players at international level to be better, no service to speak of.
A couple of goals on Saturday will help him forget.

 

[Icy Gull]

After his impressive full debut for the Albion and as sub in his good first appearance off the bench for Ireland I am not surprised he didn’t shine last night. It’s a tough ask for a 19 year old. I will be surprised if he starts for us on Saturday as he probably needs to have the pressure taken off. Sub at best imo.

 

[nicko31]

Ireland set up and play like a Championship side, it was like watching us Feb to May last season. McCarthy is a dinosaur.

That was an incredibly painful watch last night. Time to get Hughton in as manager??