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

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Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,311
Withdean area
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.

This 100%. Ireland at the moment have some very average players. When Hendrick (a good PL player) and McLean are your stars, you’re going to struggle to qualify.

Klopp or Guardiola would struggle with the same bunch.
 




Durlston

"You plonker, Rodney!"
Jul 15, 2009
10,017
Haywards Heath
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,

I was a bit hard on McCarthy but he's just become one of those old-fashioned managers that plays percentage football. They've still got a fair chance in their last match at home but Denmark have world-class individual players (Kasper Schmeichel, Youssef Poulsen, Christian Eriksen etc) and I think they'll get the draw - at least that they need.

It's not McCarthy's fault that they've got some Championship players. Connolly is still a teenager and a Swiss defence that was as hard as nails was always going to be a very tough ask for him. I'd start him up at Aston Villa still.
 


dwayne

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
16,269
London
Connolly was getting in the positions it's just that the service was abysmal. Feel sorry for the lad he looked upset when taken off.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 




dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
55,564
Burgess Hill
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Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
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

If only he had a manager with a Masters degree in emotional intelligence... .

(he'll be fine)
 








Jolly Red Giant

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2015
2,615
Some news around the Irish squad -

Troy Parrott is expected to be called into the senior squad for the upcoming games against New Zealand and Denmark - Ryan Manning of QPR is also being tipped for a call-up. Manning is someone that Potter should have a look at - lots of expectation that he will be in the PL after the Jan transfer window - Newcastle apparently made an inquiry (plus another unnamed PL club).
 


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