22.50

 

Thanks and cool profile photo by the way.

 

He made the provincial squad.

Good to see this match being live on RTE 2 and Eurosport.

Be great to see Graham Burke and Shane Supple play against the French.

Would hate to see us take a hammering next monday you just dont know how these games will go. You would imagine the french players will be mindful not to be picking up injuries at this stage too. If we can remain competitive it should be a good run out for our younger lads.

Bob Hoskins wrote: the utter indifference everyone has for these upcoming friendlies. I'd say the American game will be really low unless the weather is cracking

This is my lowest interest in the Irish team in donkeys years.  Just apathetic to the whole thing at the moment. No meaningful games for ages and ages (Nations League is sh*t and the draw is the most uninspiring bleedin draw ever).  Ive just been to Wales and Denmark and not feeling any interest to go back to watch mickey mouse games with the whole stale set up with dour football. MON staying has really made me depressed about the next couple of years.  It was time to go and bring in some new enthusiasm. 

 

Whats with the kick off time of 8:08 for the USA game? would have thought a 5 o'clock kick off would have got a better turnout. Not many folks would fancy driving back down the country after the game on a bank holiday weekend, or is kick off time still TBC?

It's an 8:08 KO To Suit US television 

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I hope we play plenty of young players.

Getting hammered 4-0/5-0 won't do their development any good, some lads think this is Football Manager.

Play your strongest 11 and give a couple of players a run out, no more.

It's not Lativa or Finland we're playing, no matter who France pick they will be top players.  

Squad for the France and USA matches confirmed. Supple and Burke make it.

Light up top with no Maguire 

I’d go something like: 

——————--O’Malley

Coleman - Duffy - Long - Cunningham 

————-—Rice —— Arter 

——————-Browne

O’Dowda ————————McClean

———————Walters.

I think this side could keep things competitive. 

I’d say we will but I’d imagine this will be against the yanks 

I think O'Shea joins up with the squad after the France game.

Played against Celtic, probably could have been doing with that off

Dugs wrote: are we in for a bit of a hiding tomorow night?

Cant see it being a hiding, prob beat us by a goal or 2 tops.

Despite their incredible squad and fire power up top, they never really do batter anyone. Only result comes to mind is the 4-0 against the Dutch in qualifying, but most of their other results were by single goal.. including 2 goalless draws against Belarus & Luxembourg.

We should lineup fairly strong at the back, but we're severely lacking in any creativity in midfield and extremely light up front with just Long, Walters and Burke available.

2-0 France I reckon.

Think it will be a balls of a game with France taking it easy but still winning well

 

what the hell is wrong with him now,,, do these guys just not want to play football...

He has an appointment in Peter Mark according tot he FAI

Not quite "this fella Ronaldo is a cod" levels but don't see this comment aging well 

Seanie ♥ 

There is more chance of that being the score...

Grim. 

Not to go back over covered ground, but is most of Iceland team “good enough” for international football? I’d wager that as invidiuals probably not. 

But nowadays it’s more about if the manager can make a group of players good enough for international football rather than an individual. 

In any case, Maguire is 23/24 and is probably one of the most promising strikers in the Championship. He’d be international standard for a lot of teams around the world, but whether we can make the most of his talents or not remains to be seen. 

Like Arter I think was  Pearce taking out Montolivo in Craven cottage before the last world cup. Not that he missed much, they bombed out in the group stages anyway.

Reflects the lack of confidence in the current management team I would say (the current bunch of players too probably).

I'm not sure I'd be that more confident even with a few of the regulars available.

Doyle

Coleman

Duffy

K Long

Williams (or maybe Cunningham or Stevens, guessing Williams as he started V Celtic, no other reason)

O'Dowda

Browne

Rice

Judge (or maybe Meyler if he opts to go a bit more defensive)

McClean

Walters or S Long

Its hard to know really, actually looking at that I'd say Meyler will start instead of one of Judge or O'Dowda as there isn't much experience elsewhere in midfield. He could play Walters on right & leave O'Dowda on the bench too, but I think its unlikely we will start with 2 upfront, which might increase Judge's chances of playing. I think most of the experimentation will be done V USA though.

                Doyle 

Coleman Duffy Long Williams

           Meyler Rice

O’Dowda   Browne McClean

         

                  Long

Would like to see at some point:

                Doyle

Coleman Duffy Lenihan Cunningham

              Rice  Arter

O’Dowda     Burke    Horgan

                  Long

                 

          

Hogan played for Villa yesterday. He’ll probably come back in for US game

Yeah but he’s with Villa all week ffs 

What, and you’re saying he couldn’t turn up and do a job for us? Wash the training kit, or help out in the kitchen? He could drive the bus, couldn’t he? Save the FAI a few euro.

I mean, he’s either committed or not.

What you want & O Neill wants could be very different. 

He should be over for America game & that should be sufficient considering the circumstances 

Yeah not sure why he is excused considering they lost. Should be there even at the 11th hour on the back of a loss. 

In my opinion, making the effort to play in a meaningless pedestrian friendly against Celtic shows a far more serious desire to pull on the green jersey as opposed to not making the effort after 8 mins of action, a few days rest and against one of the best teams in football. I will make an allowance for Hogan having had a long season under his belt and at a higher level than Burke, but you'd think he'd still want to meet up and be there if needed and involved in the setup

I think it’s probablt a decent enough side to not be embarrassed. 

 

The mods are getting very strict on here.

 

Its in his DNA.

He’s right though 

France 🇫🇷 team to face Ireland 🇮🇪: Mandanda (GK), Mendy, Rami, Sidibe, Umtiti, Matuidi (C), Nzonzi, Tolisso, Fekir, Giroud, Mbappe. 

We could sneak a famous win here.

Would hardly be famous. Its a friendly. 

I had never actually seen him play until the Celtic vs Ireland testimonial match, and he actually impressed me a lot in the 30 mins he was on the pitch. One to look out for in the future hopefully.