Forwards: Josh Magennis (Wigan Athletic), Conor Washington (Rotherham United), Gavin Whyte (Cardiff City), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Conor McMenamin (Glentoran), Matthew Kennedy (Aberdeen), Dale Taylor (Burton Albion, on loan from Nottingham Forest).

Players who’d start for Ireland from it?

I honestly think none of them. Possibly Jamal Lewis as we are a bit weak at left back although I haven’t seen him play in a while 

Evans and McNair would probably make the squad 

Agreed on McNair and Evans. 

I was reading about Jamal Lewis, that the hype around him as died down due to poor performances. Newcastle want to let him go this summer apparently. 

 I just googled Lewis there

Thought he was still at Norwich 

So went to Newcastle and isn’t near the first team 

Evans is finished and Lewis has barely kicked a ball in the past 18months! Honestly don’t think any of their players would make our squad.

Thank f**k we already have an all Ireland team.

There’s no way a youth team player would make our squad though 

Does McNair not play in midfield anymore 

Thought he did and would be as good as Jeff Hendrick or Jamie McGrath I’m sure 

Na he’s played most of the season as a CB.

McGrath is an attacking midfielder doubt we would have much use with McNair in that role. 

You'd have to wonder what Conor Bradley was thinking. He'll probably come to regret that decision. 

He's not in that squad but Dallas is probably one player who would make our squad. Evans obviously back in the day. Jamal Lewis if he returned to form. That's about it.

Steven Davis, much as I dislike him, would also have waltzed in to our midfield a few years back. Agree re Dallas also, very good versatile footballer!

Despite the weakness in their current squad, they have a very favourable group. If they can get a result against Finland this week they'll be in with a chance 

Then, the likes of McGennis is behind Will Keane in the Wigan team. Obgene is a regular in the Rotherham team, and having a better season than Washington. Defensively, we have enough options not to needs players like Lewis who might otherwise make the squad if he was in form. Keeperwise, Bazunu and Kelleher would make their squad, and one of them would hold the Number 1 jersey. Max O'Leary would also stake a claim.

I dont think much of our current squad to be honest, but I think MON will have a job or work on his hands to get a tune out of this squad.

Weak squad or not, I guarantee you they will be a lot more of a cohesive unit defensively under O'Neill as opposed to our side under Kenny. They'll get at least draw with Finland imo and have an excellent chance at second spot. They'll be in contention for qualification from the group a lot longer than us  with that dream draw as 5th seeds 

I certainly envy their draw. Thats for sure. And I wouldn't disagree with MON setting out his stall strictly around the back.

He'll make them hard to score against and dangerous from set pieces. That alone can make you competitive in international football (something we seem to have forgotten). You wouldn't know in that group, they could give it a run alright. Would likely be the worst team at the finals if they qualified though, looking at their squad.

So you’re taking Bradley over one of Coleman/Doherty?

And Ballard doesn’t get near our squad, centre back is where we are stocked with quality.

Sorry should have clarified, Bradley would be one for the future. He wouldn't get in ahead of the current lads, no.

Not sure if I agree with you on Ballard. From what I've seen of the two of them, I personally think he is a bit better than Omobamidele, but of course AO is a few years younger.

Bradley looks a talent. He's had a very good loan at Bolton. He could be a PL regular down the line.

Which makes Liverpool signing Calvin Ramsay look a bit strange. He's a talent himself. But has been injured for most of the season.

The calculation seems to be that Bradley is a good player, but he will fall short of what would be needed to make it at Liverpool. 

His level will probably be lower end EPL or the top end of the Championship. Which is still decent going.

I'm not sure that has been decided just yet, he's still very young, 19yo and is having a good loan at the top end of L1, having been given his debut by Klopp last season as an 18yo. Ramsey has been plagued with injuries since he arrived and as a result may struggle to make the grade. Bradley could yet have a future at Liverpool, albeit probably as a squad player at best. He's been good at Bolton, contributed a couple of goals and assists and has stayed mostly fit I think which is a good sign. He could yet have a pretty high ceiling imo. I was disappointed he plumped for the North and I think he will be too in time, looking at their squad. He would have had a fair chance of breaking into our squad next campaign.

Re Conor Bradley, definitely one that got away as he 100% is Irish, supports Ireland, played GAA with his local club and school CBS Omagh (Conor was in Croke Park on St Patrick's day cheering on his former school & team mates win the All Ireland Hogan Cup)

Would loved to have seen him play for Ireland, have to respect his decision but while Conor played GAA for his local club, he is from a fairly unionist village nearby, things being the way they are up here, their family business in the town could have come under threat had he switched to play for Ireland as is was eligible to do.

Sad but true the way things still are up here, especially as his former GAA teamate 'Cead McGrath" who wile still born in the North, is from.a more Nationalist /Republican area a few miles down the road, Cead plays for Finn Harps & has captained Ireland u16s.

Ultimately though its both players choices, obviously I'd like to see them both playing for Ireland, think Conor would definitely have been in the mix if he keeps progressing.

Yes I agree. I was disappointed he went with them also. I don't think he'll make it at Liverpool long term all the same, but he should have a good career at a decent level.

NI were very cute in getting both Conor Bradley and Shea Charles cap-tied at the ages of 17/18.

I think there's a bit of an assumption that MO'N will make them hard to beat this time around automatically by virtue of being hired again - that's an awful lot easier when you've proven players like the above. They've a dream draw especially given their seeding but i wouldn't expect them to be anywhere near the business end. It's an absolutely awful squad. 

Agree 

He’s as good if not better than some midfielders who start for us regularly 

Spot on. 

He doesn't even play in midfield for Boro, does he? I'd say at best he'd be competing with Browne/Smallbone for the last centre mid berth in the squad, and he certainly wouldn't be getting in as a centre back.

That's a fair comment i think. He's only 27 too insee. Thought he was older.

McNair's a very useful player. Technically sound, versatile and a good set piece-taker. I always thought he would have made a good signing at a smaller/newly-promoted  PL team like a Burnley, or similar, and has obviously played at that level before. He'd easily improve our midfield options. And of course he'd get into our squad.

As far as the debate over comparative squad strengths is concerned, as well as Johnny Evans, Steve Davis and Stuart Dallas, NI are also missing Corey Evans, Ally McCann, Liam Boyce and Shane Lavery, who are all important players for them, and would make their squad look significantly stronger.

I suspect NI fans might look at our squad, too, and find themselves a little less than impressed.

Jason Knight, for example, has spent much of this season as an auxiliary right back/ utility player at his League One club, yet is probably a nailed-on starter for us in a crucial midfield role for the France game. You can look at some of the names in the North's squad and question its quality but the likes of McClean, Hendrick, McGrath and Keane etc aren't exactly stellar names themselves.

I agree with the previous poster. In reality, whilst our squad may look a little stronger on paper, O'Neill's return immediately makes them a far more formidable proposition, because having a competent, capable coach in charge, as NI now have, makes a huge difference at this level. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if they outperformed Kenny's Ireland over the coming qualification campaign. In fact I fully expect them to do so.

Our squad is lightyears, literally lightyears, ahead of NI. NI basically have a L1 squad with some Championship players thrown in. We now have a squad composed of EPL and Championship players, with loads of other Championship players available to us not even making the squad.

Knight would automatically be NI's best midfielder (maybe even best player, given Evans advanced age, Dallas injury, and Lewis lack of gametime) if he played for them. The squads are incomparable, as suggested by our seeding.

How many centre backs do we need though? We have 4 already and Coleman can fill in if needed. Is there any point in centre backs sitting on the bench.

My point being that Lenihan is a better CB than McNair and can't make our squad.

I do think we are light on CB's though. 1 or 2 niggles and you are playing Coleman or whoever out of position. 

That squad are getting nowhere near the Euros surely 

If that's the case and we're playing him out of position(when's the last time he's played consistently in that role?) then he wouldn't be taking a spot of any of our current mids.

Dont over think it. Hes played there loads of times for N.Ireland. not sure how many but numerous.

Who are you taking out to put McNair in?

Magennis is just the way the exact same name was anglicised in Scotland.

Aye it's a thread about the NI squad and comparisons to ours.

That's gas considering the grief they try to give us 

I would welcome a United Ireland football team but just don't think it will happen anytime soon.

Lots of positives and negatives too it  

I believe Price also grew up in England.

Nice one Muff! Always underestimating how sh*te the North really are.

Massive opportunity blown by the north tonight. 

Very poor squad 

They are absolute grim to watch! O’Neill would be on a good wage there too! Only look dangerous from set plays.

There's a post on the second page of this thread that possibly explains why he is playing for the north. A sad situation for him if it's true.

I'd take that with a pinch of salt. Was he ever asked to play for us is what I was wondering? I get the sense he was fast tracked so quickly in the senior team, he had even made our radar yet 

I suppose the other side of it is he has 12 senior caps now. If he went with us he'd probably have no caps and would have been playing down in Cork today instead of Sam Curtis. 

It's the Michael O'Neill argument I suppose, play for the north because the team is sh*tter so you'll get picked. Unlikely to work on any player who is genuinely set on playing for us, but for someone who isn't too bothered either way it might influence the decision.

Doing a Shea Charles/ Conor Bradley on him - cap-tying him while he's still a teenager and an academy player.

Just watched the highlights there - NI were fairly unlucky on balance - poor finishing let them down. 

With different strikers Bradley would have had four assists to add to his goal saving block on Pukki.  

Bradley looks like he could become a serious player - shame to not have him in our camp. 

Their set plays were absolutely chronic! Dion Charles and Bradley look like livewires but are extremely raw

Dion Charles is 27.

Watching them last night they have a couple of very promising young players in Bradley and Charles. Can see why Dortmund are closely looking at signing Shea Charles he looked by far the most composed midfielder on the pitch in the first half last night.

You must have watched the highlights, Shea Charles was poor last night there was a reason he came off when they needed a goal.

Watched the first half and he was very good. Carved out a clear cut opportunity which led to Dion Charles missing a chance he should have buried. 

Did he go downhill in the 2nd half? 

Midfield was bypassed mainly so maybe was a bit harsh calling him poor but didn’t do anything of note! Don’t see the hype yet to be linked with the likes of Dortmund.

We're not Brazil, we're Republic of Ireland.

Interesting to see Michael O'Neill sitting with Keith Andrews at the Rotherham v Cardiff game tonight. Currently the only Northern Ireland eligible player on the pitch is Mark McGuinness.