Updated at 23.07
THE IRELAND SQUAD for the Germany and Kazakhstan games is announced tomorrow, with many critics and supporters hoping to see considerable change in personnel following the consistently controversial team selections of the Giovanni Trapattoni era.
While Ireland have little to play for in terms of qualification, how the team perform could have a vital impact on seeding for future tournaments and it remains a rare opportunity to experiment with the side in a competitive game.
So we’ve gone and picked what we think both the team and the squad should be for the upcoming games.
Feel free to disagree (or agree) in the comments section below.
1. Keiren Westwood: David Forde has served Ireland relatively well during his stint as the number one goalkeeper, however he turns 34 in December and may well have retired by the time the next Euros roll around. Westwood, by contrast, is relatively young and seems a viable long-term replacement for Shay Given, especially now that — unlike Forde — he is getting regular Premier League football.
2. Joey O’Brien: One of the most frustrating omissions of the Trap era, O’Brien surely at least warrants a place in the squad, given that he can play in any position across the back four, and also featured briefly in midfield for Ireland during Steve Staunton’s ill-fated reign. Against Germany in particular, Ireland will need to err on the side of caution, so a right flank of O’Brien and Coleman seems appealing.
3. Marc Wilson: The Stoke player was especially poor against Sweden and Austria, costing Ireland a goal in the latter game, however he deserves a chance under the new management, especially as the team aren’t exactly inundated with promising left-backs at the moment. Moreover, like O’Brien, Wilson’s versatility should count in his favour. The player has even been playing in midfield on a regular basis for Stoke this season.
4. Richard Dunne:* The 34-year-old is realistically not going to be around in football much longer. Nevertheless, his excellent start to the season with QPR shows that his abilities have not waned drastically in recent times. Ciaran Clark will surely slot into this central-defensive role eventually, but for the Kazakhstan game, Ireland should keep faith in Dunne, who arguably remains the side’s best defender for now.
5. John O’Shea:* Despite playing at full-back more often than not over the course of his career, O’Shea has firmly established himself as a centre-back for both Sunderland and Ireland of late. It would be a surprise, therefore, if Noel King sought to play him anywhere else.
6. James McCarthy: McCarthy’s Ireland career so far may not exactly have been as spectacular as his £14million price tag would indicate, but he still remains easily their best options in midfield. The 22-year-old brings a level of composure on the ball and eye for a pass that few of his teammates can match, and few would argue that he does not deserve a place in the side.
7. Seamus Coleman: Playing the Everton man on the wing would make sense, as he is renowned more for his ability to make threatening runs forward than for his defensive qualities. Ex-Everton boss David Moyes even compared him to Gareth Bale, and while that may be an exaggeration, there is no doubting he can do an excellent job in a more attacking role than usual.
8. Darron Gibson: The Everton player has made himself available again after refusing to play under Trap, and surely on his recent form, he deserves a place in the team. The player is thought of very highly at Everton, and the fact that Glenn Whelan is no longer getting regular first-team football at Stoke surely suggests the 29-year-old’s days as an Ireland starter are numbered.
9. Shane Long: Ireland trying out a lone striker is long overdue, and though his form hasn’t been great, Shane Long appears to be the player best equipped for this role. If properly coached, his pace and ability to hold the ball up could be key to Ireland’s future success. Yet if he continues to perform as dismally as he did against Sweden and Austria, alternatives such as Anthony Stokes need to be looked at.
10. Wes Hoolahan: A particularly lamentable aspect of Trapattoni’s regime was that one of the most creative and naturally talented players that Ireland have produced in a long time, Wes Hoolahan, was largely ignored amid the peak of his career. At 31, Hoolahan’s best days are arguably behind him, yet the side desperately need creativity, so he remains a short-term solution to a long-term problem, and would fit well as part of a midfield trio, slightly ahead of the more robust likes of McCarthy and Gibson.
11. Aiden McGeady: The winger is often derided, yet under Trap, he had twice as many assists as any other Irish player. His ball-carrying ability is unrivaled by any other Irish player and he can also play behind the striker in a more advanced role should it be required. It’s therefore no coincidence that Ireland recently produced two of their most deficient attacking performances — against Austria and Sweden — in his absence.
Formation
WestwoodO’Brien, Dunne, O’Shea, Wilson;
Coleman, McCarthy, Hoolahan, Gibson, McGeady;
Long.
Subs: Darren Randolph, Ciaran Clark, Steven Reid, Damien Delaney, Richard Keogh, Sean St Ledger, David Meyler, Stephen Quinn, Stephen Ireland, Robbie Brady, Anthony Pilkington, Andy Reid, Anthony Stokes, Robbie Keane.
Do you agree with our selection? Let us know in the comments below.
*Dunne and O’Shea are suspended for the Germany game, so St Ledger and Delaney would be drafted into the first team.
First published at 21.30
