FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[AFS]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

England's midfield options won't be so impressive when Lampard, Gerrard and Carrick go after the World Cup. That they were reduced to digging out a 31 year old Leon Osman earlier this year for a couple of matches should provide plenty of hope for any half decent English midfielder knocking about the Premier League.

Barkley, Wilshire, Phil Jones as an option, add in Ravel Morrison who has the talent to play international. Hardly going to be in crisis mode.

So just Wilshere then? Jones is a centre back and the other two boys are number 10s. Henderson and Cleverley would've been more appropriate mentions, but they're both a bit pants. To repeat, there's every chance that someone of Noble's ilk will be needed during their next campaign given the impending poverty of experienced, non-injury prone (hello Wilshere) options. To argue otherwise is just to ignore the reality of a situation that has been evident since Hodgson picked up the phone to Leon Osman.

[GalwayBayBoy]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

England's midfield options won't be so impressive when Lampard, Gerrard and Carrick go after the World Cup. That they were reduced to digging out a 31 year old Leon Osman earlier this year for a couple of matches should provide plenty of hope for any half decent English midfielder knocking about the Premier League.

Barkley, Wilshire, Phil Jones as an option, add in Ravel Morrison who has the talent to play international. Hardly going to be in crisis mode.

If England are going to end up playing Phil Jones in midfield they will have another 40 odd years of heartbreak ahead of them.

[rodney trotter]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

England's midfield options won't be so impressive when Lampard, Gerrard and Carrick go after the World Cup. That they were reduced to digging out a 31 year old Leon Osman earlier this year for a couple of matches should provide plenty of hope for any half decent English midfielder knocking about the Premier League.

Barkley, Wilshire, Phil Jones as an option, add in Ravel Morrison who has the talent to play international. Hardly going to be in crisis mode.

So just Wilshere then? Jones is a centre back and the other two boys are number 10s. Henderson and Cleverley would've been more appropriate mentions, but they're both a bit pants. To repeat, there's every chance that someone of Noble's ilk will be needed during their next campaign given the impending poverty of experienced, non-injury prone (hello Wilshere) options. To argue otherwise is just to ignore the reality of a situation that has been evident since Hodgson picked up the phone to Leon Osman.

Fair enough I'll take your word.

Although I took your word on Victor Wanyama joining Utd too over Arsenal, where is he now , oh Southampton. His next big move was the big one

Tell MON he was wasting his time too, because he has his place in the England squad sorted after the WC.

[AFS]

Although I took your word on Victor Wanyama joining Utd too over Arsenal, where is he now , oh Southampton. His next big move was the big one

OK, a hypothetical discussion a year ago over whether Victor Wanyama would, given the choice, choose Arsenal over Man United. I don't see what relevance this has to what we're currently discussing. I think it might help if you didn't approach each new argument as a continuation of a random earlier one, rodney. It's not some weird, perpetual competition. We're just talking about things.

Tell MON he was wasting his time too, because he has his place in the England squad sorted after the WC.

Well, that's not really what I said. But you know that, so we should probably leave it there.

[rodney trotter]

Right Ok, AFS, England played Chile and Germany last month in 2 friendly games, and were without Gerrard for the Chile game, and Carrick for both games , given that both are retiring after the WC why was Noble not called up then?. Or should Noble hang in there until he is 30 and play in a WC qualifier against the might of San Marino and a friendly a year later against Sweden, like Leon Osman.

Surely the reason for O Neill tracking Noble is (apart from being eligible)  even with the injuries to Gerrard, Carrick, they still over looked him.

[AZOffaly]

Provo squad for Serbia friendly.

Name   Club   DOB   Caps   Goals
David Forde   Millwall FC   20/12/1979   15   0
Darren Randolph   Birmingham FC   12/05/1987   2   0
Rob Elliot   Newcastle FC   30/04/1986   0   0
Richard Keogh   Derby County FC   11/08/1986   2   1
Marc Wilson   Stoke City FC   17/09/1987   14   1
Seamus Coleman   Everton FC   11/10/1988   20   0
John O'Shea   Sunderland AFC   30/04/1981   94   2
Alex Pearce   Reading FC   09/11/1988   2   1
Stephen Kelly   Reading FC   06/09/1983   37   0
Damien Delaney   Ipswich Town FC   20/07/1981   8   0
Richard Dunne   QPR FC   21/09/1979   79   8
James McCarthy   Everton FC   12/11/1990   22   0
Ciaran Clark   Aston Villa FC   26/09/1989   9   1
Stephen Ward   Brighton Hove Albion   20/08/1985   19   2
Glenn Whelan   Stoke City FC   13/01/1984   54   2
Paul Green   Leeds Utd FC   10/04/1983   20   1
Andy Reid   Nottingham Forest FC   29/07/1982   29   4
Aiden McGeady   Everton FC   04/04/1986   63   3
Anthony Pilkington   Norwich City FC   06/06/1988   2   0
James McClean   Wigan Athletic FC   22/04/1989   18   0
Stephen Quinn   Hull City FC   04/04/1986   2   0
David Meyler   Hull City FC   29/05/1989   4   0
Wes Hoolahan   Norwich City FC   20/05/1982   9   1
Shane Long   Hull City FC   22/01/1987   43   10
Daryl Murphy   Ipswich Town FC   15/03/1983   8   0
Jon Walters   Stoke City FC   20/09/1983   24   4
Kevin Doyle   QPR FC   18/09/1983   57   12
Anthony Stokes   Celtic FC   25/07/1988   8   0
Simon Cox   Nottingham Forrest FC   28/04/1987   25   3

[Milltown Row2]

Not fit enough or strong enough, compared to the Serbs. No invention up front either and when the chances came (Long's both chances) didn't take them. Would need to improve in time for the qualifiers

[Billys Boots]

I thought we were competitive in the first half - the Serbs had copped McGeady as the weak link and were throwing the kitchen sink at his wing - once they switched McClean over there and moved Hoolahan to cover McGeady I thought we looked stronger and were reasonable creative.  After we started making substitutions we looked like our cover was sub-standard and we were on the back foot for the last half-hour.  Wasn't terribly disappointed; I think Serbia are a stronger side than anything in our group except Germany. 

[AZOffaly]

I switched over to the English game after half time, but my impression was that the Serbs didn't give a continental shite until Ireland scored. They were so casual and careless it was unreal. When Ireland went ahead they started to get into the game a bit more, and by half time they looked to me to have the measure of us.

[imtommygunn]

I thought we were competitive in the first half - the Serbs had copped McGeady as the weak link and were throwing the kitchen sink at his wing - once they switched McClean over there and moved Hoolahan to cover McGeady I thought we looked stronger and were reasonable creative.  After we started making substitutions we looked like our cover was sub-standard and we were on the back foot for the last half-hour.  Wasn't terribly disappointed; I think Serbia are a stronger side than anything in our group except Germany.

McClean was awful. Head down, run, cut inside and shoot is what he does nearly every time. I dunno how he stayed on the whole game. Gave the ball away so many times and because he's so greedy he completely curbs Coleman's influence as he can't overlap.

[Denn Forever]

This has to be the most bizarre internet campaign.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26442914

Roy Hodgson criticises petition to ban Tom Cleverley from finals
England boss Roy Hodgson has defended Tom Cleverley after an online petition was set up calling for the Manchester United midfielder to be banned from selection for his World Cup squad

[Billys Boots]

I thought we were competitive in the first half - the Serbs had copped McGeady as the weak link and were throwing the kitchen sink at his wing - once they switched McClean over there and moved Hoolahan to cover McGeady I thought we looked stronger and were reasonable creative.  After we started making substitutions we looked like our cover was sub-standard and we were on the back foot for the last half-hour.  Wasn't terribly disappointed; I think Serbia are a stronger side than anything in our group except Germany.

McClean was awful. Head down, run, cut inside and shoot is what he does nearly every time. I dunno how he stayed on the whole game. Gave the ball away so many times and because he's so greedy he completely curbs Coleman's influence as he can't overlap.

Sure he makes bad decisions pretty regularly, but he was curbing the attacking threat because they appeared to be afraid of him.  And he makes tackles, or attempts, which you need when your opposition is superior technically.  I thought Coleman and himself linked well on a few occasions - they were giving Kolarov lots of headaches in the first half. 

[imtommygunn]

I arrived late so only saw after he'd been switched over so didn't see what happened before then. I find the guy very frustrating with how little he looks up and I do think that Coleman is significantly less of an influence with him there as he's so greedy that Coleman's attacking runs are a waste of time a lot of the time. That being said maybe he's the best option. It is about time he learnt though - he's been playing long enough.

Serbia are a very good team. Matic a standout player and true world class. If Long could finish we could have won the game but realistically wouldn't have deserved it. Some very nice wee moves put together on one or two occasions. Too much possession conceded though.

[ballinaman]

I arrived late so only saw after he'd been switched over so didn't see what happened before then. I find the guy very frustrating with how little he looks up and I do think that Coleman is significantly less of an influence with him there as he's so greedy that Coleman's attacking runs are a waste of time a lot of the time. That being said maybe he's the best option. It is about time he learnt though - he's been playing long enough.

Serbia are a very good team. Matic a standout player and true world class. If Long could finish we could have won the game but realistically wouldn't have deserved it. Some very nice wee moves put together on one or two occasions. Too much possession conceded though.

Started brightly. Anything good we did in the first half involved Wes Hoolahan, scary how much we rely on Keane because Long's finishing is very ropey.

Agree re McLean, headless chicken if every there was one, he's a championship type player. I like how he gets stuck in, could do with a few more lads to do it but I think Robbie Brady is a much better option when he's fit.

Serbia played some cracking stuff, you can see why they didn't qualify though for the WC, all over the shop for the first 20 mins. Matic tore McCarthy to pieces.

[rodney trotter]

Seems Noble is to declare for Ireland, could do a lot worse. He has been a solid performer in the PL.