OPPORTUNITIES ARE AT a minimum for Irish players hoping to force their way into Giovanni Trapattoni’s plans for this summer’s European Championships.
The Ireland manager was in Dublin ahead of tonight’s Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland (SWAI) awards ceremony and when quizzed about the possibility of introducing new players ahead of Euro 2012, said it was unlikely to happen.
Ireland are scheduled to play the Czech Republic on 29 February while the FAI are hoping to arrange one more fixture in Dublin and Trap will use them to fine-tune his team.
After progressing via a second-placed finish in Group B and a play-off win over Estonia, and he intends to rewards those who got the country to their first major tournament in 10 years.
“We have other options but we will look at them for the next future, not now.” he explained. “The players who achieved the qualification deserve to come with us.”
The likes of James McClean, Anthony Pilkington, Wes Hoolahan and Anthony Stokes would relish the chance to be on the flight to Poland but Trapattoni said that unless injury strikes his squad, it will be basically as you are.
“We pay attention and in the next month we will see one or two,” he added. “But we have many players in every position and and can only think about them in case of injuries.”
“Two years, I saw (Sean) St Ledger and brought him in after one month. But this is different. This is a tournament.”
I think Trap has done a good job but to come out and say that some of the players who are currently starring for premier league teams are unlikely to make the squad is a bit premature surely? Who would you put in the squad, McClean of Sunderland or McShane (bit part player for) championship Hull. Pilkington is playing and scoring for Norwich, Lawerence is struggling at Portsmouth who do pick? Trap needs to keep some place open for people like McClean who through no fault of his has only just broken through an dis a real talent!
Trap has done well but he is too conservative and has had good luck in terms of the playoff draw. mcclean is by far THE most exciting prispect for years and even though he has said no to notn iron we have to make sure. id take him before gibson
Sorry Ed i thumbed you down for the meer mention of Paul mc shanes name( cold shiver down spine)
Terry Phelan is playing out of his skin, and still doesn’t get a look in
The players that got us there deserve to go to the euros…thats about 11 or 14 players who were heavily involved in the campaign,theres other players who were in the squad that didnt really kick a ball & are not kicking much at there club either
If a player who wasnt involved is playing week in week out for his club & is perfoming well, then he should be selected ahead of someone who played a bit part in the qualifiers & is struggling to get a game at his club
Its like if a team gets promoted to the Premier League, they keep the core of the team who got them there & add a bit more quality to it…if we can add a bit more quality to what we have..why not do it & improve our chances at the euros
McClean has had a few good months and will get his chance but he is hardly a shoe in. Who would you drop? Trap’s system is based on hard work and loyalty. He can hardly turn around to his players now that they have qualified and say thanks but I am going to bring a new team with me to the tournament. Yes he is conservative but we aren’t going to suddenly become Brasil by playing Coleman and McClean who will probably make the squad. Trust him to make the right call. he has a good bit of experience after all
You have to remember, yes McClean is a great prospect but he has only played 2 or 3 games for Sunderland, 1 of which was against Peterborough…he needs more games & if he keeps playing the way he has,he deserves a chance, but to talk about throwing him into the first team at the euros is a bit far fetched..same with McCarthy..although Coleman should be first team
Fair point Dougal , but to say at this stage that they basically wasting their time , surely he should publicy telling these guys “come make me pick you with your performance” McCarthy and Mc Clean have sacrificed the opportunity of playing for other Scotland and NI which cant be easy decisions for them , they deserve to believe that they can get in the side if the performances warrant it , there will be no room for sentiment if we go a goal down against spain and we are looking for a bit of guile to change things!
I hate the way everyone brings three keepers. such a waste of a place
did u not just pick a team above with 3 keepers?
Some motivation technique out of Trap there , basically i will ignore form and as metioned above championship strugglers will be on the plane regardless, there is always the argument “stick with the guys who got us there , whilst this loyalty is laudible, who to say that they wouldnt have qualified with some of our younger talent? Mc Clean is real talent and surley he has to be an option???
emmomac’s 23 man Euro 2012 squad:
Goalkeepers: Given, Westwood, Randolph
Defenders: Dunne, Ledger, O’Shae, O’Dea, Ward, Paddy McCarthy, Coleman, Wilson
Midfielders: Whelan, Andrews, McGeady, Duff, Hunt, James McCarthy, Hoolahan, Fahey
Forwards: Keane, Doyle, Long, Walters
I get annoyed that when he came here he said we basically have to do the best with what we have. But now we have players like McCarthy and Coleman, and none of them are getting a look in. They’re better players, they’re definitely capable of raising our level a couple of notches, if only from the subs bench in tight games as a risk.
What annoys me even more though is that even though basically everyone agrees with that, most are still happy to see him getting a new contract. If we hadn’t of qualified they’d have been blaming it on the crap brand of football.
who would you drop for mcclean? considering he has played 6 games for Sunderland this season