GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI WON’T sacrifice his team’s shape to chase valuable goals against the Faroe Islands.
Ahead of a World Cup qualifier in which Ireland badly need to improve their goal difference, the Italian says that instead of playing with an extra attacker, the ones on the pitch simply need to take their chances.
The Faroes arrive in Dublin next week rooted to the bottom of Group C with San Marino the only country to concede more goals per game in this qualifying campaign.
Although the race for second place is currently neck and neck on eight points, Austria are ten goals better off than Ireland while Sweden, who have played a game less than both countries, are four better.
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Asked if he would be tempted into a more attacking approach in a bid to cut the deficit, Trapattoni said it shouldn’t be necessary.
In the past we had Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, Doyle, McGeady — four offensive players. The problem is that the offensive man needs to score. It’s not certain that if you have one more, he will score.
“The balance is more important. [Against England], many times we maintained this balance. It’s attitude. We can play three or four or five attackers, but it’s attitude.
“This attitude and spirit in the team attacking England — not the Faroes or a little team that is not famous — that same personality and attitude is important. When we had the ball, we played football. That increases our confidence.”
Looking back on Wednesday’s 1-1 Wembley draw, Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and goalscorer Shane Long were again singled out as Trapattoni praised the squad’s newer faces for blossoming under the weight of responsibility.
“Until now they played a few games. They were on the bench or played the second half. When these younger players play, they are conscious.
“They play in the Premier League and in the Championship, against the famous teams, they increase and improve their personality and attitude and self-belief.
“I played football when I was 20 and by 24, I was a very different national player: with more personality in my football.
When you are on the bench, you are not sure. It’s good to be shy but when you play it’s not good to be shy.
Even if you never had a clue about soccer,just the fact the other teams are well ahead on goal difference,using basic maths tells us you need to make it a priority to score as many goals as possible to have any chance of qualifying, its not rocket science.
If he was busing a team he wouldn’t alienate the amount of players he has. His tactics make no sense and he’s too stubborn. How long did it take him to cap James McCarthy? There have been a few defections to England by talented younger players who should have been capped too. He’s destroying the squad and leaving it in a worse condition for the future.
Commonsense, the Reason McCarthy wasn’t capped for so long was he would often pull out of squads injured, and then excluded himself from the Euro’s squad because his dad had cancer.
Michael Keane if united has switched back to England, and Pilkington still hasn’t been capped. With his pull outs I would be concerned about his future with us. He should have been capped years ago. Houlahan has list the last four years of an international career. This manager has no long term plan and the damage being done will cost us greatly. Negative tactics and crazy te choice/substitutions.
@big pat:
McCarthy wasn’t left on the bench by trap whenever he was available. He then got stubborn (much like with Houlahan now) and didnt play him. He was on the branch many games. A lesser man would have stopped turning up. He treats the players so badly. Look at what he did to Gibson, who thankfully has been capped.
Hoolihan is in his 30′s now and can’t be considered “the future”. Pilkington has been called up 3 times now and has pulled out 3 times, in short, not Trap’s fault. As for “he should have been capped years ago”, I’d tend to disagree with that. Under Traps regime we’ve had options like Duff, Hunt, Lawrence, McGeady (who he is getting the best out of, getting our most assists in the last campaign) and now McClean. Maybe he could lashed him on for a friendly, but he’s only worth a call up in the last year or two maybe, and between having enough cover, pull outs and him only declaring for Ireland in February, it hasn’t happened.
I never said Houlahan was for the future, he has been robbed of an Ireland career. And Pilkington has been playing at a high level for a few years now, he’s been consistently playing at a higher level than McGeady and Lawrence . McGeady has never done enough in a green shirt. Traps team selection have been poor. He did no research until the fai made him, then he went to a derby match and called up everyone. He’s a joke.
Aiden McGeady assisted the most goals in the last campaign. The one that got us to the Euros. Frustrating, yes. But the facts speak for themselves.
Hoolihan was actually one of Traps first call ups and isnt a fan of him for whatever reason. Perhaps he feels tactically that he doesnt fit the system. To say he was robbed of an international career is complete exaggeration. He has been playing for Norwich about 3 years and his first season was in League 1.
I honestly dont recall McCarthy spending much time on the bench but in truth he is a nailed on starter now and a Trap favourite and also at the right age in his career for it.
Maybe so. To be honest traditionally we are an awful nation of goalscorers! Robbie Keane has 50 odd goal and even at that he has played well over double that in games, everyone elses records are pretty crappy. Duffer only got 9 or so in 100 caps. Kevin Doyle has about 12 goals but around 60 caps.
The system is part of the problem. He’s not interested in playing the best players, just ones that fit his system. He’s too rigid and didnt put in the work researching players. There are many anecdotes about him not knowing that Ian Harte was Irish. He hasn’t been to a game till fai made him. Ireland could have a decent team, trap is not getting most out if available options.
And Houlahan has been robbed. He has had two years playing well in premiership, before that a good year in championship as with both Norwich and Blackpool. He’ll be 31 by time next qualifying comes around, trap has taken the most part of his international career away.
Im not arguing about his ability. I think his inclusion would benefit the team. I’m giving you the probable reason Trap doesn’t play him.
As for the Harte anecdote, wouldn’t read into it too much. Harte wasn’t playing for Ireland anymore after the 05/06 campaign. Although he’d never retired he has never been anywhere near worth considering again. He had a cheap shot at him in the media to stir the pot. Not because he was looking for a call up.
I don’t see Trap in the job much longer, he’ll probably go at the end of this campaign. The crisis meeting in October with the FAI show that they are listening to the people, and they made him go to more games subsequently or so the story goes. But the work of this campaign will bear fruit in the next. McCarthy, Long and Coleman will be regulars, Clark will have more experience, Wilson will be fit again. We’ve a bit of an issue with goalkeepers, while Forde looks decent, he’s not a young man. Maybe McClean will rediscover his form of early 2012 and McGeady will be at a Premier League team. Plus we’ll have a decent sqaud where the balance will be made up of Premier League players.
We’ll make a great go of qualification next time. This time, as I expected, has been mot dislike McCarthy’s first campaign where we are building a team and the transition takes time.
But that’s the point, he hasn’t built for the future. He’s messed long and Clarke around. He was trying to win playing negative, he has done absolutely nothing to blood players. He didnt play long until he had no choice, he plays Sammon and cox when neither is up to international standard. He makes no sense and if as you say this campaign was to build, even judging him on that he’s been shite.
Think the lads played ok the other nite ,At times we forget were Ireland not Brazil ect ,,The Irish team looked like the home team for long parts of first half ,,thats just my toughts ,,second half kinda fell back a wee bit ,,but looked pretty ok over all ,,We will score plenty of goals v Faro ,But its the other games we need to win
I’ve seen a bit of change in the side in recent games. We are definitely playing more football, and holding on to the ball better. Up to and during the Euros, players couldn’t wait to get rid of the ball, partly because no-one was showing to collect it.
We’re still woefully under-equipped in terms of talent, but there’s definitely a shape emerging in the team that was missing.
We showed some good and some bad defending on Wednesday night, but that will improve. We’ve to learn how to defend when the defence is turned, but at least we’re now pushing up and playing the game in the midfield.
As for our attack, well we’re actually good going forward, just a little wasteful in the final third and lacking in pace. The only player with anything resembling place is unfortunately also a glory hunter with a terrible delivery.
While I don’t particularly like Trap’s methods, we’re a better team than we were in the Euros, and a better team than the one that lined out against the Germans. As long as the team is improving I see no reason to be going mental.
We’re in a tough group and getting second place would be a serious achievement. It takes time to build back up into being a second seed, right now we can’t have expectations around qualification.
Sorry Ronan, I disagree. There is still reason to be angry and disaffected. Every single one of these new faces that have come in have settled perfectly to the International game. Every one of them disproving previous comments made by the senile old fool for the years they were in the wilderness. Same reason Weso wont start against Georgia. Crap knows he will be proven wrong for ignoring another vialble option for so long. Wes has realistically been proven worthy of selection since playing in the championship for Blackpool but could have easily made the the progression straight from U21. Don Givens knew this and included him in a friendly squad while in charge after Mick went.
I believe its totally fair criticism. Crap clung to his aging squad for far too long and its only with retirements that these young lads have been given an opportunity now. He never bothered giving anyone a chance to prove their talents, not even in friendlies. He was happy to play the 2/3 most negatively minded midfielders at his disposal as long as they knew their role and stuck to his stone age system.
As for McClean, yes maybe he hasnt settled into the side as easily as Coleman, McCarthy, Long, Wilson, Meyler… but he has shown to be as good an option as McGeady. James McClean was on an absolute meteoric rise through footballs echelons last year and I believe a more starring role in the Euros may have kept that confidence rising. Instead Crap once again shows he has no communication skills to aid nurturing our young talent . Instead we allowed him to be hounded by the right wing british media over a simple matter of choice, gave him 15 mins at the Euros and still continue to leave him out after the horrendous Euros. He was flying at Sunderland for 7months and was one of the most consistent performers in the league, yet he was overlooked by Crap as he stuck with the reliable old guard.
Sorry rantin a bit now. One more point though. Love the comment above that Weso has had an International career from him. It is not hyperbole at all. just the facts Pat.
I actually agree with you John, I’m merely taking the current situation on an as-is basis because I refuse to get pissed off anymore.
Honestly I don’t really even watch much club soccer anymore, but I tune into the international team, and as a casual observer I’ve seen an improvement.
It’s clear even to me that we had better options than we were using, and I’m still not overjoyed with Trap’s approach, never mind his woeful player management and alienation of individuals. I’m simply saying that it’s getting better to watch, politics aside
No youre definitely right Ronan. things have improved of late but only through necessity. Good eye for a man not watching much ball the the moment though thats how drastic our rigid style has changed. Coleman has given us drive and creativity that we were lacking down the flanks, even though Crap considers his wingers as forwards. In his system they are far from that! Newly tried midfielders have proved that we actually can retain possession and pass the ball a bit instead of just pumpin it long. I guess we just have to wait out his tenure now. At least there are positive signs for the future.
Funny statement from trap as always, ” we don’t need to gamble to get goals ” trap when have we ever gambled, usually we score just the 1 goal then sit back and try defend our lead, let’s dream of the World Cup haha all because we got a lucky draw against an average team ( England) , we had 1 chance the whole match which we scored from… We were on our backs the rest of the match, we need a manager who is actually gonna let the players play football and not just stand as a big wall in front of our goal
I told you Clifford.
Because they were rubbish. England are currently the worst they’ve been in a long time yet if they weren’t so rubbish in front of goal it would have been Ireland v Germany all over again.
That’s why. Time to wake up and smell the coffee.
Goal difference won’t really make a difference, if we’re level on points with Sweden/Austria, it’ll be decided by head to head records. Second place doesn’t guarantee a play-off spot though, and we’re looking like the group that will miss out as things stand..
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Theres shouldnt even be a hint of doubt when playing the Faroes at home, should easily be a 3 or 4 nil job.
Team against faroes if everyone fit:
Forde
Coleman. O’Shea. Clark. Wilson
McCarthy
Brady. Hoolahan. McClean
Long. Walters
No need for 2 defensive midfielders against one of the worst teams in world football!!
Is what the Faroese manager told press this morning…
Long is suspended?
And Brady is injured
Keane in for Long so
McGeady in for Brady
Even if you never had a clue about soccer,just the fact the other teams are well ahead on goal difference,using basic maths tells us you need to make it a priority to score as many goals as possible to have any chance of qualifying, its not rocket science.
Well said!!
Trap is some dope. For once Dunphy is right. The sooner he is gone the better.
And then what? He’s building a team, let him at it.
No he’s not. He’s trying not to lose games instead of trying to win them.
If he was busing a team he wouldn’t alienate the amount of players he has. His tactics make no sense and he’s too stubborn. How long did it take him to cap James McCarthy? There have been a few defections to England by talented younger players who should have been capped too. He’s destroying the squad and leaving it in a worse condition for the future.
Who has defected to England?
Commonsense, the Reason McCarthy wasn’t capped for so long was he would often pull out of squads injured, and then excluded himself from the Euro’s squad because his dad had cancer.
Michael Keane if united has switched back to England, and Pilkington still hasn’t been capped. With his pull outs I would be concerned about his future with us. He should have been capped years ago. Houlahan has list the last four years of an international career. This manager has no long term plan and the damage being done will cost us greatly. Negative tactics and crazy te choice/substitutions.
@big pat:
McCarthy wasn’t left on the bench by trap whenever he was available. He then got stubborn (much like with Houlahan now) and didnt play him. He was on the branch many games. A lesser man would have stopped turning up. He treats the players so badly. Look at what he did to Gibson, who thankfully has been capped.
Hoolihan is in his 30′s now and can’t be considered “the future”. Pilkington has been called up 3 times now and has pulled out 3 times, in short, not Trap’s fault. As for “he should have been capped years ago”, I’d tend to disagree with that. Under Traps regime we’ve had options like Duff, Hunt, Lawrence, McGeady (who he is getting the best out of, getting our most assists in the last campaign) and now McClean. Maybe he could lashed him on for a friendly, but he’s only worth a call up in the last year or two maybe, and between having enough cover, pull outs and him only declaring for Ireland in February, it hasn’t happened.
I never said Houlahan was for the future, he has been robbed of an Ireland career. And Pilkington has been playing at a high level for a few years now, he’s been consistently playing at a higher level than McGeady and Lawrence . McGeady has never done enough in a green shirt. Traps team selection have been poor. He did no research until the fai made him, then he went to a derby match and called up everyone. He’s a joke.
Aiden McGeady assisted the most goals in the last campaign. The one that got us to the Euros. Frustrating, yes. But the facts speak for themselves.
Hoolihan was actually one of Traps first call ups and isnt a fan of him for whatever reason. Perhaps he feels tactically that he doesnt fit the system. To say he was robbed of an international career is complete exaggeration. He has been playing for Norwich about 3 years and his first season was in League 1.
I honestly dont recall McCarthy spending much time on the bench but in truth he is a nailed on starter now and a Trap favourite and also at the right age in his career for it.
Good point but I guarantee you if Hoolahan played the same amount of games as McGeady he would have a lot more goals & assists!!
Maybe so. To be honest traditionally we are an awful nation of goalscorers! Robbie Keane has 50 odd goal and even at that he has played well over double that in games, everyone elses records are pretty crappy. Duffer only got 9 or so in 100 caps. Kevin Doyle has about 12 goals but around 60 caps.
The system is part of the problem. He’s not interested in playing the best players, just ones that fit his system. He’s too rigid and didnt put in the work researching players. There are many anecdotes about him not knowing that Ian Harte was Irish. He hasn’t been to a game till fai made him. Ireland could have a decent team, trap is not getting most out if available options.
And Houlahan has been robbed. He has had two years playing well in premiership, before that a good year in championship as with both Norwich and Blackpool. He’ll be 31 by time next qualifying comes around, trap has taken the most part of his international career away.
Im not arguing about his ability. I think his inclusion would benefit the team. I’m giving you the probable reason Trap doesn’t play him.
As for the Harte anecdote, wouldn’t read into it too much. Harte wasn’t playing for Ireland anymore after the 05/06 campaign. Although he’d never retired he has never been anywhere near worth considering again. He had a cheap shot at him in the media to stir the pot. Not because he was looking for a call up.
I don’t see Trap in the job much longer, he’ll probably go at the end of this campaign. The crisis meeting in October with the FAI show that they are listening to the people, and they made him go to more games subsequently or so the story goes. But the work of this campaign will bear fruit in the next. McCarthy, Long and Coleman will be regulars, Clark will have more experience, Wilson will be fit again. We’ve a bit of an issue with goalkeepers, while Forde looks decent, he’s not a young man. Maybe McClean will rediscover his form of early 2012 and McGeady will be at a Premier League team. Plus we’ll have a decent sqaud where the balance will be made up of Premier League players.
We’ll make a great go of qualification next time. This time, as I expected, has been mot dislike McCarthy’s first campaign where we are building a team and the transition takes time.
But that’s the point, he hasn’t built for the future. He’s messed long and Clarke around. He was trying to win playing negative, he has done absolutely nothing to blood players. He didnt play long until he had no choice, he plays Sammon and cox when neither is up to international standard. He makes no sense and if as you say this campaign was to build, even judging him on that he’s been shite.
One of the most successful managers in recent history and you guys rip into him…what have you Guys done in football ?
Scored goals
He’s managing OUR country were allowed rip into him if we feel he’s doing a half arsed job!!
Did you miss the Euro’s? And that had been coming for a while. The players do their best despite his bad management.
Trap will probably play for a draw….
An enemy of football this bloke is!!
Think the lads played ok the other nite ,At times we forget were Ireland not Brazil ect ,,The Irish team looked like the home team for long parts of first half ,,thats just my toughts ,,second half kinda fell back a wee bit ,,but looked pretty ok over all ,,We will score plenty of goals v Faro ,But its the other games we need to win
I’ve seen a bit of change in the side in recent games. We are definitely playing more football, and holding on to the ball better. Up to and during the Euros, players couldn’t wait to get rid of the ball, partly because no-one was showing to collect it.
We’re still woefully under-equipped in terms of talent, but there’s definitely a shape emerging in the team that was missing.
We showed some good and some bad defending on Wednesday night, but that will improve. We’ve to learn how to defend when the defence is turned, but at least we’re now pushing up and playing the game in the midfield.
As for our attack, well we’re actually good going forward, just a little wasteful in the final third and lacking in pace. The only player with anything resembling place is unfortunately also a glory hunter with a terrible delivery.
While I don’t particularly like Trap’s methods, we’re a better team than we were in the Euros, and a better team than the one that lined out against the Germans. As long as the team is improving I see no reason to be going mental.
We’re in a tough group and getting second place would be a serious achievement. It takes time to build back up into being a second seed, right now we can’t have expectations around qualification.
Sorry Ronan, I disagree. There is still reason to be angry and disaffected. Every single one of these new faces that have come in have settled perfectly to the International game. Every one of them disproving previous comments made by the senile old fool for the years they were in the wilderness. Same reason Weso wont start against Georgia. Crap knows he will be proven wrong for ignoring another vialble option for so long. Wes has realistically been proven worthy of selection since playing in the championship for Blackpool but could have easily made the the progression straight from U21. Don Givens knew this and included him in a friendly squad while in charge after Mick went.
Is that really fair John? What has McClean done in an Ireland jersey yet to show us he’s worth his spot?
I believe its totally fair criticism. Crap clung to his aging squad for far too long and its only with retirements that these young lads have been given an opportunity now. He never bothered giving anyone a chance to prove their talents, not even in friendlies. He was happy to play the 2/3 most negatively minded midfielders at his disposal as long as they knew their role and stuck to his stone age system.
As for McClean, yes maybe he hasnt settled into the side as easily as Coleman, McCarthy, Long, Wilson, Meyler… but he has shown to be as good an option as McGeady. James McClean was on an absolute meteoric rise through footballs echelons last year and I believe a more starring role in the Euros may have kept that confidence rising. Instead Crap once again shows he has no communication skills to aid nurturing our young talent . Instead we allowed him to be hounded by the right wing british media over a simple matter of choice, gave him 15 mins at the Euros and still continue to leave him out after the horrendous Euros. He was flying at Sunderland for 7months and was one of the most consistent performers in the league, yet he was overlooked by Crap as he stuck with the reliable old guard.
Sorry rantin a bit now. One more point though. Love the comment above that Weso has had an International career from him. It is not hyperbole at all. just the facts Pat.
an International career “stolen” from him.
I actually agree with you John, I’m merely taking the current situation on an as-is basis because I refuse to get pissed off anymore.
Honestly I don’t really even watch much club soccer anymore, but I tune into the international team, and as a casual observer I’ve seen an improvement.
It’s clear even to me that we had better options than we were using, and I’m still not overjoyed with Trap’s approach, never mind his woeful player management and alienation of individuals. I’m simply saying that it’s getting better to watch, politics aside
No youre definitely right Ronan. things have improved of late but only through necessity. Good eye for a man not watching much ball the the moment though thats how drastic our rigid style has changed. Coleman has given us drive and creativity that we were lacking down the flanks, even though Crap considers his wingers as forwards. In his system they are far from that! Newly tried midfielders have proved that we actually can retain possession and pass the ball a bit instead of just pumpin it long. I guess we just have to wait out his tenure now. At least there are positive signs for the future.
Funny statement from trap as always, ” we don’t need to gamble to get goals ” trap when have we ever gambled, usually we score just the 1 goal then sit back and try defend our lead, let’s dream of the World Cup haha all because we got a lucky draw against an average team ( England) , we had 1 chance the whole match which we scored from… We were on our backs the rest of the match, we need a manager who is actually gonna let the players play football and not just stand as a big wall in front of our goal
One all draw last wed … Im glad i didnt watch it.
Why?
I told you Clifford.
Because they were rubbish. England are currently the worst they’ve been in a long time yet if they weren’t so rubbish in front of goal it would have been Ireland v Germany all over again.
That’s why. Time to wake up and smell the coffee.
Because i am not interested in soccor.
McGeedy is offensive alright Trapp …. What a plonker
Goal difference won’t really make a difference, if we’re level on points with Sweden/Austria, it’ll be decided by head to head records. Second place doesn’t guarantee a play-off spot though, and we’re looking like the group that will miss out as things stand..