The Irish Football Team Thread

Just back from work. Only 1-0 not bad.

 

Yeah, it's a tough group alright.

 

Superhuman save jaysus, great performance.

 

Ireland played really well....deserved something from that game imo.

That save near the end from Bazunu was top class though!

 

I agree and disagree good sir but it's all moot anyway - Kenny is staying on so it is what it is at the moment. Now to find some highlight as I missed the game. How did Mikey do?

 

Didn’t have much of a chance to do anything when he came on, but when he was on the ball he looked good, always playing forward and brought a new outlet to our game.

 

Some goal to be fair. Number 4 turning away from shot lets it past sadly.

 

Managed to nab a ticket in the end. Enjoyed the game and thought we played well but Kenny was too slow to make the subs, the impact they made was positive but if he made them ten minutes earlier I think we’d have created another chance or two.

 

He did not get enough time to make a significant impact but looked positive when he did get the ball.

 

Woooooooaaaarghhhhh! YES!

£81 - Erm..no

 

Evan Ferguson: How Brighton teenager became Republic of Ireland's 'great hope'


Evan Ferguson has scored four Premier League goals this season

English football has only just been introduced to Evan Ferguson, the Brighton striker who has impressed with a string of fine performances in his debut Premier League season.

In his native Republic of Ireland, however, there has been hype around the teenager for a number of years.

On Thursday, the 18-year-old is set to face Manchester United, the club he grew up supporting, and with whom he has a family link - his great-uncle Damien was on the books at Old Trafford in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In his homeland, the younger Ferguson's breakthrough at Brighton has drawn comparisons with a former United great - Wayne Rooney.

Rooney memorably burst on to the Premier League scene as a 16-year-old in 2002 with a last-minute winner for Everton against Arsenal - and his former youth coach can see a similar story unfolding now.

"I remember the reaction to Rooney and that goal for Everton against Arsenal. I can see that sort of thing with Evan," Karl Lamb, who coached Ferguson for eight years at St Kevin's Football Club, tells BBC Sport.

"He is this thing Ireland have been crying out for for maybe 10 or 15 years. In England, it is like 'this lad has come out of nowhere' whereas in Ireland it is, 'this lad is the great hope'."

'Technically and tactically, he was miles ahead'
Ferguson's football connection stretches throughout his family. His father Barry was on Coventry's books, and had brief loan spells with Colchester, Hartlepool and Northampton before spending the bulk of his playing career in the Republic, and now works for the Football Association of Ireland.

He took his son along to St Kevin's at the age of four. The club had a tie in with Bohemians, Ferguson's first professional club, until recently and they remain affiliates; he played three senior games for them before heading for England.

"We were managing Bohemians' academy teams - they played in our ground, trained with us, we appointed the coaches," St Kevin's chairman Michael O'Callaghan says.

"At 14, Evan went to there. A change of jersey was the main difference for him."

Since Brexit, British clubs have not been able to sign players from the Republic of Ireland until they turn 18 - but Brighton were able to bring him over at 16 because he has an English mother.

His talent had been clear from a young age. Lamb, who worked with Ferguson from when he was six, could see the ability.

"Physically, Evan has always been a big lad, but he played football technically, tactically and in terms of decision making, miles ahead of other people," he says.

"He rarely relied on his physique. He would see something and try it, and that followed him all the way through."

'We knew he was destined for good things'
Right through the age groups, Ferguson left a mark. St Kevin's is one of the most prestigious clubs in Ireland, boasting Damien Duff and Liam Brady among its alumni, and they regularly faced off against elite academies.

"We had the Academy Cup, where the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Arsenal came over. A lot of people think that was when Evan really blossomed," O'Callaghan recalls.

Lamb adds: "We took that team all over Europe. Gavi at Barcelona is Evan's age and he would have played against him numerous times. We had a good team and we made sure to test them; Evan always scored.

"He had a touch of class; he'd be the one player you'd pick out of our team and put in the opposition's team and he'd have been comfortable."


Ferguson made his Bohemians debut against Chelsea aged 14

National and international attention came in July 2019, when aged 14, Ferguson made a substitute appearance for Bohemians against Chelsea in a pre-season friendly,

"Evan was put into the squad and played; we questioned that," says O'Callaghan. "Should a 14-year-old be in a dressing room with adults? He got a runout. We knew he was destined for good things."

Lamb says with a chuckle: "The Chelsea thing for me was like 'oh, he'* another milestone', but when you take a step back, it shouldn't be happening.

"It kickstarted the proper hype around him, taking it national and outside Ireland. That was when the madness started."

Despite the hype, Ferguson's family have kept his feet on the ground.

"He just went back to being typical Evan," Lamb says.

"He's still typical Evan, a really nice lad. He comes from a terrific background, his family are outstanding. They deserve the most credit for how Evan has turned out as a person."

O'Callaghan says: "I've been chairman of the club since 1996. I never introduced myself to him but Evan would walk over, shake my hand and say thank you for all the work I was doing.

"This is a 14 year old boy; you don't get kids doing that. He saw the bigger picture."


Ferguson scored against Latvia on his first start for the Republic of Ireland

'Brighton are perfect for him'
Interest in Ferguson was always high, but Brighton's ability to spot potential paid dividends and he signed for them in 2021. Last week, he signed a new contract committing him to the Seagulls until 2028.

"Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton were in for him from an early age," Lamb remembers.

"It is an example of how smart he and his family are that once he went on trial with Brighton, he loved it. I think, if any massive clubs had come back in, he'd still have chosen Brighton.

"The way Brighton use him, in his own half dropping in, linking play with his back to goal and in the opposition half running in behind, you see how good he is at it. He attacks space really well. That for me is the perfect football style for him."

This season, he has scored four goals in 14 games and is also thriving on the international stage, marking his first Republic of Ireland start with a goal against Latvia.

The noise around Ferguson is not going away.

"Somebody told me that I had to try and quieten things down, but it is very difficult," Lamb says. "If he keeps doing these things, it is hard not to get excited."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65472683

 

Nice article. I think part of the hype around Ferguson is how little talent we have particularly of an attacking variety. Obviously his own ability and talent and potential is where most of the hype comes about but the utter dearth of attacking talent Ireland has had since Robbie Keane's retirement I think amplifies the hype.

 

Defo!

 

Euro 2024 qualifiers: Republic's away game against France to be played at Parc des Princes


The Parc des Princes is home to Ligue 1 leaders PSG

The Republic of Ireland's Euro 2024 qualifier away to France later this year will be played at Parc des Princes in Paris.

The French usually play their home games at Stade de France in St Denis but that stadium is unavailable as it is a rugby World Cup venue.

France host the Republic on 7 September, with the rugby World Cup starting the following day.

Home to Paris Saint-Germain, the Parc des Princes has a 47.929 capacity.

It is 43 years since the Republic last played a competitive match at the Paris ground. when a side managed by Eoin Hand lost 2-0 in a 1982 World Cup qualifier.

September's match against France will be a fourth Euro 2024 qualifier for Stephen Kenny's side, who lost 1-0 to the French in their opener at the Aviva Stadium.

They have a qualifier double-header before the trip to France, playing Greece away on 16 June before hosting Gibraltar in Dublin three days later.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65553493

 

Mikey Johnstone is your great hope

 

Getting a new manager is my new hope!

 

Shane Long has admitted that he is contemplating bringing the curtain down on his career.

The 88-time Republic of Ireland cap was part of the Reading squad which was relegated from the English Championship this season and with the 36-year-old's contract due to expire at the end of next month, the ex-West Brom, Hull and Southampton forward suggested that he would weigh up the possibility of retirement.

In comments to BBC Radio Berkshire, Long said: "I'm going to speak to my family but in my head, I think enough is enough.

"I’m 37 next January. We’ll see. I’m going to spend time with my family over the summer and weigh up the pros and cons after that. I feel good, my body does feel good, but I suppose the older you get the more it’s about recovery and getting your body going again.

"When you’re playing Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday it takes its toll. I don’t want to come back for one more year and just be injured. I’ll see how I feel in the summer."

The Tipperary native's final Ireland cap to date came against Qatar in March 2021.

He scored 17 goals for the Boys in Green, including a famous winner against then-world champions Germany which contributed to qualification for Euro 2016.

Earlier this year, Long claimed he knew his Ireland career was drawing to a close when he was asked to unwittingly pass on his No 9 jersey to Adam Idah.

 

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has named a 22-man squad for a four-day training camp in at the Robins High Performance Centre in Bristol ahead of June's Euro 2024 qualifiers.

The Republic will travel to Greece on 16 June and host Gibraltar three days later in Dublin.

The squad for the training camp is made up of players from the English Football League and League of Ireland.

Tom Cannon, on loan at Preston North End from Everton, has been included.

Chiedozie Ogbene will attend the camp as he continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury but Andrew Omobamidele, Callum Robinson and Seamus Coleman have all been ruled out of the upcoming qualifiers through injury.

Shamrock Rovers winger Neil Farrugia, Hull City defender Sean McLoughlin, Millwall defender Danny McNamara and goalkeepers James Talbot and Brian Maher, from Bohemians and Derry City respectively, are also included.

Jeff Hendrick and Alan Browne will miss the four-day training camp as they recover from injury but are expected to be in contention for the Greece and Gibraltar matches in June.

Middlesbrough defender Darragh Lenihan and Peterborough United midfielder Jack Taylor will not be involved with the training camp due to their club's participation in the Championship and League One play-offs.

All Premier League players remain in action for their clubs - including Gavin Bazunu, Caoimhin Kelleher, Nathan Collins and Evan Ferguson - as well as Mikey Johnston at Vitoria de Guimaraes, Jamie McGrath at Dundee United and Atletico Madrid's Matt Doherty.

"The six-week break between the end of the Championship and our qualifier in Greece is something we have to navigate and make sure our preparations are planned well," said Kenny.

"This training camp in Bristol for four days is essential before we travel to Turkey on June 5th for nine days ahead of our visit to Athens and we're looking forward to a good four days training and some sharp sessions."

Ireland training camp squad
Goalkeepers: Max O'Leary (Bristol City), James Talbot (Bohemians), Brian Maher (Derry City).

Defenders: Danny McNamara (Millwall), Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Sean McLaughlin (Hull City.

Midfilders: Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Josh Cullen (Burnley), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Neil Farrugia (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County).

Forwards: Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Tom Cannon (Everton), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Michael Obafemi (Burnley), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic).

 

Cuntwell for Ireland anyone ???

 

Have we ever had a hun play for us ?