Thursday, August 21, 2008
At Last: An All-Ireland XI- On Wearside….
Now I don’t want this to descend into another thread on the merits- or otherwise- of an all-Ireland international football team, but I couldn’t resist the headline given the news that David Healy is on the verge of signing for Ireland’s favourite ‘second-supported’ Premiership side, Sunderland (owned by the Drumaville Consortium, sponsored by Boylesports, managed by Roy Keane, Chairman Niall Quinn and currently experiencing a remarkable surge in support across Ireland- as the youngsters with Sunderland strips will testify.) Consider this line-up: Colgan, McCardle, McShane, Miller, Reid, Kavanagh, Meyler, Healy, Murphy, O’Donovan, Connolly Subs: Carson (Gk), Hourihane.
Remarkably, all are Irish. Unsurprisingly, the lineup wouldn’t exactly put the fear o’ God into Premiership opponents though....
Chris Donnelly @ 02:26 PM
a fiver they’ll go down lol
Naw, Fulham, Hull and Stoke are pretty rubbish too. Good to see so many irish players in the top flight, although if it all goes pear shaped for sunderland then Keano may get a but of stick for buying all the paddy’s!!
Hope Healy does well, but I don;t think he’s a top flight player.Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 03:18 PMI’m glad they signed himm - like to see him do well but not sure he’s good enough - and Keane has a habit of signing too many players of not sufficient quality. I think they are going to sign Cisse as well - who is of sufficient quality.
I fancy them for mid-table. But you cant rule out fisticuffs with Quinn and a mid-season walkout by the boy Keane - who by the way has an uncanny resemblance to the President of Iran - the one with the funny name like something-or-other-dinner-jacket.
I love the joke, I got form the brother, that Keane and Mick Collins, both from Cork are the 2 biggest Irish traitors of all time.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 03:50 PMAhmadinejad? Not unlike the Corcaigh langer i have to say, though Keane would still take him, even without nuclear support!
Great to see so many Irish men playing together… all the best to Healy.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 04:33 PMI dunno about this Roy, there must be loads of lower division English talent as good as many of these Irish lads and cheaper for not being internationals? Evans would be the one from these parts I would want of course.
Good luck to all of them, if they all play together they’ll need it!
The other players Keane bought are pretty decentat least.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 04:39 PMCheck out the Scotsman comments to see the Scots’ comments about the Hampden game NI fans, rule Brittania, booing of GSTQ etc. They’re a mix of bemusement (e.g. they’re irish what are they singing that for?) to digust (e.g. pathetic and much worse insults too rude to be printed here). As some guy said, United Kingdom? You’re avin a larf!
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 05:09 PMgoing off topic....... again.......
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 05:33 PMIt’s all a devious plot by the canny Corkman :). He gets all these prospective Irish international players on the one team in Sunderland and there you have it- the future ‘world cup ‘ qualifiers get to play and train together every week :)
Trappatoni probably put the word out . Now they have to work on Healy to ahem ‘come over’ and join the winners.
No harm in dreamin eh ?
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 05:37 PMI think we can all see what awaits. An All-Ireland team is the only way football in Ireland can progress, on the domestic front and on the international scene. The Setanta Cup is the pre-cursor. Just a litmus-test to see if the likes of Glentoran can play in the Brandywell or if Cork City can play in Winsor Park. We now see that they can. With money tight and standards poor, the only logical way forward is to almalgamate the two leagues behind lucrative sponsorship and live television deals. With more money, more proficient players, a better youth system and larger attendances to be had, my guess this will be sooner rather that later, maybe within the next 5-10 years(esp after it was announced that the IFA ran at a 300k deficit last year - not good for the bureaucrats within).
The national team merger will be the next logigal step. There will no doubt be difficulties in team selection, association positions, game venues, national antemns etc., but for the good of the game and for the supporter who wants to go to the big tournaments, these wrinkles must be ironed out.BTW, Martin O’Neill for manager - probably the only man who can relate to an All-Ireland soccer team.
All other sports in Ireland can do it. Why can’t football?
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 05:59 PMIf this Sunderland all Irish set-up is successful it will be a great ‘subliminal’ ice breaker in a way for all those who vehemently oppose an All-Ireland soccer team! Sure ain’t the 2 Irish soccer leagues gonna join up in a few years time?
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 06:52 PMDoes every football thread have to keep droning on about an All Ireland football team.....?
(Suppose people need something all ireland to go on about now that they’ve given up that 32 county republic thingy)
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 07:57 PMDavid Healy will have a better chance of regular games at Sunderland. Roy Keane is alot keener on Healy than his Fulham manager was.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 08:45 PMA good move for Sunderland and Healy.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 09:02 PMYellowford so what are your thoughs on the Sunderland team.
It´s not unusual for managers to bring in players they relate to. Terry Neill had a lot of Irish players (NI and ROI) when he was manager of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has had upto 8 French palyers at a time playing for his Arsenal side although Keane´s Sunderland paddy´s are not exactly world beaters.
Anyway good luck to David Healy MBE who has had to put up with alot of bullshit recently from people with ulterior motives.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 09:12 PMDoctor Who,
Don’t forget Benitez and his Spanish imports. :)
Although this may be a case for employing Spanish rather than, say, Irish managers! :)
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 09:34 PMI would love hear from someone who supports an all Ireland football team as why they think it would improve our chances of competing on the world stage. I look at the so called all Ireland rugby team and think, what have they ever done on the world stage.
What championships have the all Ireland hockey teams ever won?
The cricket team competed at the world cup which was great but the standard of cricket played over the summer here at club level is poor.
I have no idea how many other sport’s are all Ireland, well apart from bowl’s that is . Maybe someone will enlighten me.
I really don’t think an all Ireland football team is going to happen at any time in the neat future.
If it was to happen who’s to say it won’t end up like rugby with the soldier’s song and tricolour as the emblem’s of the team. The I.R.F.U. have treated the unionist’s who support this team like second class citizen’s. Even through the day’s of the provo’s death and destuction campaign to have this flag flying over N.I. they still travelled south to support what they thought was their team and had to stand respectfully for what was the provo’s anthem. I can’t imagine football fan’s doing that.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 09:51 PMsure the all-Ireland select GAA team cant even beat the one team they play on the international stage.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 10:47 PMa great British league is the only way to go, eventually ending up with a Great British team, which could be world beaters.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 10:51 PMsure the all-Ireland select GAA team cant even beat the one team they play on the international stage.
Indeed, but it’s not Gaelic they play but an odd amalagation of football and Aussie Rules. Ireland have one before though, not just last year.
Anyway, off topic…
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 11:06 PM*won
Wow, should go to bed now…
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 11:08 PMAlan
‘I look at the so called all Ireland rugby team and think, what have they ever done on the world stage.’At least the rugby team is competitive on the world stage. It gets to play in one of the two most prestigious rugby competitions every year (6Ns) which actually funds rugby in Ireland and allows us to have 3.5 competitive provincial teams (Connacht Rugby gets less funding than the other 3). It is also doubtful without the financial support of the IRFU there would be professional rugby in Belfast with your better talent also having to move away (just like the footballers) to make a living.
btw, Connacht rugby are the only ones treated like second class citizens by the IRFU.
iluvni
“sure the all-Ireland select GAA team cant even beat the one team they play on the international stage”Actually, its pretty even - both countries have won 14 test matches each. Not bad for a crowd of amateurs, eh?
Now, how does England v Aus compare in the Cricket?
Oh, and the GAA (Croke Park funds) have certainly ensured that there are plenty of GAA stadia around the country. In fact, the GAA were wealthy enough to send 1 million over to New York last year to help build some facilities in a shared ground.
It would seem that the all-Ireland sports at least have somewhere to play their sport.
Back on topic - Healy could have a good partnership with Kenwyne Jones when he comes back from injury. Keane obviously sees something in him to give him a 3 year contract - hopefully it works out for them all.
Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 11:29 PM‘sure the all-Ireland select GAA team cant even beat the one team they play on the international stage.’
Its not GAA they play. Its called compromise rules or international rules, a cross between the native football and aussie rules. It is a great game to watch. I was at the last one in Croker, didn’t think it was as rough as the media made out. I believe Ireland has won several of the series, but i think Autrailia lead it by one or two.
Which is a testament to the GAA players involved as its professional sportsmen Vs amateurs.Posted by on Aug 21, 2008 @ 11:35 PMWathced Sunderland play out a very dour game first day of the season. Liverpool scraped a 1-0 win. Irish lad called Murphy played up front for Sunderland, he did not have a good game and I wonder if he can cut it at premiership level (although I understand one game is not really enough to judge a guy on). I would expect Healy to do better that this guy but will he do enough? Time will tell, jury is still out on Healy for me as I had him in last years Slugger Fantasy football and he let me down bucketfuls, but I hope he succeeds at Sunderland. Took Carew from Aston Villa instead this year.
I totally agree with Yellowford in post number 8 about the Irish league / international team. Its an absolute no brainer. I think those who oppose it are the ones letting their political preferences blinker their judgement.Posted by on Aug 22, 2008 @ 02:34 AMHealy may get more of a chance than at Fulham.
However, although he has done very well for the North, he is simply not a Premiership class player.
That’s why Fulham have moved him on and replaced him with better players.
I expect that he will spend most of this season on the subs bench as a squad player and then move on to a Championship club next summer.
That would be a better move for him as he would get a regular game and score more goals at that level.
In short, he’s a good championship level player but never a Premiership class player.
Posted by on Aug 22, 2008 @ 04:13 AMHealy had better not bring his orange flute with him or Keano’ll kick the sh*te clean out of him.
Posted by on Aug 22, 2008 @ 05:50 AMI expect that he will spend most of this season on the subs bench as a squad player and then move on to a Championship club next summer.
He may not have to move clubs to play in the Championship next season…
Posted by on Aug 22, 2008 @ 06:48 AM
