Monday, July 16, 2007
Irish fans in for Premier treat this season
Irish fans of the Premier League will have much to discuss this season with the arrival of Lawrie Sanchez and Roy Keane to the elite division as Irish managers with plenty of Irish faces amongst their squads (here and here.) It looks like local fans will be adopting either Sunderland or Fulham as their 2nd (and 3rd?) teams this season- incidentally, it would be interesting to know if sales of replica shirts across Ireland from these two clubs with little recent history of Irish support have surged in recent times.
Sanchez has wasted no time in bringing four of his international players alongwith him, whilst Keane has a hatful of Irish players at Sunderland, all of which can only be good news for their respective international managers ahead of the crucial international fixtures this Autumn. So, any predictions for the year ahead, Sluggerites?
Chris Donnelly @ 05:45 PM
It is entirely deserving that more NI players are in the Premiership given their superb international form. Interested to hear if the fact that 4 are playing for the same team will have a positive or negative impact on the international team.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 07:20 PMMaybe we’ll have Fulham flags flying on the lamp-posts alonside Are We A Country? flags in time for next year’s Twelfth.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 07:23 PMEnough of this football nonsense, what I want to know is who’d win a fight between Sanchez and Keane?
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 07:29 PMD’ye fancy takin oan the winner yirsel, yer wummin? Ya saucy thing ye!
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 07:46 PMI have to say I’ll be betting on Fulham to be relegated.
15/8 for Lawrie’s boys as opposed to 7/2 for Roy’s lot.
I just don’t think Sanchez can replicate the steely mood he managed with Northern Ireland with Fulham.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 07:51 PMIm sorry to say this, and admitedly I do actually watch Northern Ireland matches in the hope they lose so I may just be biased, but Sanchez is not a good manager. He will not last in the premier league. Former players hammer his training exercises, while he may have signed decent solid pros his purchases lack any sort of imagination, and anybody who seen a Fulham match at the tail end of last season should realise they need a far higher quality of player to sustain a decent premiership campaign week-in week-out. Fulham (through pride and idiocy) and Wigan (through no-ones fault) have both lost very talented young managers, and I can’t see the new guys in charge making a decent hash of it. Depending on if either of these appoints somebody who has a radical impact during the season, they will be joining derby county in the championship next year
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 08:40 PMWilliam Cosgrave,
Derby, Wigan and Fulham to be relegated at 14/1. Worth a punt I think.Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 08:49 PMOf course Sunderland will still up with their top class players Richardson springs to mind… no Roy Keane will be exposed for what he is a rookie manager who has never had a rough time as a manager, that will change soon…
Posted by on Jul 16, 2007 @ 09:36 PMSunderland have already experienced quiet a bit of attention from Ireland in the last year (even though still in the Championship) with the club being owned by an Irish consortium, Niall Quinn as Chairman and of course the icing on the cake, Roy Keane as manager. Sunderland City have already commented on the increase of visitors from ROI over the last year. No doubt Fulham will get a large influx of NI fans, but probably more difficult to assess.
Neill Armstrong - it was nothing short of phenomenal for Sunderland to win the Championship last season (rookie manager or not with no experience of that particular league!) with the headstart they gave everyone else, losing first 4 league games and no pre-season. Only two of their squad that started the season finished in their first XI team and they now play nice, attractive football (not hoof ball). Keane off-loaded and brought in new players with a total spend of £1m - not bad for a rookie team of Quinn & Keane. Even Keane admitted it was rough going the first few months. I’m looking forward to the Premiership next season - as Keane himself has said, the Premiership is a new challenge - but Keane will relish it and he will have his players mentally correct.
Good luck to NI for Euro qualification - up to now they were a bit of an unknown quantity - not anymore.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 06:04 AMOf course Sunderland will still up with their top class players Richardson springs to mind
I nearly choked on my toast when I first read that!!
Despite signing Richardson, I think Sunderland will probably stay up; problem (for Sunderland fans) is if Keane delivers too much success then the odds of him eventually heading off on a managerial dream ticket (with Saint Eric, naturellment) to Old Trafford shorten.
Im sorry to say this, and admitedly I do actually watch Northern Ireland matches in the hope they lose so I may just be biased, but Sanchez is not a good manager
It must have been a hard last couple of years for you then William! Considering what he’s achieved here with very limited resources, it’s silly to say Sanchez is not a good manager. Not cut out for the grind and pressures of Premier club management may be closer to the truth. The squad remains weak (although Healy and Davis have now got the chance to prove themselves at club level and they’ve nobody to blame but themsleves if they don’t take it) and his Chairman is a Class A Nutter- I think the future looks bleak for Lawrie.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 06:36 AMOneill, Richardson has a lot to prove now, he is young and he did very well when on loan to West Brom (basically saving them from relegation a few years ago). Fair dues to him going to Sunderland considering Keane had a right (public) go at him at Utd. over his attitude.
I agree with you about Sanchez, the future does not look good with as you say that “Class A Nutter” as a Chairman.
It will be interesting to see where Jonny Evans goes if Sir Alex sends him (as expected) out on loan next season!
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 07:09 AMRealistically I think Sunderland have the resources to stay up and as much as I detest Keane, he does have the winning mentality that will see his team overachieve.
Sanchez hasn’t been without backing from the “Class A hutter” so far, but his challenge will be to gel the side almost instantanoeusly. I simply don’t foresee either supporters or chairman having much patience.
That said, given the backing, I think Sanchez will keep Fulham safe and possibly have them in the lower reaches of mid-table.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 07:32 AMLawrie Sanchez isnt a mug and his choice of NI players makes sense.
Still though, too many NI players at Fulham, not exactly the most secure of teams.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 07:39 AM>>Fair dues to him going to Sunderland considering Keane had a right (public) go at him at Utd. over his attitude.<<
So it’s not just the more famous relation from big brother who has attitude problems. I can only imagine that their family gatherings would make my mob’s annual punch-ups look lame!
>>Derby, Wigan and Fulham to be relegated at 14/1. Worth a punt I think.<<
Derby won’t be relegated George, their manager is a former disciple of ex-Scotland manager Craig Brown. Steady as she goes will be the theme, won’t win fuck all, but won’t be relegated either I reckon. Watch out for plenty of boring fitba down Derby way.
Remember Sunderland went from the bottom three in the English championship to promotion, no mean feat. And one that will buy Keane a second and third chance even if he messes up at Sunderland. I’d agree with those who reckon that Fulham is a poisoned chalice, but Sanchez should give them a fighting chance.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 07:41 AMJudging by the number of Sund-ireland shirts on sale at sportsworld, there is an increased market.
I also note that iro of the travel companies who do packages to old trafford (Prices vary, although the package is the same) that the game against Sunderland now costs as much as Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 07:58 AMHas no one pointed out Chris Donnellys double standards yet? Surely he only posts things which advance his republican agenda?
It is a disgrace that no other slugger posters have seen this. It must all be a republican conspiracy.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 08:27 AMPol
LOL! I’m still awaiting the appearance of our much-loved (and troubled) friend on this thread….
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 08:39 AMFulham will see fewer N.Irish visitors than Sunderland will see Irish fans. The reason is simple the N.Irish fans would much prefer to travel to Ibrox a spew out their sectarian bile from the stands. Also note, Celtic fans do this too.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 08:59 AM“Has no one pointed out Chris Donnellys double standards yet? Surely he only posts things which advance his republican agenda?”
As long as the lads don’t start an Orange Lodge in the dressing room.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 09:05 AMFulham Relegated- Absence of N.Irish fans spewing out their sectarian bile from the stands to blame?
I don’t know, that has a ring of a Donnelly post-title and a Fahed conspiracy about it;)
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 09:14 AMJohnny B Good
I think that you will find that Celtic fans leave the spewing out of sectarian bile to the experts. Oh we do have a paltry few wanabee’s, but they just wouldn’t have the class, the dexterity of imagination to compete with our erstwhile countrymen across the city.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 09:25 AMPlease don’t let this become a fecking Hun - Tim debate.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 09:27 AMThere are dangers in Lawrie’s Norn Iron-centric transfer policy, including the possibility of a clique developing. But if you consider Fulham’s signings on an individual basis they make sense. Hughes is a decent Premiership defender and has shown superb leadership with NI. Baird is a reliable full-back, who can also provide cover in midfield. Healy looks like a risk, but at 1.5m and with his past (sensational) achievements with Lawrie the signing is well worth it. The best signing however is Steven Davis, he has the potential to be a top player.
As for Keano, it would be great for football if he succeeds. He conducts himself superbly, and demands high-standards from his players. Sunderland’s fans also deserve a top team. I also applaud Keane’s signing of solely British and Irish talent. Its a shame that Jonny Evans isn’t staying put.
Fulham and Sunderland are certainly my second and third teams this season.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:02 AM“Fulham and Sunderland are certainly my second and third teams this season.
Posted by Token Dissent”May I know who is your first team?
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:13 AM“He conducts himself superbly”
He is a psychopathic, alcoholic corner-boy.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:24 AM
