Live: Republic of Ireland Euro 2012 Squad Announcement
GreenScene will be live blogging Giovanni Trapattoni’s Euro 2012 Squad Announcement from the Aviva Stadium, where he will name his 23 man panel around 3.30 this afternoon.
16:10: That’s all from us. Thanks for reading. The page will no longer auto-refresh if anyone (Fionn) would like to write a comment. See you in Poland!
16:06: Some player messages on twitter:
Sean St Ledger – just like to say thank you for all the kind messages its getting very real now! huge honour. thoughts go out to @JamesMcCarthy_4
Simon Cox: Wanna say thanks for all the kind messages of congrats for making the Euro2012 squad. It’s an absolute honour to be named in the squad.
David Meyler: Congrats to @JMcC_23 absolutely delighted for you pal fully deserved you ugly man! #ComeonYouBoysInGreen
Padraig Amond: Just seen why James McCarthy pulled out hopefully his dad gets better! #moreimportantthingsinlife Gutted for Seamie not being in initial squad #fingerscrossedforulad
16:03: Here’s the James McCarthy statement in full:
16:01: That’s it for the live video. Trap has some time with the reporters now. No shocks in the Ireland squad, but a place for James McClean. Sad news for James McCarthy, but he’s one for the future. Hopefully his father will be okay.
16:00: The usual Wes Hoolahan question – “Hoolahan is already 28, 29, 30. He plays well. Some time with Marco, we discuss this. We don’t forget him. We build the team with another system. With this player, our system at this moment, we have no room. We couldn’t change the system because qualifying was important. We have a strong midfield and strong wing. I wouldn’t change the strikers, because I’m sure we couldn’t play as well with only one striker. Maybe in a friendly, we could try. But friendly games are also important for rankings. It’s not easy for us, we discuss Hoolahan, but McCarthy and McClean are young. We have Reid and Ireland too. A strong team, so we couldn’t just change this and achieve qualification. We have a strong midfield and strong wingers, it’s not English football league. It’s international football, it’s a little bit different. We always want to have a balance in the team. We have no Messi, Ronaldo, or Maradona. We have a strong team with organisation and balance.”
15:53: RTÉ’s Tony O’Donoghue asks Trap about comparisons with James McClean and Toto Schillachi. Trap believes McClean can make an instant impact too.
15:52: Trap on McCarthy: “I prefer him to stay at home. Psychologically he’s not ready. It’s his choice. It’s difficult to try to convince him. He’s 21, I try, but his parents are important. In the future, he will be with us in the next campaign. I think we have 2 or 3 senior midfielders now, but he’s young, he’s strong, he has quality. He can grow. Sometimes when we watch him, he wants to have the ball. He must look for the ball. He has the quality. I say ‘James you must look for the ball’. He has developed, he used to shoot from 25 or 30 yards, but now he sees the pass. He passes the ball.”
15:48: “I follow him, asked the senior players’ opinion, it’s good. He has a good personality, he’s young, he’s strong, physically strong. He’s improved, he’s grown. I think he can give us energy. He scores goals, it’s very important. With three games, we need the players to fill in for Duff and McGeady, maybe in the second or third games. It will also help him for the future. He will be confident.”
15:44: Trap not worried about Sean St. Ledger’s lack of first team action this season, comparing it to Robbie Keane’s lack of action before he joined LA Galaxy. Mentioned Keith Andrews too, and will be calling some of the players up early to help their fitness.
15:42: McClean on twitter: “absolutley honoured and cudnt be happier to have been call up to represnt my country at the euros no better feelin! #COYBIG #ireland #euro12″
15:40: Trap names Coleman as one of the players to miss out and that he’ll definitely be in contention for the next campaign. “McClean, Coleman: They’ll be with us in the future.”
15:37: Trap saying that it was a difficult decision to select the squad, and that it was hard to leave them out, especially James McCarthy
15:36: McCarthy’s statement: “I have made the difficult decision to withdraw my name from selection for Euro 2012 squad…following the diagnosis of my father with cancer and on-going requirement for treatment.
15:35: FAI: “James McCarthy has made the difficult decision to withdraw from selection and a statement had issued on his behalf.” McCarthy’s father has been diagnosed with cancer and will miss the tournament. Our thoughts are with James and his family.
15:34: Trap singling out James McCarthy as the notable omission before naming the standby list.
15:32: Trap reading out the names at the moment. Wonder does he know that the FAI beat him to the chase on twitter?
15:31: Trap and Manuela are here. No Marco Tardelli though.
15:30: No James McCarthy in the squad or on standby. No Delaney on the standby list either which is a surprise.
15:28: Tweets from the FAIreland account:
Given, Westwood, Forde, Dunne, O’Shea, St.Ledger, O’Dea, Ward, Kelly, Foley, Whelan, Gibson, Andrews, Fahey, Duff, McGeady, Hunt…
…McClean, Keane, Doyle, Cox, Long, Walters. STANDBY: Randolph, McShane, Green, Coleman, Keogh
15:26: All kicking off here. 23 man squad and a 5 man standby list coming. Just an intro from the FAI at the moment.
15:25: Don’t be surprised if you have to refresh GreenScene either. A lot of traffic at the moment, as you’d expect. Sorry if it does happen!
15:23: The FAI feed is very jumpy, but with so many people watching, is that really a surprise?
15:20: What are the chances things will run on time? Trap is good, but he’s no Mussolini!
15:17: There’s some movement in the Aviva Stadium! No one seated just yet, just the waiting journalists.
15:13: Over 500 viewers on the livestream so far, and there isn’t even any video!
15:10: Still no sign of Trapattoni or Marco Tardelli:
15:09: Miguel Delaney also claiming the mystery player is NOT Damien Duff.
15:07: Nothing happening just yet, but there’s a lot of speculation. It’s all just rumour and hearsay though, so no point adding to it. However, Sky’s Enda Brady has confirmed Damien Duff and Robbie Keane are in the 23 man panel.
15:00: Half an hour to go. Nervous! Trap is also due to name a four man standby list. During the past week, we have looked at the possible squad members, check them all out here:
Part One: Goalkeepers
Part Two: Defenders
Part Three: Midfielders
Part Four: Forwards
14:58: Meanwhile, Simon Cox is tweeting about shopping in Manchester. So he’s not in Dublin to make a statement.
14:56 Micil Glennon has tweeted a picture of Trap’s hotseat for the press conference:
14:55: GreenScene will be bringing you all the latest news from the press conference, including a possible special announcement before Trapattoni unveils his squad – a senior player is expected to miss the European Championships for personal reasons, and is due to make a statement about it before 3.30.
14:50: Good afternoon folks. Very tense at the Aviva Stadium ahead of the 3.30 squad announcement, with RTÉ’s John Kenny tweeting: “Just left the Aviva having interviewed Ray Houghton. The sense of anticipation ahead of Trap’s squad announcement is palpable.”
Related posts:
Duff is out of the Euros for personal reasons.
GAH, I keep trying to make a long comment but the page keeps refreshing, fuck it.
Wow that is really sad about Mccarthy what a tough decision
http://www.european-championship.com/category/European-Championship-News/Duff-left-out-of-Rep-of-Ireland-squad-201205070003/
That seemed pretty legit at the time.
If McCarthy was first choice, he probably wouldn’t pull out but he knows he won’t get so much as a minute in a friendly, let alone a competitive match, so I won’t hold it against him.
I’m sure Roberto Martinez gave James McCarthy the most impartial advice on what course of action he should take.
In fairness to Trap there’s not much fault to be found with this squad apart from the obvious ones like Hoolahan, Ireland and Wilson who we knew would never be named. An uncharacteristically brave step to include McClean but it was absolutely necessary as questions as to why he was omitted would have overshadowed the teams preparation all the way up to the Euros although I like to believe he got there on merit. No Green or McShane, what a relief. It’s a strong squad. Too bad about J. Mac. Trap said he would have been in the squad so I wonder who would have been left out for him, Probably Gibson, Fahey or Hunt but most likely Gibson. No problems here at all with the squad. Well done Trap for not being stubborn and for giving us a fighting chance come June.
first and foremost very sad news about mcarthy if he is not willing to travel the unfortunate reality must be that his father is in his last months and hopefully they will all be ok in the coming months….the standby list is a great cause for concern.the 3 amigos mcshane,green and keogh somehow manage to snake their way in.mcshane hasnt played consistent 1st team football 4 nearly 2 years,green is a minus player and is not even irish its a disgrace he has even been considered 4 international football.keogh has done ok 4 millwall but what musnt be missed is that the mojority of his goals have come 4rm the penalty spot.stokes should be standby striker.Clark should be there instead of o’dea or atleast on standby as he is one of our only form players.Coleman for foely but having said that hes no experience should he be needed at right back.delighted 4 the likes of gibson,fahey and of course mcclean
Actually out of the 12 goals Keogh scored this season, the vast majority of them have come from open play. Walters has 2 goals from open play all season and Cox has none. You have got to feel for Keogh, since he has been in Ireland squads since Trapattoni arrived. C’est la vie.
It would have made more sense to leave out Cox or Walters and bring Hoolahan or Ireland as a plan b to play behind a lone striker but Ireland are the most one dimensional team to play in Euro 2012 and Trapattoni has wasted chance after chance to experiment in friendlies, so that isn’t a surprise.
I have a bad feeling that Hunt is ahead of McClean in the pecking order and an even worse feeling that Green will weasel his way into the squad.
Wilson and Clark’s form and versatility, arguably should have seen them excluded but again c’est la vie.
No real complaints. The most I could have realistically expected was Green not to be included and McClean to be included and I got that.
Wilson and Clark’s form and versatility, arguably should have seen them included but again c’est la vie.
That’s what I meant to say!
http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2012/05/07/3087103/emery-to-quit-valencia-for-spartak-moscow-report
McGeady could have a new boss.
That’s awfully cynical Prop. People generally don’t use cancer of close relatives as a convenient excuse. We have to take the lad’s word for it that he’s not in the right frame of mind. I’m sure he’d regard it as an honour to make the squad, irrespective of his chances of actually playing.
Besides that unfortunate situation I’m quite happy. In an ideal world we’d see Wilson, Hoolahan and Clark either in the squad or on the standby list but of all of the options available to Trap who have already seen significant time in the squad I think he’s picked the correct ones.
realistically this is NOT the best 23 irish players available to us but all are well caplable.Only players id have issues with are cox,odea and foley where hoolahan,clark and coleman should have been in their place but trap dosn seem to trust any of them. just relived greens not their if he does weasel in il personally write to the fai complaining about letting the ultimate plastic paddy abuse Iirsh citizenship
Agree with ya Prop. The standbys are worrying but hopefully no one will get injured so they won’t be needed…fingers crossed. After all there’s only one game left in the season. Duff is in good form and will start. Nobody really knows what’s going on with McGeady unless you have a Russian satelitte dish. McClean’s role was only ever going to be as an impact sub which is what we need but at least he’s on the plane. If he comes on for the last half hour against Croatia and plays a blinder then he might start the Spain game. That’s how things tend to work in these tournaments. I think Hunt will only be brought on if we are defending a lead and not when needing a goal. Hopefully even Trap can see the McClean is a far better offensive weapon that Hunt. I’ve got to say I’m happy with the squad. I’ve saved my coworkers the unpleasantness of me chucking up all over my desk !
The Ciaran Clark thing has been a mystery for a while. The guy has always shown up when called upon. I believe he almost started a competitive game once when Ledge or someone was injured. He always says the right things to the media. He’s a very nice fella. He starts every game for Villa when fit. He can play center back, left back or midfield. He a great tackler and scores the odd goal. Trap dropped him from the squad with no real explanation. I know he was out injured for a while but that was not his fault. He would certainly be more versatile that O’Dea to take.
It really is incredible how many midfield players Ireland have playing at a consistently high level, like McCarthy, Ireland and Clark who can’t get in the team and then players like Hendrick, Dicker and Reid who are playing to a much higher level than Paul Green in the Championship.
I didn’t even mention Hoolahan and Pilkington. There are two more.
Clark has not really made the progress people had been hoping for this season – didn’t he have persistent injury problems?.. He only seems to have been back in the Villa squad in the last couple of games. He’s certainly one for when the World Cup qualifiers roll around I don’t think it’s a travesty for him to be left out of the Ireland squad right now. O’Dea has been solid for us when called on and has built up some international experience, even if he’s the lesser player in the long run.
Prop. You must to understand thee systema. We no change systema for thees type of playa. Maybe in friendly eet is possibla in the futura. We have many good playa we no forgeta.
I also said, years ago, that Lawrence would be an option in central midfield. He has a better physique than Whelan and Andrews and he is arguably a better passer. So, that is at least 6 or 7 players Trapattoni has flat out refused to try in central midfield, whilst persevering with an outdated 4-4-2 and the Whelan/Andrews partnership.
I really don’t think we’ll get out of this group, but it is a hard group to begin with.
It could be worse though. We have Spain yes but Italy are beatable and so are Croatia.
Chances are Portugal, Germany and Holland all would have tanked us if we were in Denmark’s position.
Prop. Stop being such a glass half empty guy. He could only name 23 players and I think he got at least 21 or them right. He said he was going to include McClean and McCarthy. Considering squads he’s named in the past this is a strong one. We all know the system. 4-4-2 with two defensive midfielders and all our attacking coming from the two wingers and two strikers. Given that he was never going to change the system for the finals this is as good a squad as we could have hoped for. Now when it comes to him naming the squad for the first game after the Euros I’ll he happy to listen to your windging again. Trust me I’m in your camp on the system and squads but we’re stuck with it until at least after the summer.
I knew Hoolahan, Wilson and Ireland didn’t stand a chance of getting a call up so considering the circumstances, I am pretty satisfied about the squad.
Until McShane and Green are called up because of injuries.
Keith Fahey was interviewed on MNS. He is aiming to be fit for the Playoff final (if Birmingham get there). He is out of the 2nd leg against Blackpool.
Very sad news for JMc. Can’t really offer any constructive comment on that. Best of luck to him.
I would have bet the house on Fahey giving way to Green in this situation, but to have Fahey and Gibson on the bench gives me some hope that we can achieve some composure in the middle of the park. Fahey’s dead ball abilities alone are a great attacking threat, so let’s hope he’s fit in time.
Foley is a smart pick that offers versatility. McShane ahead of Wilson or Clarke doesn’t really make any sense to me. Wilson, Clarke are both left footers that can cover at CB, LB and CM, so they are both more versatile and better suited to the needs of patching up a back line with an abundance of right-sided players. If I had to pick one for this tournament, it would probably be Wilson, but Clarke could be important in the future.
I think it’s clear that Trap understands the importance of squad players with squad personalities. Forde may not the the third-best Ireland keeper, but he handled his call-up to the senior panel earlier this year with admirable level-headedness. Maybe (hopefully) that’s all that is required of a third-choice keeper at a major tournament.
Not encouraging signs for Ireland or Hoolahan regarding formation. Unless Ireland can play out wide, I struggle to see where Trap would fit him in.
No way we are going to Brazil with a 4-4-2. If we want to sacrifice 4 points playing for draws against Germany, fine, but otherwise it is going to be a long qualifying campaign.
If we end up finishing 3rd and ignoring Hoolahan, Pilkington, Clark, Ireland, McCarthy, Reid etc it’s going to be pretty pathetic.
I also think five in the midfield would be a better utilization of the talent we have emerging.
Interestingly, a lot of our underage sides are playing a kind of 4-3-3 now with two wide forwards switching tracking back to cover wide midfield areas when we are under pressure. This allows us to keep our beloved wingers and retain a flat back four. In the middle of the park, three central midfielders form a tougher unit to break down and remove the need for this dogs-of-war set-up.
This may have been introduced by Wim Koevermans as it seems to be a floorboards-up institutionalization in the Dutch style. Could it work for the senior team? I don’t know. But I don’t see Trap allowing anyone to pick his team for him.
Mind you, Trap got us to our first finals in a decade with a fairly average team even by Irish standards. He can play how he wants. I just want to see the best players in Irish jerseys, and in the next couple of years many of them look like they will be better suited to a different system.
Euro 2012 squad looks good though! COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN!
I think the future looks bright, regardless of what happens at Euro 2012. Ireland have so many players in the Premier League at the moment, (I think around 35) as well as a good few players to watch in the championship. I think we have more players in the Premier League than do Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England have many more of course, but honestly so many of their players are mediocre or poor. I see very little quality coming through the English ranks in the last 3 years.
Hoolahan, Pilkington, Clark, Ireland, McClean, Duffy, McCarthy, Wilson, and hopefully Coleman are all up and coming talents, although Hoolahan is a late bloomer. Keough is playing well, and may surprise as a late bloomer too, he just needs more confidence. I would add Gibson to that list but when he referred to himself as a “laid back footballer” who admitted he was not in shape at his time at Man U a few months ago, I gave up on his character, despite his obvious talent. But by 2012, we should have 3-4 more surprises who seemingly come out of nowhere. It always happens. Look at McClean, when he was at Derry City last year, who would have thought in a years time he would be on the plane to Euro 2012?
Yes Paul, Gibson’s lack of ambition is worrying. Also, isn’t it funny how Gibson can get away with being a laid back footballer but Andy Reid can’t?
I see James McClean is the latest Irish Catholic to get death threats from Northern Irish “football” fans.
When is something going to be done about this?
Chris Baird’s mother’s house was bombed and Neil Lennon get’s sent bullets or anthrax sent in the mail every week.
You would almost swear that this kind of thing is encouraged by Unionist politicians.
Moving on from the caveman bigotry and racism of Northern Irish Rangers fans, it is worth remembering that Scotland lost 2-3 (h) and 3-1 (a) to Spain in qualifying. They are hardly unbeatable and they do have a very dodgy defence and they have had a more tiring season than us, so there is hope!
I still reckon we will get smashed but hopefully we’ll at least give them a game and not play like we did against Russia.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/2898/euro-2012/2012/05/08/3088676/breaking-news-puyol-will-miss-euro-2012-with-a-knee-injury
Puyol is out of Euro 2012
As a football fan, I would hate Puyol to miss out on the Euros; as an Ireland fan I would be thrilled.
I can’t understand these tossers up the North. You’d think they’d hand out some support and well wishes to the two Derry lads who will be going to the Euros but instead it’s all abuse, hated and death threats. There was a group of NI supporters at an NY Red Bulls game after the France v Ireland game with a banner saying “Thank you Thierry Henry”. Do they really despise us that much? I guess so. Remember the 1993 game at Windsor. They were like rabid animals. I mean I don’t hold any ill will towards the NI team at all and even like to see the misguided Irishmen doing well. Be very tough to ever forsee and All-Ireland team when you still have these types of elements among the fans.
I really can’t understand their feral hatred of all things Irish and Catholic. I am actually rather amused by it. What have we done to cause such vitriol? As I recall, England isn’t occupied by the Irish.
If it wasn’t for the irrational, stupid, bigoted, racist, quaint, unusual, caveman like behaviour of the Northern Irish Rangers fanclub, I actually think I would wish their pub team well. But as long as their large contingent of bigots are excluding Catholics from going to their matches with their myriad of union jacks, loyalist songs and generally bigoted behaviour while simultaneously expecting Irish Catholics to sing God Save The Queen and bask in the poisonous atmosphere of their matches, I say f**k ‘em.
Their fans will never get the chance to spread their propaganda and racism at a Championships or a World Cup.
The poor fella. Let’s bring him back for the Brazil campaign.
Stephen Ireland is a recent interview with the Mirror.
“I have said whenever anybody has asked me in the last couple of months that I am available if I am wanted, I am a mature person now and a family man, different to when I quit playing for my country.
“At that time I had three children under the age of five and I was only 21 myself. I’ve grown up now as a player and a person. If that opportunity comes again then I am all ears.
“I have had no contact from Ireland. I wish them all the best but if I was ever contacted, I would take it seriously.”
James McClean deleted his twitter account. Never really got into the whole twitter, facebook and stuff.
http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/time-for-mcclean-to-step-up-3102442.html
For what it’s worth, Paul Hyland is very pessimistic about Darron Gibson’s chances of recovering for the Euros.
No Gibson equals Paul Green. God help us.
I was one of the people naive enough to think that when he got that injury, we wouldn’t see him again.
Hopefully he get’s hit by a train.
Hit by a train, Prop? That’s a terrible thing to wish upon someone. Surely a bus could do the job just as well….lol..
In fairness if Trap picked me I’d probably go and play too. I’d probably be just as effective as Green in the middle of the park or Whelan for that matter. Yes. I could stand in front of the back four and keep passing the ball backwards all day.
You know the feeling you get when you’re about to be dumped? That pit in your stomach? That’s the feeling I got when Green came off the bench against The Czech Republic.
Hopefully the PSNI will charge these idiots who threatened McClean. They can be easily tracked through their IP addresses. They need to be made an example of. I hate people who hide behind computers and say things to people that they would never have the guts to say to their face. Very cowardly.
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