The Irish Opponents: Who Will be Playing for Ireland?

November 1st, 2009 | by: Laurie |

On paper, this shouldn’t even be much of a matchup. France has the players with the big names and the big money.

You know. The ones who get all the press.

Too bad you can’t play a match on paper.

Gardiens de but
Shay Given (Manchester City, Ang)
Keiren Westwood (Conventry City, Ang)
Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe United, Ang)

Défenseurs
John O’Shea (Manchester United, Ang)
Richard Dunne (Aston Villa, Ang)
Stephen Kelly (Fulham, Ang)
Kevin Kilbane (Hull City, Ang)
Eddie Nolan (Preston North End, Ang)
Sean St. Ledger (Middlesbrough, Ang)
Paul McShane (Hull City, Ang)
Darren O’Dea (Reading, Ang)

Milieux de terrain
Aiden McGeady (Celtic Glasgow, Eco)
Damien Duff (Fulham, Ang)
Darron Gibson (Manchester United, Ang)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City, Ang)
Keith Andrews (Blackburn Rovers, Ang)
Liam Miller (Hibernian, Eco)
Stephen Hunt (Hull City, Ang)
Andy Keogh (Wolverhampton, Ang)
Liam Lawrence (Stoke City, Ang)

Attaquants
Kevin Doyle (Wolverhampton, Ang)
Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspurs, Ang)
Shane Long (Reading, Ang)
Leon Best (Coventry Cirty, Ang)
Anthony Stokes (Hibernian, Eco)

France World Cup Blog RSS Feed

http://france.theoffside.com/ Thomas

I’m honestly not impressed. At all. Their defense and keeper are decent, but apart from that…

All the people saying that Ireland are underrated should think again. The team is basically composed of overrated Premiership players.
http://guinea.worldcupblog.org shane

Given can definitely keep Ireland in it. Very underrated keeper. Rest of the squad is merely average. They will play for one goal over the two legs and hope it is enough.
Jean-François

I really want to know who will be on France’s squad/starting 11…..
http://france.worldcupblog.org Laurie

Jean-Francois, that makes a few million of us.
Jean-François

When do you think it will be announced?
http://france.worldcupblog.org Laurie

They usually announce the squad the Thursday a week before the match. I don’t think Domenech ever announces the starting XI until matchtime. Newspapers like l’Equipe will print their guesses earlier, though, based on who’s practicing where, so keep an eye out as the match approaches.
mac

sorry to bust your bubble, but it is France that have been unimpressive and have the most to lose. Underestimating Ireland will be France’s biggest mistake and will make the fall that much harder. These two games are for a chance to play in the World Cup. Anything can happen, that is the beauty of football. With so much at stake I find it hard to believe that anyone could casually write off a team that has made it just as far as a so called world class team.
mac

http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/raymond-domenech-man-seeking-muzzle.html
Vincent

The simple reason why France is going to beat Ireland to go to the world cup is that France plays extremely well under pressure. Lets look back at the 2006 world cup: the team lazily tied two games before beating togo and then going on a run to the finals. While i know it was with Zizou so that affected things I think our team is simply programed not to care until its extremely important. And its important now
Jean-François

Does anyone know which channel the France games will be on? In the Eastern USA.
Danny

I just saw an ad saying the games would be broadcast on Setanta Premium, which means if you want to see them live, you’ll have to find a pub and pay the $20 pay per view fee.
princedesparcs

To call Given “decent” is like calling Ireland England. He’s fucking Spiderman incarnate, fo’ crisake. He’s the man I fear most, (though whatever Eire 11 touch grass that day will be determined, to say the least). But if France had that caliber of a keeper and didn’t win in 2010, somebody would stand trial for high treason.

Apart from that, anybody notice that Patrick has been having quite a good go for the Special One of late? In fact, I sense Vieira will find his way onto the grass in Dublin. Which should give the Domenech detractors, of which there are not a few of you, nightmares of Lass, Patrick and Toulalan all charging forth as a pack.
Jean-François

hey everyone check out this video I uploaded on youtube, it is a video on Zidane. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaVfoBIz2uo
Jean-François

I uploaded it after the original uploader’s YT page was deleted.
Aditya

Nice compilation Jean.

Irish players might be overrated EPL players but let’s not forget that they made life difficult for Italians. They will be hard to beat. First goal in thos contest will be very important.
Terry from Naples fl

decent formation aside man city most players play in bottom half clubs, les bleus will be in the top 4 at the wc without being arrogant
Alex Tran

http://www.lequipe.fr/Portfolio/Football/bloc_media-100-36-cm-eur.html

New jerseys for WC 2010!
Nicholas

hey avery one who is a fan of France here’s a petition for avery one to sign.
http://www.petitiononline.com/france10/petition.html
you should all find it interesting
http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/ GFC

The list for Les Bleus is announced. Interesting omissions due to injury or lack of confidence- Vieira, Mexes, and Ribery.

http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/2009/11/france-v-ireland-world-cup-qualifiers.html
http://lyon.theoffside.com Inara

Vieira’s response: http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2009/20091106_010221_la-riposte-de-vieira.html

Wow, those are pretty bold words from him.
Jean-François

I love Trezeguet, I wanted him to be called on
terry from florida

honestly no matter how bad you guys think france plays the Irish are the equivalence of a decent French division team and I don’t mean LYON ,BORDEAUX or Marseillaise , I WILL TURN GAY if France odes not go to SA that’s how sure I AM no F….. WAY will Ireland beat them in 2games