Fans told to brace themselves for disappointment

An allocation of 6400 tickets for the World Cup Qualifier against England at Old Trafford is not enough to satisfy the near 10,000 NI fans who want them. The vast majority of these 10,000 have already booked their flights, but fans who weren’t in Wales will only have about a 1 in 3 chance of getting a ticket for the clash on the 26th of March. Applicants will find out next week whether they have been successful or not.
Warren Feeney made it three goals in as many games as he scored the only goal in Stockport’s win over Hartlepool. Healy set up a goal for Leeds. Roy Carroll was dropped by Man Utd after his latest blunder. Maik Taylor faced 3 penalties from Andy Johnson, but didn’t save any of them. Michael Hughes did well in the match however, as Dowie’s Palace continue to keep themselves just above the relegation zone.

Clyde and Doherty set for return

Wolves defender Mark Clyde is hoping to be declared fit for this weekend’s visit of Gillingham. The Limavady born player is undergoing treatment for mild tendonitis. Clyde:
“I had the problem before I joined up with the Northern Ireland squad and they agreed that it was best if I didn’t play. I’m having some treatment and we’ll have to see a few days down the line how things are going but I’ve not been ruled out of Saturday’s game as yet.”
Good to have it confirmed that he didn’t play because of injury (which we were told at the time he’d recovered from) rather than any other reason. Speaking of the Canada game, Clyde shared the disappointment of his teammates:
“It was disappointing. We have not won at home for quite a while and the lads were all upset not to do something about that but, we play England next month and everyone is focussing on that now.”
Meanwhile, injuries to 3 Bristol City midfielders mean that out of favour Tommy Doherty may be welcomed back into the team as early as this Saturday, when his side face Colchester United. A good article on the situation in the Bristol Evening Post includes clarification from manager Brian Tinnion that he wants the 25 year old Northern Ireland midfielder to remain at the club:
“I took the captaincy away from him so that he could concentrate on regaining his fitness and form. I have never said that I want him to leave the club and he has not been placed on the transfer list.
“Obviously other clubs have got the situation wrong and asked to take Tommy on loan. But he will be staying with us. He’ll get his head down, work hard and try and get back in the team.”

Roundup

Just getting over the flu…not good. Goings on in the Norn Iron world of late:

- Sammy Morrow talks of the best week of his footballing career, which included his Scottish Cup opener against Brechin and his U21 winner against Scotland. He also spoke of his hope at being called up to the senior NI squad ’sooner rather than later’.
- Luton Town continue their interest in Warren Feeney and Barnsley join the chase.
“It’s not often a team at the top of the league is linked with a player from a team at the bottom of the same division so that’s a big compliment.”
- Tommy Doherty may stay at Bristol City and fight for his place after losing the captaincy, despite QPR and Plymouth Argyle showing interest in loaning him out.
- NI fans successfully bring home the British Championship Trophy from Scotland

- And, wouldn’t it be funny to see the footbridge at the new Wembley Stadium named after Lawrie Sanchez? Try and get him nominated here, citing the 88 FA Cup Final rather than other reasons ;) [Via]

Northern Ireland 0 Canada 1

I didn’t want to be too critical of 4-5-1 before the match as for a start, we weren’t sure if it was going to happen, and also because very often Sanchez knows what he’s doing. But, with doing a Sammy Mac and playing Healy up front on his own, he clearly didn’t. The dogs in the street could have told him that it wouldn’t work. We didn’t do too badly early on but we were putting in an awful lot of work just to get shots on target, with Healy having to wait for support from midfield. Canada helped our cause immensely with 25 minutes played (or so we thought) when their number 3 picked up his second yellow card after crudely shoving Healy over as our star player skipped past him. Healy then headed a free header wide from 6 yards.
We had hit the post some time in this half from a cross (wile hard to see what’s going on at the Railway end when you’re in the Kop) but our passing and crossing was awful (K Gillespie the major culprit but Capaldi wasn’t being too smart either). Then they took the lead with their one shot on target. A free kick was swung in and our defence went on strike, leaving A Canadian free to head past the helpless Maik Taylor. But never worry, let yer man have his goal, we’d put at least 3 past them in the second half.
Kirk came on at the start of the second half (45 minutes too late) and did alright. We were all over them for large parts of the second half. We were strongly disadvantaged however by Keith Gillespie, who was putting in the worst performance I’ve ever witnessed from a Northern Ireland player. He was awful on the ball, couldn’t cross to save his life and was taking every single free kick and corner. He had a shot deflected over the bar at the start of the half but then just went from bad to worse. It took Lawrie far, FAR too long to bring Steve Jones on for him. The Canadians tried to score an own goal in each half, the second one being by far the funniest. A Norn Iron cross went across the face of their goal, without a home player in sight, and a Canada defender hit it towards the corner of his own net, but his keeper managed to keep it out.
We had them under P for most of the second half, and were denied the most clearcut of clearcut penalties when Healy was shoved over in the box (they didn’t even show it on the highlights) under the nose of the referee. Steve Davis was putting in a good debut, and Jeff Whitely, who also played the whole match, was doing well in the middle. Sadly however Andy Smith came on. While Gillespie had been bad, at least he had just looked like a footballer, just a very bad one. Smith didn’t look anything like a footballer. He came on and immediately started running around like a headless chicken on duracell, doing absolutely nothing of use, and getting in everyone’s way. He didn’t have a clue what to do with the ball when it came near him. One time he was beaten to the ball by a Canadian player who started the race well behind him. Three months without even reserve football does have an effect, no matter what LS might think.
In injury time Carroll came up for two corners, and after the first, Steve Jones saw a shot come back off the inside of the post. And that was it. A shocking night. At least Armenia was funny. That was completely awful. But hopefully it’s the Poland before the Wales away, as it were.
Taylor (Carroll 46), Baird, Hughes, Murdock (Kirk 46), McCartney, Gillespie (Jones 80), Doherty (Mulryne 46), Davis, Whitley, Capaldi (Craigan), Healy (Smith 84)
Not used: Williams, Clyde

Four Five Wan

Lawrie Sanchez has chosen to go with only one striker in tonight’s match against Canada, meaning no-one will be given the chance to start up front alongside David Healy, in the absence of James Quinn.
It’s rather a defensive formation for a home match we would expect to win, and it’s not as if the 11 starting tonight will be the team that starts against England (DJ and Elliott injured). Mulryne and Clyde could also return at Old Trafford, with both not fully fit.
I think the expected 3-5-2 formation would have been better, as it would have given Kirk a chance to start up front. We all remember the bad old days of Healy being played up on his own by Sammy McIlroy. But at last Smith isn’t starting!
As for the rest of the team, thankfully Taylor starts in goal. George McCartney is at his club position of left back, possibly for the first for NI? Chris Baird is at right back instead of Clyde, although hopefully the decision was made because of the knock Clyde picked up in training. Mad Murdock starts in the middle alongside Aaron Hughes, with Mark Williams left out as he has hardly been playing at all recently. Capaldi also plays in his club position of left wing, and Steve Davis is indeed given his first start. Full team:
Taylor, Baird, Hughes (c), Murdock, McCartney; Gillespie, Doherty, Whitely, Davis, Capaldi; Healy

Northern Ireland 2 Scotland 1 (U21)

Northern Ireland came from behind to beat Scotland in tonight’s Under 21 friendly international at The Hoval.

The home side completely bossed the first half hour, with captain Sammy Clingan completely bossing the midfield and Scotland rarely making it out of their own half. Michael McGovern wasn’t threatened until about the half hour mark, when he was called on to make a great one on one save when the Scottish counter attacked after an Ulster corner. The did make it 1-0 with 36 minutes gone, courtesy of Celtic’s Shaun Maloney, as Scotland toured straight through our defence. This goal stunned the home side, and Scotland came forward with more confidence as the half drew to a close.
3 minutes into the second half it was 1-1, as Chris Brunt fired in a powerful free kick that flew past Samson, helped on by a slight deflection off the wall.
Each of the previous four encounters between the two sides at this level had resulted in nil nil draws, and one wondered whether it would happen again, but Northern Ireland now had the momentum. Dean Shiels was replaced by his Hibernian teammate Sammy Morrow after 56 minutes. Morrow showed some good touches early on and after just 3 minutes on the pitch got on the end of low Brunt cross to score what turned out to be the winner.
If this is what we could do to their Under 21’s, no wonder Walter was scared to play us!
“Scotland’s future’s looking grim!”

NORTHERN IRELAND: McGovern, Ward (Gault 46), Friars, Hughes, Webb, McCrystal, Gilfillan (Murtagh 80), Klingon (c), Braniff (Teggart 76), Shiels (Morrow 56), Brunt.
Subs Not Used: Julian, Lindsay, McLean, McCourt.
Man of the Match: Brunt
Oh, and England, Wales and the ROI all lost too! Ahahahaha!!

Squad for Canada

Taylor (Birmingham City), Carroll (Manchester United), McCartney (Sunderland), Capaldi (Plymouth Argyle), Craigan (Motherwell), Murdock (Crewe Alexandra), Hughes (Newcastle United), Clyde (Wolves), Baird (Southampton), Williams (MK Dons), Gillespie (Leicester), Whitley (Sunderland), Mulryne (Norwich City), Davis (Aston Villa), Doherty (Bristol City), Healy (Leeds United), Smith (Preston North End), Kirk (Boston United), Jones (Crewe Alexandra)

Saturday Round Up

Mad
Andy Kirk scored a brace for Boston United, giving them the lead twice as they beat Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 this afternoon. Colin Murdock made his debut for Crewe, but the Alex defence was denied a clean sheet by Keith Gillespie. Steve Jones was an unused sub for Crewe. Londonderry lad Sammy Morrow scored for Hibs in their 4-0 win over Brechin City in the Scottish Cup. James Quinn started again for Sheffield Wednesday in their goalless derby draw with Barnsley. Chris Brunt came on in that match. And Aston Villa’s signing of Eric Djemba Djemba (so rubbish they named him twice) didn’t stop Steve Davis from starting in their 3-1 defeat against Arsenal.

Sanchez’ Smith Obsession Continues

Despite not having played football for at least 3 months, Lawrie Sanchez is showing amazing loyalty to Andy ‘couldn’t score on a jotter’ Smith – at the expense of Warren Feeney. Smith is included in the Northern Ireland squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Canada, but Feeney isn’t even on standby.
Andy Smith made a big-money, high profile move to Craig Brown’s Preston last summer, but failed to make any impact and when Preston got a new manager, he was farmed out to Sammy McIlroy’s Stockport on loan. At Stockport, he made one league appearance and one cup appearance. In December he got injured, and hasn’t played for anyone since.
Warren Feeney, on the other hand, has scored 10 goals in 27 league appearances for Stockport this season.
He rightly let rip in yesterday’s News Letter:
Warren Feeney was fuming last night after being snubbed yet again by Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez.
Northern Ireland face Canada in a friendly at Windsor Park next Wednesday and the Stockport County striker expected a call-up.
But Feeney, 24, who is expecting a big money move to Luton Town soon, isn’t even on the stand-by list!
Sanchez has named four forwards, David Healy, Andy Smith, Andrew Kirk and Steve Jones.
Feeney, who won three caps under Sammy McIlroy, the last against Cyprus two years ago, said: “To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. I’m gutted.
“Lawrie Sanchez said he would pick anyone playing first team football and give fringe players a chance. Well, I’ve scored 10 goals in a bad team which is bottom of the league. I just don’t know what I have done wrong. “I understand Andy Smith is in the squad and he hasn’t kicked a ball since leaving Stockport three months ago. I think he was to play in a reserve game last week but that was called off. It’s a joke.
“I have played 27 league games for Stockport this season and doing well. A number of clubs have expressed an interest, among them Luton. I think there is a big fee involved and the clubs are talking. It’s out of my hands.
“Danny Griffin got a letter telling him he’s on stand-by and I thought I would get one too. But it hasn’t arrived.
“My face obviously just doesn’t fit and I’m putting my international career to the back of my mind and concentrating on Stockport. “Stevie Robinson, a mate, is doing really well at Luton who are top of the league but he’s not getting a look-in either.
“Lawrie Sanchez hasn’t even picked up the phone to explain anything.
I am past caring,” added Feeney.

U21 Squad

The squad for the match against Scotland at the Oval on Tuesday. 2 ex-Stute players.
Goalkeepers:
Michael McGovern (Celtic /Stranraer)
Alan Julian (Brentford)
Defenders:
Sean Ward (Glentoran)
Kris Lindsay (Portadown)
Sean Webb (St Johnstone)
Mark McCrystal (Derry City)
Emmet Friars (Notts County)
Brian McClean (Rangers)
Brian Gilfillan (Gretna FC)
Midfield:
Pat McCourt (Shamrock Rovers)
Sammy Clingan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Michael Gault (Linfield)
Chris Brunt (Sheffield Wednesday)
Conall Murtagh (Hearts/Raith Rovers)
Mark Hughes (Oldham Athletic)
Forwards:
Kevin Braniff (Millwall)
Neil Teggert (Sunderland/Scunthorpe)
Dean Shiels (Hibernian)
Sammy Morrow (Hibernian)