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Criticism of Keane’s SPL goal scoring is off target
Robbie Keane’s recent goal haul in Scotland has been dismissed in some quarters because of the lower standard in the SPL. The competition may not be great, but Keane’s record proves that his quality always shines through.
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Ward snub flies in the face of the evidence
This week’s international squad announcement must have taken even Greg Cunningham by surprise - the Galway lad may well be a star of the future, but his invitation at the present time is an injudicious snub to Stephen Ward.
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Radical change leads Celtic on uncertain journey
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray needs his barrage of new signings to deliver quickly over the coming months if he’s to become the new messiah at Parkhead.
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Putting the skids under Euro optimism
Apparently, in just three months, Russia have degenerated from being one of Europe’s best sides to become cannon-fodder for Gio Trap’s Ireland in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. Surely no good can come of all this optimism.
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McCarthy marked out by old head on young shoulders
The indications from Irish assistant manager Marco Tardelli suggest James McCarthy could receive a debut call-up for next month’s friendly against Brazil. The 19-year-old has hit the headlines with a couple of goals for Wigan recently - but what really marks him out as something special is his maturity.
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Would another change of format benefit the League of Ireland?
Bohemians midfielder Paul Keegan reckons that an increase in the number of teams in the Premier Division would bring more fans through the turnstiles. Is he right?
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Transfer deadline day as it happened
A host of Irishmen have completed transfers on deadline day - and the biggest deal of the lot, Robbie Keane to Celtic on loan, went through late on Monday evening. Read all about the Ireland skipper’s Parkhead switch, Leon Best’s move to Newcastle United, Keith Treacy’s nervous signature at Preston, Daryl Murphy’s Sunderland exit and several other deals for Irish players in the eleven-a-side.com transfer deadline day blog.
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Scot-free Celtic on one-way ticket to nowhere
For Sunday’s win over St Johnstone, the Celtic manager named a starting line-up at the weekend without a single Scot. With results and performances seemingly worse than ever, how long more will proud Bhoys fans put up with this rapid move away from the club’s roots?
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Trap trek: the next generation
The phrase “golden generation” is often used in relation to international football, with England and Portugal clear examples in recent years. It’s not stretching a point to describe the current Irish squad as a golden era of our own, but as the long-serving stars reach the veteran stage, can Giovanni Trapattoni unearth new talent to invigorate them?
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Pantomime villain Tevez masks United’s real enemies
Cupping his ears from the centre circle was a provocative gesture by Carlos Tevez, but Manchester United fans directing their bile in his direction are missing the bigger picture. Their club is sinking, and the inability to sign Tevez last summer was a symptom of the malaise.
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Bohs’ Fenlon stance to be applauded
Last week’s Pat Fenlon saga ended disappointingly for the Bohemians manager but the League of Ireland club deserves credit for conducting its business on a level playing field.
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Insurance vultures paint past in warm glow
A few showers of snow, a bit of ice on the roads and games are called off virtually en masse. Whatever happened to hunching your shoulders against the cold and barrelling on, and – key point – taking responsibility for your own actions?
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Delaney parting shot puts league in the spotlight
Long-serving League of Ireland defender Clive Delaney heads off for Australia this weekend, and his articulately-expressed disenchantment with the Irish football scene should be a wake-up call for everyone with an interest in its fortunes.
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The Cup is reeling from a decade of mortal blows
Regardless of events at Old Trafford on Sunday, the FA Cup is still dying on its feet, writes The Mouthpiece in his first blog of 2010.
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McCarthy was wrong to dress Wolves in sheep’s clothing
Mick McCarthy’s decision to rest his entire side for the trip to Manchester may have been grounded in characteristic common sense, but it places undue pressure on his players when Burnley visit on Sunday.
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