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We're home and bleary after a night in our own beds... no sleeping on worms and mud!
The irish tour saw three games played and three games won in the Blades' favour, with six good goals scored by six different players (Quinn, Tonge, Webber, Sharp, Stretch, Ash).
Most of the travelling squad got at least one game under their belt... with a number of players featuring more than others. Alan Quinn made two starts and a sub appearance in the third game. Keith Gillespie started the first two games. Matt Kilgallon also featured in all three matches... a sign of things to come?
Overall, the players' touches seem to be much improved... we actually witnessed Danny Webber controlling and bringing a ball down in the box, only for Alan Quinn to take it off his toes as he was shaping to shoot - the latter looking extremely eager to impress. If the way we played out there was anything to go by, we're attacking next season. The centrebacks and a lone central midfielder seemed to stop back while everyone else pushed forwards... with Del Geary pushing into the box a number of times at Portadown.
A lot of people were bemoaning the opposition, but they were tough teams to play. They'd have loved to have beaten [ex-Man U's] Bryan Robson's team. But the main aim of the friendlies is to give the lads a workout and hope for no injuries... and it looked like everyone came through unscathed.
A big shout out has to go to James Ashmore... encouraged by the players around him and keen to make a name for himself, he didn't put a foot wrong, read the game well and looked extremely assured. Robson looks keen so expect good things of this lad this year.
Local football fans in Ireland seem to be a bit thin on the ground and it's a shame to see these teams struggling for money and support. We saw more Man U and Celtic shirts over there than we'd seen over here and Gaelic shirts were everywhere. Indeed, Newry had a dig in their local press that more didn't turn up to see their friendly with us. Support for their national sides seems so fanatical but sadly, it doesn't filter down.
The Irish are great people and we received a warm welcome wherever we went... and you can always find someone to talk to
Good trip, good Guinness and things are looking good for the season!
:drunk:
The missing match report and loads of stuff will be up later, but we're off to the open day in a bit
The irish tour saw three games played and three games won in the Blades' favour, with six good goals scored by six different players (Quinn, Tonge, Webber, Sharp, Stretch, Ash).
Most of the travelling squad got at least one game under their belt... with a number of players featuring more than others. Alan Quinn made two starts and a sub appearance in the third game. Keith Gillespie started the first two games. Matt Kilgallon also featured in all three matches... a sign of things to come?
Overall, the players' touches seem to be much improved... we actually witnessed Danny Webber controlling and bringing a ball down in the box, only for Alan Quinn to take it off his toes as he was shaping to shoot - the latter looking extremely eager to impress. If the way we played out there was anything to go by, we're attacking next season. The centrebacks and a lone central midfielder seemed to stop back while everyone else pushed forwards... with Del Geary pushing into the box a number of times at Portadown.
A lot of people were bemoaning the opposition, but they were tough teams to play. They'd have loved to have beaten [ex-Man U's] Bryan Robson's team. But the main aim of the friendlies is to give the lads a workout and hope for no injuries... and it looked like everyone came through unscathed.
A big shout out has to go to James Ashmore... encouraged by the players around him and keen to make a name for himself, he didn't put a foot wrong, read the game well and looked extremely assured. Robson looks keen so expect good things of this lad this year.
Local football fans in Ireland seem to be a bit thin on the ground and it's a shame to see these teams struggling for money and support. We saw more Man U and Celtic shirts over there than we'd seen over here and Gaelic shirts were everywhere. Indeed, Newry had a dig in their local press that more didn't turn up to see their friendly with us. Support for their national sides seems so fanatical but sadly, it doesn't filter down.
The Irish are great people and we received a warm welcome wherever we went... and you can always find someone to talk to
Good trip, good Guinness and things are looking good for the season!
:drunk:
The missing match report and loads of stuff will be up later, but we're off to the open day in a bit
