Tune into any football review show and you are bound to hear ‘experts’ waste valuable air-time in highlighting the mistakes of a referee. Yet when a player is caught in an act of simulation or bending the rules, it is laughed off with the type of old boy’s club mentality that sadly still dominates in the game.

Whether it is naivety or simply not wanting to criticise a fellow professional, ex-footballers posing as pundits rarely lambast players for bending the rules. Perhaps it is because they have done something similar in their own careers, but to then demonise an official for an act of human error is double standards of the highest order.

Most football fans declare that they want diving, playacting and other such atrocities to be banned from the game. Although, some fall suspiciously silent when it works in favour of their team and without any proper punishment in place for such acts, they have every right to point a finger and say ‘well, he got away with it’.

What we would like to see is a proper procedure put in place to punish those clearly guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, because that is what they are doing, and the respective governing bodies having the bravery to stick by those measures. If they did, then it would make players think twice.

The media also have a role to play in this as they can ‘name and shame’ repeat offenders. Rather than worry about kids adopting bad habits and believing that cheating is just part of the game, help to cut it out at the highest level and then it will trickle all the way down to schoolboys/girls on weekend mornings.

The other side of this gripe is what constitutes being a modern footballer. Oh, how we pine for the old, battle-hardened player, like Paul McGrath (pictured), who relished tackling – and actually viewed it as an important part of the game – and getting on with the game no matter what happened on the pitch.

Here are a few crimes that we believe a lot of modern footballers are guilty of and things that irk us beyond belief:

- Players who hold onto the ball after the opposition has scored

- Goalkeepers who complain and pout if anyone steps near their breathing space during corner kicks

- Players who put the ball outside of the quadrant for corner kicks

- Players who run the length of the pitch to get an opponent sent off, often stepping over their injured team-mate without showing any concern for them

- Players who shirk out of 50/50 tackles and those who complain about a high foot or studs shown when it was just a good, old-fashioned challenge

- Players who would rather sit in the stands earning a wage rather than drop down to a lesser team and prove themselves

- Players who berate opponents for simulation and play-acting, but do the exact same things themselves

- Players who turn away from the ball when lined up in a defensive wall

- Players who ask opponents to swap shirts with them after they have put in a pathetic shift

- Players who spend more time chasing referees than opposition players

- Players who shrug off their team-mates to celebrate a goal in a way that makes them look selfish and egoistical

- Players who cannot whip a ball properly and get it past the front post yet insist on taking corner kicks

- Goalkeepers who cannot control the ball with their feet – acting as if they are doing it for the very first time

- Players who are never ready to come on to the pitch when called off the substitute’s bench

- Players who insist on having nicknames and ridiculously high numbers on the back of their jerseys

- Players who wait until added time to put some effort in and try to show that they are working hard

- Players who think that a 30-yard ping across the pitch gets them bonus points when a five-yard pass is the better option

- Players who are waiting for a long ball to be played and can see straight across the pitch but are still caught offside

- Goalkeepers who go forward for corner kicks but just end up getting in the way of their team-mates

- Players who stop playing to protest a decision – whatever happened to play to the whistle?

That’s all, just a few things that ruin a game of football for us when they occur!

Picking any of the aforementioned players and listing off why they should be so pivotal to Giovanni Trapattoni’s team is pretty pointless, because that is what they already are (except for the exiled Gibson). Well, almost everyone….as O’Brien has been incredibly unfortunate to be overlooked.

While the Dubliner has made a couple of recent squads, it is baffling that he is not viewed as the second-choice left-back behind Marc Wilson. If one considers that both Stephen Ward (Wolves) and Greg Cunningham (Bristol City) suffered relegation from the Championship, surely O’Brien is ahead of them.

It’s not that we are in favour of a player making the Ireland squad simply because they play in the Premier League, it’s that O’Brien has played well, week after week. He finished the season with 33 appearances made for West Ham – mostly at left-back, which has been a troublesome position for Trapattoni.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about O’Brien is that he is even playing at the highest level in England. It was only a couple of years ago that the versatile player had to weigh up his options following a couple of potentially career-ending injuries. For him to make it back from them is a massive achievement.

Now 27, the future looks bright for the former Home Farm schoolboy with a new contract signed with the Hammers and coming off the back of his longest run of games. Maybe he will be part of the Ireland squad that has three friendlies and one World Cup qualifier over the next month, but he deserves to be involved all of the time.

The same could be argued for Norwich City’s Wes Hoolahan, who is possibly the most technically gifted player available to the Ireland team right now. While his team have struggled to recapture their early-season form, Hoolahan is always capable of producing a moment of magic that can turn a game in favour of his team.

Alongside him, Anthony Pilkington has done well and should become a regular squad member for the Boys in Green, once he recovers from a niggling hamstring injury that is. Primarily used as a left winger, he is direct, quick to shift the ball, possesses an eye for goal, crosses it brilliantly, tracks back, and links play well – basically a major upgrade on James McClean.

Another uncapped player who has caught the eye is Robert Elliot, who started the season as Newcastle United’s No 3 keeper but ended it as their starting man. He kept five clean sheets in 16 appearances, which isn’t bad, but it is outstanding when you compare it to Sunderland’s Keiren Westwood, who only started three games or QPR’s Brian Murphy, who didn’t play a single game.

Even though there are no Irishmen playing for any of the top five clubs in England, thus missing out on European action, it is hugely encouraging that so many have become key players at their respective clubs as it shows progress. And if Trapattoni has to select the team listed below, it wouldn’t be a bad starting XI to go into battle with.

Premier League – Irish Team of the Season

Goalkeeper: Robert Elliot (Newcastle United)

Defence: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), John O’Shea (Sunderland), Joey O’Brien (West Ham)

Midfield: Damien Duff (Fulham), Darron Gibson (Everton), James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)

Forward: Jon Walters (Stoke City), Shane Long (West Brom)

Having made 24 appearances for Aberdeen, the Galway native is very much on the radar of bigger clubs with the rigors of the Scottish Premier League clearly not fazing him.

When he was selected as the last defender to make Paul Doolin’s Republic of Ireland Under 19 squad for the European finals two years ago, it was obvious Shaughnessy was going to make it.

Humble yet ambitious, shy yet determined, the 20-year-old has been prepared for wait for his chance and even made the most of a loan spell with Forfar Athletic last season.

But when he was called upon to step up for the Dons, he did so as if he had been playing at that level for years. And the defender’s consistency has transformed him into someone who new manager Derek McInnes should heavily rely on next term.

Of course, that all depends on whether clubs attempt to make a summer move for Shaughnessy or not. And the same goes for Dundee United’s Gavin Gunning, who had attracted a lot of interest before picking up a serious injury.

The SPL is fast becoming a league where Irish youngsters look to make an early impression and move on to greater things. It is why Danny Rogers, Sean Hume and Alan O’Sullivan have all joined Shaughnessy at Aberdeen.

Those who have already made the grade at senior level are regular stand-out performers for their respective clubs, such as Inverness CT’s Aaron Doran and St Mirren’s Graham Carey, and others, like Dons winger Jonny Hayes, have come of age.

Regarding international recognition, both Darren Randolph (Motherwell) and Anthony Stokes (Celtic) have been involved in the Ireland squad before but they are often on the outside hoping to get in as a regular, which suggests Giovanni Trapattoni may not be keen on the SPL.

Whether he is or not, it will hardly deter the likes of Jim Goodwin (St Mirren), Paul Heffernan (Kilmarnock) and Willo Flood (Dundee United) from choosing to ply their trade there. All three enjoyed fine seasons for their clubs and that’s all that really matters.

Pat Fenlon’s Hibernian still have the Scottish Cup final to come, but it has been a largely disappointing season for his Irish crew members with injury ruling both Tim Clancy and Gary Deegan out for sustained periods.

Nevertheless, it has been a season to savour for a lot of Irish players and top of that list is Shaughnessy – a player who ticks all of the right boxes needed to carve out a successful career.

SPL – Irish Team of the Season

Goalkeeper: Darren Randolph (Motherwell)

Defence: Joe Shaughnessy (Aberdeen), Tim Clancy (Hibernian), Jim Goodwin (St Mirren), Gavin Gunning (Dundee United)

Midfield: Aaron Doran (Inverness CT), Willo Flood (Dundee United), Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen)

Forward: Jon Daly (Dundee United), Richie Foran (Inverness CT), Paul Heffernan (Kilmarnock)

Being exiled from the Republic of Ireland set-up has allowed the Dubliner to focus solely on his club football and now that he is back in the Championship, he has been consistently delivering classy performances.

Just missing out on the play-offs was a remarkable achievement for a team who went through three different managers with each of them relying heavily on Reid to be their dynamic playmaker.

The 30-year-old finished the campaign with a return of five goals and 12 assists from 45 games. It may not be enough to convince Giovanni Trapattoni of recalling the midfielder, but it certainly reaffirms his quality.

During his time in the Premier League, Reid was inconsistent – superb one week, a ghost the next. He is at home in the Championship and he shouldn’t take that as an insult because it is not an easy league to stand out in.

Another Irishman who regularly stood out in England’s second tier this term is Stephen Quinn. The move to Hull City from Sheffield United was the right one and automatic promotion justified it. However, he is someone – unlike Reid – who can still add more to his game.

It’s not that Reid is over the hill, it’s just that Quinn is more energetic and versatile. He may have only scored three goals, although ask any Hull player or supporter who their most important player has been in recent months and they are bound to pick out the flame-haired midfielder.

A first senior call-up to the Ireland squad should be forthcoming and he would dearly love to join club-mates Paul McShane, David Meyler and Robbie Brady on international trips. If he can play just as well in the Premier League, he will become impossible to ignore.

Brady is already in Trapattoni’s plans and the youngster definitely made the right decision to join the Tigers from Manchester United. He needed games, he needed to mature, and he needed to be put under pressure. Well, a return of 13 assists from 34 games showed he could handle it all.

Unsung heroes for their respective teams have been Chris McCann (Burnley), Stephen Dawson (Barnsley), Alan Dunne (Millwall) and Greg Cunningham (Bristol City), while both Richard Keogh (Derby County) and Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace) were outstanding.

Delaney is still involved in the play-offs, along with Watford’s band of Irishmen (although only Mark Yeates is likely to be used with Tommie Hoban out injured), Leicester City’s Conrad Logan, and Brighton’s pair of Marcos Painter and Gary Dicker. It could yet to be happy ending for some.

A number of players will want to forget about the recent season, including Palace’s Paddy McCarthy, Wolves’ Kevin Foley and Cardiff City’s Stephen McPhail. However, it was a season to remember for young talents like Blackburn’s John O’Sullivan, Derby’s Mark O’Brien and Burnley’s Kevin Long.

Relegation left a bitter taste for the Wolves pack as well as two Irish players from Bristol City and Peterborough United, yet it was largely a season that showcased the best of so many Irishmen and it continues to be an attractive league for them.

Championship – Irish Team of the Season

Goalkeeper: David Forde (Millwall)

Defence: Tommie Hoban (Watford), Richard Keogh (Derby County), Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace), Greg Cunningham (Bristol City)

Midfield: Andy Reid (Nottingham Forest), Jeff Hendrick (Derby County), Stephen Quinn (Hull City), Chris McCann (Burnley), Robbie Brady (Hull City)

Forward: Conor Sammon (Derby County)

Scoring goals is what Madden does best. It’s what he has always done best, from his schoolboy days with WFTA to his League of Ireland graduation with Bohemians. If a manager shows faith in him, he will repay them with goals and so that has proved at Yeovil.

Glovers manager Gary Johnson had seen the Dubliner in action during his Bohs days and knew all about his knack of finishing off chances. So when it became clear that Carlisle United were holding him back, Johnson moved to bring Madden in on loan and then eventually sign him in the January transfer window.

That has proved to be one of the best transfer moves in British football this season as the Dubliner has hit 23 goals (although one did come for Carlisle) and acted as the spearhead of a team that includes two other Irishmen, midfielder Kevin Dawson and winger Sam Foley. Without Madden, promotion would have been nothing more than a pipe dream for Yeovil.

He is a supreme poacher – always playing off the shoulder of the last defender, drifting in behind them, coming short or going long for passes, and able to score any kind of goal. The 23-year-old can play up front on his own or link up with a team-mate, but his best quality is simply putting the ball in the back of the net.

Just behind Madden in the top scorers’ list of Irish players in the UK is Swindon Town’s James Collins on 18 goals. It has been a terrific first season in League One for the former Aston Villa trainee, but he has been mis-used at times with almost as many substitute appearances as starts (29 starts, 22 from bench) and that begs the question: could he have scored even more?

There is no doubt that Collins is made for this level. He is strong, uses his burst of pace well, and has an eye for goal, but there are still areas to improve on – such as his link-up play and contributing to the team when he doesn’t have the ball at his feet. It is still early in his career, so those things should come but his goalscoring is already where it should be.

Leyton Orient’s David Mooney also hit double figures with 13 goals, although the spotlight should shine a little brighter for Crawley Town’s Billy Clarke, who notched one more with 14. The Cork native was simply sensational for a very average team and whether he was deployed out wide or up front, he often seemed to have a big impact on games.

At the other end of the pitch, MK Dons goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin finished the season strongly. The Dubliner was nothing more than a spectator for the first part of the campaign, then he went on loan to Walsall, played well, and was recalled to replace the injured David Martin. He ended up with nine clean sheets from 22 games to prove his worth.

In front of him, Shaun Williams, the former Sporting Fingal man, has outstanding all season long. It will be truly baffling if he doesn’t earn a move to a bigger club despite signing a new contract extension. And both Stephen Gleeson and Darren Potter recorded noteworthy seasons for a team that struggled to live up to high expectations.

Despite suffering relegation with Scunthorpe United, ex-Republic of Ireland Under 21 defender Niall Canavan can be pleased with his efforts. He made 40 starts for the Iron and even chipped in with six goals, while his tackling and reading of the game improved with the more games that he played. He should forge a decent career for himself.

Two players who should be aiming higher though as Bournemouth’s Harry Arter and Notts County’s Alan Judge. The diminutive duo were superb for their respective clubs with Arter hitting a career-high eight goals in 42 games, while Judge scored the same amount but also registered 11 assists in 43 games. Both were integral parts of their team’s success during a long season.

Arter clinched promotion with the Cherries, so he will be in the Championship next term (and firmly on Giovanni Trapattoni’s radar), while Judge has left Notts County and his free agent status should alert clubs in England’s second tier. He could prove to be the bargain signing of the summer.

It was a very good season in League One for a lot of Irish players with youngsters stepping up (Mark Connolly, Will Hayhurst), veterans standing out (Jonathan Douglas, Michael Doyle), and others simply proving their doubters wrong (Madden).

League One – Irish Team of the Season

Goalkeeper: Joe Murphy (Coventry City)

Defence: Matt Doherty (Bury), Niall Canavan (Scunthorpe United), Shaun Williams (MK Dons), Alan Sheehan (Notts County)

Midfield: Alan Judge (Notts County), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Michael Doyle (Sheffield United), Eunan O’Kane (Bournemouth)

Forward: Paddy Madden (Carlisle United / Yeovil Town), Billy Clarke (Crawley Town)

With opportunities so limited for young players, they are bound to suffer more knock-backs than most can take. Although, it is those who keep on fighting that usually forge a career for themselves in the game. And Hourihane, a feisty midfielder who was released by Ipswich Town, falls into that bracket.

The 22-year-old started off at Sunderland upon leaving Cork and then followed Roy Keane to Ipswich, but first-team chances never came up and he knew that lowering his expectations was the only way to get his break. And that is why his decision to join Plymouth – despite all of their off-field issues – was a clever one and showed that he can make mature, sensible decisions.

Since joining in 2011, Hourihane has played almost 100 games for the Pilgrims. This season alone has seen him clock up 47 starts, where he scored five times, collected 11 yellow cards and one dismissal. Quite simply, Plymouth are much stronger team when he is anchoring their midfield.

There were times when Hourihane may have questioned himself, especially when he was only rated as fifth-choice midfielder for the Republic of Ireland Under 21′s. But his resilience is a trait that coaches cannot teach and it is something that should see him carve out a long and relatively-successful career.

The same goes for Anthony O’Connor, who has been superb since joining Burton Albion on loan from Blackburn Rovers. Another Cork native with a steely attitude, he has adapted to League Two football without too many stumbles and finished up with 53 starts – not bad for his first season as a senior player.

O’Connor still has two years to run on his contract with Blackburn, who surely have big plans for him. Able to play anywhere across the backline, he is someone with a very bright future and it will be interesting to see if he gets the chance to play in the Championship next season. The way that he has been developing, few would bet against him making it there.

Another player who came of age – or at least proved that he could handle the rough and tumble of the senior game – was Carl McHugh. When he was released by Reading, the Donegal native had a couple of clubs interested in him and he spent some time training with Stevenage before their original offer of a contract disappeared when it was meant to be getting signed.

Frustrated, but more determined than ever to prove himself, McHugh linked up with Bradford City on a pre-season tour of Ireland. The versatile defender did enough there to earn an extended stay with Phil Parkinson’s team before they signed him up for a year. And he has made the most of that with 28 games played so far – the League Two Play-Off final is still to come – and a run to the Carling Cup final.

If League Two offers a platform for a confident young defender like McHugh at 20 years old, it also caters for the more experienced men, like 31-year-old Alan Bennett. The former Cork City centre-back started the campaign at Cheltenham Town before switching to AFC Wimbledon, where he was a key reason why the Dons avoided relegation on the last day of the season.

When assessing the overall standard within League Two, the League of Ireland is a good comparison – some clubs are very well run, others barely survive in horribly-outdated stadiums, a lot of players can thrive at a higher level, others are where they belong. So it’s curious that eight former LOI players featured in League Two this term.

One of those exports, Jay O’Shea, reminded many of his talent with 10 goals in 41 games for Chesterfield (although, he did play 17 of those games for MK Dons). The one-time Bray Wanderers winger was afforded a free licence to roam by ex-Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook and really turned on to become a firm favourite with Spireites supporters.

With a new deal recently signed, O’Shea will remain at Chesterfield next season and should link up well with Eoin Doyle, who is set to come in from Hibernian. Although, one ex-LOI star who may be on the move is Padraig Amond, who hit nine goals for Accrington Stanley, as clubs from League One have reportedly been to scout him on numerous occasions.

Former Ireland U21 goalkeeper Graham Stack could also be in demand following multiple outstanding shifts for Barnet. On the second-last day of the season, he saved a penalty and looked to have done enough to keep the Bees in the league, but a final day defeat saw them relegated along with midfielder Mark Byrne and striker Harry Crawford.

Stack was the top-performing of all Irish keepers in the top leagues in the UK this season with 15 clean sheets registered, but that black mark of relegation possibly counts against him. A similar attitude might be taken on Lee Frecklington, who was superb for Rotherham United with a return of nine goals, but possibly didn’t get the credit that he deserved.

Someone who fully merits any praise that comes his way, though, is Southend United striker Barry Corr. The Wicklow man overcame a career-threatening knee injury to score 13 times in 42 games (including a goal in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final) and prove that he still has plenty left to offer in the game despite playing for an under-performing team.

With the Play-Off final still to come, Roy O’Donovan, who has been terrific for Northampton Town, will be aiming to end on a high as he takes on McHugh’s Bradford. Whatever way it unfolds, it has been a memorable season for many Irish players in League Two.

League Two – Irish Team of the Season

Goalkeeper: Graham Stack (Barnet)

Defence: Anthony O’Connor (Burton Albion), Alan Bennett (Cheltenham Town / AFC Wimbledon), Carl McHugh (Bradford City), Damien McCrory (Burton Albion)

Midfield: Lee Frecklington (Rotherham United), Conor Hourihane (Plymouth Argyle), Jay O’Shea (Chesterfield)

Forward: John O’Flynn (Exeter City), Barry Corr (Southend United), Padraig Amond (Accrington Stanley)

In many ways, the Scottish-born Republic of Ireland international chose wisely when he turned down other clubs in order to join Wigan from Hamilton in 2009. He has been allowed to mature whilst playing regularly in England’s top flight and experienced what it is like in a relegation scrap (perhaps too many times).

Although, it’s time for McCarthy and Wigan to break up. There are no bad feelings and he can tell manager Roberto Martinez that ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ as he looks to take the next, important, step of his career. And finishing up by going to Wembley for the FA Cup final isn’t a bad way to bow out.

It may not be easy for the classy midfielder to get away from the DW Stadium, if Wigan decide to dig their heels in and remind him of the two years remaining on his current deal. Besides, it’s going to take a fairly decent offer – upwards of £7million – from another club to even get the process started.

However, if the 22-year-old expresses his desire to take on a new challenge, then that would be the catalyst needed to spark it all into motion. Wigan would have to weigh up keeping hold of a player who doesn’t want to be there, other clubs would become interested, and his agent would be able to generate interest within the media and the football world.

Why does he need to move this summer? The simple answer is because he has outgrown Wigan. He has served his time with one of the Premier League’s nursery clubs and is ready to graduate to big school. But, also, because if he stays put, then there is a chance that he will never fulfil his potential as a player can get so caught up with performing a certain role that they are never allowed to truly flourish.

At a bigger club, more would be demanded of McCarthy and he needs that pressure to develop further. A look at his basic stats for this season reveals 34 starts, one substitute appearance, two goals, two assists, and six yellow cards. It makes for good, but not great reading for someone who can have much more of an impact on games, especially in terms of goalscoring and creating chances.

Yet, McCarthy’s strengths lie with his link-up play, short passing, and football intelligence, where he can read a game superbly. He is not the No 10 playmaker that some expected him to become after shining at Hamilton, instead he is more like Manchester United’s Michael Carrick – where he roams in front of his defence, breaking up attacks and getting his team moving.

There is no doubting his ability, especially his range of passing, which saw him successfully complete 1,335 of his 1,531 attempted passes in the Premier League last season. That works out at 87.2 per cent pass completion rate, where he made 46.4 per cent passes per game. And it’s not all about five-yard passes as he made 143 successful long passes in 32 games in that 2011-12 campaign.

Those stats should be even better this year as McCarthy is a better player. He has showed that he has matured as a player massively in recent years, to the extent where he is now considered a key player for club and country. Some expected that to happen a lot sooner due to his breakthrough at Hamilton as a 15-year-old, but his career graph has moved in the right direction at a good pace.

Now, it’s time to see how good he really can be. Can McCarthy cut it at a really top club, like Manchester United or Arsenal? The safety net of guaranteed regular football would be taken away with such a move, although that would force him to fight harder for his place. Training and playing alongside world-class internationals would surely bring out an extra level in the talented youngster.

One of the areas where bigger clubs might worry about the 12-times capped Ireland star is his lack of bite. A naturally shy person, he is often perceived to be someone who gets bullied by more aggressive opponents. Yet, he has improved in that area with 80 tackles and 57 interceptions made last season, while Austria’s Zlatko Junuzovic will attest of his fondness for getting stuck in.

There are most definitely areas to improve in his game, but the good thing is that time is on his side. He does not turn 23 until November, yet he has played over 100 Premier League games. But, if he does not move on to a higher level, then his weaknesses will never truly be eradicated and his strengths will never truly be sharpened.

A summer move for McCarthy is also important for Ireland. It would make a massive difference if the future (or maybe ideal) midfield pairing of McCarthy and Darron Gibson were both playing for clubs regularly finishing in the top six in the Premier League. Gibson is already there at Everton, so now it’s time for McCarthy to follow suit.

While he may be enjoying his football at Wigan, McCarthy must realise that potential has a time-limit and in a couple of years clubs may consider him too old to splash out on. He is at the right age and the right stage of his development to move on, so this summer should be a big one for the slick, passing midfielder.

For decades, there has been an appetite for the kind of examination of the beautiful game that simplifies it for the ordinary person, but equally allows them to peer into the world of the most popular sport in the world. That has been provided, and still is in many parts, but a laziness has been accepted – or at least ignored – when it comes to TV punditry.

Every so often, a programme will introduce flashy graphics and a snazzy soundtrack, although if the pundits deliver nonsense as their feeble attempt at analysis, then nothing else matters. Match of the Day would be the classic example of that, but they are not the only guilty party.

In fact, Irish television has a lot to answer for. The once-sharp dissection of a big game on RTE has tumbled to the extent that we wonder if they are still stuck in the rabbit hole as the ‘experts’ continually fail to properly inform the audience of tactics, personnel and modern coaching practices.

The most frustrating aspect of RTE’s analysis of big games (from international matches to the Champions League) is that there are others standing by, who they have previously called on, that can do such a better job. Why not make some substitutions? Bring on Darragh Maloney as the host, give Richie Sadlier a prominent position, allow Kenny Cunningham a platform, and give Brian Kerr a regular slot.

Of course, that would require the breaking up of the current line-up, who are perceived to be an institution of Irish television, and it would turn a lot of heads – but it would be for the better. If someone wants to watch them for comedic value, then give them a slot just after Hardy Bucks or The Republic of Telly, because that is how ridiculous it has gotten.

After Barcelona scraped through to the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday night, it was the perfect time for the analysis to come alive. Instead of highlighting the high-pressure play of PSG duo Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti, or showing why Barcelona’s high defensive line can be breached, or why the decision to play Ezequiel Lavezzi was key to stopping Dani Alves, they gushed about a half-fit Lionel Messi for far too long.

Even when the host tried to get some insight from one pundit about the Barcelona way and asked what he had learned from travelling there, the response was awful. The pundit informed the viewer that all of Barcelona’s youth teams play the same way and that they adopt a fantastic philosophy. Really? Is that all you learned?

Then another pundit moved to the edge of his seat, eager to share his nugget of information, like a child who thinks they have finally discovered something that even their parents don’t know. ‘And they have an Irish kid there too. He’s about nine or 10′. Thanks for that, we’re so enlightened by that redundant fact of a kid whose name you didn’t even mention.

It’s just a shame that the likes of Cunningham, who recently earned his UEFA Pro Licence and can back up his opinions with in-depth research, wasn’t in the same seat. Or even Sadlier, who gets better with each live broadcast because his honesty is matched with sound reasoning. And steering the ship is a role that suits Maloney so well. He asks challenging questions, then follow-up questions, and keeps the debate football-related.

It’s not just RTE, or that one particular panel of pundits. Setanta Sports regularly choose people like Brian Little and David Fairclough to bore the audience with their commentary that never shines a light on the intricacies of the game that they are meant to be explaining to the viewer. And in the studio, Setanta have made some terrible decisions with their guest pundits – Andy Cole, anyone?

So often, Setanta get it right. For example, Damian Lynch is bright and well-spoken when covering domestic football, while Kerr, Matt Holland and Gary Breen have all been excellent when covering Premier League games on a Saturday afternoon. Why not stick with those who actually make sense?

The same applies to TV3 and 3e, who one night roll out Kevin Kilbane, and the next it is some jaded pundit who offers little in terms of valuable input. Kilbane is exactly the type of person who should be groomed as a pundit as he is only recently retired as a player, so he still has a connection to the game and speaks well on all topics, instead of churning out sensationalist cliches of the like that one would expect to hear in a pub, not on national television.

On Thursday night, they had a really good line-up in Kerr and Michael O’Neill with Tommy Martin showing that he had done a bit of homework by asking engaging questions. Perhaps, there could have been a better man to select as their co-commentator, but getting it right in the studio appears to be the hardest part these days.

Sky Sports have set the benchmark with Gary Neville on Monday Night Football with his approach to analysis, which works so well because he doesn’t treat the audience as if they are idiots. He points out how and why a goal was scored, what a defender could have done to prevent it, why the attacker should be praised, who made the important supporting run, etc. Proper analysis.

Yes, that programme is unique in that it has roughly 45 minutes to go through games and give it the time that it deserves. Although, that should not be held up as an excuse for what other programmes, such as Match of the Day, deliver as analysis. It’s not that Neville has reinvented the wheel, he is just doing it as it should be done.

The technical aspects of the game are far more important nowadays. If the pundits don’t understand or appreciate that, then how can they expertly assess what has just happened in a game? And it is certainly not an age issue, because Kerr (above) is one of the best analysts around and he is now 60. Every time he is on RTE radio or MNS or any other show or channel, this blog wants to scream out ‘it’s about bloody time’.

A lot of the issues arise from the host of these shows. If they can ask the right questions, then the whole thing flows effortlessly. So it is infuriating when Gary Lineker reels out another terrible joke aimed at Alan Hansen or Alan Shearer, even disrupting their attempt at analysis to do so. And Adrian Chiles is guilty more than most of that particular crime.

The modern football supporter wants to understand a manager’s decision to make a substitute, what their formation switch actually resulted in, and why a certain player is seemingly being used out of position. It is up to the pundits to identify those things and to explain them in a concise way. That is a talent, but it is why those who do it well are rightly labelled as experts.

Viewers are sick of attempts at light humour, they want to hear the type of analysis that should be expected of a network who spend millions on acquiring the rights to big games. It’s about time it changed for the better.

On Monday, Aston Villa won the tournament – described as an underage Champions League – with four Irish players in their starting line-up, one of whom (Graham Burke) scoring both goals in the 2-0 win over Chelsea.

The sight of Samir Carruthers (above), Bradley Lewis, Jack Grealish and Burke outshining their opponents in a game broadcast live on EuroSport provided some semblance of hope for the type of players on the way through.

That quartet were part of 11 Irish players who Villa had in their squad throughout this season’s NextGen campaign, which saw them beat Olympiacos, Ajax, Sporting Lisbon, PSV, Celtic, and, of course, Chelsea, to lift the trophy in Lake Como, Italy.

While the success of winning such an illustrious competition for Under 19 players will surely stand to the players, it is the style of play that will prove to be of most benefit to them. Short passing, constant movement, quick tempo, and an eagerness to get forward are all hallmarks of this Villa team.

According to Carruthers, who captained the side and is now a regular for the Ireland U21′s, the style of play produced by all teams in the NextGen is typical of the way the modern game is going – more technical. So it helps that they are becoming familiar with it now.

‘It is a huge plus for us, because you are learning the European game and it will benefit any of us if we go on to play in the Europa League or the Champions League, or even in international qualifiers,’ said Carruthers.

‘You are testing yourself against top players from top teams. The English game is fast, all hustle and bustle, but European football is all about technique, so it’s completely different and it makes you a much better player.

‘I think that style suits me really well. I appreciate the pass and move style, which is what Spain have been doing so well. It’s always good to add more strings to your bow, especially since football is starting to focus more on the technical side.’

Villa’s Irish core, which also includes Derrick Williams, Robin Dempsey, Kevin Toner, Daniel Devine, Mason Watkins-Clark and Michael Drennan, is a huge plus for underage Ireland managers, Noel King, Paul Doolin and Tom Mohan, but they may have to wait for Trapattoni to move on before making their senior bows.

Thankfully, for a lot of them, senior football is still a few years away. Carruthers, Williams and Burke are ready for that step now, but their style must be altered to include more of that ‘hustle and bustle’ mentioned already, if they are to make it in England.

Fusing the technical with the physical is what Irish football should strive for. Not every nation can play like Spain, nor should they aspire to, but if Ireland can forge their own identity through embracing many of the key aspects that make other international sides great, then they will inch towards a brighter future.

The NextGen Series certainly helps with that. Along with the Villa lads, the likes of Paul George (Celtic), Kenny McEvoy (Tottenham Hotspur) and Ian Lawlor (Manchester City) have all benefitted from playing against top European players in the same age group.

Closer to home, the FAI have set structures in place with the Emerging Talent Programme as well as the Airtricity U19 and soon-to-come-in U17 league to switch the focus towards developing youngsters who are better equipped to cope with the modern game.

Not all of them will go on to become senior internationals, but those home-grown players can help to drag the overall standard to a new level by insisting on playing a more technical style. And that will ultimately result in more attractive football being played.

But for those lucky enough to feature in the NextGen, they will be even better. It is only natural that a player who consistently competes against quality opponents will improve and this competition is helping to turn several Irish kids into stars for the future.

Some of the personnel may have changed from last summer’s Euro 2012 finals, but the instructions remain the same within the Irish squad: keep it tight, launch the ball forward at every opportunity, stop the opposition from playing, and try to score from set-pieces. Oh, and the shape is still 4-4-2, so no extra cover in midfield.

That is actually giving Trapattoni far more credit than he deserves. The days of meticulous planning and spending 20 minutes on how to take a throw-in, which happened when he first took over in 2008, are gone. From his point of view, there is one script and every player should know it off by heart at this stage.

So that means the match-specific instructions come from his assistant Marco Tardelli? Nope, don’t ask Marco as he’s too busy following Trapattoni around. Then, is it the trainer Fausto Rossi? Nope, he has limited English and even less input. Who else is there? Apart from the players taking responsibility on themselves, it is left to goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly to speak up.

For an international team with ambitions of qualifying for a World Cup, is that good enough? Is it good enough for a manager earning over €1million per year? Is it good enough for a nation who are asked to buy a new jersey almost every second match and spend over the odds on match days to see terrible football and a team achieving average results?

There is no doubting the efforts of the players, that is not an issue. It’s just that so much more could be produced by them, if only they were properly coached and not distracted by team-mates being dropped by text message or others being accused of things that they never even considered. Professionalism should be expected with a national team – isn’t that why the Genesis report was commissioned in 2002?

Aside from what has happened off the pitch, the argument that Ireland only have limited players is as out-dated as Trapattoni’s preferred formation. Yes, certain positions are not as strong as they could be, e.g. goalkeeper, but the likes of Darron Gibson, James McCarthy, Wes Hoolahan, and Shane Long can hardly be labelled as limited players. And there are more on the way too.

Part of the problem with this team is that those four players are not regular starters. All playing week in, week out in the Barclays Premier League, yet they are not in favour with a manager whose mentality will always be to stop the opposition rather than trying to out-play them. That is never going to change, but the FAI knew that when they prized him away from Red Bull Salzburg.

While each of that quartet have featured under Trapattoni, there has never been a feeling that he truly trusts them. If he did, then he would alter his style of play and team shape to get the best out of them. Imagine, if you will, an Irish team that lines up with Gibson and McCarthy sitting deep in midfield behind Hoolahan in a playmaker role and Long leading the way up front.

Trapattoni could still deploy his wingers, but Hoolahan would provide extra cover in midfield as well as acting a linkman going forward. Most importantly, though, is that both Gibson and McCarthy have the game intelligence, stamina and passing ability to get everything moving. But that is fantasy stuff as long as Trapattoni is in charge.

Instead, what the Irish supporters will see on Friday night in Stockholm is only Long starting. In midfield, Paul Green has been preferred to McCarthy, which can be argued as being a shrewd move considering the Leeds United man is better defensively and suits Trapattoni’s game-plan better.

Although, the selection of Green signifies just what way Trapattoni is thinking ahead of the Sweden game. There is no sense that Ireland are going out to win, but to defend and hope for the best. Even having Andy Keogh on standby to replace Robbie Brady should he not prove his fitness is quite worrying and must be incredibly frustrating for the Irish players who are natural wingers performing for their respective clubs every week.

So, expect more of the same from Ireland on Friday evening. And then again the following Tuesday against Austria. And again for the remaining qualifiers in the group. Trapattoni is not going to change and that is going to continue holding Ireland back and spoiling the careers of several talented players.