Keith Fahey

[Razors left peg]

I realised my mistake, edited the original post.

Look, the EL hasn't produced an Irish player for a competitive international since the early '80s. On the evidence of tonight, against moderate opposition, in a footballing climate where teams from badly-funded and obscure leagues (like BATE and Anorthosis) are getting good results across Europe, what the EL is offering us isn't good enough. Throughout the last 20 years (our international team's most successful period), players from the Championship and Premiership, with the odd player from further afield, have dominated the selection. Do you think that a player from the EL could improve the Irish side now, when the difference in standard is probably more profound than ever?

And don't call me a liar either. I said that the likes of Guy, Fitzpatrick and Rogers are limited. They are, in my opinion. Fahey is clearly too good for the EL, but like Houlihan before him, he will have to move to realise his potential. Just like Conor Sinnott will probably have to leave Youths to realise his.

The Premiership is a better standard than the Eircom League. Are you going to argue with that, or call me a liar for saying so?

Good post

[Bohemian1890]

More players from the Premiership played in Euro 2008 than any other league. Despite England and Ireland not qualifying. Think that says it all. Only the Spanish and Italian leagues can arguably give better preparation for the international stage. There are some lazy players in the EPL like those you mentioned, but some of the Pat's players tonight, like Kirby and Fitzpatrick, were willing and hard-working, but very, very limited. Hertha were awful today but Pats weren't good enough to score against them. That worries me, in terms of EL teams advancing in Europe, or feeding players into the international set-up. Especially when you see BATE scoring twice against Juventus tonight.

Nah,man your in a mess make up your mind,BTW bad edit,as i had already posted what you said
"Well would you look at that everybody he edited his post,as the strange logic he accused me of having is actually his own,what a tool"

[tetsujin1979]

tets, i have been to Shels and Pats european games before - also went to Rovers Djurgardens to enjoy them losing and me making a quick buck - and i know plenty of Bohs fans who have done the same, including Drogs games from last year. I also have noticed a number of league jerseys when Bohs have played in Europe so to answer your question, yes, i would expect opposition fans to go along, though not necessarily to cheer them on too enthusiastically.

which leads to my next point - i went along cos i like to watch live footie and to see how irish teams will fare against their european rivals. I think anyone with an interest in footie would (or at least should) consider going to these games. But maybe i am expecting too much from soccer fans, though i dont think so really. Its still 11 men v 11 men and its still enjoyable. The premiership is streets ahead and of course i take an interest in that too but i think that those who really, and i mean really, enjoy the game should go to live games. And thats putting aside the usual support your local team, faux nationalism stuff that is sometimes proffered as a reason to support an irish team. These arguments have merit too but, to me, its more simple than that. If you like soccer, you will take in as much as you can.

Good point. I was offered a ticket to the Deportivo game a few years at Lansdowne, and turned it down because I didn't consider myself a Shels fan, or a Depor one of that matter, and didn't want to take the ticket away from a real fan.

[finnpark]

Some rubbish on here. Drogheda drew with Kiev in Kiev and Arsenal did the same. The standard in Europe is very high.

I hope Fahy stays at Pats. If he leaves Pats should get at least €5M for him I suspect. Like how much did Voronin and Pantellic and these boys transfer for?

[Supreme feet]

Bohemian1980, I'm not going to debate with anyone who resorts to personal insults.

My main convictions on this issue are illustrated in the above post. If you disagree with them, try to articulate yours with some kind of sense and objectivity and without the name-calling.

[Bohemian1890]

I realised my mistake, edited the original post.

Look, the EL hasn't produced an Irish player for a competitive international since the early '80s. On the evidence of tonight, against moderate opposition, in a footballing climate where teams from badly-funded and obscure leagues (like BATE and Anorthosis) are getting good results across Europe, what the EL is offering us isn't good enough. Throughout the last 20 years (our international team's most successful period), players from the Championship and Premiership, with the odd player from further afield, have dominated the selection. Do you think that a player from the EL could improve the Irish side now, when the difference in standard is probably more profound than ever?

And don't call me a liar either. I said that the likes of Guy, Fitzpatrick and Rogers are limited. They are, in my opinion. Fahey is clearly too good for the EL, but like Houlihan before him, he will have to move to realise his potential. Just like Conor Sinnott will probably have to leave Youths to realise his.

The Premiership is a better standard than the Eircom League. Are you going to argue with that, or call me a liar for saying so?

Where did i say that the Premiership is not a better standard than LOI??
That's because players are not being given the chance,just look at Doyle,Murphy,Delaney Long all players who play for Ireland where did they get their football education??

We knocked out BATE,it is the luck of the draw.pats getting a German side where BATE got a poor Anderlecht,Pats beat Elfsborg who knocked out Hibs,Does AOB even get his game for them??


As i said,you are all over the place.Stop trying to dig yourself out of a hole its.

[finnpark]

His performance today was superb, but its not the first time he has produced this, I hope that someone was there from the Ireland setup, he has to be involved.

I think Tardelli was there to see him. It would be great if Kelleher put a 2-3 year plan in place to build a team thats even better and that would qualify more easily for the UEFA or even CL group stages. Its important to get another good year next year to increase the coefficient points.

[blackholesun]

Ive only watched a few minutes from both games so cant comment on how well he did, but if Fahey did so well against Hertha over the two legs, lets wait and see if any German club, especially one weaker than Hertha comes in for him. They should be able to pick him up for a few 100K, good buy at that price if hes as good as some people think!

bhs

[Saint_Charlie]

Ive only watched a few minutes from both games so cant comment on how well he did, but if Fahey did so well against Hertha over the two legs, lets wait and see if any German club, especially one weaker than Hertha comes in for him. They should be able to pick him up for a few 100K, good buy at that price if hes as good as some people think!

bhs

He has 2 years left on his contract after this season. I hope we only let him go for big money.

[Bohemian1890]

Bohemian1980, I'm not going to debate with anyone who resorts to personal insults.

My main convictions on this issue are illustrated in the above post. If you disagree with them, try to articulate yours with some kind of sense and objectivity and without the name-calling.

Easily offended,very fragile mind.

Just remember what your trying to say,and dont try and make out,that i was saying stupid things when it was you

[charliesboots]

Ive only watched a few minutes from both games so cant comment on how well he did, but if Fahey did so well against Hertha over the two legs, lets wait and see if any German club, especially one weaker than Hertha comes in for him. They should be able to pick him up for a few 100K, good buy at that price if hes as good as some people think!

bhs

Pats have already turned down close to half a million for him.

Really no point putting eircom league players in the Ireland section because you just get the usual arguments for the usual suspects.

Fahey is easily good enough to be in the Irish B squad IMO.

And just to pick YoungIrish up on one thing, he didn't fail at Arsenal. He didn't like living in London so Aston Villa paid £250,000 for a 17 year old nearly 8 years ago. He got homesick at Villa and came home with a year left on his contract.

[Fergie's Son]

You can never use money to judge a player,every real football fan can tell you that.I could list 10 players if you want me to?? who cost 5 million or more,and earned thousands a week,and i dont know what happened to them.Do you want me to name them??

Sure you can. We use money to value people all the time. We call it wages. Forget transfer amounts and focus on what someone is willing to pay a player week in and week out. Clearly there are enough professionals in the game that don't deem Fahey to be worth significant wages.

Perhaps they are not "real" football fans but they probably know a thing or two about the game. Enough of them don't rate him. That might change. I hope it does but until it does I highly doubt that he is good enough for the Irish starting XI.

[Dodge]

Clearly there are enough professionals in the game that don't deem Fahey to be worth significant wages.

Doesn't need enough of them. Just needs one

Pats have already turned down close to half a million for him

[Fergie's Son]

And lastly, you seem to have a very condescending attitude to anyone who disagrees with you. Going to EI games doesn't make you a "true" football fan or even any more knowledgeable about football than anyone else. It just makes you someone who enjoys going to the Eircom League...and that's it.

[Fergie's Son]

Doesn't need enough of them. Just needs one

One he hasn't yet gotten. If he has the quality that people believe he has then I hope he gets his move. For his own sake so he can maximize the economic return on his talen. Until he does, I don't think he warrants a spot on the international team.

[Dodge]

I'm consistently on record as saying he doesn't merit a place in the Irish squad but some English championship teams do think he's worthy of a place in their side. To say he doesn't deserve a call up because of the league he plays in is ridiculous (whether its EPL, LOI, MLS or La Liga)

Judge the player on his own merits

[Fergie's Son]

I'm consistently on record as saying he doesn't merit a place in the Irish squad but some English championship teams do think he's worthy of a place in their side. To say he doesn't deserve a call up because of the league he plays in is ridiculous (whether its EPL, LOI, MLS or La Liga)

Judge the player on his own merits

I'm not sure we have that luxury though. Given the finite amount of time an international manager has to spend with his players he needs to have some benchmarks or floors if you will. One of them, most likely, is that a player is playing in a high level league. The fact is, the EL is not such a league.

[Dodge]

I'm not sure we have that luxury though. Given the finite amount of time an international manager has to spend with his players he needs to have some benchmarks or floors if you will. One of them, most likely, is that a player is playing in a high level league. The fact is, the EL is not such a league.

Isn't that what friendlies and B internationals are for? Enough ****ehawks have earned caps in the past 3/4 years, most of them far inferior to Fahey (or Dempsey for that matter)

[tetsujin1979]

yes it does, it makes you much more of a proper fan than someone who can't be arsed to get off their barstool, someone mentioned it previously in this thread that if you love football you should always want to go to games and thus i dont consider someone who doesnt go to regular games to be a proper fan

no it doesn't. plenty of people can't make it to games, or don't want to see the teams on offer. doesn't make them any less of a football fan

it makes oyu more knowledgeable in the sense that you make your own opinons on the game, you don't just agree/disagree with what the pundit has said

attitudes like that are what stop people (including me) from attending more eL games.

[Colbert Report]

What are his weekly wages right now? What does the average player make playing in League 1 over in England? About the same?