Joey O'Brien

[ifk101]

I'd like to think he was misquoted in some way but it doesn't appear to be the case. Otherwise I agree with Jebus.

But Joey O'Brien should look at his own performance against Cyprus last year if he wants to know why he didn't play against them this time.

[Razors left peg]

Its more than the granny rule tbh.

Qatar have something like 4 South Americans playing for them and a few Africans who have no family connections with them,Japan have one(Alex).Spain have Senna.

Stephen Reid played for England,didn't get picked for a bit then decided well ill play for Ireland,IMO players like that should not be allowed to just switch.

Another reason you highlighted above,Jack Charlton gave leaflets to certain Irish players and asked them to stick it on the back of the dressing room door.

It went along the lines of"do you have an Irish granny,would you like to play for Ireland"that is how he found a couple of players.

Just a few reasons of why it has become a joke.

the Qatar example you used is fair enough, I dont know much about it but I would assume though that it is because of citizenship laws where they have lived in the country long enought to get a passport rather than the granny rule like with Senna for Spain and Deco for Portugal.
That is very very different to someone like Kevin Kilbane who was born and raised in England but raised as an Irish man and there is no prouder Irish man on the National team than him. Even going back to the Charlton era when alot of our players were got using the granny rule, can you really say that the players didnt run themselves into to ground for the green shirt.
I would take the commitment of Kilbane, McGeady, Houghton, Mick McCathy, John Aldridge etc over the likes of Steven Ireland and Joey O Brien both who were born and raised in Ireland

[Newryrep]

Resolution in Germany to a plaer Manager problem

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/7928656

[shakermaker1982]

why not just arrange to have a little meeting with the Trap one on one expressing your concerns instead of running to the media? What will this achieve other than fans going ape against you? Who the hell is advising the kid?

[geysir]

Qatar have 3 South Americans in their team, they live and play their football in Qatar. Same with the 3 Africans.
Same with the rest of the squad, all drawn from the national league.
That would be a proud day for the LOI, to have total representation in the national team.

[bennocelt]

Mind boggling. The Stepehen Ireland fiasco wasn't really a huge surprise but Joey O'Brien!! unless he was asked leading questions and it was a set up job by the journo. But if it's true then it is a disgrace when players like McGeady & McCarthy will have to put with abuse in every domestic game for their decision to play for Ireland. I think I am going to shift codes completely to rugby, if the players don't why should we??

- its a pity most of us cant do that - football is and always will be number one

[seanfhear]

The decline in the standing of international football has come with english premiership clubs getting too big for their boots.
The Irish supporters of these english clubs have contributed to this in no small way.
Irish football supporters should withdraw their support from these clubs until they show respect to the football associations of smaller nations.
There was a time when clubs would be proud of their players playing international football now they want nothing to do with it especially if its for the smaller countries.
These clubs have no appreciation for all the fans that are attracted to football by the World Cup Finals or the European Championship Finals or International football.

The one thing that I do sympathise with the clubs is that FIFA have not sorted out compensation for the clubs if their players get injured on international football.
FIFA should introduce a small levy world wide to pay adequate compensation if a player gets injured playing for his country.

[gaiscíoch]

The decline in the standing of international football has come with english premiership clubs getting too big for their boots.
The Irish supporters of these english clubs have contributed to this in no small way.
Irish football supporters should withdraw their support from these clubs until they show respect to the football associations of smaller nations.
There was a time when clubs would be proud of their players playing international football now they want nothing to do with it especially if its for the smaller countries.
These clubs have no appreciation for all the fans that are attracted to football by the World Cup Finals or the European Championship Finals or International football.

The one thing that I do sympathise with the clubs is that FIFA have not sorted out compensation for the clubs if their players get injured on international football.
FIFA should introduce a small levy world wide to pay adequate compensation if a player gets injured playing for his country.

What I don't understand is that the FAI can charge 80euro for a ticket to see Ireland vs Cyprus. Pay all the players the appearance fee the demand. But can't pay the clubs for the use of the player.

Joey O' Brien should have started for Ireland vs Cyprus. He is better than Mc Shane, better than Whelan and better than Gibson (at this moment in time).

If you ask me Trap is creating hassle for himself with some strange decisions to say the least. But the easy out for him would be to use these players as subs why not give Reid 20mins, O'brien 15 etc this would avoid all the hassle.

[brianw82]

I would take the commitment of Kilbane, McGeady, Houghton, Mick McCathy, John Aldridge etc over the likes of Steven Ireland and Joey O Brien both who were born and raised in Ireland

Here here. Stephen Ireland spits on thousands of Irishmen who would give their right arms to pull on the green jersey.

Irish football supporters should withdraw their support from these clubs until they show respect to the football associations of smaller nations.

Irish football supporters should support clubs in Ireland, not British clubs. Full stop.

[paul_oshea]

What I don't understand is that the FAI can charge 80euro for a ticket to see Ireland vs Cyprus. Pay all the players the appearance fee the demand. But can't pay the clubs for the use of the player.

Joey O' Brien should have started for Ireland vs Cyprus. He is better than Mc Shane, better than Whelan and better than Gibson (at this moment in time).

If you ask me Trap is creating hassle for himself with some strange decisions to say the least. But the easy out for him would be to use these players as subs why not give Reid 20mins, O'brien 15 etc this would avoid all the hassle.

trap doesn't commit any hassle for himself, he picks his team and has done so for 30 years. He doesn't just pick players to keep the boat afloat.

[gaiscíoch]

Here here. Stephen Ireland spits on thousands of Irishmen who would give their right arms to pull on the green jersey.



Irish football supporters should support clubs in Ireland, not British clubs. Full stop.

Why should they? In an ideal world L37 my nearist LOI side who have no ground, training facilities that are only being prepared now would have have more sense than to let a priest destroy a club who once played at the Bernabeu.

[gaiscíoch]

trap doesn't commit any hassle for himself, he picks his team and has done so for 30 years. He doesn't just pick players to keep the boat afloat.

Yes but if you take off the sails then the boat boat wont go anywhere....
I know he is going to do things his way but it's a long campaign and we need the Joey O Briens and Andy Reids of this world. Dare I say if Trap fielded the side he did against Cyprus away from home we would have been beaten.

[shaneker]

I'm so shocked by some of the stuff coming out of this. The idea that the granny rule has made international football a laughing stock is ridiculous, I know plenty of foreign-born first and second-generation Irishmen who would be sickened if they heard they 'weren't Irish enough' to play for their country. Anyway, as has been said before, Roy Keane, Stephen Manchester and Joey O'Brien are Irish born and they are the most high-profile examples of walking away from the Ireland team. Faulty logic.

And as for 'Irish football fans should support Irish teams', with the greatest respect - who the f*ck are you to tell people who they can and can't support? A young Irish kid grows up being passionate about football he sees played by the likes of Barca or Milan, but he should support an Irish team 'full stop'? This isn't the Beijing Olympics, nobody has the right to demand a person cheer for any particular team. Its desirable for national team success that Ireland has a strong national league, but its an individual choice. Get off your high horse.

Trap has got us 7 points from 3 games. We are 4 points clear of our rivals for 2nd place - which means we have them by the balls when we play them, as they will have to win, playing into an Italian's hands - and stand to catch Italy if we win our game in hand. Somehow, I think the fault about prima donna footballers placing paycheck above national pride lies elsewhere.

[as_i_say]

its fair enough he's frustrated but its not like he's a world beater or anything. he had a shocker in midfield against cyprus and i wouldnt have him near there. Mcshane is playing well and regularaly at Hull right back, even though he was dreadful for us. Its right that he's down the pecking order.

So shut your moaning you over paid git and just get on with it like the rest of us.

[mark12345]

"Qatar have something like 4 South Americans playing for them and a few Africans who have no family connections with them,Japan have one(Alex).Spain have Senna.

Stephen Reid played for England,didn't get picked for a bit then decided well ill play for Ireland,IMO players like that should not be allowed to just switch."


You mentioned the Granny Rule being joke. More like you who's the joke. As the lad said how does getting the likes of Aldridge, Houghton, Townsend become a joke. They were of Irish parents or grandparents who left Ireland for economic reasons, like tens of thousands of other Irish over the years. So you would deny the sons of those folks the chance to play for their country?

What's your take on all the North Africans playing for France - would they have won the World Cup and Euro 2000 without the likes of Gallas, Vieira, Henry, Trezeguet etc? What about England and all the Carribean players they have had over the years? Mehmet Scholl for Germany, Platini for France instead of Italy. There have been many many examples through the years of players playing (or not playing) for the land of their parents - think of all those we lost to England.

It's a fact of life and has been for decades, but the Irish (should I say the elitist Irish) appear to be the only ones who have a problem with it. I would say get used to it Bohemian 1880. And if that's the only thing that bothers you about the current Irish international team then you've nothing to worry about.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Stephen Reid played for England,didn't get picked for a bit then decided well ill play for Ireland,IMO players like that should not be allowed to just switch..

Can you name me the rule he broke? ...and anyway you're not allowed "just switch". It's a ratcheted, one-way switch that any dual national is allowed make before their 21st birthday if they haven't disqualified themselves by winning competetive caps. I can't believe we're still debating this sh1te when there's scarcely a team left in International football that doesn't have dual nationals involved.

Another reason you highlighted above,Jack Charlton gave leaflets to certain Irish players and asked them to stick it on the back of the dressing room door.

It went along the lines of"do you have an Irish granny,would you like to play for Ireland"that is how he found a couple of players.

I thought I'd heard and seen all the utter, utter sh1te lifted straight from the letters page of the Daily Sport and regurgatated as though t'were fact ...until now.


...and just on topic -JOB should go way and dry his eyes and concentrate on nailing down his place in his thin gruel of a premiership side before getting further p1ssy-eyed about not being the first name on Traps team sheet.

[tetsujin1979]

Stephen Reid played for England,didn't get picked for a bit then decided well ill play for Ireland,IMO players like that should not be allowed to just switch.

When did Steven Reid play for England? I wasn't aware he did.

[Bohemian1890]

"Qatar have something like 4 South Americans playing for them and a few Africans who have no family connections with them,Japan have one(Alex).Spain have Senna.

Stephen Reid played for England,didn't get picked for a bit then decided well ill play for Ireland,IMO players like that should not be allowed to just switch."


You mentioned the Granny Rule being joke. More like you who's the joke. As the lad said how does getting the likes of Aldridge, Houghton, Townsend become a joke. They were of Irish parents or grandparents who left Ireland for economic reasons, like tens of thousands of other Irish over the years. So you would deny the sons of those folks the chance to play for their country?

What's your take on all the North Africans playing for France - would they have won the World Cup and Euro 2000 without the likes of Gallas, Vieira, Henry, Trezeguet etc? What about England and all the Carribean players they have had over the years? Mehmet Scholl for Germany, Platini for France instead of Italy. There have been many many examples through the years of players playing (or not playing) for the land of their parents - think of all those we lost to England

Mehmet Scholl was born in Germany.
Platini is French he was born in France,and played for the country of his birth so what your point

[John83]

When did Steven Reid play for England? I wasn't aware he did.

He played for them at some youth level. I'm sure there's a statto about could pull up the details.

I'd be a bit wary of criticising a player based on some comment in a paper. The number of quotes taken out of context in sports journalism for a headline is unreal. There are often leading questions to get the quote the journalist wants too, and most pro footballers aren't very good at dealing with that sort of thing. Sometimes too, the quote is taken out of proportion - "Yeah, not playing is disappointing, but we'll see" becoming, "PLAY ME OR I'M GONE, TRAP - O'BRIEN". Can anyone quote the question and response?

[co. down green]

When did Steven Reid play for England? I wasn't aware he did.

Think he played a couple of games at u16 level for England