Anthony Pilkington M Fleetwood Twn b.1988

**mark12345** · 02/01/2012, 5:36 PM

My bad! He did make a few points, but this is the one I was talking about.

"Jesus, Ireland has suffered from emigration for centuries. It means that we have an overseas pool of players who are proud to pull on the green jersey and represent their homeland. Other football teams would kill for such a resource.

I myself have not lived in Ireland since 1986. Probably since before some of the whingers on this thread were born.

Sure, it would be great if we could turn back the clock and undo everything that caused emigration. There'd be 30 million people living in Ireland. We'd have four Richard Dunnes and five Damien Duffs.

Limiting the current Irish team only to those that are born and bred on the island of Ireland is like punishing ourselves twice over for emigration.

And so what if some of them are confused about where their allegiance lies. If they have an English father and an Irish mother then of course they are going to feel torn. It's only natural. It's all a part of being en emigrant. It's why Mark Lawrenson says "we" when talking about either Ireland and England. I never had a problem with that. But some little-Irelanders do."

**tricky_colour** · 02/01/2012, 5:50 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Mute comments and deaf ears, not a good combination

OK I have now realised BRINE 3 is a poster here, I think the all caps confused me somewhat.

It didn't quite register with me despite me having replied to brine3 at least twice!!

So my bad!!

**Jaysus** · 02/01/2012, 7:52 PM

Next few weeks could be very interesting regarding Pilkington. Have a feeling Trap will try to call him up for the next friendly, let's see his reaction then. If he's hesitant than leave him.

**Deckydee** · 03/01/2012, 10:51 AM

When is the next friendly anyway?

**Closed Account** · 03/01/2012, 11:20 AM

We play the Czech Republic on the 29th of Feb.

**jbyrne** · 03/01/2012, 11:22 AM

wed 29th Feb v Czech republic i heard

**IsMiseSean** · 03/01/2012, 5:44 PM

Originally Posted by jbyrne

wed 29th Feb v Czech republic i heard

There is nothing on FAI.ie about this fixture, but the Czech FA have it on their website.

**Charlie Darwin** · 03/01/2012, 11:32 PM

It was confirmed a few months ago: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...308526300.html

**TrapAPony** · 04/02/2012, 3:50 PM

Just scored for Norwich :

Anthony Pilkington finds the net with a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Norwich 2-0 Bolton.

**theworm2345** · 11/02/2012, 3:12 PM

Just scored again against Swansea.

**Yard of Pace** · 12/02/2012, 10:43 AM

Lads, has there been any mention of Pilkington with Trap so far? I'd like to think he's been sounded out by now, considering he's already an U-21 cap and he's scored 6 or 7 EPL goals already this season. I can well understand the McClean talk but why so little mention of Pilks???

**Jaysus** · 12/02/2012, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Yard of Pace

Lads, has there been any mention of Pilkington with Trap so far? I'd like to think he's been sounded out by now, considering he's already an U-21 cap and he's scored 6 or 7 EPL goals already this season. I can well understand the McClean talk but why so little mention of Pilks???

Because he hasn't nailed his colours to the mast yet. If he does that, he will get talked about much, much more on here.

**Yard of Pace** · 12/02/2012, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jaysus

Because he hasn't nailed his colours to the mast yet. If he does that, he will get talked about much, much more on here.

Has anyone asked him yet?

From November in the Irish Times

Former Huddersfield winger Pilkington (23) has played for the Under-21s and would consider the offer if it arrived from the senior set-up, but clearly has more pressing issues on his mind.

“I think he’s (Tardelli) been to a few games. I played for the 21s when I was younger. I’ve not had any contact with them, so I’ll have to think about it if anything does come in but I’m not really thinking about that at the moment.

Surely to god the management team would get on to him by now.

**irishfan86** · 13/02/2012, 8:19 AM

McLean has an excuse for not being involved up to now -- he's only broken through to first team football now....but Pilkington could have made things a bit more clear before now -- that's probably the thought of Trap.

Given his age and ability, getting him aboard for next campaign would be great, and I hope he does, but declaring his allegiance now after qualification is probably a non-starter.

That said, I'd be happy for him to join our ranks next campaign, or sooner if there was an injury crisis.

**dr_peepee** · 13/02/2012, 12:29 PM

Nah.. The louder clamour for McLean rather than Pilkington is purely down to McLean being tailor made for Traps system in terms of what he offers as a wide player.

**geysir** · 13/02/2012, 12:59 PM

It doesn't sound as if he's that pushed about it either way.

Former Huddersfield winger Pilkington (23) has played for the Under-21s and would consider the offer if it arrived from the senior set-up, but clearly has more pressing issues on his mind.

“I think he’s (Tardelli) been to a few games. I played for the 21s when I was younger. I’ve not had any contact with them, so I’ll have to think about it if anything does come in but I’m not really thinking about that at the moment.

**Yard of Pace** · 13/02/2012, 3:56 PM

We'd know more if we actually tried to call him up. I'm sorry but I feel like I'm on crazy pills here. There's a lad in his first EPL season who's scored 6 or 7 goals already, who's already played for the U-21s and there is little clamour to call him up or get in contact with him and tell him we'd like him to be involved in the next campaign? If he was from Cabra the media would be frothing at the mouth for him to be called up, regardless of what system he suits. And he's already played for us! I don't understand this at all.

**Closed Account** · 13/02/2012, 4:15 PM

Originally Posted by Yard of Pace

We'd know more if we actually tried to call him up. I'm sorry but I feel like I'm on crazy pills here. There's a lad in his first EPL season who's scored 6 or 7 goals already, who's already played for the U-21s and there is little clamour to call him up or get in contact with him and tell him we'd like him to be involved in the next campaign? If he was from Cabra the media would be frothing at the mouth for him to be called up, regardless of what system he suits. And he's already played for us! I don't understand this at all.

There can only be one media flavour of the month and its JMcClean at the moment. Pilks might be second in line. Not sure what postion Andy Reid is at the moment.

**Yard of Pace** · 13/02/2012, 5:09 PM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

There can only be one media flavour of the month and its JMcClean at the moment. Pilks might be second in line. Not sure what postion Andy Reid is at the moment.

Pilks has been excellent all season though! And he's only going to get better. I'm a Huddersfield fan so I've followed him a while. I re-iterate - if he was from Ireland there'd be no end of talk about him. I don't think he feels any huge affinity for Ireland but I do know he's a good lad and if he was called up and played he would give it his all, a la Liam Lawrence, a player who was a credit to himself with his attitude towards playing for us. Pilks is better than Lawrence though.

**Closed Account** · 13/02/2012, 6:03 PM

Originally Posted by Yard of Pace

Pilks has been excellent all season though! And he's only going to get better. I'm a Huddersfield fan so I've followed him a while. I re-iterate - if he was from Ireland there'd be no end of talk about him. I don't think he feels any huge affinity for Ireland but I do know he's a good lad and if he was called up and played he would give it his all, a la Liam Lawrence, a player who was a credit to himself with his attitude towards playing for us. Pilks is better than Lawrence though.

I know what you're getting at, but it's very hard to prove.
At the moment:
Ex LOI player > Irish born/English trained player > English born Irish player, in terms of media consciousness. C'est la vie and good luck trying to change that mindset.

Interestingly, I think Pilkington has a better chance of being called up if the Media aren't clamouring for him, as Trap seems to go against that grain. If we all start screaming for another Paul Green call up, it'll ensure he never gets called up again. (no problem with Paul though, just a little out of his depth against the top nations)