Alan Mahon

[finlma]

I'd still like to see Stephen McPhail get a proper go of it. People still rave about him, one of our most skillful players, etc, etc, but I don't think I've ever seen him play a full match. He's meant to be one of the finest passers of a ball in English football but is stuck playing for Barnsley (I think). The beauty to Keane's beast, if you will? In football terms, of course.

McPhailure is out injured till Christmas. Barry Conlon is scoring a few for Barnsley though.

[Colm55]

i have three Irish team posters on my wall at the moment, one from Euro 96, World Cup 98 (qualifiers obviously) and World Cup 2002 and Alan McMahon's mug is in neither of them, i think once this post is finished and new subjects come up, Alan McMahon will once again fade into obscurity, he was indeed once a prospect and as Donal81 pointed out earlier that he was only of many blooded back in 96, many of whom never made the grade. but how long can a player remain a prospect before everyone realises he is not as they thought? McMahon may have scored a screamer for Wigan but it will only serve as a nostalgic moment for us to remember what he once led us to think he'd become. He may still have the skill and qualities to enjoy a career out of football, but as far as the national team is concerned, we have to many younger lads (as Jamacian PM and Stuttgart88 have pointed out for us) pushing through that appear to have more credentials then he has at the moment.

Sorry if this seems harsh or whatever, but your seen to be at the peak of your footballing career at 26/27 and had his potenial had shone through i'm sure he'd be enjoying an international career now, but sadly it was not to be. I wish him all the best at Wigan, and I believe its where he'll stay ...

[Plastic Paddy]

Well Colm, he can't have made much of an impression on you, given that you continually refer to him as McMahon...

PP

[Colm55]

Well Colm, he can't have made much of an impression on you, given that you continually refer to him as McMahon...

PP

Boll!x, i felt that there was something not right alright, thanks for pointing that out, i apologise for any inconvienence caused !

[Stuttgart88]

I'd still like to see Stephen McPhail get a proper go of it.... I don't think I've ever seen him play a full match.

I've seen him play several full matches. Lovely touch, range of passing etc. but he has absolutely ZERO presence. He can't even pretend to tackle.

I reckon his game in The Valley where he virtually gifted Nigeria a goal (or did they hit the post?) was his last chance. He's one of the few Leeds players who actually left for a WORSE club last season. That says it all.

Yesterday's prospect I'm afraid.

[Donal81]

I've heard that before about him (McPhail). He can split a defence like no one else but you need your midfielder to be able to get stuck in a bit as well. Shame, it's not as if he couldn't be taught to tackle.

[drummerboy]

Alan Mahon had a run in the Blackburn team under Souness in the Premiership a few years ago. I think Damien Duff was injured at the time. He done ok but once Duff returned , Mahon disappeared. Like Mcphail he is very pleasing on the eye but probably hasn't got the physical presence needed in the modern game at the top level. I remember him playing for Ireland under McCarthy against Greece and he had a nightmare. He totally froze. I'd love to see him re-emerge and I have to say he was very impressive against Leeds.

[Plastic Paddy]

Alan Mahon had a run in the Blackburn team under Souness in the Premiership a few years ago. I think Damien Duff was injured at the time. He done ok but once Duff returned , Mahon disappeared. Like Mcphail he is very pleasing on the eye but probably hasn't got the physical presence needed in the modern game at the top level. I remember him playing for Ireland under McCarthy against Greece and he had a nightmare. He totally froze. I'd love to see him re-emerge and I have to say he was very impressive against Leeds.

For anyone that can get to see a copy, there's a superb full-front-page picture of him celebrating his goal against Leeds on the front of yesterday's Guardian sports supplement. Unfortunately I can't find the picture online.

PP

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

i have three Irish team posters on my wall at the moment, one from Euro 96, World Cup 98 (qualifiers obviously) and World Cup 2002 and Alan McMahon's mug is in neither of them, i think once this post is finished and new subjects come up, Alan McMahon will once again fade into obscurity, he was indeed once a prospect and as Donal81 pointed out earlier that he was only of many blooded back in 96, many of whom never made the grade. but how long can a player remain a prospect before everyone realises he is not as they thought? McMahon may have scored a screamer for Wigan but it will only serve as a nostalgic moment for us to remember what he once led us to think he'd become. He may still have the skill and qualities to enjoy a career out of football, but as far as the national team is concerned, we have to many younger lads (as Jamacian PM and Stuttgart88 have pointed out for us) pushing through that appear to have more credentials then he has at the moment.

Sorry if this seems harsh or whatever, but your seen to be at the peak of your footballing career at 26/27 and had his potenial had shone through i'm sure he'd be enjoying an international career now, but sadly it was not to be. I wish him all the best at Wigan, and I believe its where he'll stay ...

Agree with you completely Colm. Just one point I'd like to make: I'm pretty sure Alan Mahon was not part of the US tour in 96. From what I know, he made his debut in 2000. Think it was against Greece in April of that year. He came on as a sub and had a complete mare, albeit playing on the right wing. He seemed very nervous, just like Kilbane was in his first game for Ireland, or Duff is his first few games. Surprisingly, McCarthy didnt give him much of a chance. Think he played a bit part in the US Cup of 2000. The move to Sporting Lisbon was the worst thing he could have done. He was never the same player after that. However, he was a very promising young player and seems to be rediscovering his old form. However, from an international perspective, he couldnt be playing in a tougher position to get a call-up for Ireland. We already have Duff, Kilbane, Reid, Alan Quinn, Michael Doyle, Mark Kennedy? (a left-back at the moment apparently). A few years ago, he also had Keith O'Neill, Alan Moore and Stephen McPhail ahead of him in the queue. Perhaps even Richie Partridge could be added to the list. Nice to see him doing well though.

[skbio_toronto]

Overall, going on his performances in the late 90s, hes certainly a decent player with a fair bit of ability. Back then he was almost as good as Jason Koumas went on to be for the next year and bit at Tranmere. I dunno what he's been like in the past 3-4 years. I'd guess he'd be a similar player to Andy Reid, not as good perhaps on current form but maybe a bit quicker. He's still fairly young and if he has a decent couple of months with Wigan it might be worth putting him in the squad against the Portuguese in Feb (some irony there if he was to play the Portugese).

That pretty much sums up Alan Mahon. As a Blackburn Rovers supporter, like you say he did'nt really have an impact with the blue 'n white halves. Don't forget though it was a certain Graeme Souness managing him, who does'nt exactly have a penchant for favouring Irish players. (In Duff's case, giving his undoubted class, even Souness was an admirer)

I first noticed Mahon in the League Cup semi final against Bolton, where he looked awesome at times. Has'nt gone close to fulfilling that potential (Its a long list) Has'nt been able to develop from a tidy mifielder into the sort of player that makes managers stand up and take notice.

For one, he's never really bulked up physically for the box to box role. And he does'nt possess the very useful commodity that pace undoubtedly gives. Mahon, for me, will prove a very good first division player, at the height of his powers. Whether he'll make it onto an Irish squad any time soon is highly unlikely given tyhe relative 'depth' we have in that department at the moment. I would rate the following players above him.

Keane / Zinedine Kilbane / Duff / Finnan / Miller / Killer Kavanagh / Holland / Reid / Delap. (Much scope for A.N. Other's)

Thats one man's view.

SKBIO-TOR

[iasc1]

wigan won again today...and mahon hit the post with an overhead kick, sounds like a bit of a pele to me

[1MickCollins]

I've seen him play several full matches. Lovely touch, range of passing etc. but he has absolutely ZERO presence. He can't even pretend to tackle.

I reckon his game in The Valley where he virtually gifted Nigeria a goal (or did they hit the post?) was his last chance. He's one of the few Leeds players who actually left for a WORSE club last season. That says it all.

Yesterday's prospect I'm afraid.

Yes indeed he is pretty much a 'table soccer' player i.e. he don't move about much. As DaveO pointed out he didn't have the engine to be top class player in the modern game - if he had been around 20 years ago he might have had more impact.

[Closed Account 2]

what are people's thoughts on Steve Reid ? Similar to Mahon, both at Blackburn for a good bit of their careers, both seemed great prospects, both had nasty injuries a while ago?

I think Steve Reid's gradually getting back into the Blackburn fold tho isnt he ?

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

what are people's thoughts on Steve Reid ? Similar to Mahon, both at Blackburn for a good bit of their careers, both seemed great prospects, both had nasty injuries a while ago?

I think Steve Reid's gradually getting back into the Blackburn fold tho isnt he ?

He's played the last few games. Haven't seen too much of him in those games but from what I read, he has been quite impressive.

Reid has some great attributes. He's fast, powerful, and can pack a real punch from freekicks. He can also play anywhere across the midfield. His biggest problem has always been confidence. He suffered with nerves on his debut against Croatia and in numerous other games at Lansdowne. Curiously, he thrived when introduced as a sub at the World Cup. His cameo performance against the Cameroon was one of the highlights of the World Cup from an Irish point of view.

I recall being at a Millwall home game a couple of years ago. Richie Sadlier and Robbie Ryan were in the same team as Stephen Reid at the time. Reidy ran the show that day. He scored one and set up the other two. He struck me as a player with a great engine, tackled well, and sprayed 50 yard passes all over the field. A couple of weeks later he made his international debut against Croatia. He is still only 22 and I believe he may yet be one of Ireland's best players in a few years time. I have huge faith in this lad.

In term of natural ability, Reid is on a completely different level to Alan Mahon.

[Irish_Praha]

I have to agree with the PM on Reid. Also, I think he has the atributes to become a box-to-box CMF;quick, athletic, good tackler/passer and a wicked shot. He is mighty at the free kicks as we saw against Cameroon. So if he was in the starting 11 it would make void any arguments for having Harte back in the team, thankfully. I originally thought moving to Blackburn would be a great move for him but they totally lost their shape and form after selling Duff and he was played in 4 different positions in a poor team, which must have battered his confidence. Then he got injured at the start of this season. Hopefully now that he's come back from a long-term injury he will be delighted to be playing again and leave his nerves in the dressing room.
He's like a lot of our players at the moment, great potential but he needs to string a few good performances together and get at least another 5 caps for Ireland to show that he is as good as some people think. I'd include Miller, Andy Reid and McGeady in that catagory although McGeady is still very young and has plenty of time to prove himself. Getting back to S. Reid I think it's going to be quite difficult for him to prove himself in such a bad Blackburn team. It has to be a bit soul-destroying to be on the end of a 2 or 3 nil loss most weekends but they did draw 2-2 with the once mighty Liverpool last weekend

[skbio_toronto]

True, true and true again on Steven Reid. The potential is there. His former manager at Milwall Mark McGhee referred to him as a potential Patrick Viera. (Take that with a pinch of salt of course)

I've seen him play for Rovers as well as ourselves. His big problem is a 'severe' lack of confidence - no exagerration. Might have something to do with all the injuries he's had in a young career. Can't help feeling he'd rather be somewhere else when watching him play, at times.

He's keeping out two internationals (Javier de Pedro and Morten Gamst Perdersen) in the Blackburn line up. And Australian right winger Brett Emerton has been moved to the left to accomadate him. So a certain Mr. Hughes can see a Spark!! (Pardon the obligatory pun)

SKBIO-TOR

[DannyInvincible]

Alan Mahon talks to The42.ie about his playing days, including the brief spell with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, as well as his move into coaching with the Manchester City women's team: http://www.the42.ie/alan-mahon-inter...65352-Apr2017/