Aiden McGeady M Ayr Utd b.1986

**Olé Olé** · 12/03/2017, 9:26 AM

6 points outside the play-offs. It would be delightful, from an Irish perspective, if Preston went up. In particular, it would mean that McGeady could extend his stay there because I would doubt without promotion that they would have the finances to make it permanent in the summer, especially when they are likely to face competition for his signature from anyone with money in the Championship and maybe even some PL sides.

Actually, from that point of view, it's imperative for McGeady himself to play well for Ireland for the next few matches before the summer transfer window shuts. Not many better ways to put yourself in the shop window than by carrying his club form into the Wales match.

**OwlsFan** · 13/03/2017, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

6 points outside the play-offs. It would be delightful, from an Irish perspective, if Preston went up. In particular, it would mean that McGeady could extend his stay there because I would doubt without promotion that they would have the finances to make it permanent in the summer, especially when they are likely to face competition for his signature from anyone with money in the Championship and maybe even some PL sides.

Actually, from that point of view, it's imperative for McGeady himself to play well for Ireland for the next few matches before the summer transfer window shuts. Not many better ways to put yourself in the shop window than by carrying his club form into the Wales match.

66/1 against Preston winning the play offs at the moment.

**geysir** · 13/03/2017, 12:58 PM

Winning the championship play-off is a lottery

Preston 16/1 to make the play-offs and from there they have a fighting chance

**DeLorean** · 13/03/2017, 1:07 PM

This is their run in...

Blackburn (a)
Nottm Forest (h)
Bristol City (h)
-------------------
Leeds (a)
Huddersfield (a)
Norwich (h)
Newcastle (a)
-------------------
Rotherham (h)
Wolves (a)

I can see why they're 16/1 alright. The next three look very winnable even if all three are fighting for their lives. That's a nasty four game stretch then before wrapping it up with two nice fixtures.

**OwlsFan** · 13/03/2017, 3:31 PM

Nasty is putting it mildly. So even if they get 9 from the top 3 fixtures and Owls get 0 from their next 3 (which means Reading beat them this Friday), they are still probably not in the play off positions as they will be behind Reading, Fulham, Huddersfield and Leeds facing in to those 4 games. 16/1 to make the play offs is not generous.

**DannyInvincible** · 14/03/2017, 1:52 PM

Martin O'Neill speaks at considerable length about McGeady, his improved confidence/fitness of late and where he presently stands as a player: http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...eady-1.3008884

Originally Posted by Emmet Malone

Aiden McGeady has already done enough this season to play his way back into contention for a place in Martin O’Neill’s starting line-up.

However as the Republic of Ireland manager named a 39-strong preliminary squad for the games against Wales and Iceland, he suggested the 30-year-old’s performances between now and the summer for club and country may define what remains of his playing career.

McGeady, who is on loan at Championship side Preston North End, has a year left on his contract at Everton. But, having failed to nail a place down under the manager who signed him, he has fallen completely out of favour under Ronald Koeman with the midfielder acknowledging recently that he may well leave in the summer.

That, O’Neill suggests, might be his last chance to make a real impact at the top level in England.

“I think Aiden has had a look at himself and realised: ‘I’ve really got to do something . . . I’m not getting any younger,’” says the Ireland manager. “This is not embryonic talent anymore. You have to fulfil it.

“He has got what I would call Premier League feet – there is no doubt at all about that. He twists and turns and can go past players and there are not that many people in the game who can do those things.

‘Fantastic footwork’

“But he can frustrate himself because he knows – he is a bright lad – that he cannot help himself. Seriously, he cannot help himself. He just feels ‘I can do this’ and what will happen is that he will have lost the ball, the other team will have attacked from that mistake and it might have caused a few problems. Then, suddenly, when you lose the ball two or three times as a dribbler you lose a bit of confidence.

“My advice to him has been to play his football in the right areas. I think that has been a problem for him. Do all that fantastic footwork where it really matters. And I think that if he did that then he would be playing in the big league.

“I would seriously doubt [he has a future at Everton]. I think between now and the end of the season will probably define where he’s going to go and how he’s going to approach it.

“What I feel now is that in the Premier League I don’t think you can afford, at the very, very top level, to carry players unless they are producing one in every three moves or something like this.

“As you know, I’ve always had great faith in his ability and evidently now [Preston manager] Simon Grayson has given him this freedom to go and express himself and I think he’s really enjoying it.

“I saw him a couple of weeks ago and he’s looking fitter and more athletic again and that comes from playing a lot of games. His confidence is definitely up and you know he is a confidence player anyway. The manager believes in him which is good news.

‘Top teams’

“But those are the type of things, if anyone was sending scouts to Preston’s matches or even our games if Aiden gets on the field, those are the type of things that Premier League people would be looking at. And when I mention the top teams, it might even actually apply to the sides who struggle in the Premier League. Can they afford that?

“You have to weigh one thing up against the other. The ability to beat players and create – how often do you do that? Can you take that chance against somebody who will be more workmanlike.”

**DannyInvincible** · 14/03/2017, 10:53 PM

Preston North End reporter Dave Seddon (of the Lancashire Evening Post) speaks to Balls.ie about McGeady's good form of late: https://www.balls.ie/football/greg-cunningham-361132

Originally Posted by Gavin Cooney

One of the few Preston players to impress during a 3-1 defeat that O'Neill described as "wretched" was Aiden McGeady; an impression consistent with his last few months at Deepdale. McGeady has been the league's outstanding player of late, and won the Championship Player of the Month for February following a run of three goals and seven assists in the space of the year's shortest month.

Seddon gives an insight into McGeady's upturn in form:

"He's showing that form he showed at Celtic. He's loving his football. Simon Grayson has a track record of getting players for whom it hasn't worked out elsewhere, putting his arm around them and saying 'we know you're still decent, so go out there and show us what you can do'. He has given him the reign to go and be a box of tricks up front, telling him to 'do a stepover, show us what you can do'. Since the end of December he has overcome a couple of injuries and he has really kicked on, and these last three months he has been mesmerizing. Premier League quality in the Championship."

Key to the McGeady Renaissance is the freedom afforded to him by Simon Grayson, pragmatism rewarding both player and manager:

"Simon Grayson, the way he plays, his back four are very disciplined, as are the midfield two. But anyone up front or playing the wings are let off the cuff.

They'll swap wings, and there have been times during games that, if, McGeady is playing on the wing, and if the opposition full-backs are pushing on and need to be tracked, he will move McGeady infield to a number 10 position and move Callum Robinson to the left. That relieves McGeady of his defensive duties, and Preton have had quite a lot of joy doing it.

He's almost given McGeady a blank canvas."

**OwlsFan** · 15/03/2017, 4:00 PM

Can't see the cautious O'Neill giving McGeady a "blank canvas".

**Charlie Darwin** · 15/03/2017, 4:39 PM

Why not? He did at Celtic.

**Fixer82** · 15/03/2017, 6:50 PM

I wonder would O'Neill start McGeady in a no.10 role to be replaced by Wes on the hour mark.

**DannyInvincible** · 18/03/2017, 4:57 PM

Another goal for McGeady today. It was a last-minute equaliser to win Preston a point away to Blackburn. Game ended 2-2.

**DannyInvincible** · 19/03/2017, 12:30 AM

Video of McGeady's goal against Blackburn:

**Stuttgart88** · 19/03/2017, 4:14 PM

Very composed. MON needs to wrap him on cotton wool this week.

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 19/03/2017, 4:16 PM

Walters will play.

So it will be interesting to see who misses out between McGeady, McClean, Long and Murphy.

I reckon Long could get the wooden spoon.

**DeLorean** · 05/04/2017, 7:50 AM

Grayson hoping McGeady stays at Deepdale.

On a night where several players stood out it was McGeady who took man of the match honours on his 31st birthday.

“He’s enjoying what he’s doing and some of the movement of his feet is frightening at times,” said Grayson. “He can be unplayable and I do feel sorry for Championship defenders. “He should be playing in the Premier League but let’s hope he’s with us next year doing his stuff.”

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/...push-1-8476008

**OwlsFan** · 05/04/2017, 9:13 AM

Another great win for Preston last night and another goal for McGeady. Both Boyle and Horgan on the bench, the latter coming on for McGeady after 71 minutes. 6 games left. 5 points adrift of Wednesday whose next game is at home to Newcastle but Preston's next 4 games are Leeds (a), Hudderfield (a), Norwich (h) and Newcastle (a) and if they're still in contention after those, good luck to them.

**DeLorean** · 05/04/2017, 9:20 AM

Derby having a bit of a honeymoon period under Rowett as well. Not a bad run-in either but they could do anything really.

**OwlsFan** · 07/04/2017, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Derby having a bit of a honeymoon period under Rowett as well.

"Honeymoon period" is an interesting phrase and says a lot about the general perception of marriage. It's all great in the beginning but give it time

**Closed Account** · 14/04/2017, 2:37 PM

4 - Preston's Aiden McGeady has now scored 4 goals in his last 5 league games, as many as he had in 31 appearances beforehand. Momentum.
https://streamable.com/zs644
https://streamable.com/wvd4t

**DeLorean** · 29/04/2017, 10:48 PM

McGeady was the Preston captain for the day. Grayson said in an interview after the game that McGeady had mentioned in a joking manner that he'd never been captain at any level of football before. They decided to give it to him because he deserved it for his contribution this season but stressed that it wasn't a send-off, that they're making huge efforts to try to keep him at the football club. I saw the video on the PNE Facebook page, not sure if you need an account to see it or not.

McGeady seemed to get the Preston motm award also as you'll see in another post.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPNE...SEARCH&fref=nf