Keith Fahey

[Murfinator]

Nowhere near good enough for the international team in my book. People here just want him involved since he was involved in the LOI and for no other reason. There was equal outrage from this site when Roy O Donovan wasn't getting call ups, in retrospect I'd say it was just as well he wasn't.

[gustavo]

Nowhere near good enough for the international team in my book. People here just want him involved since he was involved in the LOI and for no other reason. There was equal outrage from this site when Roy O Donovan wasn't getting call ups, in retrospect I'd say it was just as well he wasn't.

If he was "nowhere near" good enough he wouldn't be playing regularly in an English second tier team never mind a Premiership team

[Murfinator]

There's a lot of players who play regularly for lower premiership sides that were never good enough. Derek Geary for example. Fahey isn't a bad player don't get me wrong but I could name 6 or 7 clear cut better options than him and another handful who are at least the same level.

[NeilMcD]

Nowhere near good enough for the international team in my book. People here just want him involved since he was involved in the LOI and for no other reason. There was equal outrage from this site when Roy O Donovan wasn't getting call ups, in retrospect I'd say it was just as well he wasn't.

There maybe a few that want him involved as they have a soft spot for him etc. But from reading your posts I think its clear you are anti LOI so if you are dismissing their posts as biased I think we can all dismiss your posts also. Now move on. The guy is good enough to be in the squad as he is as good if not better than Miller. However its possibly too late in the campaign to call him up. However if we win the group we will have free dates in November and if we get to play offs we will have friendlies in Feb and March/April next year.

[irishfan86]

He is clearly a talented player, but his style doesn't suit Trap's formation.

Even if he is good enough (debatable at this stage IMO), I don't think Trap would pick him for the same reasons that Andy Reid is excluded (not physical enough for the middle, yet not a true wide player).

[harpstilidie]

There's a lot of players who play regularly for lower premiership sides that were never good enough. Derek Geary for example. Fahey isn't a bad player don't get me wrong but I could name 6 or 7 clear cut better options than him and another handful who are at least the same level.

Name 6 or 7 players who you think are better options than him. I can understand why he isn't in the squad though because Trap wants to keep more or less the same players but surely he is a much better option than Miller and maybe even Gibson.

[Murfinator]

For Centre Mids

Steven Reid
Glen Whealen
Keith Andrews
Andy Reid
Liam Miller
Lee Carsley
Darron Gibson
Chris McCann
Owen Garvan

If there really were dire straits on the injury front I'd rather play O'Shea and Kilbane in the middle than Fahey too.

So there's 11 for you. There's others like Delap, Stephen Quinn, Alan Quinn, O'Toole and Rowlands who I'd put Fahey on the same level as.

[MeathDrog]

Hit the corssbar yesterday I see. Was unlucky, a good strike.

[harpstilidie]

For Centre Mids

Steven Reid
Glen Whealen
Keith Andrews
Andy Reid
Liam Miller
Lee Carsley
Darron Gibson
Chris McCann
Owen Garvan

If there really were dire straits on the injury front I'd rather play O'Shea and Kilbane in the middle than Fahey too.

So there's 11 for you. There's others like Delap, Stephen Quinn, Alan Quinn, O'Toole and Rowlands who I'd put Fahey on the same level as.

I'd have the first four on that list ahead of Fahey, maybe Carsley as well but Fahey is better than the rest imo.

[Murfinator]

Gibson and McCann are far more talented players than Fahey, I think there's any case for arguing Fahey over those two. Miller and Garvan on their day are quite clearly better than Fahey on his day too, though their inconsistency could give you a case.

[gustavo]

To your extreme credit Murfinator I'd say at least 50% of your 100 posts have gotten bites

[SkStu]

biggest wind up merchant since Ciaran....

[SkStu]

biggest wind up merchant since Ciaran....

now that i mention it.... some STRIKING similarities between the two. :confused:

[Diarmo]

Interesting Article here about Brady inquiring about Fahey lately:


McLeish said: “I am a little bit surprised this time. I know it’s difficult to pick international sides because I’ve got experience of that.

“When you’re trying to find a position for a new guy then sometimes you’ve got a bit of momentum with the fellas that are already in the squad and that can be a stumbling block in itself. But Liam Brady phoned me a few weeks ago and I told him that Keith would be playing against Villa and he played really well against them so I’m sure Liam would have gone back with a good report.

“Liam will also have the benefit of knowing Keith from his younger days when he was Arsenal, although I could say right now he is absolutely nothing like the player he was back then.”



maybe a call up isn't too far away....

[geysir]

McLeish must have taken some notice of Fahey when he was with Arsenal.

[Yard of Pace]

I haven't seen much of Fahey except in the Villa game where he didn't do a whole lot. Does he have much defensive qualities, does anyone know?
I do like the fact he's not afraid to try things, and he's clearly quality given time on the ball. Could he play the Keith Andrews role as well as Keith Andrews?

[superfrank]

He's best suited as an attacking midfielder/playmaker, in the mould of Kaka. I've never seen him do well defensively, that's not to say he's utterly useless but he's definitely at his most effective and comfortable far up the pitch.

With the way Trap has the team set up, I don't think there's a role for Fahey that wouldn't require him learning an awful lot on his feet.

[brianw82]

Subbed at half time today. Didn't see any of the game, but he was either injured or played poorly.

[tetsujin1979]

He started on the right, according to Sky Sports?

[Billynose]

What's going on with him lately? Not in today's squad I see and not injured according to physioroom

[MeathDrog]

aye, anyone know why he isn't even in the squad?

[Kingdom]

McLeish must have taken some notice of Fahey when he was with Arsenal.

To be fair to Keith, he was the man when he was with Arsenal. I know most of the background goings on, and it was more about feeling untrusted than doing anything wrong. I think the Italian and German underage midfield captains were with Arsenal when Fahey was there, and didn't appreciate it.

[Dodge]

aye, anyone know why he isn't even in the squad?

He's injured.

[kennedmc]

To be fair to Keith, he was the man when he was with Arsenal. I know most of the background goings on, and it was more about feeling untrusted than doing anything wrong. I think the Italian and German underage midfield captains were with Arsenal when Fahey was there, and didn't appreciate it.

What does the above mean?

[Saint_Charlie]

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2009/11/11/birmingham-city-s-keith-fahey-shortlisted-for-irish-overseas-player-of-the-year-award-97319-25141538/


KEITH Fahey has been nominated for the Irish Overseas Player of the Year Award – adding further weight to calls for the Blues midfielder to be handed an international call-up.
The nomination, made by the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland (PFAI), sees Fahey join Manchester City’s Stephen Ireland and Tottenham’s Robbie Keane on the shortlist.
The new category has been voted for by players in the League of Ireland’s premier and first divisions and will presented at the PFAI’s annual players’ awards ceremony in Dublin on Sunday.
Fahey is the reigning PFAI Players’ Player of the Year following the sparkling performances for St Patrick’s Athletic that led to his dream move to Blues in January.
Since then, the 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength and is now a key part of Alex McLeish’s Premier League survival plans.
Stephen McGuinness, the PFAI general secretary, praised Fahey’s progression since arriving at St Andrew’s.
He said: “It is a mark of the impact that last year’s winner, Keith Fahey, has had in the Premier League this season with his nomination in the first-ever Irish Overseas Player of the Year Award.
“Keith’s progress since joining Birmingham at the start of the year demonstrates the talent this league has to offer and hopefully some day players will not need to leave Ireland to fulfil their potential.”
Fahey will have a good chance of beating Ireland and Keane to the gong, given that the Dubliner is held in high regard by his peers in the Emerald Isle.
Even if he is pipped to the award, it will still increase the pressure on Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni to hand the Blues ace his first senior call-up.
The Republic of Ireland host France on Saturday for the first leg of their crucial World Cup 2010 qualifying play-off.

[irishfan86]

Fahey did well to help Birmingham get to the Premier League, but if he wins this award it will basically be because of his LoI background.

John O'Shea (playing more minutes than any Man United player as they won the league) and Stephen Ireland (should have been young player of the year in the Premier League last season) are more deserving of the award though if you want to talk about actual merit.

Robbie Keane shouldn't be nominated as his club form has been shaky at best.

[SkStu]

Congrats Keith - great to see a former LOI man get this recognition.

[theworm2345]

I don't mean to open a can of worms (no pun intended :p) but why the f*** is Manchester on that list?

[irishfan86]

I don't mean to open a can of worms (no pun intended :p) but why the f*** is Manchester on that list?

As far as I can tell it's an award given out for club form.

As its voted on by the players from the LoI, they're to blame for this situation...

[Dodge]

As its voted on by the players from the LoI, they're to blame for this situation...

Its voted for by members of the PFAI, of which the international players are members

[irishfan86]

Its voted for by members of the PFAI, of which the international players are members

From the article:


The new category has been voted for by players in the League of Ireland’s premier and first divisions and will presented at the PFAI’s annual players’ awards ceremony in Dublin on Sunday.

[the-blue-harp]

I like most people really want the lad to do well across the water, but he is just not up to that standard. He is a championship player at best.
In my opinion he looks totally out of his depth and he has been given a good enough chance by alex mcleish to prove himself and he hasnt been able to do it.

(i really looked for a keith fahey thread but it appears someone has been at some early spring cleaning on this site)

[irishultra]

yup has he done anything?

[gustavo]

Or he got injured and McLeish doesn't want to change a winning side....He's managed to come off the bench in most games since he's been back from injury

[the-blue-harp]

Or he got injured and McLeish doesn't want to change a winning side....He's managed to come off the bench in most games since he's been back from injury

i've watched him in quite a few games this year, and i am always watching him when he is on, because i want him to do well. He is a good player, but imo totally out of his depth at that level.

[elroy]

With the money Bham have, they are going to be a buying club bringing in more players, meaning its gonna be tough for the likes of Fahey and O'Shea to make a breakthrough.

[ifk101]

Agree, I think Keith Fahey is a very gifted footballer. Birmingham are having a fine season in the Premiership, highlighting the depth and quality they have in the first team squad. Keith Fahey is constantly involved with the first team, getting plenty of run-outs and in the process showing that he has taken to Premeriship standard football like a duck to water.

[noddy102]

I think the imminent signing of Michel would suggest McLeish obviously doesn't reckon Fahey is a good enough player, since Michel will be doing precisely what Fahey does. :(

[Razors left peg]

I think the imminent signing of Michel would suggest McLeish obviously doesn't reckon Fahey is a good enough player, since Michel will be doing precisely what Fahey does. :(

or he just wants to increase the competition for places like there is at the top clubs

[Dodge]

he has been given a good enough chance by alex mcleish to prove himself and he hasnt been able to do it.


He started every game until he's got injured. 2 of the games he started were on TV, and he was excellent in Old Trafford. What gives you the idea he's out of his depth?

[rambler14]

McLeish reckons Fahey is his best buy since he went to Birmingham because he got him so cheap. There's no way Fahey will be leaving.

[paul_oshea]

Dodge, he was not excellent at old trafford, he performed fairly no more no less. Take off the blinkers

[Dodge]

Dodge, he was not excellent at old trafford, he performed fairly no more no less. Take off the blinkers

No, you're right paul. I meant to say; "Excellent compared to what some expected"

POint remains. He hasn't had a bad game on TV yet, so where does the opinion that he;'s out of depth come from?

[MeathDrog]

McLeish seems to be sticking with his unbeaten team until they lose. So until then, Fahey won't be starting.

He's came on as a sub in almost every game since then though..

[paul_oshea]

No, you're right paul. I meant to say; "Excellent compared to what some expected"

POint remains. He hasn't had a bad game on TV yet, so where does the opinion that he;'s out of depth come from?

No, im not disagreeing with that. However people see that birmingham are 12 games unbeaten or something like that, and he hasn't featured that often, or if he has, its from the bench. People will obviouslly form opinions based on this, not to say that fahey being out of the team is the reason for the great run, but the great run is probably the reason he is still out of the starting 11, if that makes sense.

[ifk101]

People will obviouslly form opinions based on this, not to say that fahey being out of the team is the reason for the great run, but the great run is probably the reason he is still out of the starting 11, if that makes sense.

He formed his opinion on "seeing" Fahey play. But you are correct that there's a lot of people out there that form their opinions on players without actually seeing them play the game. Fahey must be crap in Football Manager ...

[Acornvilla]

He formed his opinion on "seeing" Fahey play. But you are correct that there's a lot of people out there that form their opinions on players without actually seeing them play the game. Fahey must be crap in Football Manager ...
hes probably the best LOI player in FM2009 :)

[the-blue-harp]

He formed his opinion on "seeing" Fahey play. But you are correct that there's a lot of people out there that form their opinions on players without actually seeing them play the game. Fahey must be crap in Football Manager ...

I dont play computer games if your trying to imply that thats how I formed my opinion. I have watched him in most of the games he has played this year (match choice on skysports on a saturday evening) and just because he hasnt played badly doesnt make him a success in the premier. To me he has seemed off the pace. He has mis-controlled the ball a lot and misplaced too many simple little passes. For a creative player he has been missing and hasnt stood up. He has been frustrating to watch and the crowd at birminghan are starting to get frustrated with him too when he misplaces passes.
He has a lot of skill but he needs to step up and start believing in himself like young seamus coleman at everton. Coleman doesnt care who he is up against he plays and gives everything. Keith fahey needs to start giving everything, every game or else he is going to find himself in the reserves for the rest of the year.

[ifk101]

Birmingham offer Fahey new contract

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/birmingham-offer-fahey-new-contract-2015560.html

[Billsthoughts]

He has a lot of skill but he needs to step up and start believing in himself like young seamus coleman at everton. Coleman doesnt care who he is up against he plays and gives everything. .

Pretty much everything that is wrong with Irish football fans in one sentence....when Coleman is plying his trade with Dagenham in a few years time will he still be the standard that Irish football measures itself against?:(