Keith Fahey

[the-blue-harp]

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?:(

your a protective bunch you pats fans...:rolleyes:

[Ceirtlis]

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.

Coleman has had very little playing time which have included a few average performances, Benfica and Bate as well as one standout performance against Tottenham. Why are you even trying to make the comparison. Because he is a fellow Donegal man maybe?

Fahey did alright in the games i saw at the start of the season when he was in the team . Unfortunately for him it looks like he may have been left behind a little with the Birmingham run and him being injured when it started.With the new money they probably now see themselves as challenging for the top 10 whereas at the start of the season their aim was to just avoid relegation. He is probably not a top 10 premiership player at the moment.

He is skillful and can find a pass but it is a big step up to the prem from the championship and the loi before it. The speed of thought and action required for incisive passing is much quicker and watching him I think he has struggled with this at times. Sometimes I think he treats the ball a bit too much like a hot potato trying to make a good pass straight away and loses the ball in the process. With time on his hands from a corner or a set piece though his delivery is pretty good.

[Saint_Charlie]

He just put in a great cross for Brums first goal there

[SkStu]

lovely move from Brum and a well weighted assist from Fahey.

[Saint_Charlie]

Second goal for Birmingham. Quality goal with Fahey involved in the build up. Hopefully he's playing his way back into the team

[Carrigaline]

Have to say I feel sorry for Fahey. All the Birmingham midfielders are probably in the form of their careers right now. Going to be hard to get cement a first-team place.

[MeathDrog]

Have to say I feel sorry for Fahey. All the Birmingham midfielders are probably in the form of their careers right now. Going to be hard to get cement a first-team place.
He should hang in there. Bowyear can't have any more good seasons left in him surely.

[seanfhear]

He should hang in there. Bowyear can't have any more good seasons left in him surely.
Not to mention that Bowyer could go off the deep end again at any time and get suspended or sent to the Big House !

[MeathDrog]

Had a shot tipped onto the crossbar by Cech apparently.

[paul_oshea]

ya was class in fairness sort outside of a toe poke but a great save from cech to stop it from going in.

[backstothewall]

Started today v Fulham with Trap in the stand. brum lost and duffer scored a wondergoal that will steal the headlines, but did anyone see the whole game to assess his performance? i only caught match of the day!

[drummerboy]

McLeish took Ferguson and Larson off during the second half and left Fahey on which might suggest he was one of the better midfielders on view for Birmingham. Well worth a place in the squad in my opinion.

[Dodge]

Interesting that McLeish signed two midfielders in the winter window and Fahey still gets his minutes.

[Kingdom]

I'm mates with a relation of his, he isn't in the squad/

Edit here's the squad:
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100696:giovanni-trapattoni-names-23-man-squad-to-face-brazil&catid=1:senior-men&Itemid=8

[drummerboy]

Maybe he needs McLeish to give Trap a call and let him know this player is Irish.

[ifk101]

Yes he is deserving of a look in. However he isn't a Trapattoni type player. If we continue with the tactics and formation of the last qualification campaign, I don't see how Fahey fits in.

[Dodge]

I think thats a major part of it alright

[bholg]

Just saw the goal from today's game on RTE.... some dive by Fahey!

Anyone see the game?

[galwayjames]

yeah great dive by him

good to see him back in the team as well

[TrapAPony]

I'm sure he will be looked at in Traps upcoming training camp.

[seanfhear]

yeah great dive by him

good to see him back in the team as well
Thierry Henry could learn from a dive like that ! !

[Dodge]

Still retaining his place. PLayed very well tonight according to a mate of mine at the game. McLeish made 6 changes to the team who played at the weekend

Interestingly with larsson being dropped to the bench Fahey took over duty at dead balls

[TrapAPony]

Still retaining his place. PLayed very well tonight according to a mate of mine at the game. McLeish made 6 changes to the team who played at the weekend

Interestingly with larsson being dropped to the bench Fahey took over duty at dead balls

Only got 6 according to Eurosport ratings and a 6 according to Sky Sports ratings and when fans voted he was voted joint worst player on the night for Birmingham.

[paul_oshea]

Still retaining his place. PLayed very well tonight according to a mate of mine at the game. McLeish made 6 changes to the team who played at the weekend

Interestingly with larsson being dropped to the bench Fahey took over duty at dead balls

is that mate a st pats fan by any chance?! ;)

Good to see him still in Mcleishs plans though

[Dodge]

Not a Pats fan Paul. same guy said he was awful on Saturday (which he was in the bits of the game I watched).

I was just giving one guy's opinion. Just like the Sky guy or the eurosport guy. On one Birmingham forum he got an average of 7. Some 8s, some 6s.

[tetsujin1979]

Article about Fahey's call up to the training squad in today's Independent: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/fahey-eager-to-wow-trap-2178043.html

[amaccann]

Not a bad season for a man that Eamon Dunphy dismissed as being a right-back, when an email suggested he be tested in midfield during Ireland's season just gone.

[Dodge]

By the end of the campaign Dunphy was saying he should be in the full squad (in his Star articles)

Offered a new "improved" deal at Birmingham too

[geysir]

It's a long way from Inchicore to the Dylan Hotel.

[Razors left peg]

I think Fahey has only done ok, he is playing alot of games but he seems to be more of a work horse now. He has alot more in his locker than he has shown so far in the Premiership, we havent really seen any of the flashes of genius that he showed with Pats. It does take time to adjust to the higher level so hopefully next season we will see more of the Keith Fahey that can rifle a shot in from 30 yards or the defense splitting passes.

[SkStu]

he's not being played in the same position with Brum as he was with Pats. He's not got the genuine pace for the wing and his role there is far more restrained. If he got a more central role and got on the ball a bit more in those positions then i think you would see him make more of an impact as he did with Pats. Hopefully next season now that he has had a full season of adjustment to life in the Premiership.

All that said, he is still another remarkable LOI success story.

[Razors left peg]

All that said, he is still another remarkable LOI success story.

no arguements here about that

[Charlie Darwin]

Not a bad season for a man that Eamon Dunphy dismissed as being a right-back, when an email suggested he be tested in midfield during Ireland's season just gone.
He was probably mixing him up with one of those La Liga right backs, him being an expert on Spanish football and all.

Fahey's done well this season doing a lot of defensive work he previously wouldn't have had to do as much of and I think he's been squeezed out by other players who have more experienced combining attacking and defensive duties. I think we'll see more of his attacking side next year when he's had a few more months to get familiar with the role.

[dr_peepee]

Not a bad season for a man that Eamon Dunphy dismissed as being a right-back, when an email suggested he be tested in midfield during Ireland's season just gone.

Did he mix him up with Kevin Foley???

[tetsujin1979]

Did he mix him up with Kevin Foley???

yeah, there was an interview with Foley after a game once on RTE, and the caption read "Keith Fahey"!

[amaccann]

Yeah I presume it was Foley - it happened during one of those Web-Only extra pieces they ran after a game (I forget which one). One of the public suggested Keith Fahey as an answer to our anaemic midfield & Dunphy, with typical haughty flippancy, dismissed the comment.

[seanfhear]

yeah, there was an interview with Foley after a game once on RTE, and the caption read "Keith Fahey"!
That would be about the depth of knowledge that Dunce Dunphy has on Irish football.

[tetsujin1979]

That would be about the depth of knowledge that Dunce Dunphy has on Irish football.
the caption had nothing to do with Dunphy, AFAIR the interview was on the news. I posted a pic from it on the forum, I'll try to dig it up

<EDIT>

found it: http://foot.ie/threads/118660-Nigeria-Post-Match-Thoughts-and-Analysis?p=1170025&viewfull=1#post1170025
the screenshot has been removed, or the link no longer works, but it's pretty clear the interview was on the news, and had nothing to do with Dunphy

[irishfan86]

the caption had nothing to do with Dunphy, AFAIR the interview was on the news. I posted a pic from it on the forum, I'll try to dig it up

<EDIT>

found it: http://foot.ie/threads/118660-Nigeria-Post-Match-Thoughts-and-Analysis?p=1170025&viewfull=1#post1170025
the screenshot has been removed, or the link no longer works, but it's pretty clear the interview was on the news, and had nothing to do with Dunphy

Tets, these were two separate RTE incidents. One was the mistaken name on given to Foley, but I remember the incident amaccan referred to.

It was an RTE web-extra postgame segment, and an Irish supporter e-mailed in suggesting that Keith Fahey be brought in as another midfield option. Dunphy dismissed it, laughing at the suggestion, and shouting "he's a fullback Bill!"

[irishfan86]

He just got a one year extension to 2013 with Birmingham. Very much in and out of the team, but McLeish always has good things to say to him.

I was happy he got his first cap with the national team, hopefully he can continue to gain confidence at the top level for club and country. I say confidence because like many LoI supporters will say, he's always had the talent, but there is something to be said about adapting your game to compete against top level players game in game out.

By the sounds of it he's improved the defensive side of his game a lot at Birmingham, and that sort of experience will put him in good stead as he tries to make an impression with Trap.

[Charlie Darwin]

He's improving but I think he has some way to go if he's to combine the attacking and defensive aspects of his game. At the moment, he seems capable of doing a defensive job but he's never really showed the range of passing and goal threat that he did in the LOI and the Championship.

[irishfan86]

He's improving but I think he has some way to go if he's to combine the attacking and defensive aspects of his game. At the moment, he seems capable of doing a defensive job but he's never really showed the range of passing and goal threat that he did in the LOI and the Championship.

I think he lacks the pace to be an effective wide player at the top level, but isn't strong enough to play as a central midfielder in the Premier League.

Ideally, he'd want to play as a more advanced playmaker with one or two defensive midfielders behind him, but I don't think he's considered (or is) good enough to build a Premier League side around.

That doesn't mean he can't contribute, but I just think that with his attributes this is as good as it will get for him, at least in Britain. I'd say continental sides would be more inclined to play a player of his ability centrally. It's too bad he didn't get that move to Germany that time, he could have really excelled there.

[mark12345]

You hit the nail on the head Irishfan. Doesn't make Fahey a bad player cause he can't fit into the system in a mid-tier English side. You've illustrated nicely the limitations of the English game. Whereas if he was in Germany (like you suggest) his skills would be more catered to. We could say that for several Irish lads who went across the water in years gone by. Like you I would love to see Irish kids broaden their horizons a bit more and take in Holland, Germany or wherever.

[Junior]

In relation to that point (one that is raised on many threads within this forum). Often the Irish players from LOI are perhaps criticised for not venturing further than England to try and improve their skills. I wonder what level of resources Holland, Germany, Scandinavia, Belgium, Italy put in to trying to pick up young talent from Ireland? - I dont know the answer but I would second guess it is minimal.

Perhaps the opportunites just dont exist and it would be down to the player (agent - if he had one) to go out and sell himself.

England is definitely the easy option but going abroad would not be as easy at it may seem ignoring the obvious, language, cultural, homesick type issues - just getting a club to show interest would be difficult.

It would be great if Trap, Tardelli, Wim Koevermans et al could use their network of contacts to facilitate this type of stuff.

[Dodge]

Thats it spot on Junior. Clubs in those leagues already have well established scouting nets set up and they don't include Ireland. We've had a few move but the clubs aren't interested.

[irishfan86]

I always find it bizarre that Juventus picked up Ronnie O'Brien and gave him a five-year deal. How the hell did that happen? Good times.

[Dodge]

I always find it bizarre that Juventus picked up Ronnie O'Brien and gave him a five-year deal. How the hell did that happen? Good times.

then didn't play him once...


mad stuff alright

[Docboy]

Believe it was something to do with Paul Merson's agent, Merson was playing with Boro at the time. There's a link below:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/obrien-off-to-juventus-after-robson-snub-414021.html

[SkStu]

I always find it bizarre that Juventus picked up Ronnie O'Brien and gave him a five-year deal. How the hell did that happen? Good times.


then didn't play him once...


mad stuff alright

Pat Devlins mafia connections. Obviousdy owed a favour from some Italian don. Its the only viable explanation.

[Charlie Darwin]

Thats it spot on Junior. Clubs in those leagues already have well established scouting nets set up and they don't include Ireland. We've had a few move but the clubs aren't interested.
I imagine a lot of it has to do with our clubs not progressing further in European competition. If the likes of Bohs and Rovers were able to break through to the Europa groups I'd imagine there'd be a bit more interest, both directly in the clubs and the country in general. I'm guessing a lot of European clubs and scouts just assume England has dibs on our players anyway.