Irish players playing in other European Leagues.

[irishultra]

I just thought this would be a good thread idea about irish footballers seemingly inability to expand beyond these islands. of course we have a few, probably barely enough to count on one hand-dominic foley and steve finnan immediately spring to mind.

Its something I'm actually passionate about but I also consider in terms of the success of the irish national team does it matter? I mean a 25 year old isn't really going to learn a new style by playing a season in La Liga but then I think of the situation with someone like Anthony Stokes. His career has stagnated in England why not see if he can give it a go in another country? I mean look at the Americans, guisseppi rossi and altidore play in spain so if they can adapt surely irish players can. I just find it strange that we are probably the only country in football that has all its players playing basically in the one league that isnt our own.

As well as a soccer fan i'd love to have a reason to be watching a bundesliga or serie a to see irish players

[TerryPhelan]

See this thread:
http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?p=1093302#post1093302

Ronnie O'Brien, Selcuk Tidim and Barry Maguire (we hardly knew you) are probably the only Irish-eligible players based outside Ireland and the UK with a remote possibility of contributing anything to the senior squad. The rest - the Walkers of Sweden, Kohlmann of Borussia Dortmund etc - are even further out of the reckoning.

[irishultra]

cheers terry, hows life in new zealand ;)

just to make clear i love english football i just dislike our complete dependence on it as if it was our own, except for language theres no natural reason why our players gravitate towards england like a moth to a light but then culturally we are pretty whipped by uk(england),

like the shock on my mates face when i mentioned that stokes spain analogy like as if i was saying he should play a game of football on mars

its definetly a cultural thing because i was reading a eu wide survey and the question was what memberships of EU means under a selection of headings, anyway out of all eu member state when it came to 'free movement of people' ireland had by far the lowest %

now obviously i have no idea who was surveyed or how many but it shows the mindset(then again we are also an island so that could be a reason )

[Metrostars]

Also Ciaran O'Brien of Colorado Rapids. US Born but the Dad is from Dublin who used to play for Bohs.
Ronnie O'Brien is without a club and supposedly hanging out in Dallas.

[irishfan86]

See this thread:
http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?p=1093302#post1093302

Ronnie O'Brien, Selcuk Tidim and Barry Maguire (we hardly knew you) are probably the only Irish-eligible players based outside Ireland and the UK with a remote possibility of contributing anything to the senior squad. The rest - the Walkers of Sweden, Kohlmann of Borussia Dortmund etc - are even further out of the reckoning.

At one stage Ronnie O'Brien may have been a decent option for us, but that time has passed.

He is quite injury prone now and is less effective every season it seems.

He is a good technical player, and can still hit a good cross or dead ball, but no way should he be anywhere near our squad at this point.

I'd say he may even retire- he doesn't have a club right now and he's 30. An MLS team will take him if he wants to keep playing I'm sure, but financially I'm not sure it would be worth it for him at this stage.

[Flawless]

Two irish lads playing with Triestina in Italy, Conor McCormack is one, the former U-17 Captain and Player of the Year, aswell as a Michael O'Connor. McCormack used to play with Man Yoo and O'Connor with Liverpool i think!.. both are with the youths as far as i know.

[theworm2345]

Two irish lads playing with Triestina in Italy, Conor McCormack is one, the former U-17 Captain and Player of the Year, aswell as a Michael O'Connor. McCormack used to play with Man Yoo and O'Connor with Liverpool i think!.. both are with the youths as far as i know.
Was it not Michael Collins, not O'Connor?

[Stuttgart88]

If anyone saw Brum v Wolves last night you'd wonder why anyone not built like a tank would want to play in The Championship. The pitch was dreadful but there were barely 2 accurate passes strung together all night.

I hope McGeady's Bayern move materialises.

[Stuttgart88]

maybe Brian Kerr can get some of our players to the Faroes league.

[irishfan86]

If anyone saw Brum v Wolves last night you'd wonder why anyone not built like a tank would want to play in The Championship. The pitch was dreadful but there were barely 2 accurate passes strung together all night.

I hope McGeady's Bayern move materialises.

In fairness there are a few footballing sides that have made it to the Prem only to be thrashed (West Brom is a current example), but the vast majority of Championship teams are pretty dire when it comes to the technical side of things.

I read Bayern's president denying what Trap stated about Munich's interest in Aiden...maybe just covering himself or hoping to keep the fee down, but it seemed to be a pretty vehement denial so I'd guess he's staying at Celtic for another season or two.

[Wangball]

There's the young boy Tim Pilkington that plays for Freiburg, he's New Zealander by birth but has represented us at youth level, as well as Sean McDermott at Vag(!?) in Norway - apparently he's attracted interest from Arsenal and I recall reading somewhere about another goalkeeper with the surname Burdon who playes for Stade Rennes in France, he's 15 or 16 and has been in some youth squads too and then there is my personal favourite Michael Reddy, formerly of Kilkenny, Sunderland and Grimsby who (if the internet is to be believed) recently made the move from FC Mamaluk in Greenland to Port Stanley Albion in the Falklands...I think this was move was covered in an article in FourFourTwo not too long ago

[mediahack]

From Wikipedia..........

FC Malamuk is a football club from Greenland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland) based in Uummannaq (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uummannaq). All league games, however, are played in the national stadium in Nuuk.
The only well known player to play for the club was former Irish U-21 international Michael Reddy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Reddy), who signed after being released by Grimsby Town (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimsby_Town) of the English League 2. Reddy has since moved to Port Stanley Albion in the Falkland Islands after meeting and marrying a Falkland Island native at the 2007 Greenland Fishing Festival.

[Croker]

This is why you don't believe everything you read!!

[Wangball]

This is why you don't believe everything you read!!

But I want to!:p

[joema]

Was it not Michael Collins, not O'Connor?


Collins is the lad who plays for Huddersfield. Are you thinking of him?

Good thread this, find the Michael Reddy stuff hard to believe though. I remember him back at Kilkenny City, seriously talented player. Unluckily for him he was plagued with injuries throughout his career. Made the senior squad for a friendly at one stage.

Patrick Kohlmann is playing for Union Berlin these days. Amazed he managed to stay at Dortmund for so long, he never looked like making the breakthrough there and only made one senior appearance.

I remember a Dutch goalkeeper played for us at underage level - thik it was the 16's...not sure. Forget his name, think it was something along the lines of "Abeliziz" of something like that. Google proves inconclusive...

[joema]

Just found him: Wesdie Abdelaziz is his name.

Taken from the Examiner:

Played for the under17's, or at least was named in a squad or two...
YOUTH team boss, Brian Kerr, has unearthed two new players for Ireland who are playing in the Netherlands with FC Haarlem.
The players, a goalkeeper and a midfielder, were born in Holland but are eligible for Ireland because their mother, Collette McDonald, came from Raheny, Dublin.
Goalkeeper Wesdie Abdelaziz was yesterday named in the Irish U17 squad to contest the Meridian Cup competition in South Africa later this month.
He is currently third choice goalkeeper at the Dutch first division club.
His elder brother, Nourdene Abdelaziz, is still eligible for U21 football and he has just been promoted to the Haarlem first team squad.
"This is a great thrill for me" said the younger Abdelaziz when informed of his selection.
"When Nourdene and I were growing up in Holland we always told our friends that we would play for Ireland - now I'm getting the chance."
The Abdelaziz brothers' father came from Tunisia and so they were eligible to play for three national teams, but their ambitions always focused on Ireland.
"We promised our mother that Ireland would come first and after being in Dublin over the New Year I kept a close eye on how the U17 team was doing in Israel" said Wesdie, "I knew I wanted to be part of that squad."
Abdelaziz trained with Ireland's junior international team boss, Gerry Smith, at the Dublin AUL complex during his holiday in Dublin and Smith recommended him to Brian Kerr.
"This has been a great season for me" said Abdelaziz, "I've sat on the bench three times with the first team and now I'm getting the chance to prove myself with Ireland.
"The fact that Ireland are European champions at this level shows how high the standard is but I'm confident that if I get the opportunity to show what I can do, I'll take it
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe Lapira, of course is still playing in the Norwegian second division. How he managed to get a full cap I'll never know!

Kilkenny lad Steven Murray is playing in Croatia too...!

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/search/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=36046

[irishultra]

excellent stuff man.

[irishultra]

this just gives a bit of an insight as to why it might not happen that much.


According to today's Daily Mirror "Hertha Berlin have said" he will coming back to Liverpool as they can't afford his fee & wages.


And thats a team at the top of the Bundesliga, its not as if they would be rushing to buy Stephen Hunt (ironically I think both would suit hunt would suit playing in the bundesliga)


in a way for our players its a bit like this country and the mess its in. most of them are earning probably very inflated wages so the need to broaden their horizons outside of england just isn't there.

*p.s worst comparison ever :p *

[Umberside]

Pat Walker is the manager of Sandefjord in Norway and used to play for Gillingham and Bohemians before playing with several Swedish clubs.

[SkStu]

Selcuk Tidim (http://www.soccer-talents.com/Selcuk_Can_Tidim-3_7-2565-12.html) of St. Pauli came on as a 65th minute sub for the Irish U17's against Poland today.

[irishultra]

Is it his mum who is Irish?

[SkStu]

Is it his mum who is Irish?

no i think Tidim is a vey popular name in Conemara... ;)

yeah its his mum. see here (http://www.ybig.ie/news_detail.asp?id=386&sectionId=3)

also found this - seems a prospect and committed.
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4208

[KildareFan]

Matt Cassidy formerly of Bolton Wanderers is currently playing in Cyprus

Represented Ireland at Under 17, Under 18 and Under 19

[Yard of Pace]

Matt Cassidy formerly of Bolton Wanderers is currently playing in Cyprus

Represented Ireland at Under 17, Under 18 and Under 19

http://www.hankins.org.uk/bwscl/blog/002205.shtml
Seems like he was quite the prospect. What happened???

[Yard of Pace]

Collins is the lad who plays for Huddersfield. Are you thinking of him?

...

Michael Collins has been doing well for my team, Huddersfield, this season. He scored a winner against Leeds which has guaranteed him hero status for the next few months anyway. Scores goals from midfield for sure. Not sure how good he is but he's young and if Lee Clark can get us promoted next season, which I'm sure he will do, it'd be interesting to see how far he'll go. Not that we're short of midfield options with Maguire, McCarthy, Garvan etc. ;)

[irishultra]

This is taken from a piece about Matt Derbyshire, an English player who plays for Blackburn but is on Loan at Olympiakos after he scored in the Greek cup final.



It might have pleased the more conservative of football pundits to see their theories about the Briton’s inability to blend in with the continental neighbourhood on the pitch, though the romantics and forward-thinkers will now consider Derbyshire’s integration into a rich and complex football culture as a success for his native home and adopted one.



I don't think as an Irish fan its wrong of me to at least want to see some of our players play elsewhere other than UK. Maby some of you who love the English League don't really know why or care, but personally I would like to see Irish players diversify a bit more.

[Colbert Report]

This is taken from a piece about Matt Derbyshire, an English player who plays for Blackburn but is on Loan at Olympiakos after he scored in the Greek cup final.



I don't think as an Irish fan its wrong of me to at least want to see some of our players play elsewhere other than UK. Maby some of you who love the English League don't really know why or care, but personally I would like to see Irish players diversify a bit more.

I hear you. I would love to see McGeady playing in Spain. Other than him I don't see any of our players fitting in for any teams in Spain, Italy or Germany.

[Umberside]

I hear you. I would love to see McGeady playing in Spain. Other than him I don't see any of our players fitting in for any teams in Spain, Italy or Germany.

Steve Finnan and Ian Harte are examples of that. Both went to Spain after long careers in England but were completely out of their depth.

[irishultra]

I hear you. I would love to see McGeady playing in Spain. Other than him I don't see any of our players fitting in for any teams in Spain, Italy or Germany.

But England and Germany basically have the identical playing styles. TBH I don't think we'll ever see Irish players play in any number in either Spain or Italy, they have their own football culture which tends to revolve around an influx of South Americans with southern European origin but if a few more of our players could play in Germany/Holland and France I would be happy. Its not as if its not probable, every so often particulary around Uefa Cup opening roads a League of Ireland player will be linked with a move to France or Holland, Liam Kearney being the last one I remember.

As I say its as a spectator I want this not for any deep footballing reasons. I don't think it would make us a better team overnight, getting a sustainable league for Irish players to stay in would be more beneficial.

[Colbert Report]

But England and Germany basically have the identical playing styles.

I really don't know so I can't offer an opinion on that. I don't watch enough German football to know the difference. The only thing I will say is that I don't know of any senior Irish squad player to make it on the continent, with the exception of Liam Brady.

[Wangball]

http://soccermanager.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33370

Anyone heard anything about the fella?? Apparently Lyon & Real Madrid are looking at him

[Colbert Report]

http://soccermanager.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33370

aNYONE

He's not Irish, he's Dutch.

[irishultra]

Do I smell another petition? :p

[Wangball]

He's not Irish, he's Dutch.

He's as Irish as Aiden McGeady, Michael Collins, Selcuk Tidim or Matt Cassidy...all Irish qualified by virtue of parentage....all of who have been discussed in this thread and you've not raised any objection to them

There was a snippet of a piece on him in the Evening Herald a week ago confirming his parentage

[Wangball]

Do I smell another petition? :p

Not a petition, I am thinking of writing a song though...."The Ballad of Adam Maher":D

[Colbert Report]

He's as Irish as Aiden McGeady, Michael Collins, Selcuk Tidim or Matt Cassidy...all Irish qualified by virtue of parentage....all of who have been discussed in this thread and you've not raised any objection to them

There was a snippet of a piece on him in the Evening Herald a week ago confirming his parentage

McGeady at least spent his childhood summers in Ireland. Adam Maher has never set foot on the Emerald Isle.

[tetsujin1979]

small mention in the herald here: http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/fai-left-redfaced-after-dutchborn-star-maguire-decides-future-is-orange-1622179.html

Meanwhile, the FAI will investigate if Holland's latest young talent, midfielder Adam Maher, is eligible to play for the Republic. The 16-year-old, who has already been capped at U16 level by Holland, is attached to Dutch top-flight club AZ Alkmaar and was recently linked with a move to major French club Lyon.

[irishultra]

McGeady at least spent his childhood summers in Ireland. Adam Maher has never set foot on the Emerald Isle.

What the hell? Presumably Mahers parents are Irish, McGeady has distant Irish relatives. I'm not saying Maher is any more Irish but you can't say that McGeady is any more either. And how do you know he hasn't. He's only 15, I find it very hard to believe that with Irish parents he's never been to Ireland especially in the days of cheap flights.

[Yard of Pace]

That's an interesting one alright.

As an aside, I was just reading about Matt Derbyshire, the Blackburn striker, having great success on loan at Olympiakos. Instead of coming off the bench in the 80th minute for Big Sam to "put himself about" he's man of the match in the Greek cup final in front of 50,000 fans. He must be learning so much. Tyrone Mears at Marseille too, doing very well. There's a heap of our players who I think could do great things on the continent and it'd only help our national team to have such experience of different styles of play.
Just a thought.

[Wangball]

McGeady at least spent his childhood summers in Ireland. Adam Maher has never set foot on the Emerald Isle.

Are you his biographer or something??

[irishultra]

That's an interesting one alright.

As an aside, I was just reading about Matt Derbyshire, the Blackburn striker, having great success on loan at Olympiakos. Instead of coming off the bench in the 80th minute for Big Sam to "put himself about" he's man of the match in the Greek cup final in front of 50,000 fans. He must be learning so much. Tyrone Mears at Marseille too, doing very well. There's a heap of our players who I think could do great things on the continent and it'd only help our national team to have such experience of different styles of play.
Just a thought.

Like Kevin Doyle, his style would be excellent for the Bundesliga, I was looking at the Bremen forward line and Doyle could well start for them. Hunt is another one imo who I would love to see play in Germany.

[dr_peepee]

McGeady at least spent his childhood summers in Ireland. Adam Maher has never set foot on the Emerald Isle.

The man never drank a Duff in his life!!

[endabob1]

I really don't know so I can't offer an opinion on that. I don't watch enough German football to know the difference. The only thing I will say is that I don't know of any senior Irish squad player to make it on the continent, with the exception of Liam Brady.

Aldo did well in Spain for a couple of years, was a big favourite with the Basques. Cass had a good run albeit in the second tier in France & quite a few others had stints in France/Spain just before Italia 90
John Byrne & Frank Stapleton were at Le Harve don't know what level they were at at the time
Moran did a couple of years in Sporting Gijon - Again, not sure whether they were La Liga or not at the time
McCarthy was at Lyon for a very short spell before coming back to Milwall
Then there was Connolly's spell at Feyenoord & Excelcisor
Apart from those the recent moves for Harte & Finnan there was Keane's short stay with Inter & a few lower profile moves, Foley in Belguim with Genk & Now Brugge I believe, Babb & Mahon's ill fated joining of the Souness fiasco in Portugal at Sporting.
So there's been quite a few who've dabbled but not many with a lot of success

[Stuttgart88]

Steve Finnan and Ian Harte are examples of that. Both went to Spain after long careers in England but were completely out of their depth.Finnan was a regular at Liverpool FFS, playing in two CL finals. He was injured pretty much throughout his whole time in Spain and he went there very late in his career. I think some proper perspective is required.

[Supreme feet]

I remember reading somewhere that Harte was a crowd favourite at Levante, but my mind could be deceiving me.

I think it would be great to see more Irish lads trying their luck further afield - it seems a pity that players like McPhail, Partridge, Barrett, Potter and other 'great white hopes' saw no alternative other than to drop down through the English and Scottish leagues after leaving big clubs. Surely playing for mid-table teams in France, Holland or Germany would aid their development (particularly for international football), rather than plodding away in the Championship, SPL and League One, where it's very easy to disappear into obscurity and anonymity. I think Irish lads should be a bit more ambitious/greedy, and get their agents to actually earn their money.

However, we also need to convince Continental scouts that we're producing technically good players. Until results really improve in Europe for our domestic sides, that's a hard ask; though it was encouraging to hear that Hertha Berlin were sniffing around after Fahey last September.

[Umberside]

Finnan was a regular at Liverpool FFS, playing in two CL finals. He was injured pretty much throughout his whole time in Spain and he went there very late in his career. I think some proper perspective is required.

I said they were out of their depth. Finnan was a fantastic player, I meant he doesn't play in most games so they have a better player than him at Espanyol. I was saying his move didn't work, not that he's old and crap.

[Dodge]

From an earlier post, both Irish lads at the Italian Serie C side have left. One was indeed Mickey Collins (whio was previously with Liverpool) - he's Eamon Collins' son. Both players are currently raining with LOI sides with a view to signing in July

[tetsujin1979]

I said they were out of their depth. Finnan was a fantastic player, I meant he doesn't play in most games so they have a better player than him at Espanyol. I was saying his move didn't work, not that he's old and crap.
He doesn't play because he's injured, not because the starting right full is better than him

[Umberside]

He doesn't play because he's injured, not because the starting right full is better than him

Oh yeah I forgot that. I was wondering why he's only played four league games this season:rolleyes:

[zackmorris]

any idea who mccormack and collins are training with in the LOI?