Liam Miller Is Back

[One Brian Kerr]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=soccer/04/03/23/SOCCER_Celtic.html

Liam Miller is back fit and in contention for a place in the Celtic team against Barcelona (see link above) . This is great news for Ireland as I think he could partner Holland in central midfield for the world cup qualifying campaign but needs to be tested in a few friendlies first.

[tiktok]

it'd be great to see him play, i don't know how likely he is to get on though. if he does play Kerr might well call him into what is at the moment a small squad for the Czech game (and there will probably be one or tow withdrawals after the weekend games).

[eirebhoy]

I'm delighted. I knew O'Neill would play him but I can't see him making the first 11.

[Junior]

speculation is that he may get a place on the bench as a result of our serious injury/suspension problems.

I don't think MON would have bothered only for this.

If he does get on the field, I think he'll get a mixed reaction from the fans, to say the least!!!!

[carnstien]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=soccer/04/03/23/SOCCER_Celtic.html

Liam Miller is back fit and in contention for a place in the Celtic team against Barcelona (see link above) . This is great news for Ireland as I think he could partner Holland in central midfield for the world cup qualifying campaign but needs to be tested in a few friendlies first.
I'd hardly call Holland a definate choice, he was disappointing in the Euro 2004 qualifiers.

[tiktok]

I'd hardly call Holland a definate choice, he was disappointing in the Euro 2004 qualifiers.

he's been very good for charlton this year though, has a lot to do with their succes, proved even more so since scott parker jumped ship.

[bitored]

I can see it now....
10 mins to go and Celtic are 2-0 down and on their way out.... Miller comes on as sub... sticks in a wonder goal to get the all important away goal and Celtic go through! Would the fans forgive him then? :)

[Junior]

nahhh, Im sure it would help him out in the short term (i.e until the next round), but thats about it.

[Slash/ED]

he's been very good for charlton this year though, has a lot to do with their succes, proved even more so since scott parker jumped ship.

I'd have Delap ahead of him based on the fact that he's been woefull nearly every time he's played for us since the world cup. Club form is all well and good, but it doesn't help us when he's putting in a preformance where he's virtually invisible, yet again.

[gspain]

guess he'll earn his massive weekly salary of £800 this week then.

Seriously great to have him back to full fitness and he should play v Czechs as he needs the match practice - a real option for the autumn games if fully fit and playing for Manyoo.

[Ozymandias]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=soccer/04/03/23/SOCCER_Celtic.html

Liam Miller is back fit and in contention for a place in the Celtic team against Barcelona (see link above) . This is great news for Ireland as I think he could partner Holland in central midfield for the world cup qualifying campaign but needs to be tested in a few friendlies first.


I don't think Holland will be in the centre of midfield for us come the qualifiers..he has been the worst Irish player in the last few games and in particular Basle. I think Kavanagh will move above him illustrated by kerrs decision to play holland on the right...next stop is even further outside right on the bench

[Plastic Paddy]

I can see it now....
10 mins to go and Celtic are 2-0 down and on their way out.... Miller comes on as sub... sticks in a wonder goal to get the all important away goal and Celtic go through! Would the fans forgive him then? :)

We'll be delighted that our team have scored and progressed. We'll not see who scored the goal, however... ;)

:D PP

[Plastic Paddy]

guess he'll earn his massive weekly salary of £800 this week then.

Well, he could have been on around £6k a week since last August but wouldn't sign the contract on offer at the time. Stuff him.


Seriously great to have him back to full fitness and he should play v Czechs as he needs the match practice - a real option for the autumn games if fully fit and playing for Manyoo.

If? More chance of me ****ting in the Queen of England's handbag than Miller getting a regular game at ManUre next season. That said (and taking off my Celtic hat for a moment), if he does then good luck to him and let's hope he can carry the form through for Ireland.

:) PP

[John83]

Well, he could have been on around £6k a week since last August but wouldn't sign the contract on offer at the time. Stuff him.£6k? The figure reported as his wage from Man Utd was a hell of a lot more than that.

[Plastic Paddy]

£6k? The figure reported as his wage from Man Utd was a hell of a lot more than that.

Indeed it was, when offered to him in January this year. Celtic offered him a £6k per week deal last August. Of course, he wouldn't have known about any offer from ManUre at the time, because if such an approach had been made, it would have been illegal. Wouldn't it?

:confused: :rolleyes: PP

[John83]

Of course, he wouldn't have known about any offer from ManUre at the time, because if such an approach had been made, it would have been illegal. Wouldn't it?:p Or he was insulted by that initial offer. He could have moved to any English Premiership club and matched or bettered that.

[gspain]

Celtic apparently eventuially offered him 11K per week but nothing was on the table until he started impressing the hell out of everyone i nthe champions league. I've no doubt he was tapped by Taggart but Celtic have only themselves to blame. His contract is now worth 25K per week.

I reckon he could well nail down a starting spot at Man Utd if he fulfils his potential.

[bitored]

I reckon he could well nail down a starting spot at Man Utd
I agree... the way Manu's midfield has performed (or not) this season. Look at the competition: P Neville, Kleberson, Djemba, Fletcher - he has to have a chance against that lot

[Plastic Paddy]

I've no doubt he was tapped by Taggart but Celtic have only themselves to blame.

What? For not taking it to the relevant authorities? I wish we had, but proving it would have been difficult. ManUre and others have been engaging in this for quite some time now and it needs to be stopped.

;) PP

[Plastic Paddy]

:p Or he was insulted by that initial offer. He could have moved to any English Premiership club and matched or bettered that.

Wakey wakey John. When we offered him £6k a week, he'd played ten matches in the previous two seasons thanks to injury, lack of form and being down the pecking order. At the time, it's a racing cert that EPL clubs would have been more interested in Mick the Miller. :D

Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing. I thought offering him £6k at the time was overstating it. For Ireland's sake, I hope Whiskey Chops has got himself a bargain. As it is, I expect ManUre to make up one more bed in the long-term treatment room.

:) PP

[John83]

I agree... the way Manu's midfield has performed (or not) this season. Look at the competition: P Neville, Kleberson, Djemba, Fletcher - he has to have a chance against that lotKeane and Scholes. :D I don't see Ferguson dropping defensive mids for Miller, which means he's competing with Scholes and Kleberson for one place in the team. Kleberson might have underperformed this season, but you really don't know how he'll play next year. Anyone remmeber when Arsenal's Edu was a crap squad player?


Wakey wakey John. When we offered him £6k a week, he'd played ten matches in the previous two seasons thanks to injury, lack of form and being down the pecking order. At the time, it's a racing cert that EPL clubs would have been more interested in Mick the Miller. :DMy bad. I assumed this was after the early promise, like the early rounds of the CL and the friendly where he scored against Arsenal. From what gspain said, it sounds like it wasn't formally offered at the earlier stage. Besides, I wouldn't be eager to stay in his place - Lennon looks burnt out any time I've watched him this season, yet he and Lambert keep on starting. Besides, you never know how Miller might have felt about Healy being frozen out of the team the previous season - he might have already decided to leave.

[Slash/ED]

If Keane and Scholes are his competitors next season he'll get alot of games. Look at how much Keanes been rested this season already, or how he's been put at centre back a bit, and how poor his preformances have been at times in central mid field, if Miller has anything about him he should get a good amount of games next year.

[John83]

...if Miller has anything about him he should get a good amount of games next year.I tend to agree. The only thing is I don't want to rule out Kleberson and Djemba-Djemba on the basis of their first seasons. They might explode next year, and that'd really hurt Miller's short-term prospects.

[Plastic Paddy]

**** Liam Miller. Bubt he played well for us tonight. And he's only a footballer after all. Maybe, just maybe, I'm going to revise my opinion of him. But only if he wins a UEFA Cup winner's medal for Celtic this year. If. ;)

:) PP

[brine2]

Duff - O'Shea - Miller - A Reid

Hmmm... tantalising midfield there.

[Slash/ED]

It definitely is. Fergusson has talked about O'Shea in mid field before so it might not be so far fetched, if he plays there at club level it makes sense to play him there for us.

[sadloserkid]

Holland has played out wide on the right frequently for Charlton this season. At the time that he played out wide for Ireland Kerr had (if I recall correctly) said that he wanted to play players in their club positions. As for Miller, he's 23 for cryin' out loud. How much time does he have left to fulfil the potential that will turn him into the next Maradona? Miller is Colin Healy Mk II - a solid,decent, massively over-rated player. If he can't displace Neil Lennon from the Celtic line-up then I can't see him guiding Man Yoo to much silverware. Hope I'm wrong but I think he'll disappear in the long-run.

[NigeSausagepump]

It'll be interesting to see if the Celtic-supporting heroes on Wednesday decide to boo Miller if he makes an appearance. I sincerely hope not but suspect they might. Just think what kind of an image that'd send around the world - international supporters booing a young lad on their own side making his debut. I suppose though that if it does happen it'll show just how ridiculous these people are and show how ludicrous the booing of Rangers players was/is.

[tiktok]

It'll be interesting to see if the Celtic-supporting heroes on Wednesday decide to boo Miller if he makes an appearance. I sincerely hope not but suspect they might.

i think the vast majority won't, he didn't get a bad reception when he played for Celtic in the last couple of games. there will probably a few idiots who will say it's ok2boo though :rolleyes: , hopefully a few carefully placed words from those about them will put a swift end to it.

[Plastic Paddy]

i think the vast majority won't, he didn't get a bad reception when he played for Celtic in the last couple of games. there will probably a few idiots who will say it's ok2boo though :rolleyes: , hopefully a few carefully placed words from those about them will put a swift end to it.

I agree. Whatever we Celtic fans think of Miller's conduct in respect of our club, when he plays for Ireland that's a completely different matter. It's incumbent on us to behave ourselves. I'd like to think that all Celtic fans present can join other Ireland fans in cheering another great Irish prospect making his debut.

All bets are off, of course, when we play Hearts at CP this Saturday... ;)

:D P

[Footie_Fan]

It'll be interesting to see if the Celtic-supporting heroes on Wednesday decide to boo Miller if he makes an appearance.
If I see/hear anyone booing Liam Miller I will have strong words for them!