Macken arrival -good or bad?

[Shelsman]

Are you pleased that Macken has declared for Ireland?

As far as I am concerned, he was with the England U20 team and would have played against us if picked. That's enough for me, so I'm voting no.

[Plastic Paddy]

I don't think we can afford the luxury of saying no right now. If Brian Kerr's happy with the way he was approached, so am I. We have to be pragmatic here; we need options and Macken might do us a turn. Let's hope so.

For that reason, it's a Yes.

:D PP

[eirebhoy]

As far as I am concerned, he was with the England U20 team and would have played against us if picked. That's enough for me, so I'm voting no.
I don't know if you saw this in the other thread:

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In February 1999, O'Brien played in a friendly against France at Pride Park but when Taylor offered him the chance in England's next competitive outing, O'Brien demurred and took time out to ponder his international future. He was flattered by the English attention but he was aware of his Irish roots - his grandparents Danny and Kathleen O'Brien had moved from Kilfinnane in south-west Limerick to look for work in the mills of Yorkshire - and two months after his English debut, he played for Ireland in an under-21 friendly against Sweden in Birr.

People approach him now and wonder, what with his upwardly mobile status, if he regrets the decision. "I say no. It wasn't really close. I only played against France because it was a friendly and there was pressure from the club's point of view because they think it's more prestigious to play for England than for Ireland."[i] He has no doubts. He travelled to Kilfinnane with his father last summer and the experience overwhelmed him. [i]"Just picking up a few pieces of my past," he said.
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Just to add. Lets say you are grew up in Scotland with a Scottish accent and doing "Scottish things" to Irish parent(s) and you considered yourself Irish. You're also bound to feel at least a little Scottish BTW, its not impossible.

You are 19 and playing for the Man Utd youths, hundreds of people play for the Man Utd youth's. You than get a call from the Scottish FA asking you to play for them at the world youth championships, you heard nothing from the FAI. What better way to start your career than playing in the WYC? As I said, hundreds of people play for the Man Utd youths and have to pack their bags at the end of the year and go home. Very few players that play in the WYC don't get a chance at club level. Even if you felt 100% Irish you may never have even kicked a football in the premiership if you hadn't have took the call up and played the championships.

I am not saying he actually does consider himself Irish but lets not dismiss it straight off.

[tetsujin1979]

If I knew he was eligible I definately would have approached him about declaring, we're not in a position to be turning away Premiership strikers, regardless of their place in the pecking order.

To put it another way, would you turn away Sinama-Pongolle (sp?), 4th choice at Liverpool, or Forlan, Bentley at Arsenal, Stern John, Boa Morte, Nemeth, or any of the strikers in and out of their teams in the Premiership?

[Fr. Murphy]

I remember talking about Macken a fair while back and remembering that as a striker his goal-scoring rate was horrible. He scored four goals last season from 21 appearances. 1 in the premiership v Man United. 1 in the FA cup v Spurs. 1 in the Carling cup v QPR. 1 in the FA cup against Leicester. For a premiership striker thats awful.

Its bad enough having Clinton ‘Bling Bling’ Morrison in the squad without having another plastic paddy knocking on the door. 1 goal in the premiership should not merit a call up to the squad. At 26 / 27 he should be finding the back of the net regularly to merit a call up but one goal that’s just taking the ****. Ill be having severe words with Brian the next time he comes into the confessional box.

[brine3]

If he holds an Irish passport then he is Irish, and is entitled to play for his country. So more power to him in that respect. However, I don't think he's good enough - so for that reason, I voted "No".

[Plastic Paddy]

Its bad enough... without having another plastic paddy knocking on the door

Easy now Father... there's nothing wrong with Plastic Paddies. ;)

:D PP

[thejollyrodger]

I voted no, because I didnt think we were the england B team anymore :mad:

[Bowsy]

tight as you like so far. i voted yes. I am torn as I don't believe Macken grew up considering himself Irish but he is a solid option in a position we are severely lacking options. There are far worse abuses of the parentage rule in world football (i.e Olisadebeh, Deco, etc) so why not. It's telling that the 2 most contentious members of the Irish Team are strikers.

[Sheridan]

There are far worse abuses of the parentage rule in world football (i.e Olisadebeh, Deco, etc) so why not.
Eh? Oli and Deco contributed a huge amount to the footballing cultures (which is what international football is meant to represent) of their respective adopted countries before they were ever capped. The Irish team doesn't represent anything.

[eirebhoy]

Most of Duff's crosses are at head height. There are only two strikers who can head a ball, Lee and Macken. It's a waste of Duff's talent if we don't play a "header" up front.

[Plastic Paddy]

Eh? Oli and Deco contributed a huge amount to the footballing cultures (which is what international football is meant to represent) of their respective adopted countries before they were ever capped. The Irish team doesn't represent anything.

I'd have to disagree there. Much of the diaspora would feel more affinity with the football team than with any other Irish sporting combine. I feel you miss a valuable point in dismissing this.

:) PP.

[Pat O' Banton]

Ill be having severe words with Brian the next time he comes into the confessional box.

Hey now you, your getting ahead of yourself here, in this parish we (and I'm sure that I include Brian Kerr in this) only visit Fr. Wishey Washy, to despense penance. :p

I'm afraid a yes from me, on a pragmatic level, more players more competition. Rather people the likes of Kilbane (from this side of the water with their attitude towards their identity) but I'm afraid we are not at the stage now to pick and choose.
For those who look at his domestic form, don't forget that people like Breen have often far exceeded their league form when playing for Ireland.
In the end trying him out won't do any harm.

[1MickCollins]

Yes for Macken just as we are so short on real options, but we need to watch the ratio of Engliahmen to Irishmen closely :) But I have big doubts about his worth.

[Condex]

Times are bad!

We've just called up a Man City sub....

[eirebhoy]

Times are bad!

We've just called up a Man City sub....
I'd prefer to be backup to Fowler, Wanchope and Anelka than Heskey. :D

[Bowsy]

Oli and Deco contributed a huge amount to the footballing cultures (which is what international football is meant to represent) of their respective adopted countries before they were ever capped.

Tell that to Luis Figo. Deco is Brazilian. I've spent 3 years living in England and strangely I remain Irish.

Olisadebeh was fast programmed to a Polish passport and didn't even speak Polish at the time he made his debut.

There was also recent talk of Wales trying to get Carlo Cudicini to play for them as he's now entitled to British Citizenship. Puts Morrison and Macken situation into a certain amount of perspective.

[eirebhoy]

There was also recent talk of Wales trying to get Carlo Cudicini to play for them as he's now entitled to British Citizenship. Puts Morrison and Macken situation into a certain amount of perspective.
I actually heard it was England that were interested. Also, before Alan Thompson got an England cap him and Agathe were rumoured to have interest from Scotland to play for them.

[Lionel Ritchie]

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=16648&page=4

I'll not go repeating meself