We all dream of a team of Gary Breens [Archive]

OwlsFan

26/04/2005, 2:02 PM

Fair dues to Gary. Named in the PFA Championship team of the year. No other Irish that I recognize in the 4 divisions except Kevin Maher and Lee Trundle !!

Premier League team of the season:
Petr Cech (Chelsea)
Gary Neville (Man Utd)
John Terry (Chelsea)
Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd)
Ashley Cole (Arsenal)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Arjen Robben (Chelsea)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man C)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Andrew Johnson (C Palace)

PFA Championship team of season:
Kelvin Davis (Ipswich)
Graham Alexander (Preston)
Tom Huddlestone (Derby)
Gary Breen (Sunderland)
George McCartney (Sunderland)
Jimmy Bullard (Wigan)
Steve Sidwell (Reading)
Julio Arca (Sunderland)
Inigo Idiakez (Derby)
Nathan Ellington (Wigan)
Jason Roberts (Wigan)

PFA League One team of season:
Marlon Beresford (Luton)
Ryan Taylor (Tranmere)
Curtis Davies (Luton)
Chris Coyne (Luton)
Warren Cummings (Bournemouth)
Stuart Elliott (Hull)
Paul Merson (Walsall)
Ahmet Brkovic (Luton)
Kevin Nicholls (Luton)
Steve Howard (Luton)
Leroy Lita (Bristol City)

PFA League Two team of season:
Chris Weale (Yeovil)
Sam Ricketts (Swansea)
Adam Barrett (Southend)
Andy Crosby (S****horpe)
Michael Rose (Yeovil)
Lee Johnson (Yeovil)
Darren Way (Yeovil)
Kevin Maher (Southend)
Peter Beagrie (S****horpe)
Phil Jevons (Yeovil)
Lee Trundle (Swansea)

Closed Account 2

26/04/2005, 2:10 PM

Maher (S****horpe) is Irish too (played U-21 for us years ago) but nearing 30 now. Reid would probably have made the Championship one too if he had stayed at Forest in Jan.

Stuttgart88

26/04/2005, 2:10 PM

Kingdom

26/04/2005, 2:55 PM

OwlsFan

26/04/2005, 3:07 PM

Like it or not the Honey Monster is at the future of the Irish defence after Kenny retires at the end of the current campaign. It's then between O'Brien and O'Shea :eek: for the other berth as Gary I suspect will also call it a day soon, especially if he's not getting his game for us.

Any other centre-half blood coming through ? We were awash with them in the Charlton era (McGrath, McCarthy, Moran, O'Leary, Lawrenson).

Donal81

26/04/2005, 3:07 PM

I've never had any problem with Gary Breen for Ireland. Thomas Repka & Glen Roeder nearly ruined him at West Ham. Right now I'd prefer him to O'Brien who makes me nervous at the moment.

What age is Breen? I think he could have a role to play yet, though I wonder does Kerr see him as being too much of a McCarthyite.

Dear Lord, no. As nice a guy as he seems (and fair play to him on returning to the Premiership as centre-half on the Championship team of the season), he's just too much hassle. He played brilliantly in the World Cup but was never as good as that before or since (I can still remember coiling up in fear when we played Spain, "and it's Raul against Breen..." That's the line from your nightmares...but he actually did well). He was just prone to the worst lapses in concentration, forgetting to mark his man, not picking anyone up at corners, basic stuff like that. He definitely got better over the years but we can do without him at this stage.

Who knows, though. Sunderland could tear the Premiership a new hole next season with Gary at the heart of it. Then we'll all be back here baying for his inclusion. ;)

He could provide cover if Kenny, Andy and Dunne were all injured, otherwise he's out of the picture.

Condex

26/04/2005, 3:10 PM

Thats a nightmare not a dream!!!

tetsujin1979

26/04/2005, 3:16 PM

Any other centre-half blood coming through ? We were awash with them in the Charlton era (McGrath, McCarthy, Moran, O'Leary, Lawrenson).

McShane at United and Paddy McCarthy at Leicester are the ones to watch in the near future

OwlsFan

26/04/2005, 3:16 PM

Yes, 95% of the time Gary was excellent. That 5% cost us dear. I think he slipped for the Macedonian headed equaliser and lost his man and I recall the same happening in another match which I can put my finger on.

I think he was unduly vilified by many fans and even the song "We all dream etc" is a slag because it wouldn't be sung about a great footballer since that would go without saying (or singing).

He has never given less than his all and was passionate about wearing the green jersey. Can we ask for more ?

Stuttgart88

26/04/2005, 3:54 PM

So we all agree then! :)

Honestly, I think he's a safe pair of hands who can be called upon if needs be. Much more so than Doherty. I think he was underrated during Mick's tenure.

KC & Dunne would be my current picks. O'Brien has been super for us in the last 12 months but I cringe every time I watch him for Newcastle.

Included in my "shopping list" for next season is:

O'Brien to secure a good move.
O'Shea likewise, and to become a centre-half of note in the PL.

Paddy McCarthy has had a dodgy start to his first team career, where he has also been played at full back by Levein. Given the pressure on MUFC at the moment I wonder how much chance McShane will get. O'Neill was happy to give John Kennedy his chance so maybe O'Dea (who I've only read about) could be on the verge of something too?

Donal81

26/04/2005, 4:11 PM

I think he was unduly vilified by many fans and even the song "We all dream etc" is a slag because it wouldn't be sung about a great footballer since that would go without saying (or singing).

He has never given less than his all and was passionate about wearing the green jersey. Can we ask for more ?

We can't ask for too much more, no, and the song is a bit mean. He just made mistakes that were so basic, you know? I can remember a few examples: against Nigeria before going to Saipan. Whatever goal they scored, he simply forgot to pick up his man. When you do that on the astro-turf pitch, you get roared out of it by your team-mates so it certainly isn't excusable for a professional footballer.

Still, he always wanted to play for us. I have a feeling that it was McCarthy that got the best out of him and no other manager could make him play as well as he did in the World Cup. Wasn't there a rumour that Inter were after him? Blimey.

Dunne and Cunningham at the back, I reckon. I think Dunne has played his way into the team, at this stage.

Soper

26/04/2005, 4:16 PM

Barca were after him I think.

Soper

26/04/2005, 4:28 PM

Inter were after ian harte.

silly europeans :p

Colie

26/04/2005, 11:51 PM

Dodgy as he is accross the water, Breeney has always been good for us.

Honey Monster is the way forward tho. I think he's playing better that oh Kenny Kenny right now.

Just for the sake of it while such a thread exists.
Some people on the North Tce don't realise there is a chorus to this so if it's you, print this out & bring it to the next match......

We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens

And number one is Gary Breen
And number two is Gary Breen
And number three is Gary Breen
And number fower is Gary Breen

We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens

And number five is Gary Breen
And number six is Gary Breen
And number seven is Gary Breen
And number eight is Gary Breen

We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens

And number nine is Gary Breen
And number ten is Gary Breen
And number eleven is Gary Breen
And number twelve is Gary Breen

We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
We all dream of a team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens
A team of Gary Breens

Donal81

27/04/2005, 8:19 AM

Dodgy as he is accross the water, Breeney has always been good for us.

Sorry mate but I'll have to disagree with you there. With the exception of the World Cup, I always thought that Breen's performances were often judged by how few mistakes he had made, which isn't a good sign. There are too many examples in my mind of slack, sloppy defending. Good in the air, never afraid of putting the boot in, but when it came to the basics, he seemed to forget them fairly regularly.

Still, as has already been mentioned, he always wanted to play for us. He lost his place after McCarthy went (although Kerr played him a good bit in the Euro qualifiers) and didn't go running to the press, showing a lot of character. There's that story in Paul Howard's Gaffers book, when his manager called him in to the office. He told Breen that he'd been called up to the England Bs or England U-21s. "But I want to play for Ireland," he said. Thank f*ck, said the manager, as he'd already told the England boss that Breen was off-limits. He's got Kerry blood too so he's obviously a decent sort.

He's had a great run with Ireland, considering how poor he was at times. He's got over 60 caps, got to a World Cup and captained us a few times, if I remember correctly. I don't think he'd get too indignant at being moved aside at this stage.

roboyle

27/04/2005, 8:36 AM

I wouldn't be a Gary Breen fan but fair play to him for not doing a 'Lee Carsley' and deciding that travelling as part of the Irish squad is beneath him... his commitment cannot be questioned. :)

Havelock Squire

27/04/2005, 11:26 AM

I wouldn't be a Gary Breen fan but fair play to him for not doing a 'Lee Carsley' and deciding that travelling as part of the Irish squad is beneath him... his commitment cannot be questioned. :)

I hear your point but maybe it would be better applied to Dean Kiely. Carsley needed his time for his family life and his retirement really did help his game the last couple of seasons for Everton. Add to this the fact that he usually got the sh*t slagged out of him playing for Ireland (poor mans keane etc.) and was unfairly criticised for giving away a penalty (handball), against Turkey in the Euro 2000 playoff, for a long time.

Don't think he felt the bench warming was 'beneath him'.

Lionel Ritchie

27/04/2005, 2:38 PM

I think it's really funny that any time anyone types the word S****horpe the dirty minded word filter turns it into *****.
Who's **** up is that? :eek:
S****horpe S****horpe S****horpe!!!!! :D

OwlsFan

27/04/2005, 2:43 PM

On the footymad Sheffield Wednesday site, the word miracle appears as m***cle because of the combination IRA :D

Schumi

27/04/2005, 2:50 PM

I don't know if it's still the case but on the Bohs board, if you type in 'snigger' it was changed to 'sblack person'. :D

Lionel Ritchie

27/04/2005, 3:28 PM

Spike Milligan said in one of his books that as a kid they'd a wee black dog called '******' (quite a popular name for dogs in the pre-PC between-the-war years :eek: ...Douglas Bader had a dog with the same name.)

In Spike Milligans case he said an Indian or Pakistani family moved in next door and they had to change the dogs name. Poor dog was about 5 or 6 and hadn't a clue who it was any more.

Docboy

27/04/2005, 4:44 PM

Back at the team hotel in Korea after the Spain game, a load of us fans launched into a team of Gary Breens which brought tears to the big mans eyes. No his biggest fan but you could see how much it meant to him.

lopez

27/04/2005, 10:17 PM

Spike Milligan said in one of his books that as a kid they'd a wee black dog called '******' (quite a popular name for dogs in the pre-PC between-the-war years :eek: ...Douglas Bader had a dog with the same name.)Can vouch for the bit about the common name for a dog. Conchita's mother had a dog with that name in Cork growing up. Funny story about the parish priest with a visiting African missionary. :D

TerryPhelan

28/04/2005, 11:47 AM

Honestly, I think he's a safe pair of hands

I hope this is not a subtle reference to Breen palming the ball into his own net against Russia at Lansdowne (when Shay would have had it otherwise...) :rolleyes:

His experience should still make him useful enough to keep in the Irish squad, and with a season of first-team Premiership football ahead of him, I think Kerr will stick with him until the World Cup - after which point I reckon Gary will call it a day. He is a useful head to have in training, but should never get a look into the first team with three centre backs of much higher quality that stand ahead of him.

eirebhoy

28/04/2005, 2:06 PM

He is a useful head to have in training, but should never get a look into the first team with three centre backs of much higher quality that stand ahead of him.
Breen-Dunne or Breen-O'Brien would be a far better pairing the Dunne-O'Brien IMO.

livehead1

28/04/2005, 10:15 PM

just get the clown A.O'Brien out of there. fed up of seein his mistakes on match of the day, its jst a matter of time. our group is going to be decided on something as small as a slip in a vital game

OwlsFan

29/04/2005, 9:01 AM

just get the clown A.O'Brien out of there. fed up of seein his mistakes on match of the day, its jst a matter of time. our group is going to be decided on something as small as a slip in a vital game

Why call him a clown ? Has he ever let us down ? However, his club form must at some stage come back to haunt us but, looking further ahead, when Kenny retires, we're going to be very short at the middle of the defence unless O'Shea matures very quickly. Dunne and who.....? Doherty, Breen, O'Brien, O'Shea, McCarthy or dare I say it Roy Keane adopting the Kenny C role (may be not because he'll be gone as well after Germany I suspect).

roboyle

29/04/2005, 9:47 AM

I hear your point but maybe it would be better applied to Dean Kiely. Carsley needed his time for his family life and his retirement really did help his game the last couple of seasons for Everton. Add to this the fact that he usually got the sh*t slagged out of him playing for Ireland (poor mans keane etc.) and was unfairly criticised for giving away a penalty (handball), against Turkey in the Euro 2000 playoff, for a long time.

Don't think he felt the bench warming was 'beneath him'.

That's fair enough - thinking back, I probably left Kiely out of that equation because subconsciously I would have thought of him as a player worthy of a place in the Ireland team. There's an element of hypocricy in my argument in that why would you complain about someone not turning out for Ireland when you think they're not good enough anyway, but it's important to see that a player makes some effort/sacrifice in order to represent thier country. In the case of Carlsley, I don't think it's possible to argue his case on the basis of 'family time', since most of the players (as far as I know) would have their owns ties in this regard.

Stuttgart88

29/04/2005, 10:06 AM

In the case of Carlsley, I don't think it's possible to argue his case on the basis of 'family time', since most of the players (as far as I know) would have their owns ties in this regard.

I think he has a young handicapped child so I think his situation is different to most. I also think he retired because Kerr doesn't value him.

Good luck to Carsley. A terrible option for RHM but worthy of a squad place for CM in my view.

Donal81

29/04/2005, 10:38 AM

I think he has a young handicapped child so I think his situation is different to most. I also think he retired because Kerr doesn't value him.

Good luck to Carsley. A terrible option for RHM but worthy of a squad place for CM in my view.

I banged on and on about Carsley's retirement until someone quietly informed me of his family situation. :o What really matters, after all, footy or family...

Still, I never liked how people said how great he was because he travelled around the world with Ireland without ever getting a kick. If you want to play for Ireland, that comes with the territory.

He's doing well for Everton but he never once impressed me for Ireland. Kerr's selection of him against Georgia at home is still the only decision he's made that I would completely disagree with. He was complete muck (then again, I think that was on the right-wing) and Kerr took him off fairly sharpish. We were terrible that day...

I don't think he's missed.

livehead1

30/04/2005, 9:34 AM

Why call him a clown ? Has he ever let us down ? However, his club form must at some stage come back to haunt us but, looking further ahead, when Kenny retires, we're going to be very short at the middle of the defence unless O'Shea matures very quickly. Dunne and who.....? Doherty, Breen, O'Brien, O'Shea, McCarthy or dare I say it Roy Keane adopting the Kenny C role (may be not because he'll be gone as well after Germany I suspect).

didnt necessarily call him a clown in relation to his ireland exploits, more his lack of ability at club level