Kevin Kilbane

[tetsujin1979]

Why did Kilbane pull out of the squad, he has never displayed willingness to play for his country? Always pulling out of squads when it suits....
When did he ever pull out of a squad when "it suits"??
He was excused from the squad to rest a knee injury. From http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/trap-is-down-to-bare-bones-2185402.html

Richard Dunne, as expected, has been ruled out by a long-standing Achilles problem, the same injury causing Kevin Kilbane problems at the moment.

"Kevin Kilbane and Richard Dunne have injuries. It's the Achilles tendon, very dangerous, and they should stay at home and rest."

[Colbert Report]

When did he ever pull out of a squad when "it suits"??
He was excused from the squad to rest a knee injury. From http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/trap-is-down-to-bare-bones-2185402.html

He was only kidding mate. Kilbane has started seventy odd matches in a row.

[Sullivinho]

Killer making his debut as a TV pundit on RTE now. :D

Says he's staying with Hull.

[Charlie Darwin]

KK's cut his wages in half in exchange for a one-year extension to his Hull deal. Class act.

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/sport/HULL-CITY-Kilbane-halves-wages-extend-career-help-Tigers/article-2366374-detail/article.html

[Sullivinho]

KK's cut his wages in half in exchange for a one-year extension to his Hull deal. Class act.

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/sport/HULL-CITY-Kilbane-halves-wages-extend-career-help-Tigers/article-2366374-detail/article.html

Can't think of a better role model. For young players...and people in general. Class act indeed.

[theworm2345]

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/sport/HULL-CITY-Kilbane-won-t-calling-time-international-career/article-2513354-detail/article.html
He may have struggled with Messi at times today against Messi, but who wouldn't? I love seeing him play in the green shirt, hell I'd rather see him in central midfield than the **** Manchester anyday.

[geysir]

KK showing early signs of being punch drunk.
Millwall v Hull (http://www.hullcityonline.com/2010/features/blogs/millwall-4-tigers-0)
....getting into the space Bostock should have been exploiting and trying to link with Garcia. Bostock was pathetic. When he got the ball, he tried to shoot from ridiculous angles. Someone enjoyed all the publicity from last week’s goal a bit too much. It was 70 minutes before he looked anything like a team player. Still, he was better than Kilbane, who was just useless. Attacking threat? None. Defensive cover? None. Experienced head galvanizing young players? Nope. That this clown walked out for the second half and Will Atkinson found himself taking an early shower was a travesty. eter Halmosi hasn’t done much of anything to earn a first team place at City but he could stroll up and down the left wing doing sod all and would at least whip in some decent set-pieces to justify selection. Kevin Kilbane in a City shirt just makes me think “Perhaps Ryan Williams wasn’t that bad after all?”

I dread to find out more about Ryan Williams.

[theworm2345]

Popped up with the equaliser today for Hull :cool:

[AlaskaFox]

What a legend. 200 caps here he comes.

[EastTerracer]

Killer scored for Huddersfield in the first half today. Described on Sky as a great individual goal - beat the defender, rounded the goalkeeper and "as good a finish as you'll see".

[paul_oshea]

as good as will see. In league one.

[irishfan86]

As bad as he gets knocked on here at times, I think he's still good enough for the Championship in a midfield role. Was surprised when he dropped down to league 1. I think he's a victim of just playing out of position with Ireland. I'd say he'll be back in the Championship sooner rather than later.

[theworm2345]

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5648/legendq.gif
Legend.

[Fixer82]

As bad as he gets knocked on here at times, I think he's still good enough for the Championship in a midfield role. Was surprised when he dropped down to league 1. I think he's a victim of just playing out of position with Ireland. I'd say he'll be back in the Championship sooner rather than later.

Absolutely!
He's a winger. Always has been. And stood in to do a job at left back for Trap, with no complaints, and has been stuck there ever since.

[OwlsFan]

I saw him live in the game against Wednesday. He played central midfield and looked a class above most. Played very well for 75 minutes but then started to give the ball away. Goal above looks brilliant.

Still think his international days are past, certainly at full back.

[Junior]

From that goal it looks like he's recaptured that yard of pace..........

[Kingdom]

From that goal it looks like he's recaptured that yard of pace..........

I think it was on fast forward.

[Junior]

I think it was on fast forward.

I toyed with the idea of inserting a smilie or not but thought it was unnecessary for my esteemed colleagues within foot.ie

Alas you have restored my faith in knowing that I would never had made the comedy channel:D

[geysir]

Nice bit of wit Kingdom. You're not all just cute hoors down there.

[Junior]

Jaysus, you're not gifting him that one geysir!

[Kingdom]

I was reluctant to do it myself Junior, but the chances of losing out on even a single "thanks" was too much!

[the doc]

Too many on here have short memories, get off KK's back he always gives 100% so why this constant distain against him?

Out of order if you ask me!:shout:

[Sullivinho]

Too many on here have short memories, get off KK's back he always gives 100% so why this constant distain against him?

Out of order if you ask me!:shout:

I think that goes without saying really and is hardly necessary to mitigate any criticism offered. No one in their right mind would argue against Killer's commitment or candidacy for soundest fella in the universe and role model extraordinaire. He is currently a weakness in the team though (not singularly, mind) and has been exploited. There's nothing wrong with discussing the need to replace him imo. It's the production line of Irish Left-backs that appears to be out of order right now!

[Kingdom]

What I've always maintained is that Killer is in the team because he's more of an asset in the air, defensively and offensively in a relatively small team, than he is a liability on the deck.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think people wildly overstate the extent to which opposition teams target Killer. Whenever Duffer and Kilbane play together we always look solid on that side. It's when McGeady or Hunt are partnered with him that we struggle and I would put a lot of that down to the defensive naivety of the wingers. Kilbane's weakness is that he can't get up and down the flank the way somebody like Cunningham (two legs intact) can.

[theworm2345]

I saw him live in the game against Wednesday. He played central midfield and looked a class above most. Played very well for 75 minutes but then started to give the ball away. Goal above looks brilliant.

Still think his international days are past, certainly at full back.
Looks like we've found the solution to our problem :D

[Supreme feet]

Starting against Arsenal at left back today. Chance for him to show he can still handle a big step up.

And the answer is... he can't. Just left Bendtner (playing on the right) in far too much space for the first goal.

[tetsujin1979]

few interesting comments from Kilbane in an interview in the Independent today: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/some-distance-left-to-run-for-great-survivor-2516734.html

He looks back to the Russia game and the dissatisfaction that followed and tries to explain Trapattoni's approach.

"In that game, we probably went a bit more direct. He doesn't encourage us to go direct, he just wants us to be solid, he wants us to be hard to beat. Sometimes when you're solid you're not probably near your strikers so sometimes you go long and you're not getting up in support. I think we've done that throughout his time and then through goal-kicks or whatever we can press areas and then we play some football."

He hasn't encountered a manager who spends as much time working on team shape as Trapattoni. All week they will train with that in mind, with the idea of being hard to beat always being drilled into them.

[elroy]

In the times today that Trap made a balls of letting Killer know that he wasnt in the Irish team. Basically KK was making plans on getting from Exeter (where Huddersfield were playing this weekend) to Dublin, his manager got a fax to say KK wasnt in the Irish team. It was only on Friday evening that KK got a text from Trap to say he wasnt included this time around. Not a way to treat one of our best servants. Considering recent events with other players, Traps man management does not appear to be up to scratch at the moment.

Also reported in the Times that Keane is not happy with the current set up and mentioned during the week that he would retire at the end of this campaign.

[Charlie Darwin]

That's the Sunday Times?

[elroy]

Correct.

[Colbert Report]

Very poor altogether. This guy has played what like 80 times in a row for us? Never turned down an opportunity to play for Ireland when others were begging off. I hope this isn't the last we see of him. I know you all hate him but I love his heart and think he really brings something special to the team.

[Supreme feet]

Can't help but feel it's a 'damned if he does, damned if he doesn't' moment for Trap. We drastically need a replacement for Kilbane. We've known that for over two years now, and by blooding Cunningham and now Clark, Trap is addressing it. There was plenty of moaning on here when Kilbane was selected for the provisional squad.

[SkStu]

indeed there was SF. I believe Kilbane should have either retired or been dropped after the Paris game. He clearly hasnt been up to international LB for some time. There is a right way to do things however and maybe even more of a duty if Trap is thinking of this being a permanent thing.

Probably the most generous thing that can be said right now is that the communication within the Ireland management set-up appears to be absolutely atrocious. Especially in light of Kilbane, McCarthy in recent weeks and a number of other incidents in the last 2 years - Treacy's omission/withdrawal being the most recent to spring to mind.

[paul_oshea]

So if that article is right.keanes comments earlier last week could well be what he actually meant to say.

[Stuttgart88]

Probably the most generous thing that can be said right now is that the communication within the Ireland management set-up appears to be absolutely atrocious.Agreed, and also to the outside world. They need an Alastair Campbell figure to tell the media what's what and to stop rumours and misunderstandings from gaining momentum. They seem to have no idea what appears to be controversial or not. It's not just McCarthy - for example, there should be some sort of quote explaining why a forward not on standby was picked over a player who was picked in the first 29, then placed on standby, then not even called up when a forward dropped out. When McCarthy was originally omitted there was no mention (until today?) that Noel King actually went to see him last week. This is just simple PR.

I'd have thought it's the FAI's job to communicate selection to the players though, not Trap's mobile phone's job. Good man management would be to explain personally why someone is omitted alright, but it shouldn't be the formal notification.

[tetsujin1979]

When McCarthy was originally omitted there was no mention (until today?) that Noel King actually went to see him last week. This is just simple PR.
It was in the Herald last week: http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/mccarthy-happy-with-senior-snub-2515057.html

"I spoke to James and he is very happy to come to Cyprus and play for us if he's fit and able," said King after including McCarthy in a 19-man squad for the away friendly, which takes place the day after the senior clash with Wales.

"Him not being in the senior squad wasn't even mentioned, he is keen to play for Ireland and that's not in doubt.

"I hope James will be able to play in Cyprus but we'll see how it goes.

"He played on Tuesday against Aston Villa, it's not clear if he'll be involved for Wigan in the Cup against Bolton at the weekend but he might be in for their league game next week."

[Stuttgart88]

OK, I stand corrected!

[osarusan]

Agreed, and also to the outside world. They need an Alastair Campbell figure to tell the media what's what and to stop rumours and misunderstandings from gaining momentum.

They have one.

http://www.tcd.ie/Italian/graduates1Sherrard.php

Then again, stopping misunderstandings from gaining momentum hasn't been his strong point.

[elroy]

explaining why a forward not on standby was picked over a player who was picked in the first 29, then placed on standby, then not even called up when a forward dropped out.

Just to add to this: Both Fahey and Keogh came on tonight but wasnt even in the initial squad. Bizarre. Have no problem with Keogh not been in the initial squad because I dont think he is of international standard but Fahey has done well in recent times and shouldve been in the squad, no question.

[Charlie Darwin]

Fahey had a game on Sunday and probably made way for McCarthy in the original squad. Keogh was brought in when Keane and Lawrence pulled out because he covers both positions.

[tetsujin1979]

Excellent interview with Kilbane on Newstalk earlier, touched on a number of subjects including James McCarthy, his move to Huddersfield, and the tactics against France in Paris
Interview is available on the listen back service on NewsTalk here: http://media.newstalk.ie/listenback
Scroll down to NewsTalk Sport, select Sunday 20th, part 3. The interview starts on the 33 minute mark

[geysir]

Good interview Tets, thanks for giving the link.
Naive interviewer, as if he never knew that journalists make up cráp and fans swallow that cráp, hook line and sinker.

[paul_oshea]

Kilbane is very endearing. People especially those who now prefer rugby always go on about how soccer players are away in the clouds etc. Its nice to hear this fella speak.

He mentions being over in England as well and that which is a very fair point, that the players don't often hear whats going on back in the Old Country, but they do have family who try to keep them up to date.

[geysir]

It is a very fair point, especially as he is over in England.

[geysir]

Paul, this is what you put in your edit
"that the players don't often hear whats going on back in the Old Country, but they do have family who try to keep them up to date."

I'm pretty sure KK said something to the effect that some players are unaffected by what's written in the papers because they are over there, away from it all, but KK said he heard about the nonsense that was written about him because he has family/friends who informed him about it.
I assume that in this case some friend/family saw and informed KK that he was being used to discredit Trap's management and the gullible fans were lapping it up. Were you one of those gullible fans Paul?

[paul_oshea]

If it makes you sleep easy, then yes I was.

[EastTerracer]

The man is an absolute legend. He was asked by Mary Hannigan in the Irish Times about his chances of playing on Saturday and..

“It will probably be Friday before we know, so we’ll wait and see. Hopefully, I’ll be in the team – if I’m not, I’ll just be supportive of the player that’s playing in my position.”
If he was the manager? “I’d go with myself all day – I’d be captain and all!”


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0324/1224292954518.html

[theworm2345]

Anyone else realize Zinedine made the bench for Huddersfield on Sunday less than 24 hours after going the 90 against Macedonia?

[macdermesser]

Future manager of Ireland imho