Liam Miller

[tetsujin1979]

From today's independent:

LEEDS UNITED believe that Liam Miller is already making his mark at Elland Road after just two games.

The 24-year-old scored his first goal for the club on Saturday when he grabbed the winner in a dramatic comeback against Southampton.

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell, who snapped up Miller on loan from Manchester United, believes there is more to come from the Irish international midfielder.

"Liam has got a point to prove at Old Trafford, and I said to him come here and prove it and we will get the benefit of it," said Blackwell.

"We are asking him now to be a lot more forward thinking and get in the box. His finish was of some quality and we can see signs that there's more to come. It's all about confidence with Liam, he was out of the pecking order at Old Trafford and there's nothing like playing games to give players confidence.

"He's come in and needs to get used to pace of the Championship, you will get closed down quicker and not have as much time on the ball like the Premiership, it's also much more physical, so once he does that he will be okay," said Blackwell.

[Rover 2 U]

As a huge Leeds fan and a Manc hater I can not tell you how happy I am that Liam is doing the business with Leeds, I just hope he can keep it up. Hopefully it will be too late before Manc PLC realise they have made a huge mistake by letting him go and Leeds can sign him permanently. It wont be long now before we are back playing with the big boys where we belong.

We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds! We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds!

[gustavo]

Manc PLC

i might be wide of the mark here but are leeds not a PLC too ?

[Jerry The Saint]

We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds! We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds!


I thought you were Irish? :eek:
Leeds weren't born in Ireland:confused:
What's your story:confused:

[Rover 2 U]

I thought you were Irish?
Leeds weren't born in Ireland
What's your story


Oh I'm sorry, my mistake, I didn't realise Leeds United were an international team ;)

[Stuttgart88]

In today's Guardian, describing Leeds' win over Burneley:

Alongside [Derry] Liam Miller, on loan from Manchester United, contributed some nice touches but you could see why Roy Keane was underwhelmed.

Not quite as optimistic, but first team football is a must for Miller & he seems to be doing OK so far. Hopefully he'll stamp his mark on things at Leeds.

I think Leeds are the only team to have had 4 full Irish internationals in the team for a long time: Miller, Kelly, Douglas & Butler.

[as_i_say]

butler:D har har

[macdermesser]

Oh I'm sorry, my mistake, I didn't realise Leeds United were an international team ;)

I don't think a smiley will get you off that easy ;)

why do you hate Manchester? Because people from Leeds do ? So why are you taking on a local english rivalry when you are from Ireland?

Of course people can support whoever they want and whatever league they want .. put for someone with a signature like yourself to be chanting "we are leeds we are leeds", you are setting yourself up to be shot down.

In any case, wasn't it the English who invented all this nationality madness .. divide and conquer and all that. If you happen to be born in England with irish parents, that still makes you part of the irish tribe .. extended family.

[tetsujin1979]

Manc PLC
Man United aren't a PLC any more, they've been taken off the stock exchange since the Glazers took over.


I think Leeds are the only team to have had 4 full Irish internationals in the team for a long time: Miller, Kelly, Douglas & Butler.
I think Blackburn had Alan Kelly, Jason McAteer, Damien Duff and Jeff Kenna at the same time, but I'm not sure if they all ever played in the same side. Kenna might have left for Birmingham by then.

[Rover 2 U]

I don't get you? I am Irish and proclaim my Irishness and that prevents me from looking outside of this county for everything? Sure I watch British TV, my monitor here was made in China, I work for an American multi-national! I do not agree with people from one country representing different countries on the international playing field but that does not stop me from supporting the team of my childhood or from listening to Coldplay or from fancying Keira Knightly! By the way, I love Rovers first and foremost, U2 are my top band and I think Andrea Corr is a fine thing, but Fair City does not come anywhere near to Corporation Street! Does any of that weaken my stance on wanting Irish people and only Irish people representing Ireland? I don't think so.

Oh and my hatred towards Manc PLC has nothing to do with local English rivalry or anything of the kind, that was born and nurtured right here on the streets of Dublin!

[as_i_say]

7.5 for effort there

[Karlos]

Oh and my hatred towards Manc PLC has nothing to do with local English rivalry or anything of the kind, that was born and nurtured right here on the streets of Dublin!

This is certainly a primary reason why many of my friends dislike Utd in Ireland. During the mid nineties a arrogance developed on the streets of dublin which has never disapperared and spawned a hatred of all things Man Utd which didn't always exist before that time. the sudden need for a Man Utd shop being a particular pet hate for many!

(although I was more disgusted by the Celtic shop actually selling Utd shirts at one stage......long story, but a sale guy tried to convince me that the money from the sale of the utd shirts went to celtic!!! muppet! Needless to say I've never purchased anything in the celtic shop in Ireland :rolleyes: :) )

[macdermesser]

I don't get you? I am Irish and proclaim my Irishness and that prevents me from looking outside of this county for everything? Sure I watch British TV, my monitor here was made in China, I work for an American multi-national! I do not agree with people from one country representing different countries on the international playing field but that does not stop me from supporting the team of my childhood or from listening to Coldplay or from fancying Keira Knightly! By the way, I love Rovers first and foremost, U2 are my top band and I think Andrea Corr is a fine thing, but Fair City does not come anywhere near to Corporation Street! Does any of that weaken my stance on wanting Irish people and only Irish people representing Ireland? I don't think so.

Oh and my hatred towards Manc PLC has nothing to do with local English rivalry or anything of the kind, that was born and nurtured right here on the streets of Dublin!

As I said, I have no problem with people supporting English teams in the globalised society of today. And the fact that you apparently support Rovers by going to games etc. also shows that you are supporting the local soccer scene.

That said there is not much difference between you and someone born in Leeds - you fancy the same tv/film stars, watch the same soap operas, have opinions about big brother etc etc, eat in Burger King and hate Mc Donalds, prefer PES to Fifa etc etc. Except of course, that you were born and reared in Ireland and this is what makes you vastly different culturally to someone born in Yorkshire .. like Mick Mc Carthy for example.

So your basic argument is that only Irish born and reared people should represent Ireland. Well, I don't think Ireland should ignore the generations of sons and daughters that have left/were forced to leave the country. If your parents are Irish, and you are not born in Ireland, you should have the choice. Our constituion recognises this point too.

My son was not born in Ireland ... but I have given him an Irish name (because its a nice name and maybe he too can assume, like you, to be different from all the other people around him) and he will spend summers in Ireland and meet my family and friends, and if by chance he's ever a decent footballer, he will have a choice of whether playing for Ireland or the land of his birth. Simple as that. He's got Irish blood and is part of the irish tribe and has the right to play for two countries.

I have to admit that I am wondering myself if I am not being a hypocrite on one hand saying that people should not get hung up on nationality and reacting to a post/signature like yours. But, I just think that being proud to have been born in one district of the globalised society is not a particularly interesting story. I think perhaps your story would be more interesting, if you decided e.g. that you wanted to rebel against global culture like throwing out your tv, not eating food with preservatives, not buying electronic junk etc and lining the pockets of the multicorporations, reading Brave New World instead of the Da Vinci code, listening to music of your ancestors, even speaking a cupla focail and so on and so fort, while having respect for people who don't share the same opinions and lifestyles as yourself. Then that would be an interesting story. Born and reared in Dublin and consuming globalised culture with a bit of oul oirish thrown, "because the difference is we're irish", well its not that interesting of a story, is it?

sorry .. wasn't this all about Liam Miller's goal against Southampton? ;)

[Stuttgart88]

sorry .. wasn't this all about Liam Miller's goal against Southampton? ;)
Was just about to say the same thing.

[Karlos]

Was just about to say the same thing.


I think we'll need to introduce a ban on certain words....namely - Keane, Utd, Celtic, REAL supporters, etc etc......the list is endless!!! :) :D :)

Nearly every thread takes a u-turn these days!!

[NeilMcD]

Whats funny is that leeds are a Plc and Man Utd are not.

[thejollyrodger]

As a huge Leeds fan and a Manc hater I can not tell you how happy I am that Liam is doing the business with Leeds, I just hope he can keep it up. Hopefully it will be too late before Manc PLC realise they have made a huge mistake by letting him go and Leeds can sign him permanently. It wont be long now before we are back playing with the big boys where we belong.

We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds! We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds!


How ridculous is this for f's sake.:o

[eirebhoy]

"It's all about confidence with Liam"

Thats the main point.

[macdermesser]

"It's all about confidence with Liam"

Thats the main point.

yes that is the main point .. but you can't let a guy who has a signature "born in ireland, reared in Ireland etc etc" get away with making a remark "we are leeds, we are Leeds".

Sorry, but that was my main point. And his counter point was, yes he can. So what if these topics go way off the point .. we're not robots here.

[eirebhoy]

yes that is the main point .. but you can't let a guy who has a signature "born in ireland, reared in Ireland etc etc" get away with making a remark "we are leeds, we are Leeds".

Sorry, but that was my main point. And his counter point was, yes he can. So what if these topics go way off the point .. we're not robots here.
I couldn't care whether it goes off topic, I was pointing out the main point in the article. :) Probably a bit silly to post on-topic after all those posts though. ;)

[tricky_colour]

I am Irish!
I was born in Ireland!
I was reared in Ireland!
I support Leeds :o

So what does that make me?

What's your story?

[macdermesser]

I am Irish!
I was born in Ireland!
I was reared in Ireland!
I support Leeds :o

So what does that make me?


Liam Miller's ma?
A sh1t stirrer? ;)

[Stuttgart88]

I agree it's all about confidence with Miller.

Can the mods do something to keep this thread on-topic pls? It's getting tiresome.

[Dodge]

in fairness the debates on nationality and supporting foreign clubs have way more interest that a second rate championship foootballer. The only thing of note about Miller is that by Ferguson signing him (and David Bellion, obviously) Ferguson showed he'd finally lost the plot.

Hope I'm wrong. Good finish last week btw....

[Stuttgart88]

in fairness the debates on nationality and supporting foreign clubs have way more interest that a second rate championship foootballer.
But this nationality debate pops up in other threads too & is debated more extensively elsewhere. People can follow who they like but the guy who posted this thread wanted us to discuss Miller.

On Ferguson losing the plot, I think he only signed him because he was free. Maybe he thought it was a good risk / reward trade off. I doubt he'd have paid 2 million for him.

[Dodge]

I was kiddng about the nationality thing.

Over the past couple of years, Fergies's complaint about not being able to compete wages wise. If he loses Millar, Smith, Bellion, Fletcher then he'd be able to afford a top class midfielder.

[tetsujin1979]

I was kiddng about the nationality thing.

Over the past couple of years, Fergies's complaint about not being able to compete wages wise. If he loses Millar, Smith, Bellion, Fletcher then he'd be able to afford a top class midfielder.
He'd be able to pay a top class midfielder, but whether or not the funds would be there to buy one is another question


I think Leeds are the only team to have had 4 full Irish internationals in the team for a long time: Miller, Kelly, Douglas & Butler.
Could be 5 players very soon, reports today linking Andy Reid with a 1m move to them in January
Also did Harte, Kelly, McPhail and Robbie Keane ever all play together in the same team for Leeds?

[gustavo]

what about maybury too in the same team ?

[tetsujin1979]

what about maybury too in the same team ?
According to this - http://www.4thegame.com/wanadoo/results/report83830/whfclufc.html - they were all in the same team that day but Kelly and McPhail remained on the bench.
Also here - http://www.leedsfans.org.uk/leeds/history/87/8704.html - Maybury and McPhail were on the bench while Kelly, Harte and Keane played

[Plastic Paddy]

Puff-piece in today's Guardian about Miller.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,9753,1669388,00.html

:ball: PP

[Hulsey]

why do you hate Manchester? Because people from Leeds do ? So why are you taking on a local english rivalry when you are from Ireland?

The main reason for this is that rivalries make things more interesting. I'm a SUper Leeds fan and out of my 4 best mates 2 support man utd, and 1 each support Arsenal and Liverpool. Forgive me if i'm wrong mate, but i feel that by adding a little bit of over the top banter to the mix (i.e refering to man utd as "the scum" etc.) that it makes for a far more exciting and enjoyable experience when a game against these teams come around. And about slagging someone off for the "We are Leeds" thing, seriously cop on. Everyones entitled to sing the songs for any team they support not just the Irish ones!

[Plastic Paddy]

The main reason for this is that rivalries make things more interesting. I'm a SUper Leeds fan

"Super" Leeds? :confused: I can think of another five-letter word beginning with 'S' that's more apt right now...


i feel that by adding a little bit of over the top banter to the mix (i.e refering to man utd as "the scum" etc.) that it makes for a far more exciting and enjoyable experience when a game against these teams come around.

Actually the vast majority of football fans find this whole facet pointless, divisive and anything but enjoyable. It only tends to be boys and men of a certain (mental) age with too much testosterone knocking about who go in for it with abandon. Try sex instead - it's far more enjoyable and doesn't leave you wanting to pick a fight with "the opposition" afterwards... :D

:ball: PP

[macdermesser]

The main reason for this is that rivalries make things more interesting. I'm a SUper Leeds fan and out of my 4 best mates 2 support man utd, and 1 each support Arsenal and Liverpool. Forgive me if i'm wrong mate, but i feel that by adding a little bit of over the top banter to the mix (i.e refering to man utd as "the scum" etc.) that it makes for a far more exciting and enjoyable experience when a game against these teams come around. And about slagging someone off for the "We are Leeds" thing, seriously cop on. Everyones entitled to sing the songs for any team they support not just the Irish ones!

Cop on yourself ... I think I made my point further on in the thread, and for fear of the hysterical reaction from certain people for going off topic (like any topic on this forum doesn't meander off), I think I'll leave it at that. The only interest I have in English football is if my bets will come up trumps this week or if my fantasy football team has done well. Far more enjoyable I think .. but each to his own. Personally, I can't identify with a team where I can't attend the matches or cry tears of joy when Liverpool or Porto win the Champions League.

Interesting article with Miller .. seems to be hanging for hope about getting his game for ManU. If he could get a couple of good games under his belt for United in the new year, then maybe it would boost his confidence and get him going. To be fair though, he was thrown in against Chelsea in his first game which he didn't do well in .. so he can't say that he wasn't given a chance. I think though, he might do better in a United team with a decent holding player. Overall though, the odds seem stacked against him.

[gustavo]

To be fair though, he was thrown in against Chelsea in his first game which he didn't do well in .. so he can't say that he wasn't given a chance.


in fairness its unfair to judge a player based on one game , even the best players in the world can have off days .

[macdermesser]

in fairness its unfair to judge a player based on one game , even the best players in the world can have off days .


true .. but I think he got a run of a few games though at the beginning of his career, and Fegie saw enough to cast him into the reserves ever since. He looked like a rabbit in front of headlights every time he got the ball.

he must have the potential to have so many people raving about him .. perhaps its a failure of Ferguson's part not to manage his potential .. or perhaps he flattered to deceive in those few months when he was the hottest thing since Kenny Dalglish

[Stuttgart88]

I'd like to see the Celtic teams that played when Miller made his impact.

My recollection is that he was allowed a relatively free, attacking role because midfield was anchored by Lennon, Petrov and Thompson, all physically commanding players. Once midfield was secured defensively Miller's creativity came to the fore. At MUFC he didn't have the luxury of this protection and most of the time he was picked as either an orthodox wide-right player or central midfielder. At Celtic, his worst games included away to Villareal where he was simply not pysical enough to exert any influence in a traditional central midfield role.

Regular Celtic watchers: does this argument have any merit?

[Hulsey]

Don't know how that prat fletcher was in the team ahead of Miller anyway. He's so bad its fcukin' unbelievable! He has to have some kind of blackmail on ferguson, its the only possible explanation.

[eirebhoy]

Stutts - You're spot on imo. Miller played the holding role in the majority of his games for Man U. His role at Celtic was a lot different. He didn't get so much praise for nothing. There's 2 ex-Celts singing Miller's praises in that Guardian article. Here's more:

"Probably the best 22-year-old in the world", "sensational", "his career possibilities are endless." - Magnus Hedman.
"Liam Miller is one of the best young talents that I have ever seen." - Henrik Larsson.
"Without putting too much pressure on him, I'm sure Liam is going to be a great player. He's carrying the can for the whole of Cork, but he'll deal with it and go on to be a big, big player for Celtic and Ireland." - John Hartson.
"An outstanding talent", "I take it as a compliment to be talked about alongside Liam." - Paul McStay.
"Wonderful." "I am going to make sure that we get him on a new contract as soon as possible - a 35-year deal if I can manage it!" - Martin O'Neill.
"Liam was frightening on Wednesday." - John Hartson.

BTW - Miller got his 5th booking of the season at the weekend and is banned for the next match. Good to see. :)

[Stuttgart88]

I may stick it up later as a separate topic but I've been thinking lately that we should look at reshaping our midfield similar to the set-up I mentioned above in which Miller flourished.

Players like Kavanagh, and both Reids could provide a narrower but more solid midfield than we're used too, allowing a creative player (Duff, Andy Reid, McGeady, Miller, Ireland, Quinn, Robbie Keane) to play between midfield and the front two. During the last campaign we lacked guile in central midfield, Duff nearly always got marked out of it and there was always a big gap between midfield & attack. We'd be giving up some width but if Finnan and possibly Kilbane played as our full backs they could provide the extra width necessary.

Just a thought.

[gustavo]

we could have a 4 3 2 1 formation with something like
Given
Finnan Dunne O Brien O Shea
S Reid Kavanagh/Kilbane A Reid
Duff Keane
Morrison/Doyle
with McGeady and Ireland et al all ready to come in

[Dublin12]

I was over at Leeds a couple of weeks ago and I can tell you Miller wasn't the best,he's a bit lazy in my opinion and is not up for the battle.Wouldn't bother me one jot if he went back to Man Utd.

[ken foree]

We'd be giving up some width but if Finnan and possibly Kilbane played as our full backs they could provide the extra width necessary.

Just a thought.

i'm all for f*ckin around with formations and stuff but i think, with extra license to get forward given to the 2 fullbacks, the central defensive positions have to be very quick in order to stop swift counter attacks should we get caught in possession upfield.. just a thought as well though and an opinion like any other :D :ball:

[Crunch]

Good signing and if he stays he will be back playing in the premier league next year, hopefully- I will be happy with the play offs.

[lofty9]

He's staying with Leeds for the rest of the season according to sky sports.