Darron Gibson

[DannyInvincible]

Yea my mistake I meant to say overweight, still seems a fair bit of weight for a midfielder, no wonder he likes taking shots form distance, less running to do.

The arbitrary BMI is still a fairly useless indicator of health for muscle-heavy athletes or those with low body-fat percentages but significant lean mass.

[DannyInvincible]

I always roll my eyes when someone mentions a player being "fat".

I always eye their rolls when someone mentions a player being "fat".

[Stuttgart88]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/darron-gibson-happy-to-come-out-of-exile-now-trapattoni-is-gone-1.1532405

http://www.examiner.ie/sport/soccer/gibson-lifts-lid-on-trap-and-signals-desire-to-return-243562.html

So, our Darron is available again. He came across quite well in this interview.

[PatJR]

Hhhmm. It's a bit simplistic to throw out the line "I was playing with Everton etc etc". I recall him playing in the warm up match against Bosnia and not being all that effective. In fact I think that sums up his career to date. He has talent but not showing it. But if his sulk is over then come on back and show what he can do but blaming it all on Trap is a cop out.

[Junior]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/darron-gibson-happy-to-come-out-of-exile-now-trapattoni-is-gone-1.1532405

http://www.examiner.ie/sport/soccer/gibson-lifts-lid-on-trap-and-signals-desire-to-return-243562.html

So, our Darron is available again. He came across quite well in this interview.

He comes across as honest thats for sure, though Im still not all that enamoured by him. Trap was right in that 'he is young,25' so perhaps his lack of professionalism, anger etc.. can be explained by this. I do understand the frustration at not getting any game time.

Im not sure that 'embarassment' at not winning or getting on the pitch will ever be a reason for not making yourself available for your country. Trap certainly seemed a little bit inconsistent in his ways and treatment of different players but at the end of the day we all know a manager is merely a temporary custodian of the team, your country is your country and that should be first and foremost in your thoughts as a player - not a petty gripe or personality clash.

I'm not a massive Gibson fan but I can see his quality, even if it hasnt been all that evident in the green of Ireland thus far. Trap asked him in to the squad on a number of occasions since the euros. Who knows, like McCarthy he could well have established himself. He may have had a more positive impact in the Austria, Sweden home games than Whelan? We'll never know I guess but it was all fairly petty and perhaps would have made a difference to a WCQ campaign, with Whelan being an obvious weak link in it.

Anyway, new manager, clean sheet, I'm happy that he will be available for selection again.

[gustavo]

Bow down and rejoice for young Darron has decided to once again grace us with his presence. Untill he's not getting his game again at least anyway

[DeLorean]

He says he doesn't want to disrespect Paul Green and goes on to say he was released by Derby which is misleading and very insulting. Derby tried their best to keep him but their stingy American owners are slow to put their hands in their pockets for anybody. Leeds and Ipswich were fighting over him the second it became apparent that he might be leaving Derby. He was never going to be in a position where he had to 'find a new club' so to speak. At least both newspapers had the integrity and knowledge to clear that up.

To be fair, I can see his frustration with regards the Italian match. It probably was an opportunity to thank the whole sqaud and, between starting new players and bringing on subs, give the majority a run. That said, Trap's point at the time about respecting the integrity of the competition is understandable too, especially seeing as he was up against his home nation. Questions would definitely have been asked if we had lost by the three or more goals that Italy needed to guarantee qualification, having made loads of changes.

Anyway, onwards and upwards, the most important thing is that he's available and please God he can do a good job for us.

[geysir]

Hhhmm. It's a bit simplistic to throw out the line "I was playing with Everton etc etc". I recall him playing in the warm up match against Bosnia and not being all that effective. In fact I think that sums up his career to date. He has talent but not showing it. But if his sulk is over then come on back and show what he can do but blaming it all on Trap is a cop out.
Funny that, even if he was just getting back to fitness when he played against Bosnia, he more than held his own against a very good, technically proficient, first choice Bosnia midfield. I thought he was just what the team needed, going into the Euros, he looked a much different player for us than with his appearances earlier in Trap's tenure.



Good news if he's available again. Of course he has a litter of injuries to deal with each season, fitness will be an issue.

[back of the net]

Wonder does Darron think that the Ireland fans who have followed their country for years , should have followed his suit and not gone to games either.

Whatever traps failings with Darron - the B.S of staying away from games is ridiculous

[zero]

there's a strong implication in the interview that if the next manager doesn't select him he'll 'retire' again. i suppose central midfielders are entitled to a bit of ego but it must not be nice for the other players in the squad.

[paul_oshea]

I dont think too much of Gibson regardless he always looks a bit sulky, but I hated this from Trap, we were right about the Euros with certain players who should have been brought in and who are now the mainstay. This is extremely patronising.


And the exact words he said to me were: ‘You’re young.’ And that was it. And he walked off and didn’t give me any other reason.”

25 is not young for a footballer, and to just say that is extremely frustrating. This attitude really annoyed me about Trap, it was to the detriment of the team in some cases, his ideas didnt work as we were getting beaten and conceding as it was. I would be very angry at this myself, especially if no further insight was offered. Its ignorant, arrogant, dismissive and a cop-out.

[DeLorean]

Who actually knows if that's even true... plus Trap could say "you're young" and mean something completely different. It doesn't even make sense because he has played players younger than that. Possibly he just meant that Gibson will have plenty more opportunities. Maybe Trap just resented being asked to explain himself to one disgruntled individual, when there was a whole nation with far bigger gripes to deal with. After three defeats and nine goals conceded, I'm sure Darron sulking about not being brought on for five minutes to save face was the least of his concerns.

[tetsujin1979]

reading it through again, I think by "young" Trapattoni might have meant "inexperienced".

[Stuttgart88]

He was petulant and egotistic, but there was a degree of mitigation.

It was probably better for all concerned for Gibson to stay away and not have an air of tension present in the squad. Gibson clearly saw that he didn't fit Trap's plans so he'd have just been skulking along on the side.

I still think he should have turned up, but I don't think his no-show was in the same league as Stephen Ireland, or dare I say it, Roy Keane's.

I'm glad to have him back. There's pressure on him to deliver now.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Spot on. At this stage who cares? Move on.

[Fixer82]

It's a good interview but he's silly to mention Paul Green at all.
He could mention it in private to the management etc but not in public.
I totally understand his embarrassment at not playing a minute and him feeling aggrieved.
I've been in that position before and it really hurts. But that's competitive sports.
Now he's going to be in a squad with Paul Green and it's going to be awkward.

The truth of it is, Paul Green is a better player than Whelan

[DeLorean]

I agree he's not in the Stephen Ireland bracket yet. To be fair he kept his mouth shut and is saying he wants to come back, not that he wants somebody to have a meeting with him and try to convince him to come back!

He may very well have meant that Tets, we'll never know really. It's Trap so he could have meant anything, if indeed he did say it at all. He brought on James McClean against Spain and he was only 23 at the time and much less done at both club and international level than Gibson. I think it's possible the timing might have been a major factor. You don't ask your boss for a pay rise when he's busy or after getting a hammering off his own boss. You wait until things are quiet and he's in a good mood.



Edit: Pay rise is probably a bad metaphor for explanation, but ye get the gist!

[DannyInvincible]

I think Paul Green will be lucky to make another squad now that Trap's gone, but I agree with you in that it was ill-judged of Darron to mention him at all. Anyway, at least he has offered his version of events now and appears able to put it behind him. I'm happy he's willing to return.


I totally understand his embarrassment at not playing a minute and him feeling aggrieved.
I've been in that position before and it really hurts. But that's competitive sports.

Outrageous! What was Trap's excuse to you? :p

[Junior]

Spot on. At this stage who cares? Move on.

Seriously AB - Is there any single thread on this forum where you havent posted the above? If you don't genuinely care, stop reading or at least stop posting that you dont. If you do care, then offer something more meaningful. Its as annoying as fcuk but you know I love you, right?


I've been in that position before and it really hurts. But that's competitive sports.
Now he's going to be in a squad with Paul Green and it's going to be awkward.

Agghh come on, spill the beans, who are you mysterious competitive sportsperson? a bit of context please?:D


I think Paul Green will be lucky to make another squad now that Trap's gone, but I agree with you in that it was ill-judged of Darron to mention him at all. Anyway, at least he has offered his version of events now and appears able to put it behind him. I'm happy he's willing to return.

Im not so sure, PG's limited number of performances of late have been half decent (MOTM in Vienna according to Ronnie Whelan and I dont think that was far wrong despite the sneering from Bill and panel) when those around him all underperformed. I know he is no great shakes but if he has a good season with Leeds, he may still get a few more opportunities to try and impress the new manager. I wouldnt be looking to just cut him out from the off.

[Stuttgart88]

I'd keep Green in the squad. Every ball player needs a ball winner and with Andrews gone Green deserves to keep his spot in the squad. I'd be inclined to move Wilson into midfield myself, with 2 of Gibson, McCarthy (let's be honest - poor recently) and Hoolahan in a 3 man midfield. Whelan is no longer mobile enough nor composed enough to retain his spot.

[geysir]

Agghh come on, spill the beans, who are you mysterious competitive sportsperson? a bit of context please?:D

Tell them nothing Fixer!
leave them dangling.

[BonnieShels]

I really hope Green keeps his place in the squad. He has been the most consistent of players with Ireland and as mentioned on numerous occasions he is miles ahead of Whelan at this stage.

[Fixer82]

Tell them nothing Fixer!
leave them dangling.

All I'll say is it wasn't while playing Association football....

[geysir]

That means gaelic football then.

[Fixer82]

That means gaelic football then.

negative

[Junior]

You're Brian O'Driscoll arent you? I knew it!!

[Paddy Garcia]

All I'll say is it wasn't while playing Association football....

With that name either a boxer or a jockey!

[geysir]

With that name either a boxer or a jockey!
Or a snooker player?

[DannyInvincible]

Darron Gibson speaks to Balls.ie (features audio clips of Gibson discussing Trap, Martin O'Neill, Mick McCarthy, Roberto Martinez/Everton and his preferences in FIFA 14): http://balls.ie/football/listen-darron-gibson-speaks-balls-ie/


Gibson says there were communication problems between the Italian and his players, particularly after Liam Brady left the setup, because Trapattoni’s “English was so poor” but he acknowledged that “players knew what needed to be done when they went out there” but only because “it was the same thing every time they went on the pitch.”

He hopes Ireland adopt a different style of play under a new manager but when asked whether it was frustrating to play the long ball game under the Italian he curtly joked “I wouldn’t know. I never played.”

[Grafter]

CEO Delaney welcomed Gibson's return from exile in the papers today and said he hoped that other players who had opted out of international football would similarly declare that they were available for selection.

Ok apart from Stephen Ireland, who are these other players??????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????

[tetsujin1979]

Kevin Foley is the only one that comes to mind, unless Shay Given counts?

[Grafter]

Kevin Foley is the only one that comes to mind, unless Shay Given counts?

Oh yeah Foley..... nah Given doesn't really count like Duff also! It's really just Ireland and Foley then isn't it?

[DannyInvincible]

Didn't Shay declare himself re-available for selection after losing his place at Villa?

[geysir]

Tough on Gibson last night, his injury record continues to say that we can't really depend on him being available.
Was his injury partly due to his 'unorthodox' tackling style?

[DannyInvincible]

He just seemed to come down awkwardly on his foot after stretching for and connecting with the ball. Any word on how long he'll be out for? It was confrimed as ligament damage, wasn't it?

[SwanVsDalton]

Just heard on the radio King confirmed it as a cruciate ligament injury and said Darron would be lucky to back this season. Tough break.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Six months said the radio today. Ghastly result for his return to international football.

[DannyInvincible]

Balls.

Is it a recurring one with which he's had trouble before?

[Closed Account 2]

Looked a bit like the Marty Rowlands injury against Montenegro back at the tail end of the last World Cup qualification games.

[geysir]

That's his season over and a hell of a lot of rehab work to get back to where he was.
It's as if he has bits of a career in between his injuries.

[wonder88]

Confirmation of the bad news from King today. Hope he makes a full recovery, but it looks like this season is gone for him, and he has had a lot of injury problems in his career already. You could tell last night how devestated he was.

[DeLorean]

He was in some pain the poor guy, he had his hands wrapped around one of the other Irish player's feet for comfort. Cruciate injuries amongst soccer players seem relatively uncommon these days, compared to Gaelic Footballers where it seems a serious issue for some reason.

It's a long road back for him but hopefully he comes back strong. There are no silver linings really but at least he won't miss anything significant as far as we're concerned. James Mac should be more assured of his place in the Everton midfield as well but I'm just clutching at straws now really.

[Stuttgart88]

Another year of Whelan! In fairness he looks comfortable in a 3 man midfield.

[DeLorean]

The next boss might not fancy him at all, especially if he remains out of favour at Stoke. Hendrick will be back from injury over the next few weeks and will present another option. Having said that, I'd say the majority would see Whelan's experience as valuable alongside McCarthy.

[Charlie Darwin]

I reckon the next manager might regard him as second-choice (as King seemingly did) but he'll be in or around squads even if Hendrick is included. He was probably our most consistent player over the two games and, outside of Forde, probably our best performer in Koln.

[DeLorean]

God yeah, I wouldn't even discard him from the squad myself.

[brine3]

Whelan is decent enough in a three man midfield. He was seriously shown up for pace in Trap's kamikaze midfield.

The injury Gibson has would have been career ending 15 or 20 years ago. He will be out for a while, perhaps the rest of the season. However, medical treatment has come on his injury is probably pretty similar to Van Nistelrooy's one that delayed his signing for Man Utd for a year. And we all know that Van Nistelrooy did fairly well for Man Utd in the end.

Hopefully nobody will ever question Gibson's commitment for Ireland again. The guy injured himself going full out for his country in a nothing match.

Maybe if we didn't play football on a rugby pitch, then these things would be less likely to happen.

[Charlie Darwin]

Speaking of the pitch, what was the story with (what looked like) all the dead grass down the north end?

[Stuttgart88]

According to Kerr's column today it was because of a recent Roger Waters concert.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ah, I should have guessed considering I was at it.