Aiden McGeady

[thepiedpiper]

BBC Radio Scotland interview after the game tonight:


Quote:
Chick Young: Did Celtic impress you tonight?
Wenger: Yes, their energy and comitment was very good and McGeady was outstanding.
Chick Young: Is McGeady good enough to play in the English Premier League?
Wenger: Of course. But why do you want your best player to leave Scotland?

[Thebolg]

excellent performance. about time he bit the bullet and moved to the premiership.

[Crosby87]

BBC Radio Scotland interview after the game tonight:


Quote:
Chick Young: Did Celtic impress you tonight?
Wenger: Yes, their energy and comitment was very good and McGeady was outstanding.

Translation "They try hard, but they stink."

But maybe he will put a bid in for AM when things go south for Arsenal later in the year...Unless Brady talks him out of it...

[carloz]

excellent performance. about time he bit the bullet and moved to the premiership.

It really is. His career will just stagnate up there, and he has given enough to them. Bayern were interested last season, that would have been a fantastic move for him.

[Wexford Delboy]

http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_190809102429.aspx

[eirebhoy]

It really is. His career will just stagnate up there, and he has given enough to them. Bayern were interested last season, that would have been a fantastic move for him.
This is McGeady's first season playing a free role so it's something different for him to learn. I'd give him this season before seeing if he should move on.

[Scram]

http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_190809102429.aspx

McGeady's team mates really underperformed and are capable of a lot better. Maloney was awful, even McDonald.

I'd ask why McGeady was in the wall for the free kick that led to the goal. Absolute nonsense, and his diving in at the free taker meant the ball cleared the end of the wall where McGeady vacated. These things need to be ironed out on the training ground, so I wouldn't blame the wee fella.

[Wexford Delboy]

mcgeady got the highest pass completion % out of both teams on the night..himself and that new centre mid were the only real shining lights donati was brutal

[Scram]

mcgeady got the highest pass completion % out of both teams on the night..himself and that new centre mid were the only real shining lights donati was brutal

Yeah, Donati was useless. It woudl be easier to pick players that did OK than ones that were way off their games.

[Wexford Delboy]

just a question, i asked my friend earlier (he's a united fan) who would he rather have in his team mcgaedy or nani,he said nani everytime..personally i woulda picked aiden just wanted a couple of peoples own choices if they were to pick

[Razors left peg]

just a question, i asked my friend earlier (he's a united fan) who would he rather have in his team mcgaedy or nani,he said nani everytime..personally i woulda picked aiden just wanted a couple of peoples own choices if they were to pick

Id definately have McGeady ahead of Nani, or Park too for that matter... or at other clubs Id have him ahead of Kalou, Benyoun,Kuyt,Riera,Babel,Eboue,and probably ahead of Walcott

[youngirish]

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is ready to play hardball with Celtic as the Glasgow club hold out for a £10m fee for midfielder Scott Brown. (Scottish Daily Mail)

However, Redknapp is ready to switch targets and is poised to make a £5m-plus offer for Celtic winger Aiden McGeady. (Scottish Sun)

[EAFC_rdfl]

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is ready to play hardball with Celtic as the Glasgow club hold out for a £10m fee for midfielder Scott Brown. (Scottish Daily Mail)

However, Redknapp is ready to switch targets and is poised to make a £5m-plus offer for Celtic winger Aiden McGeady. (Scottish Sun)
yeah it definetely sounds like he wants to get one or the other, id say he'd prefer brown but wont pay the price celtic are after. don't want to see either leave, but it would be good to see how mcgeady would fair out at a better-than-average EPL team i suppose

[seanfhear]

Harry Redknapp is normally a good judge of a player so it is promising if he is genuinely after McGeady.

[youngirish]

yeah it definetely sounds like he wants to get one or the other, id say he'd prefer brown but wont pay the price celtic are after. don't want to see either leave, but it would be good to see how mcgeady would fair out at a better-than-average EPL team i suppose

Would only do him good I believe. I don't see him progressing much at Celtic. He's stagnated there over the years and would have been far better getting out while still young like McCarthy imo. He's not that young anymore.

[dr_peepee]

There's a bit of depth in the centre of the park at Spurs though, with very little on the wing, so McGeady may well be the target and not Brown..

Saying that, it's spurs so that kind of logic goes out the window what with the ganzee load of full backs purchased over the last couple of years.

[kennedmc]

Lennon and Modric are 1st choice on thw wings so McGeady would be starting on the bench

[jay1]

McGeady is just an outstanding player for Celtic. Does his best for Ireland but you have to take into account what he has to work with. There are a lot of players on the Irish team at present that are just not up to the Job at the moment.

[youngirish]

McGeady is just an outstanding player for Celtic. Does his best for Ireland but you have to take into account what he has to work with. There are a lot of players on the Irish team at present that are just not up to the Job at the moment.

Jay I agree but surely the same can be said about the Celtic players. In fact if pushed I'd say that even the Ireland team has more quality in it than the Celtic one. The problem with McGeady when playing for Ireland I believe is that for the most part he's up against far better opposition and we don't dominate games anywhere near as much as Celitc do on an average weekend.

[youngirish]

Maybe this rumour has some legs? Different paper this time but same club he's linked to.

Tottenham are weighing up moves for Celtic midfield pair Scott Brown and Aiden McGeady, with the Parkhead club valuing them at a total of £10m.
Full story: News of the World

[eirebhoy]

I'm sure Spurs do want both players, or at least 1, but £10m won't get them. 15 maybe.

McGeady played a nice through ball for Fortune's 2nd goal yesterday:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/bringing-it-all-back-home-1867349.html

Also played a through ball to Hinkel who set up Maloney's 1st.

[Colbert Report]

I would love to see him go to Spurs. Lennon, Bentley and McGeady all providng crosses for the like of Keane, Defoe, Crouch and Pavlyuchenko. Scary.

[dr_peepee]

Lennon and Modric are 1st choice on thw wings so McGeady would be starting on the bench

Their first choice now, but there's no depth there if spurs are going to challenge. Plus Modric doesn't play as a wide player in that sense. His best work is when he comes inside..

Actually I worry for Keane to some extent. At the moment I think there's potential for a Keane Gerard scenario at Spurs because I think Modric is constrained somewhat in that role and to get more out of him they may bring him inside more, which may impact Keanes role... (I say this without seeing or reading anything of todays game).

[Stuttgart88]

Totally unrelated to the thread but in the context of Modric, does anyone else think that for such a talented player it's extraordinary how one (left) footed his is? Compare him to a similar player, Arshavin: similar size & physical attributes, similar eye, similar touch etc. yet Arshavin is a complete two-footed footballer and Modric is about as adept with his right foot as I am. I think Duff's ability to float dangerous balls with both feet is underrated and I think it's astonishing that so many top flight footballers are so one footed.

[Stuttgart88]

Their first choice now, but there's no depth there if spurs are going to challenge. Plus Modric doesn't play as a wide player in that sense. His best work is when he comes inside..

Actually I worry for Keane to some extent. At the moment I think there's potential for a Keane Gerard scenario at Spurs because I think Modric is constrained somewhat in that role and to get more out of him they may bring him inside more, which may impact Keanes role... (I say this without seeing or reading anything of todays game).I think Redknapp is a hit smarter about reading & managing players than Benitez though. If Keane scores twice against anyone I'll bet you that he'll play the next game and if Defoe goes scoreless for a few games then Keane or Crouch or whoever will get a chance instead. I'd say Pavlyuchenko is the one with real worries at Spurs.

[Razors left peg]

Totally unrelated to the thread but in the context of Modric, does anyone else think that for such a talented player it's extraordinary how one (left) footed his is? Compare him to a similar player, Arshavin: similar size & physical attributes, similar eye, similar touch etc. yet Arshavin is a complete two-footed footballer and Modric is about as adept with his right foot as I am. I think Duff's ability to float dangerous balls with both feet is underrated and I think it's astonishing that so many top flight footballers are so one footed.

its not very unrelated to the thread at all because Ive thought for a long time that McGeady is one of the most naturally 2 footed players around at the moment.Look at his goal against Aberdeen last week where he scored from outside the box with a brilliant left foot shot and yet he is regarded as right footed.
As regards other footballers, the one that always stood out for me as being ridiculously dependent on one foot is Ryan Giggs.Class player that he is and with him playing top flight football for nearly 20 years I cannot figure out how the hell he has never learned to use his right foot.Im a massive fan of his but it drives me mental

[eirebhoy]

I'm sure we had a small debate about this before but I think a lot of it is natural. I remember saying Duff and Nakamura can play excellent crosses with their bad foot but it's clear to anyone that they don't look entirely comfortable crossing with that foot. I'm sure Duff and Naka would practice a lot with their right foot but they'll never come close to matching the technique they have in their left. Then there's someone like McGeady who is equally adept with either foot.

We have our limits and I think it's unfair to think that because someone is so skilfull with one foot that they shouldn't be so bad with their other foot. The difference with my left foot and right foot is night and day and practicing only got it so far. I can hardly put 3 volleys together on my right foot and I would have put hours in years ago trying to improve it.

Modric' technical ability with his weak foot could be on the same level as Bobo Balde's stronger foot and if so there's only so much he can do about that.

[eirebhoy]

its not very unrelated to the thread at all because Ive thought for a long time that McGeady is one of the most naturally 2 footed players around at the moment.Look at his goal against Aberdeen last week where he scored from outside the box with a brilliant left foot shot and yet he is regarded as right footed.
McGeady is probably the most naturally 2 footed player I can think of atm. The reason he doesn't get the credit for it is because he doesn't have the shooting or passing abilities of a top player. But for sure anything he can do with his right he can do with his left just as comfortably.

Glenn Hoddle actually made the point about how natural his goal against Aberdeen looked on his left foot.

[Razors left peg]

McGeady is probably the most naturally 2 footed player I can think of atm. The reason he doesn't get the credit for it is because he doesn't have the shooting or passing abilities of a top player. But for sure anything he can do with his right he can do with his left just as comfortably.

That young up and coming guy Ronaldo isnt bad with both feet either :)

[Stuttgart88]

Remember Lubo Moravcik? I've never seen a better TWO-footed player in my life, ever. Look up youtube for his left footed goal against Hibs about 5 years ago. OK, it was against Nick Colgan (:)) but what a strike with his "wrong" foot. Total brilliance.

Some of it is natural but don't tell me that Moravcik and Arshavin were naturally two footed and that Giigs couldn't have learnt to use his right better.

My ol' fella dropped a goal off each foot at Donnybrook in the 50s to win a cup for his rugby club. He used to drill in to me the importance of practicing each foot as a kid. Unfortunately for him, and me, he was dealing with a kid who inherited his mum's sporting genes.

My suspicion is that the Nakamuras of this world were indulged too much as kids rather than being put through the uncomfortable measures of practicing what they don't like.

[eirebhoy]

That young up and coming guy Ronaldo isnt bad with both feet either :)
There's a bigger difference in ability between Ronaldo's left and right than McGeady's left and right if you know what I mean. :) Ronaldo's left is probably better than either of McGeady's feet though.

Lubo was certainly 1 of the most 2 footed players I've ever seen. I never actually took notice of Arshavin's favoured foot which probably says it all. It took me a while to cop onto McGeady's favourite foot too.


My suspicion is that the Nakamuras of this world were indulged too much as kids rather than being put through the uncomfortable measures of practicing what they don't like.
McGeady did say his father made him spend a lot of time with the ball on both feet, rather than sticking to the 1 foot. He said by the time his father realised he needed to use both feet it was too late.

'I always worked on both feet because my dad used to tell me he never worked on his left foot enough. He always wished he had done that and advised me to do it. I was right-footed but was always working on my left.

[Razors left peg]

When I was a kid I used to spend hours in the front of the house just kicking a ball against the wall and I did practice alot doing that with my left so now I still do have reasonable control with both feet.I cant work out that with all the millions being spent by clubs in academies and coaching that it isnt drilled into kids from a very young age,and even with the pros, they spend 5 days a week training with a ball at their feet constantly you would think that it would become 2nd nature to them to be able to have good control with both. The fact that we are only able to pick out one or two players that are good with both is madness

[Colbert Report]

I remember reading an interview with Jamie Redknapp in Shoot or Match back in the mid-90s when he was with Liverpool. They asked him why he was such a good two-footed player and he said that his father Harry made him train with only one boot on (I can't remember if he's a natural righty or lefty) so it would hurt when he used his natural foot. He said he built it up to a level where his weak foot was actually stronger than his natural foot.

[Oink]

Well I think it will make more sense when you think about why one foot is "stronger" than the other.... its all about balance. The way you position the stance of your body when you use your foot is what it's all about. If you look at how most humans begin to walk its with the right foot forward first, leaving the left foot to balance the body, when a kid first kicks a football he doesn't look at the process the same way as a he will after a few attempts, he merely considers the ball to be in the way of his stride and runs into it.... so the right foot goes forward... he then learns how to kick the ball from this and negates the left foot, after years the left legs muscles dont develop as much and you don't learn how to position your body when strking with the left and it continues.

Try bog toe the ball standing and keeping the body completely straight with the ball directly in front of you with the right and left... not much difference, now try chip it with the inside of both feet when taking a short step up to the ball.

Any kid has the ability to be as good with both the left and right foot.... as mentioned above the best way to teach is to leave one boot off the natural foot.

[dr_peepee]

When I was a kid I used to spend hours in the front of the house just kicking a ball against the wall and I did practice alot doing that with my left so now I still do have reasonable control with both feet.I cant work out that with all the millions being spent by clubs in academies and coaching that it isnt drilled into kids from a very young age,and even with the pros, they spend 5 days a week training with a ball at their feet constantly you would think that it would become 2nd nature to them to be able to have good control with both. The fact that we are only able to pick out one or two players that are good with both is madness

I remember when I was a kid, I used my bad foot to write MOTHER on the floor with chalk. Me Da was delighted..

[tetsujin1979]

Whenever I read a blog online with some writer bemoaning the fact that so few players can kick equally well with boat feet, I leave a comment along the lines of "can you write equally well with both hands?"

[Stuttgart88]

I remember when I was a kid, I used my bad foot to write MOTHER on the floor with chalk. Me Da was delighted..So did Christy Brown.

Still, being totally one footed didn't do Maradona any harm.

Didn't Zizou score that great goal at Hampden with his wrong foot?

[Razors left peg]

Whenever I read a blog online with some writer bemoaning the fact that so few players can kick equally well with boat feet, I leave a comment along the lines of "can you write equally well with both hands?"

No but plenty of people have been able to do so with practice if they damage their good hand. Its not difficult to learn to shoot or pass the ball properly with your bad foot, just takes time and a bit of effort

[Stuttgart88]

Whenever I read a blog online with some writer bemoaning the fact that so few players can kick equally well with boat feet, I leave a comment along the lines of "can you write equally well with both hands?"Being able to write with both hands isn't a useful skill to have though. It's not like you'd be there writing a note with your right hand when all of a sudden you need to switch hands, protect your paper and continue with your left. I've never seen a CV state "equally adept at writing both right and left handed". There's a reason for that.

By the way my mum can write perfectly with her left, but only in "mirror style". Bizarre.

Ronnie O'Sullivan can play brilliant snooker with both hands.

[geysir]

Didn't Eirebhoy introduce us to the proper word 'ambipedal', used to describe the 2 footedness, the last time McGeady's dexterity was discussed.

[eirebhoy]

Do people think that if you haven't been coached to use your weaker foot as a kid that it's too later to really improve it too much as an adult?

[Stuttgart88]

Yes, I do. Obviously you can always work on your game no matter what age you are but the time to get it really right is as a kid.

I think Wenger said recently that it's only as a kid that you really learn proper technique. If you haven't got it by a certain age it's too late. I think it was around 12.

[eirebhoy]

Just back on McGeady's game. I don't know how many times I've said it that I think it's a waste to have your talented wide players being the main men to put crosses in. McGeady and Maloney have rarely played a cross into the box under Mowbray. The job of putting crosses in is down to the full backs and I think Hinkel has set up about 5 or 6 goals so far including friendlies.
You don't need to jink by a player to put in a cross. If you do beat a player it's going to be a lot more effective if you make your way towards the box for a shot or pass. The full backs should be the guys that play most of the crosses and I'm delighted Mowbray has them playing this way. It's going to really benefit McGeady's game. You don't see Ronaldo and Messi crossing the ball from out wide.

[Stuttgart88]

I love seeing attacking full backs but I'm not sure Trapp does!

People said we had no plan B against Georgia at home but I thought it was notable that our full backs got further forward.

I personally don't see Ireland as being well equipped to attack good crosses (from anyone) and quite frankly I'd much rather have Duff and Hunt providing balls into the box than Kilbane, McShane or O'Shea. McGeady's crossing is erratic but at times it's good. Duff's crossing is superb and he should be encouarged to keep doing it.

In my ideal world the full backs and the wide players work the flanks together, one creating space for the other to cross. Sometimes the full back draws the marker for the winger to cross, sometimes vice versa.

[Junior]

Its a funny one the old two footed thing. Id agree that a professional footballer who trains 4 or 5 days a week couple with 1 or 2 competitive games a week over a period of 20 years(?) should be more than decent with both feet regardless of whether you are a winger, CB or goalkeeper.

I also agree on the Ryan Giggs point, fabulous player and career but so left footed its unreal.

When I was a kid, I remember hearing of "Sheedys cultured left boot" and how commentators used to wax lyrical about it. I am a lefty and quite liked that I was a bit different and had my own 'cultured left peg' so to speak;). The problem being that 20 years on I still have a pretty decent left foot but can only use my right for standing on - its embarrassing really...any decent shot with my right practically leads to whoops of ironic chear and applause from my mates.....bsatards.....

McGeady has two great feet, when he moves to a more central role (wwhich I think he will in time) the benefits of his fathers good advice will be there for us all to see and appreciate.

[geysir]

the benefits of his fathers good advice will be there for us all to see and appreciate.
Which advice are you talking about?

I might be able to pass it on as well.

[Razors left peg]

Came across an article a while back but cant remember what paper it was from where McGeady talks about his dads influence in his career.For some reason I copied it onto my laptop. Not sure if its against the rules of the forum to print the whole thing and without reference to the author and paper but I have neither so the mods might have to delete it again....

[Razors left peg]

THIS is a tale of father and son and it begins at the McGeady family home on the southside of Glasgow and with a video tape that in 10 minutes tells you so much about the making of Aiden McGeady.
It was filmed in the early 1990s when he was eight, when he sat before the camera of aspiring film-maker and friend of his dad's, Malcolm McKissock, and spoke about his life's dream, how he would like to play for Celtic (and then for Liverpool), how he loves John Collins and Pierre van Hooijdonk (because they take great free-kicks) and how great his dad is (because he's there all the time and watches him play).

There is glorious footage of the boy performing on a red dirt track in the Gorbals, a slow motion film of him weaving his way through the traffic of a seven-a-side game for the Govanhill Cubs, a slaloming run and a thing of beauty that finishes with him rolling his foot over the top of the ball to deceive the goalkeeper before calmly passing into an empty goal.

Full article:
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/football/In-the-name-of-the.3786067.jp

[eirebhoy]

Came across an article a while back but cant remember what paper it was from where McGeady talks about his dads influence in his career.For some reason I copied it onto my laptop. Not sure if its against the rules of the forum to print the whole thing and without reference to the author and paper but I have neither so the mods might have to delete it again....
Just stuck the first paragraph in Google and found the source. :) I'll edit your post as it is in the rules.

[Junior]

:D
Which advice are you talking about?

I might be able to pass it on as well.

Use both feet.

I hope it proves useful to you geysir.:D