Aiden McGeady

[endabob1]

Spurs have been at one time or another linked with every half decent midfielder in England, and (according to soccerbase) have Didier Zokora, Edgar Davids, Teemu Tainio, Jermaine Jenas, Danny Murphy, Hossam Ghaly, Steed Malbranque, Reto Ziegler, Jamie O'Hara and Aaron Lennon on their books as recognised midfielder, with Mark Yeates and Wayne Routledge out on loan. For McGeady (hell, any midfielder!) to move there they'd have some job to get into the match day squad, not to mind the starting XI! McGeady is fine as it is at Celtic, the big move will come if he continues to improve as he has done over the last 18 months.


Lot's of midfielders but not a natural left sided one amongst them (except Ziegler who is not up to the job) so anyone who has payed on the left wing will inevitably be linked

[KarlosMendosa]

Hi fellas, new to the forum.

Just thought i'd share a couple of clips of Aideninho

First is his goal against Falkirk.

http://media.putfile.com/McGeady-goal-V-Falkirk

The second is a sublime piece of skill by the young man. He could rip any side a a new hole playing like that

http://media.putfile.com/McGeady-89

[tetsujin1979]

Lot's of midfielders but not a natural left sided one amongst them (except Ziegler who is not up to the job) so anyone who has payed on the left wing will inevitably be linked

They've also been linked with Downing, and his understudy Morrison, at Boro.

[eirebhoy]

"Tottenham Hotspur boss Martin Jol is reportedly tracking the progress of Celtic star Aiden McGeady, with a view to launching a EUR10m bid for the Irish international."

http://www.setanta.com/portal/article/football::england?open&articleid=21e5e771c88acdb3802571fc003f88e4&ref=rss

Even if they did bid that much it wouldn't be accepted and I doubt very much McGeady would want to move either.

[Noelys Guitar]

Just for arguments sake how much does everyone think it would take to buy McGeady? Celtic might get interested if the figure goes to 15m.

[Noelys Guitar]

From the FAI site
Said his Celtic colleague, Neil Lennon: “Aiden has probably been Celtic’s best player so far this season and Ireland need to make sure they reap the benefits from his great run of form

[Stuttgart88]

Not applicable to "The McGeady Thread" ??

[Noelys Guitar]

Not applicable to "The McGeady Thread" ??

Just hoping Stan might pop online and read the titles.

[pete]

Footballer praises team-mate!!!

:eek: :rolleyes:

[blobbyblob]

Just hoping Stan might pop online and read the titles.

The players do regularly visit this site. Not sure about Stan though.

[NeilMcD]

Hello Damien, Hello Robbie. Hello Stan

[John83]

Hello Damien, Hello Robbie. Hello Stan
There are a lot of people who would be happy to see that become, "Goodbye Stan". :D

[eirebhoy]

Just for arguments sake how much does everyone think it would take to buy McGeady? Celtic might get interested if the figure goes to 15m.
It would cost something that I doubt anyone would be willing to pay tbh so I don't see him moving any time soon.

[McGeady10]

There is no chance of McGeady going anywhere soon so long as he remains in the Celtic team.

He has recently moved to a new flat in Glasgow and is loving life. I also know his instant reaction to Liam Miller signing for Man Utd was "Why??!!" and this was even before it proved a disaster.

Aiden was offered moves to Man Utd and Arsenal and turned them down cause a/ He's a Celtic fan and b/ His father moved to England at a young age and recommended him to stay at home till he was mature and experienced.

Do not expect to see Aiden McGeady leave Celtic Park until he's at least 24. And Tottenham? He wouldn't consider it because apart from Celtic his dream team to play for would be Arsenal cause he really admires Wenger.

[KarlosMendosa]

There is no chance of McGeady going anywhere soon so long as he remains in the Celtic team.

He has recently moved to a new flat in Glasgow and is loving life. I also know his instant reaction to Liam Miller signing for Man Utd was "Why??!!" and this was even before it proved a disaster.

Aiden was offered moves to Man Utd and Arsenal and turned them down cause a/ He's a Celtic fan and b/ His father moved to England at a young age and recommended him to stay at home till he was mature and experienced.

Do not expect to see Aiden McGeady leave Celtic Park until he's at least 24. And Tottenham? He wouldn't consider it because apart from Celtic his dream team to play for would be Arsenal cause he really admires Wenger.

Is that you Aiden?????

:confused:

[McGeady10]

Is that you Aiden?????

:confused:

No but not 1 million miles away :D

[Noelys Guitar]

Can you just grab a jersey, leg it out onto the pitch and refuse to get off if Stan doesn't play you! Your country needs you.

[Dr. Ogba]

There is no chance of McGeady going anywhere soon so long as he remains in the Celtic team.

He has recently moved to a new flat in Glasgow and is loving life. I also know his instant reaction to Liam Miller signing for Man Utd was "Why??!!" and this was even before it proved a disaster.

Aiden was offered moves to Man Utd and Arsenal and turned them down cause a/ He's a Celtic fan and b/ His father moved to England at a young age and recommended him to stay at home till he was mature and experienced.

Do not expect to see Aiden McGeady leave Celtic Park until he's at least 24. And Tottenham? He wouldn't consider it because apart from Celtic his dream team to play for would be Arsenal cause he really admires Wenger.

Reporting live from the bushes outside Aiden's house

[drinkfeckarse]

Reporting live from the bushes outside Aiden's house

:D :D Must be a relation or else it's an unhealthy fascination in all things McGeady!

[galwayhoop]

a lot of this mcgeady talk is premature IMO. looked like a fish out of water against man utd in old trafford. granted he was good against rangers in the old firm and also against a poor (in fairness) copenhagen side. don't get me wrong, i am a hoop fan and think he is a smashing talent but a lot of the talk is seriously premature - just remember the talk about liam miller three years ago, mark kennedy before that and many others. calm down on the lad and wait till he grows up a bit - young players are generally not as consistent as those who are more experienced and mcgeady is definately not the finished article yet, but he may well become it in the future but in the mean time give him a chance to develop as a player. espically the press!!

[Stuttgart88]

Would you pick him to start against Cyprus?

[galwayhoop]

yeah i would and probably against czech also what with depleted squad etc but i just don't think we should expect too much as if he does start it will be his first start in a competitive game.

[NeilMcD]

I would start him as he is on form and confident and we are playing Cyprus who are no better then Rangers or Copenhagen.

[eirebhoy]

The difference with Miller is that he started about 10 games for Celtic when United signed him. McGeady has been around for 2 years now and him rate of improvement has been incredible. I agree with what you're saying about building players up and watching them fail is an embarassment but I'm certain McGeady will be a star for us.

[galwayhoop]

he definately needs to stay with celtic for at least another year - he only really broke into the side since last christmas and while he has been class in SPL i think he's better off away from england for a while yet. he's better off without a doubt to be playing regular ball week in week out and the odd CL game will do no harm!

[blobbyblob]

McGeady10 cant reply today - Hes on a plane to Cyprus

[eirebhoy]

Here's the most recent points from a motm thing we do on a Celtic forum (3pts, 2pts, and 1pt given for each match):

McGeady 22
Nakamura 9
Miller 8
Boruc 5
Naylor 5
Vennegoor of Hesselink 4
Wilson 4
Lennon 3
Gravesen 3
Sno 3
Beattie 2
Pearo 2
Petrov 2
McManus 1

[irishfan86]

If McGeady doesn't start against Cyprus it'll be an absolute joke.

In fairness I suppose it would be the consistent thing to do. :rolleyes:

[eirebhoy]

Celtic season stats so far:
http://www.etims.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1676

It says he has 8 assists. Etims give 1 player an assist for every single goal regarldless of his contribution so I doubt he'd have 8 assists in a fantasy football game if you know what I mean.

[Dr. Ogba]

If McGeady doesn't start against Cyprus it'll be an absolute joke.

In fairness I suppose it would be the consistent thing to do. :rolleyes:

Ah but when has Stan ever been consistent??

I'm relying on his consistency in being inconsistent so he will pick McGeady against Cyprus...



:confused:

[kingp35]

Personally I think both Duff and McGeady should start the game. The progress that McGeady has made at Celtic has been staggering and he is fast becoming a top drawer player. He is no where near the finished article because he is a bit inconsistant and suffers from confidence but when he plays well he plays very well. I think Strachan has had a huge influence on his development. Strachan has insisted that McGeady tracks back and doe shis share of the defensive work, he also tells him when he has played bad and why and makes him work hard on his game.

he is guilty of choosing the wrong option at times when it comes to passing but he does have the quality to play that killer ball through the middle, something the Irish team is seriously lacking. I think McGeady should play on the left and Duff on the right against the Cypriots. That will give the side some much needed creativity and both those wingers dont shirk their defensive duties.

Its the centre of the midfiled that is Irelands huge problem and at the moment I dont see a viable solution for it. KK and O' Shea should not start together and now that Carr has been ruled out I dont expect them to start together as one of them will need to play left back. More than likely that will be O' Shea. I would choose Douglas to player in the centre as his replacement. Being a Leeds fan I can tell you that Douglas is a decent player despite his limitations. he is extremely hard working and is not afraid to put in a tackle. he goes from box to box and scores some vital goals. He has already proved at Leeds this season that he is more than willing to burst into the box to help the attack and to provide some good creative passes. Last season Leeds had both Miller and Douglas at the club and a huge majority of Leeds fans thought that Douglas was the better player and offered more to the team. I think he should definitely start.

[Fingal hoop]

hoefully McGeady will stay with Celtic for at least another five years & then head to France or Italy
Apart from the 4 teams that compete in the CL any other English team ould be a step down and he is better going somewhere where they would enhance his skill like Spain

[galwayhoop]

hoefully McGeady will stay with Celtic for at least another five years & then head to France or Italy
Apart from the 4 teams that compete in the CL any other English team ould be a step down and he is better going somewhere where they would enhance his skill like Spain

if he would be better going to spain why are you hoping he goes to france or italy!;) :p

[McGeady10]

hoefully McGeady will stay with Celtic for at least another five years & then head to France or Italy
Apart from the 4 teams that compete in the CL any other English team ould be a step down and he is better going somewhere where they would enhance his skill like Spain

McGeady will go from Celtic to Arsenal. If Arsenal are not interested, and there is nothing to indicate they wouldn't be, then he would either remain at Celtic or head abroad.

Obviously though he won't be moving anytime soon.

[endabob1]

McGeady will go from Celtic to Arsenal. If Arsenal are not interested, and there is nothing to indicate they wouldn't be, then he would either remain at Celtic or head abroad.

Obviously though he won't be moving anytime soon.

Is there anything to indicate that they would be interested considering most of their cash is tied up in a new stadium :eek:

[tetsujin1979]

He had trials with Arsenal and Man United, but was only ever going to sign for Celtic, Fergie was apparently trying to tempt him to United in the last 2 seasons, but no bid was ever lodged.

[McGeady10]

He had trials with Arsenal and Man United, but was only ever going to sign for Celtic, Fergie was apparently trying to tempt him to United in the last 2 seasons, but no bid was ever lodged.

Although United have always been interested Arsenal have always been in the driving seat behind Celtic.

When McGeady turned 16 Wenger offered him a lucrative deal to sign on at Highbury (far more than he got at Celtic)... When he heard McGeady was worried about moving away from his family/home he offered the McGeady family a house in London and his father John a lucrative job at the Arsenal accademy. They also set his mother, a nurse, up with a job.

Even after McGeady turned that down to sign for Celtic he was told the door would always be open for him at Arsenal... Even if he'd flopped at Celtic Wenger would have taken him because Wenger works in a way that he can identify players who will suit the way he works.

See Eboue, Toure etc... Hardly stars but signed by Wenger and turned into great players.

** another note **

When McGeady signed for Celtic he did not know how much he'd earn! About 6 months before McGeady signed for Celtic they signed Mark Fotheringham who'd been widely tipped to move south. All McGeady asked for when he signed for the Hoops was the same deal Fozzy got.

[RogerMilla]

this needs to be aidens week , hopefully the whole world will know his name by the time we have skewered the czechs wed night...
ah ok i dotn think we'll beat them but if aiden has a stormer it would help our chances

[drinkfeckarse]

Are we putting to much hope into McGeady already? I don't think it's fair on him considering he's hardly had an international career yet and I hope he's not the fall guy should things not go too well over the next 2 games.

Still, I'm more confident today than I have been all week for some reason. Must be the Friday feeling.

[eirebhoy]

Well I've had a small flutter on McGeady scoring first at 10/1 in my local Ladbrokes. Twice the price of Duff.

[Fingal hoop]

this is McGeadys time to step up as he is the only decent player left with that team
duff has gone to **** and keane is a good premiership player but not in the same class

[eirebhoy]

McGeady press conference from yesterday:
http://www.celticfc.net/channel67/presser.aspx

Starts off with questions about Ireland.

He won SPL young player of the month for the 2nd month running.

[Paddy Garcia]

Thanks for that link, seems like a genuinely nice guy.

[eirebhoy]

Latest icons.com entry:



Monday 16th October 2006

I don't want to miss the Benfica game

I am still slightly troubled by the ankle injury that I suffered whilst training with Ireland last week. I just went over on ankle and that kept me out of the game against the Czech Republic in Dublin last Wedneday and Celtic’s match with Dundee United at Tannadice at the weekend. It’s sore when I am kicking the ball and twisting and turning. So I’ll have a fitness test on Tuesday morning, before the Champions League match with Benfica.

It was sore on Sunday and then not really much better today. When I’m twisting and turning is when it hurts - and that is a key part of my game. So if it is going to hinder me there is no point in playing. It is similar to the injury that Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink has got although not quite as bad.

My injury came along after I had made my first competitive start for Ireland; away to Cyprus. That wasn’t a great game to play in - we lost 5-2 - but I had been looking forward to the Czech match as I think I was going to be playing in that one as well.

I thought I played all right against the Cypriots although there were things I could have done better. The team as a whole didn’t get off to the best of starts and we gifted them a few chances. Cyprus are not a bad team. They’ve got a couple of decent players who play for Olympiakos but we should still be beating them.

It would be disappointing if I were to miss the match with Benfica; these are the games in which you really want to play. I know that they’re a good team from last year, when they put Manchester United out of the Champions League, so we know what we’re up against. Benfica will be looking to get a few more points since they’ve only got one so far and that means it’s going to be tough. A win for us would be great and would really set us up well at the halfway point in our group.

I think the fans will be right to expect us to attack in this game - we’ll be going all out to win the game. I also see Benfica attacking us. Portuguese teams have a bit of flair so I’d expect they will be looking to use that against us. I’ve seen clips of the Copenhagen-Benfica draw and they looked OK in that game. At home against Manchester United three weeks ago, I thought Benfica were unlucky not to get a draw. They’ve got some good players so they will make for difficult opposition.

With Thomas Gravesen ruled out because of injury, Evander Sno looks likely to get the chance to start against Benfica. He has done well since he came over from Feyenoord in the summer. It has taken him a bit of time to get used to the game here but he has done well when he has come into the team - he played well in the friendly at Chelsea and in the game against St Mirren. So it is only fair he should start against Benfica. He’s a confident guy, confident in his own talent and he has a big imposing presence - he must be about six feet one.

Champions League evenings are always great at Celtic Park. I just don’t want to be disappointed and miss out on this one through this injury.

[eirebhoy]

Tricks and treats of a Bhoy wonder (http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/74206.html)


Aiden Mcgeady's relationship with a football has always been an intimate affair. Even now, when his Celtic team-mates drift off for the day, the 20-year-old will slip away to a corner of Barrowfield with a ball under his arm and the afternoon stretching out before him.

A passion for the artful, creative aspects of the beautiful game has always informed his outlook. As a youngster, inspired by videos of Diego Maradona, McGeady would practise keeping up a tennis ball 500 times and a golf ball 200 times. DVDs of the Argentinian genius still line his shelves.

"People focus on the England game [when a Maradona-inspired Argentina won 2-1 against England in the quarter-final of the '86 World Cup], but I've got stuff of when he was growing up, aged 17 and 18, and he's different class," enthused McGeady. "I love Ryan Giggs too. I've always liked players who were good at going past opponents."

As a youngster, he instinctively knew that achieving mastery of a ball would allow him to express his natural talents. In the increasingly athletic world of professional football, it is testament to his resolve that he has not abandoned his passion for skills – witness his mesmerising turn near the touchline against Falkirk last month. Thankfully, he is not alone.

Ronaldinho, the ultimate modern skills disciple, combines the required levels of physicality with electric spontaneity and a beguiling array of tricks. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Manchester United winger, announced last month that he had mastered a new trick and would unveil it in forthcoming matches.

Their influences have spread to top-level coaching, an acknowledgement that skills have more to offer than mere entertainment value. At Old Trafford, a skills development coach, Dutchman Rene Meulensteen, is employed to bring about a fusion of British zeal and Brazilian flair in their young recruits, while other Premiership clubs have gone down a similar route. Celtic's own prodigious academy has been quick to embrace the increased emphasis on ball skills, and McGeady's legacy endures.

He references his coach at under-14 level, Martin Miller, as pivotal in the development of his ball skills. In turn, Miller, and other Celtic youth coaches, now indoctrinate pretenders to his throne with three variants of the "McGeady turn". Twenty other skills practices are also taught in a welcome attempt to revive aspects of Scotland's tanner ba' players.

"It's nice to see, it puts a smile on your face," says McGeady of his army of acolytes in the club's youth set-up. "When I was growing up, I always used to do those sort of things [tricks]. I still stay behind a lot after training and practice. Some people think 'he's just fannying about' but, when you go past somebody, it's great. People go to games to enjoy themselves after all."

Yet McGeady's individualist streak has also brought with it its own challenges, and a dawning realisation that it is not enough just to have magic in his toes and tricks up his sleeve. His head-to-head with Gary Neville in Celtic's 3-2 defeat by Manchester United in the Champions League proved a chastening experience.

"You can really feel the difference in level moving from the SPL to the Champions League. You learn more about yourself," he reflected. "When I was playing against Neville I found it difficult to get on the ball. I always seemed to get the ball with my back towards the goal and never got a chance to run at him.

"But you have to remember that he's been at the top level for 10-15 years. In games like that, you must learn what movements to make to get on the ball. If you have a bad game, you need to learn from it."

It could be Gordon Strachan talking. The Celtic manager has worked diligently to add a much-needed dimension to McGeady's play: to turn him into a rounded team player without blunting his creativity.

"I knew that when I played under Martin O'Neill I was far from the finished article," he reflected. "I was young and trying to do too much on the ball. Now, the manager will regularly take me aside in training and show me the best ways of getting on the ball.

"I've added a lot to my game in terms of working hard to get back and creating chances for others. I know now that I can't run with the ball every time I get it. I feel like a different player. I've made progress in important parts of my game and that's down to Gordon Strachan and his backroom staff."

As a footballer, Strachan was cut from the same cloth as McGeady; a bundle of creative energy with playmaking responsibility heaped upon his slim shoulders. Both share a single-minded streak, even a natural abrasiveness, which leads to the occasional locking of horns.

In the 1-0 win at Aberdeen in September, McGeady thought he played well. Strachan didn't. The 20-year-old shrugs, a tacit acceptance that creative conflict is part and parcel of a dressing-room environment.

"Sometimes I come in and feel like I've played well, but he'll pick up parts of my game that could have been better. You can feel disheartened at times . . . but it also shows that he has belief in me and wants me to improve. He is trying to get the best out of me and that can only be a good thing.

"Sometimes he shouts my name and I know what's coming, but it's usually because I've been out of position. Some people might think that I get it a bit more than other players, but it's probably because I play wide. He shouts at Naka [Shunsuke Nakamura] too, but the difference is that he doesn't understand him!"

Celtic's 1-0 away win against Falkirk at the start of October was a microcosm of how far he has come. After a disappointing first 45, he composed himself at half time, finally found form after the interval and duly scored a late winner.

"A year and a half ago, if I had started like I did against Falkirk then I would have gone on to have a beast of a game. But I just thought to myself at half time: 'I'll go for it again' and it worked out well."

Strachan's preference for fast, expansive football has also allowed playmakers like McGeady, and Nakamura, to flourish. "We play a bit more to feet than under Martin O'Neill. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that because Martin had a lot of success. Before Jan [Vennegoor of Hesselink], we didn't have a big target-man, so it was more to feet.

"That's the way football should be played. We have a lot of good technical players now and the style suits the team. It's great playing with guys like Naka because it encourages you to be on the same wavelength. He's added an awful lot to the team."

For a flair player, McGeady is no shrinking violet. Out of his training kit, he is deceptively muscular, a product of hours in the gym. In September's Old Firm game, one of his first acts was to dive into a bonecruncher with Alan Hutton. Alex Rae, the former Rangers midfield enforcer, will also testify to McGeady's steel after losing his front tooth in a challenge with him back in January 2005.

"When I was younger I just got the ball and ran at players. Nothing more was expected of me. No-one ever said to me: 'You're a good tackler'. But it's expected of me now because I've shown that I've got that side to my game. I know I'm not the biggest, but you always want to hold your own on the pitch."

The 20-year-old started the season as the first-choice left midfielder but an ankle injury which coincided with the return of Shaun Maloney presented him with a fresh challenge. Competition for places, though, is nothing new.

"It's difficult because it's such a big club and they can just go out and buy a world-class player. I thought I was playing all right when the club bought Juninho and then I got bombed, although I did manage to get back in.

"It's now all about being a regular in the team. And [staying in the team] is not about doing it in flashes, you have to be consistent. Having said that, it could be 0-0 with 15 minutes to go and you're expected to pop up and do something. That's fine, though. I'm happy with the pressure."

[cavan_fan]

Sorry if this is covered elsewhere. I assume McGeady didnt play last night due to injury/lack of match fitness. Is this the case or is he just not getting onto the team?

[OwlsFan]

I was going to ask the same question? Why was McGeady just on the bench in a big game?

[eirebhoy]

Strachan is favouring Maloney atm. Maloney's a top player so I would read too much into it.

[drinkfeckarse]

I was hoping he'd bring on either McGeady or Maloney in the 2nd half as there was very little attacking options down either flank from Celtic. Strachan just went for what he thought was the right team for this particular game. Wouldn't read much into it like eirebhoy says.

[lionelhutz]

It's been a very fast fall from grace for McGeady. Every1 agreed he was Celtics best player in the first couple of months of the season and now he's not even getting a run in their biggest game.

Maybe it was the fact he had a shocker against Man u at Old Trafford