Kevin Doyle

[DmanDmythDledge]

A top 6 team is not going to pick a player on that form, heresy and all saying that might be to some on here.
Actually just to get back to this point Everton, Villa and Fulham (I know 7th, but not far off) were looking at him so that negates your point.

[OwlsFan]

Actually just to get back to this point Everton, Villa and Fulham (I know 7th, but not far off) were looking at him so that negates your point.

Did any of them actually make a bid and if they didn't, why didn't they? As for Casc and Quinn, they scored many a vital goal for Ireland and if they didn't, they wouldn't have been in the team. We certainly weren't relying on Alridge to be the only one to score goals. Quinn and Casc were there for their physicality and to score goals as a result of that attribute from corners and free kicks etc so it doesn't negate my point.

Doyle can score goals. His first season in the Premiership showed that. I stand by my comment that his subsequent failing in that department (for whatever reason) lessened his chances of going to a top team but hopefully he'll score plenty for Wolves (and us).

[Serb]

A nice mention for Kevin Doyle in today's Premier League Preview in the Guardian.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/aug/04/premier-league-preview-birmingham-city
At [£7.7 million], Benítez represents quite a gamble. He will miss the first few weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, but thereafter Birmingham will look to the 23-year-old to have the same kind of impact in English football that Amr Zaki had at Wigan before the Egyptian's ego got the better of him. It is, however, tempting to wonder whether Wolverhampton Wanderers made better use of their money when they spent the same sum on Kevin Doyle, a proven goalscorer in English football.

[Scram]

A nice mention for Kevin Doyle in today's Premier League Preview in the Guardian.

Yes, nice. I think Doyle is one that most if not all commentators see the value in.

ps. I'd suggest Birmingham will be relegated having brought in Lee Bowyer. He's a curse to all teams he ends up at. Throw the other tramp, Barry Ferguson in to the mix and you'd wonder what McLeish is thinking...I could understand if it was Roy Keane!

[Crosby87]

Looks like Doyle is ready to lead Ireland to the promised land after a positive performance today according to Soccernet.Com.

[passinginterest]

Paul Merson was covering the game on Soccer Saturday and he commented that he "never realised Doyle was that good". Definitely positive signs, McCarthy said after that he's still only at about 80% fitness.

[Noelys Guitar]

Paul Merson was covering the game on Soccer Saturday and he commented that he "never realised Doyle was that good". Definitely positive signs, McCarthy said after that he's still only at about 80% fitness.

Trevor Francis said last weekend when covering the Wolves v Chelsea game that Doyle gets into some excellent positions to score goals. And he should know. Of course best of all I would like to see Doyle sticking a few in the net but I'm sure they will come.

[an_ceannaire]

Cascarino was on the radio yesterday saying Doyle was poor lately and saying he is not sure he is a premiership striker, said he was writing a piece in the paper today on him also

[Scram]

Cascarino was on the radio yesterday saying Doyle was poor lately and saying he is not sure he is a premiership striker, said he was writing a piece in the paper today on him also

He is obviously clueless. Doyle is quality in so many ways.

[an_ceannaire]

i am not saying i agree but i am not convinced Doyle is a premiership striker either (or an arsenal class striker as some delusional heads in here would think!!)
Doyle has never done it in the premiership except for a six month spurt a few years back but that totally dried up and has not scored for Ireland in 12 months.....
I think we might be looking at this thru green glasses lads! Fine footballer no dount, 12+ premiership striker....dont think so

[passinginterest]

I doubt Trevor Francis or Paul Merson are looking through green tinted glasses in fairness. Doyle had a great first season in the Premiership, in his second season he played primarily out on the right wing and had injury problems but still scored 8 goals, last season he had a good first half before an injury blighted second half of the season. His biggest fault in the last couple of years has probably been rushing back from injury and playing at about 50% of his ability.

[Scram]

I doubt Trevor Francis or Paul Merson are looking through green tinted glasses in fairness. Doyle had a great first season in the Premiership, in his second season he played primarily out on the right wing and had injury problems but still scored 8 goals, last season he had a good first half before an injury blighted second half of the season. His biggest fault in the last couple of years has probably been rushing back from injury and playing at about 50% of his ability.

Agree that. It is easy to see that Doyle IS the real deal and wil get better and better if he can get a run of appearances.

[wexfordman]

why does anybody listen to the absolute drivel that tony cascarino spouts, doyles last goal for ireland was against georgia and he has played 6 or 7 matches for ireland since then without scoring and in those matches bar the austrialia game where he was totally unfit and italy where he poor.

in all the other games he was a canadate for the Man of the match award he is a consistant performer plus i doubt he would have got the irish player of the year award if he was not up to it and for cascarino to suggest Trap should look for a new strike partner for keane is shocking.

Big Cas is a muppet no ex team mates or managers hold him in high regard, and i cant wait to see doyle turn in big performances for club and country and bag his fair share of goals and await Cas's follow up article

[Stuttgart88]

(or an arsenal class striker as some delusional heads in here would think!!)I'll assume that's directed at me.

I never once said "Doyle is so good he should play for Arsenal". I merely pointed out that Arsenal's team / squad contains several players that are not "Arsenal class". One of these would be Bendtner. In my opinion Doyle does what Wenger wants Bendtner to do better than Bendtner does. He's got a better attitude too and doesn't go into his shell on hard trips up north like Bendtner does all the time.

I don't think that's "delusional".

Armed with a 6 or 7 million quid I'm sure Wenger would do better than Doyle too. His scouting radar has far wider reach than mine.

As an Irish fan I've been really impressed with Doyle's contribution in most matches in this campaign, and previously.

[an_ceannaire]

Honests Opinions lads, is Doyler as good as any of the following
Defoe, Yakubu, Agbonlahor, Saha, K. Jones, Ashton, A. Johnson, Bendtner ?
I dont think so. I would think Doyle is about the level of Darren Bent, Emile Heskey or Kevin Davies. And if you went to the premiership fans or managers no matter what nationality, and offered them any of the above mentioned, I dont think Kev would be the top name on any of the lists. Do you?

[dr_peepee]

Managers would opt for Bent, Yakubu or a fit Saha every time.

Ashton, Jones, Heskey and Davies are different animals altogether so you're not comparing apples with apples there's.

He's better than Andy Johnson full stop.

If Agbonlahour or Bendtnar leave their clubs I garauntee the status of the club the move to wouldn't be far off Wolves circa 2010 (Wolves are going to stay up). They certainly won't be bought by anyone above mid table standard.

And Defoe whilst a quality finnisher, is a luxury only the top clubs can afford so I'd say manager for manager most would pic Doyle (under duress admittedly)...

[Scram]

Honests Opinions lads, is Doyler as good as any of the following
Defoe, Yakubu, Agbonlahor, Saha, K. Jones, Ashton, A. Johnson, Bendtner ?
I dont think so. I would think Doyle is about the level of Darren Bent, Emile Heskey or Kevin Davies. And if you went to the premiership fans or managers no matter what nationality, and offered them any of the above mentioned, I dont think Kev would be the top name on any of the lists. Do you?

Andy Johnson.....:D:D ..HILARIOUS.The inclusion of him shows that you may be suffering from the same dillusion as English commentators and also suffering from an Irish inferiority complex! More likely that than a case of Irish fans building up their players.

The same disrespect and disregard for our rugby players was prevalent in England and the same inferiority complex in Ireland...but look how that panned out!!

Most posters on here are basing their opinions on what they see. Try and do the same and not be accusing posters of wearing green tinted glasses because they rate Irish players.

ps. Ask Spurs fans (yes ENGLISH Spurs fans how they rate Robbie Keane and/or Man City ENGLISH fans how they rate Dunner!) Are they deluded also???

[an_ceannaire]

Scram is that the same City fans who were on SSN and Your on Sky Sports all last week saying they badly needed a partner for Toure cos Dunne wasnt good enough anymore :confused: and the same Spurs fans who if you go to ANY spurs website want Robbie dropped and Crouch Defoe to be the Spurs front two?

[Drumcondra 69er]

Scram is that the same City fans who were on SSN and Your on Sky Sports all last week saying they badly needed a partner for Toure cos Dunne wasnt good enough anymore :confused: and the same Spurs fans who if you go to ANY spurs website want Robbie dropped and Crouch Defoe to be the Spurs front two?

In fairness I said on the Dunne thread that Sky tend to interview the lowest common denominator mentally subnormal football fans for their vox pops. Makes their audience feel at home. Same reason Jamie 'Well, he's hit the ball and it's gone into the net' Redknapp has a pundit's job there.

[an_ceannaire]

69-er your porb right. Bit like the Ibiza uncovered programmes......been there and 90% of the English lads over there were nothing like that and neither were the women (for shame!)
But Dunnes welcome has been cut short by the majority of City fans 69-er, alls I am saying is why are we so cut up about it and taking it as a personal affront to our country!!! I couldnt care less what team he plays for so long as he is doing the business for Ireland, and we have not had a centre half of his calibre in green since the Charlton days.. So the English dont rate him...so what.....he aint as good a club player as he is an international.

[Drumcondra 69er]

69-er your porb right. Bit like the Ibiza uncovered programmes......been there and 90% of the English lads over there were nothing like that and neither were the women (for shame!)
But Dunnes welcome has been cut short by the majority of City fans 69-er, alls I am saying is why are we so cut up about it and taking it as a personal affront to our country!!! I couldnt care less what team he plays for so long as he is doing the business for Ireland, and we have not had a centre half of his calibre in green since the Charlton days.. So the English dont rate him...so what.....he sint as godo a club player as he is an international. Not anymore. So what!

I agree to a point but if you look at the Man City forums or comments section on the Manchester Evening News and other local papers a lot of the fans are gutted that he's going so I wouldn't say the majority of the City fans are happy about it, most think he should be kept as cover at least especially with an African Nations Cup this January. Most look on last season as the excpetion rather then the rule and remember his 4 POTY seasons before that.

Funilly enough, I was in Ibiza the summer they filmed that and couldn't agree more!

[an_ceannaire]

I agree to a point but if you look at the Man City forums or comments section on the Manchester Evening News and other local papers a lot of the fans are gutted that he's going so I wouldn't say the majority of the City fans are happy about it, most think he should be kept as cover at least especially with an African Nations Cup this January. Most look on last season as the excpetion rather then the rule and remember his 4 POTY seasons before that.

Funilly enough, I was in Ibiza the summer they filmed that and couldn't agree more!

went to Menumission, paid the price of a fockin flight to get it, and it was like Tamango's on a wednesday night in there....!!!

On the Richie Point, he is too good to be kept as cover, but not good enough for a team challenging for the premiership. Fair Enough?

[Scram]

Scram is that the same City fans who were on SSN and Your on Sky Sports all last week saying they badly needed a partner for Toure cos Dunne wasnt good enough anymore :confused: and the same Spurs fans who if you go to ANY spurs website want Robbie dropped and Crouch Defoe to be the Spurs front two?

You are VERY selective given that both were fan's Player of the Year at least on one occasison and Dunne repeatedly!!

I can't really answer your question though because I don't know the fans that SS selected to be on their Sky Show, did you catch their names?

Funny enough, if you go on to this website, you see Irish fans who wanted Robbie dropped many times...so they represent the majority opinion ??

eh, ps. ANDY JOHNSON :-)

[lionelhutz]

Cascarino was on the radio yesterday saying Doyle was poor lately and saying he is not sure he is a premiership striker, said he was writing a piece in the paper today on him also

Well if Cascarino said it, then it must be true...

He's a complete dunce of a pundit

[irishultra]

Honests Opinions lads, is Doyler as good as any of the following
Defoe, Yakubu, Agbonlahor, Saha, K. Jones, Ashton, A. Johnson, Bendtner ?
I dont think so. I would think Doyle is about the level of Darren Bent, Emile Heskey or Kevin Davies. And if you went to the premiership fans or managers no matter what nationality, and offered them any of the above mentioned, I dont think Kev would be the top name on any of the lists. Do you?

Not as good as Defoe. Not as clinical as Yakubu. Better than Agbonlahor. Not better than a fit Saha, same level as Jones, Ashton can't judge cause I've never seen him really, Johnson...depends on what you want from a striker.

Kevin Davies is very good, the player Doyle is most like but is more mobile. Bent is more dangerous than Doyle.


Heskey is a poor striker really.

[Manc Irish Wolf]

Honests Opinions lads, is Doyler as good as any of the following
Defoe, Yakubu, Agbonlahor, Saha, K. Jones, Ashton, A. Johnson, Bendtner ?
I dont think so. I would think Doyle is about the level of Darren Bent, Emile Heskey or Kevin Davies. And if you went to the premiership fans or managers no matter what nationality, and offered them any of the above mentioned, I dont think Kev would be the top name on any of the lists. Do you?

Think that you need to assess Doyle in relation to these players in terms of his experience, role in the team and current development before agreeing that you are in fact wrong and Doyle is indeed a quality player and potentially better than all of the players you have quoted:

Experience - Doyle has only had 4 years of proper, professional footballing tuition and fitness coaching which will improve further with Wolves state of the art training facilities. No offence to the league of Ireland, however he is a late starter in terms of his development, whereas players such as Defoe, who is a similar age, has 10 years of top class coaching, nutrition and training behind him. As for Heskey, Davies, Johnson, Saha and Yakubu (there's no way he is 26) we are not comparing players at like for like stages of their career, who are (or should be) in their prime.

Role in the team - Doyles control, hold up play and intelligent runs down the channels have been the very reason that he has been a contender for man of the match in many of our recent games, despite the fact that he is often recognised as an out and out striker due to his proven goalscoring record. Admittedly this goal-scoring record may have been blighted by injuries, playing out of position and lack of stamina across a season - the first of which can't be helped, second has probably helped develop his all-round game and third will improve year by year. He is a team-playing all-round striker, who it could be argued is a lot more multi talented than the one-dimensional players (in either goals or battering ran build-up play) you have cited.

Current Development - Coming on leaps and bounds from the skinny striker who dented the premiership scoring charts 3 years ago. With more international experience and the confidence it breeds this can only increase. Intelligent players keep learning and generally last longer (Sheringham, Quinn, McAllister, Giggs etc.) and he has added new strings to his bow annually. Could the same be said for the players you have mentioned?

Appreciate that everyone has their opinions - including your holy premiership fans and managers - however I would personally judge my opinions on a player from what I have seen for club and country rather than be influenced by the herd mentality of a bunch of football-illiterate sun-readers (who swear by every word) and weak, insecure premiership managers too scared to take a punt (not that it is) on a developing lad from the lower divisions in preference for a more exotic, fan-appeasing foriegn signing.

[Greenbod]

Excellent post Wolf. I believe Doyle will eventually be acknowledged as better than most if not all of the other strikers mentioned. He certainly has the potential and his all round play seems to be improving all the time.

[SkStu]

Think that you need to assess Doyle in relation to these players in terms of his experience, role in the team and current development before agreeing that you are in fact wrong and Doyle is indeed a quality player and potentially better than all of the players you have quoted:

Experience - Doyle has only had 4 years of proper, professional footballing tuition and fitness coaching which will improve further with Wolves state of the art training facilities. No offence to the league of Ireland, however he is a late starter in terms of his development, whereas players such as Defoe, who is a similar age, has 10 years of top class coaching, nutrition and training behind him. As for Heskey, Davies, Johnson, Saha and Yakubu (there's no way he is 26) we are not comparing players at like for like stages of their career, who are (or should be) in their prime.


appreciate the regular postings MIW but, while i know it wasnt your intention, i think you've done the league a bit of a disservice in that part of your post. If it wasnt for Cork City the chances are that Doyle would be one of those "where are they now" players. The coaching, training and diet/nutrition are all a major part of being a professional League of Ireland player now and for the last number of years.

While i dont doubt that Wolves have a great training facility, to say Doyle has only 4 years proper training is unfair - the year at Pats and the remarkable scoring during the 2-3 years at Cork have stood the lad in great stead as evidenced by his remarkably swift and smooth transition to life in the Championship and then Premiership.

For what its worth, out of all the players mentioned above i would only rate Defoe as the better striker. I think he stands shoulder to shoulder with the rest in terms of his value to his team.

[Razors left peg]

appreciate the regular postings MIW but, while i know it wasnt your intention, i think you've done the league a bit of a disservice in that part of your post. If it wasnt for Cork City the chances are that Doyle would be one of those "where are they now" players. The coaching, training and diet/nutrition are all a major part of being a professional League of Ireland player now and for the last number of years.

While i dont doubt that Wolves have a great training facility, to say Doyle has only 4 years proper training is unfair - the year at Pats and the remarkable scoring during the 2-3 years at Cork have stood the lad in great stead as evidenced by his remarkably swift and smooth transition to life in the Championship and then Premiership.

For what its worth, out of all the players mentioned above i would only rate Defoe as the better striker. I think he stands shoulder to shoulder with the rest in terms of his value to his team.

I think in more recent times Keith Fahey has said that his fitness was way behind his team mates when he joined Birmingham so I think there still is a massive difference between professionalism in England and Ireland

[NeilMcD]

I think in more recent times Keith Fahey has said that his fitness was way behind his team mates when he joined Birmingham so I think there still is a massive difference between professionalism in England and Ireland

Did he not join in January and the season finished in November. I think that is probably the main reason.

[WexCar]

Did he not join in January and the season finished in November. I think that is probably the main reason.

he was eligible to play from january but didnt he start training with them straight after the LOI season finished.

[Manc Irish Wolf]

appreciate the regular postings MIW but, while i know it wasnt your intention, i think you've done the league a bit of a disservice in that part of your post. If it wasnt for Cork City the chances are that Doyle would be one of those "where are they now" players. The coaching, training and diet/nutrition are all a major part of being a professional League of Ireland player now and for the last number of years.

While i dont doubt that Wolves have a great training facility, to say Doyle has only 4 years proper training is unfair - the year at Pats and the remarkable scoring during the 2-3 years at Cork have stood the lad in great stead as evidenced by his remarkably swift and smooth transition to life in the Championship and then Premiership.

Didn't mean any offence by that. I know that the Irish league has come on leaps and bounds since it became professional and has done a great job in providing a platform for players like Doyle, Mooney, Fahey etc to bring on and develop their skills at home, as opposed to becoming lost in the cycle in England as young kids like Tony Sheridan did at Coventry.

The reference was more in context to being in relation to the other players Doyle was being compared against, such as Jermaine Defoe. Whereas, I am sure the coaches at Cork are highly qualified, I doubt that their youth coaches would be of the standard of those at West Ham, who as they never stop telling everyone is amongst the best in the country. Equally, the benefit of having a top class manager like Redknapp to learn under is immeasuarable in comparison. Another reason why I think Coppell, who as a class attacker himself, has helped develop Doyle's all-round game.

I'm sure that the physical, nutitional and coaching elements of the Irish league are very strong, however with the amount of money in the English game and the high prize for success, simply can't see how they can compete. Knowing how highly McCarthy and Steve Morgan value this for the future development of Wolves, I am hopeful that Doyle will continue this development as we have recently built a multi-million pound training ground with state of the art physical assessment equipment and have a massive team of highly qualified background staff (Our assistant-manager Terry Connor is one of the highest qualified coaches in the country).

[passinginterest]

Just a quick point Manc Irish Wolf, if you don't want to wind up some of the more sensitive LoI fans on here you should probably start calling it the League of Ireland, the Irish League is the Northern Irish league.

Otherwise I'd agree with your points. I think Fahey's fitness was particularly poor because the League of Ireland was just too easy for him at times and he could get away with not pushing himself in training. There's plenty of average players in the league who are incredibly fit and would have far less issue with the fitness levels if they moved over, their problem is they haven't got a fraction of Fahey's ability.

[geysir]

One can always improve fitness but you can't invent ability.

[Razors left peg]

Did he not join in January and the season finished in November. I think that is probably the main reason.

Maybe, but I also think from seeing Jay O Shea on a regular basis that his fitness and core strenght wouldnt be up to Premiership standards

[Razors left peg]

He came off the bench for Wolves tonight and straight away looked a class above everyone else on the Wolves team.Created more chances for himself in a short time than the other 2 lads that started did all night

[geysir]

He looked a class above everybody else.

[Manblue]

Ya looking sharper and sharper with every minute, hopefully will peak for irelands final to games, that volley was a great effort/piece of build up play

[Crosby87]

Ya looking sharper and sharper with every minute, hopefully will peak for irelands final to games, that volley was a great effort/piece of build up play

Final 4 games you mean.

[Razors left peg]

Final 4 games you mean.

Id prefer if it was only 2 and we got automatic qualification:)

[EastTerracer]

Another goal from Doyler - well finished after an indirect free-kick on the edge of the 6-yard box. Both him and Keogh playing well.

[DeLorean]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/09/06/article-0-028C832D00000578-966_468x286.jpg

[paul_oshea]

handball?

Does anyone get worried when they see a player-thread pop up about a player that we haven't seen near the top list of threads in a while, that they have been injured or fell over a bus or fell while crossing the road or in givens case was making a cup of cha(tae)for his mammy and scalded his hands on the boiling kettle and has been ruled out for 3 weeks well probably 2 weeks exactly.

[Leeside Swagger]

thought he was injured when i saw this pop up, phew!

[DeLorean]

Sorry for scaring you Paul!! looks like he got a good elbow on it alright. Couldn't believe I had to go to the links for Irish players to find aul Doyler actually.

[tetsujin1979]

Doyle on upcoming fixtures (club and country): http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5676422,00.html

[Colbert Report]

I just watched Vermaalen try to kick Doyle's nose clean off his head.

[richieos]

I just watched Vermaalen try to kick Doyle's nose clean off his head.

Doyle is the one player that i wouldn't worry about in that situation. He is one of the most commited and dedicated players ive ever seen play for Ireland. His ability to hold possesion is second to none and i'll be delighted if he's fit for both legs of the playoffs. Irish legend in the making.

[Noelys Guitar]

I thought he played well today even though wolves got hammered. And loved it when he turned Gallas. Forcing Gallas to cut him down (Gallas got a yellow).

[Stuttgart88]

I agree, I thought Doyle was very lively but totally on a hiding to nothing.

Funny thing is, despite Arsenal's dominance in the end they really could / should have been behind. Wolves had the better of it at 0-0 and only for their forward overrunning the ball from an inswinging free kick - heading it backwards when he was totally free - it'd have been 1-0. 2 fortunate OGs later and the game was over.

We'll get chances against France and we need to take them.