Caleb Folan

[bwagner]

hes a big lazy money grabbing ape, the biggest merc i have ever saw wearing an irish jersey!! how many games has he pulled out of...even didnt make his 1st 2 or 3 squads when Stan called him up.

[SwanVsDalton]

If we're looking for a physical option, I'd rather have Walters or Best.

[mark12345]

hes a big lazy money grabbing ape, the biggest merc i have ever saw wearing an irish jersey!! how many games has he pulled out of...even didnt make his 1st 2 or 3 squads when Stan called him up.

Wish I was a big lazy money grabbing ape, who could score goals like Caleb Folan. Sound like you're a real monkey yourself.

Bottom line is Folan still has something to offer Ireland. He never let us down and would be a handful for both Slovakia and Russia if he were there even for a cameo role.

[mark12345]

If we're looking for a physical option, I'd rather have Walters or Best.

Point taken about both players - Walters is a good operator and is in the squad on merit. Between Best and Folan I would go for Folan, simply because we do need a physical option (to answer your question). Much as we try to pretend we can play the ball on the floor, we really are light years behind other nations like Croatia who showed us up last week. Therefore we are forced to resort to the long ball game which is what you saw against the Croats and will see again against Slovakia. Logically then we need a big man to act as a target. I know Trap will never call Folan across from America but he's worth a spot on the bench for my money.

[irishfan86]

Mark, in fairness Trap did call him up for the end of season friendlies after last season but he didn't answer the call as he was trying to establish himself with the Rapids.

Not sure how that will sit with Trap but he has displayed flexibility with the injured players so who knows?

[dotts101]

doyle is physical enuf, long can do it 2, id rather best as he can finish and has pace too! whereas folan is dirt, remember against the polski at croker he cudda bein clean tru countless times and didn but 1 away. only decent was in bari

[SwanVsDalton]

Mark, in fairness Trap did call him up for the end of season friendlies after last season but he didn't answer the call as he was trying to establish himself with the Rapids.

Not sure how that will sit with Trap but he has displayed flexibility with the injured players so who knows?

Problem for Folan is he's slipped down the pecking order. Trap's six strikers are now Keane, Doyle, Long, Cox, Walters and Keogh. After that I'd imagine Folan, Best, Stokes (if forgiven) and maybe Sammon are scrapping it out (not to mention the likes of Rooney, Connolly etc). Though Folan's the biggest of all of them, so he might have any edge since he provides something different.

I still think Walters is the best of that physical ilk though. And when it comes to Folan vs Best, Leon can put himself around too and looks more likely to bag a goal. Caleb's a fine worker but he's never looked like a big goal threat from what I've seen. But no doubt Trap can keep a closer eye on him now Keane's gone stateside too.

[EastTerracer]

Obviously all the attention in the US tonight is on Robbie Keane but Caleb Folan does start for the Colorado Rapids tonight at home against Chivas USA. Will add any updates if he does anything of note.

[EastTerracer]

Update: Folan scores his sixth of the season with a bullet of a header from 6 yards out.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=18394

[Crosby87]

Obviously all the attention in the US tonight is on Robbie Keane

Attention from whom?
The bars will be packed across the US as Robbie Keane makes his debut.
Nat'l TV ratings expected to go from 0.3 to 0.31. :D

[EastTerracer]

I don't care too much about the general attention in the US - I meant the attention on foot.ie and amongst Irish fans (of which there was plenty).

The football supporters in the US were definitely interested as well (don't know about the barstoolers). It really doesn't matter if the US ratings are pitiful - just shows a lack of taste.

I just live here!

[EastTerracer]

Folan has parted company with the Colorado Rapids (http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/02/rapids-and-forward-caleb-folan-mutually-part-ways) as of last Friday. He's a free agent so presume he is either looking at lower division clubs in England or another MLS team.

...Although there is a suggestion here (http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=pl&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ligagrecka.pl%2F2012%2F02%2F01% 2Ffolan-uzupelnil-kadre-panioniosu%2F&act=url) that he was in talks with Panionios

[nigel-harps1954]

Chance for Shamrock Rovers to get themselves another striker maybe?

[Carrigaline]

He was on €3k a week at the Colarado Rapids, so there isn't a hope in hell Shamrock Rovers could afford those kind of wages.

[Colbert Report]

How did he even get a work permit to play in the USA? Does he have an American granny or something? Three thousand euros a week isn't much, any chance he heads back to England and gets on with a League 1 side or something? Surely they'd be able to pay that type of money.

[theworm2345]

How did he even get a work permit to play in the USA? Does he have an American granny or something? Three thousand euros a week isn't much, any chance he heads back to England and gets on with a League 1 side or something? Surely they'd be able to pay that type of money.
Getting a work permit here is no where near as difficult as getting one in England (or even as hard as in Europe in general), especially for someone who is a professional in a field.

[Colbert Report]

Getting a work permit here is no where near as difficult as getting one in England (or even as hard as in Europe in general), especially for someone who is a professional in a field.

Don't know about that, I've been waiting for an F2B visa since November 2003.

[EastTerracer]

Folan is training with Birmingham at the moment.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11688/7522723/Folan-training-with-Birmingham

[theworm2345]

Don't know about that, I've been waiting for an F2B visa since November 2003.
Well that is probably down to your profession (or maybe you are considered undesirable by the government ;))

I can't think of a foreign professional athlete even having been denied a work permit when moving here to play any sport.

Anyway, Folan is training with Birmingham, but I can't imagine there is any chance of a deal there.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12691/7522723/Folan-training-with-Birmingham

[DannyInvincible]

Folan has moved to T-Team of the Malaysian Super League: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/former-ireland-international-folan-joins-malyasian-club-3315264.html

[IsMiseSean]

Is that a lower level to the B-team?

[AlaskaFox]

I used to like Caleb when he was turning out for Ireland. Always looked like he was giving 100%

But now?

I pity the fool.

[Yard of Pace]

Maybe he's not really too arsed?
Getting paid to play football in Malaysia sounds alright to me.

Anyway, we'll always have Bari. He doesn't owe anybody anything. Even at his very best he wouldn't be in the squad now, I wouldn't think.

[mark12345]

I used to like him too. And still like him. As someone on here said - he owes us nothing. He gave it his all while in a green shirt and I wish his career could have been longer. But why is there a need to call him names?

[DannyInvincible]

I used to like him too. And still like him. As someone on here said - he owes us nothing. He gave it his all while in a green shirt and I wish his career could have been longer. But why is there a need to call him names?

I think AlaskaFox's reference to a famous Mr. T quote was tongue-in-cheek.

[theworm2345]

Folan apparently not impressing so far for his team in Malaysia. Missed their last match through injury as well. Didn't realize he'd be playing with George Boateng.

http://www.goal.com/en-my/news/3896/malaysia/2013/01/23/3694667/butler-disappointed-with-t-teams-foreign-duo

[Colbert Report]

Doesn't sound good:

"Well, I'm definitely unimpressed with Caleb Folan so far. He leads our line upfront but I have not seem him leave much impact yet, which is disappointing," he told Bernama.

[Charlie Darwin]

Call him up Trap!

(Oh, shut up.)

[BonnieShels]

Call him up Trap!

(Oh, shut up.)

Don't make me paddle you.

[CraftyToePoke]

Back in the UK with Bradford City

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24316925

[Stuttgart88]

Call him up Noel.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Maybe in the spring...

[eitoof]

30 now, hope he does well with the Bantams. a genuinely nice lad.