Trigger opts to hang up his boots

[stiofain]

One of the reasons for not ever being keen on him was right at the end of his career?

That's foresight for you.


My opinion of McAteer started to wane during his 'spice boys' days at Liverpool, which resulted in his big money transfer to the club he supported as a boy ending with him moving to a then 1st Divison Blackburn in an attemp to kick start his career. As an Ireland fan, that disappointed me greatly. His sending off in the game against Macedoina while representating Ireland was utterly shameful and I feel ashamed everytime i see it.

Credit where its due, but these reasons added to the 'feigned fitness' issue and his selfish attitude (my opinion, of course) in his Independent columm didnt particulary endear McAteer to me.

[pineapple stu]

My opinion of McAteer started to wane during his 'spice boys' days at Liverpool, which resulted in his big money transfer to the club he supported as a boy ending with him moving a then 1st Divison Blackburn in an attemp to kick start his career.
That doesn't make any sense...?

Can't fault a player to moving to the club he's always supported. Can't fault a player for wanting to kick start his career. There's plenty of others would have stayed on at Liverpool just to say they were a Liverpool player (Richie Partridge springs to mind).

[Den Perry]

The point I made earlier on the Irish Abroad thread. Liverpool totally ruined him, not the first Irish prospect to stumble at the fields of Anfield: Bab, Kennedy etc. I still dread Irish players transfered to Liverpool.

At least the Keane thing showed his passion.

"at least the Keane thing showed his passion...."

what a stupid statement...

[Paddy Garcia]

what about finnan, houghton,stan,aldo,whelan etc
babb was utter ****e, kennedy overrated ,mcateer joined lfc at a bad time when we had mcmananman,redknapp,ince to fight for places

I am specifically talking about the period post Houghton, I am surprised you did not mention Highway. Before that it was a great place for Irish talent, since then a graveyard.

Only Finnan has bucked the trend. Kennedy often played centre forward for Milwall & Liverpool stuck him out on the wing & never built on the outstanding talent they bought.

McAteer was the most promising midfielder in the country. Liverpool bought him & stuck him at full back - criminal. I can barely think of a worse disservice to Irish soccer, cept destroying Kennedy's talent.

Babb was an outstanding talent when he moved to Anfield, only to be seduced by the drinking culture that enveloped this club. Another destroyed. They also failed to build on the not inconsiderable talent that was Partridge. If he had started at Man U I am sure he would be gracing the premiership and Ireland today. I am praying that young McCarthy avoids their overtures.

And when Stan went back there he did not fair much better.

Fair play to Finnan for avoiding the Liverpool Irish abyss.

[Paddy Garcia]

"at least the Keane thing showed his passion...."

what a stupid statement...

Why ? Explain rather than offer a glib comment ? Or maybe you can't!

[Paddy Garcia]

One of the reasons for not ever being keen on him was right at the end of his career?

That's foresight for you.

Totally agree

[Stuttgart88]

he was flattened by that nigerian in that warm up game and could barely walk.

Purely pedantic point: wasn't it a local Japanese side?

I really admired Kennedy being big enough to admit he wasn't fit.

[pineapple stu]

Was it Nagasaki or Hiroshima?

Edit - Sanfreece Hiroshima (http://web.ukonline.co.uk/ic.ic/irelandpagea.html). Tackled by a Cameroon player.

[stiofain]

That doesn't make any sense...?

Can't fault a player to moving to the club he's always supported. Can't fault a player for wanting to kick start his career. There's plenty of others would have stayed on at Liverpool just to say they were a Liverpool player (Richie Partridge springs to mind).

But that isnt my point. Surely you can see that i'm refering to his 'playboy' behaviour off the pitch which coinceded with his underachievement at Liverpool. Had he been tucked up in bed at 10 o'clock every night instead of out on the **** with Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and co. (or whatever it was they got upto) his career might have gone from strength to strength, thus benefiting Ireland. Whos to know?
Your right in saying that McAteer deserves admiration for moving on when it would have been easier to stay at Liverpool and colect his pay cheque like many others have done (Richie Partridge included) but Liverpool didnt pay a big transfer fee for him so they could sell him on to a first division club a few years later. Personally i believe that he failed at Liverpool and that disappoints me as an Ireland fan as common sense suggests we benefit from our players being as successful as possible at club level. Liverpool was the highest level McAteer played at in his club career, but his choice of lifestyle resulted in him not being able to cut it.

Sorry, I maybe shouldnt have worded the previous post in the way i did in order to avoid confusion.

[pineapple stu]

Maybe, but earlier on this thread, it's suggested that Liverpool ruined him rather than he ruined himself at Liverpool, as it did to other Irish players (and indeed, other players). I don't think it's a coincidence that Babb, Kennedy and McAteer all failed to live up to their billing at Anfield.

[stiofain]

Purely pedantic point: wasn't it a local Japanese side?

I really admired Kennedy being big enough to admit he wasn't fit.

Yeah i thought it was in the game against the local side. I think im right in saying he came through the Nigeria game in Dublin unscathed.

[Paddy Garcia]

I thought it was a Nigerian playing for a Japanese side.

[pineapple stu]

Camerooneranian (http://foot.ie/showpost.php?p=703837&postcount=58).

[Paddy Garcia]

Camerooneranian (http://foot.ie/showpost.php?p=703837&postcount=58).

OK Yeah - I knew it had a direct impact on a group game.

[Stuttgart88]

you got me there - fair point!

[lionelhutz]

"at least the Keane thing showed his passion...."

what a stupid statement...

have to agree here, how does taking the p**s out of your former international captain show his passion??

[geysir]

Regardless, it's a priceless tv image, I enjoyed it enormously. Still manage a good chuckle. Is it on uTube?
Monty Python couldn't have stage managed it better. The unmentionable irony of it all.
Maybee I'm easily entertained.

On McAteer's time at Liverpool, the only incidents I remember that stood out for me were a few times when he'd have the ball on the right and a hyper control freaked McManaman running 30m to take it off him. Apart from the off field shenanagins, something wasn't right on the pitch as well.

[Den Perry]

Why ? Explain rather than offer a glib comment ? Or maybe you can't!

How did it show passion? It was personal and he did it because he obviously wanted to be some kind of hero to the anti keane brigade and the ole ole masses....in fact Keane showed far more passion by elbowing the dope who then went down like a sack of spuds...passion? I would call it cheating

[Paddy Garcia]

How did it show passion? It was personal and he did it because he obviously wanted to be some kind of hero to the anti keane brigade and the ole ole masses....in fact Keane showed far more passion by elbowing the dope who then went down like a sack of spuds...passion? I would call it cheating

Obviously hey!!! You don't know why he did it, odds on he would have done exactly the same on a park with no supporters watching. The fact is he was passionate then & always was when playing for his country. It might have been a stupid act but it was passionate.

You are up in arms cos he made a sign at Keane, yet celebrate an elbow. The laugh is that Keane & Jason have long put it behind them. What happened on that occasion was nothing. It's interesting that Keane & Quinn can put their past behind them. You still seem worked up about it a minor incident 5 years ago.

[Den Perry]

Obviously hey!!! You don't know why he did it, odds on he would have done exactly the same on a park with no supporters watching. The fact is he was passionate then & always was when playing for his country. It might have been a stupid act but it was passionate.

You are up in arms cos he made a sign at Keane, yet celebrate an elbow. The laugh is that Keane & Jason have long put it behind them. What happened on that occasion was nothing. It's interesting that Keane & Quinn can put their past behind them. You still seem worked up about it a minor incident 5 years ago.

alright Paddy no offence....just glad there's someone elso online at this hour...anthing interesting on any of the other threads?

[Paddy Garcia]

alright Paddy no offence....just glad there's someone elso online at this hour...anthing interesting on any of the other threads?

Up Late !!! I'm just got up - early starter.;)