Keiren Westwood G Crewe Alexandra b.1984 [Archive]

Drumcondra 69er

15/05/2008, 9:46 AM

Wants to play for Ireland. Don't know if anyone saw the game against Leeds on Monday but he was outstanding. Given the lack of quality in that department (Birmingham reserves and Scunthorpe keepers in the squad) he could be worth consideration. Only 23 to boot.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3935227.ece

Ireland hopeful Westwood focused on WembleyBy Jason Mellor
Keiren Westwood’s string of impressive recent performances may have sparked talk of international recognition, but the highly-rated goalkeeper will be more than happy with a spell out of the limelight this evening if it helps Carlisle United’s ambitions of promotion to the Coca-Cola Championship.

Westwood was at his best when helping his team to secure a 2-1 win in the first leg of their League One play-offs semi-final against Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday and the return at Brunton Park this evening promises to be just as lively for the goalkeeper.

Yet to nail his international football colours to the mast, Irish lineage means the Manchester-born 23-year-old is considering pitching his lot in with Ireland in an effort to catch the eye of Giovanni Trapattoni, the new manager, in the coming months. Such a task would be easier is he were performing regularly in the second rather than third tier of English football.

“Playing for the Republic is something I’d definitely consider,” Westwood, who has been named in this season’s Professional Footballers’ Association League One team of the year, said. “I’m not Irish as such, but I’m a Catholic boy and it’s in my blood through my dad’s mum. I’m only a League One goalkeeper and it would help my chances by moving up to the Championship.”

Speakthetruth

15/05/2008, 10:05 AM

“I’m not Irish as such, but I’m a Catholic boy and it’s in my blood through my dad’s mum. I’m only a League One goalkeeper and it would help my chances by moving up to the Championship."

Straight away I'd never want this fella representing my Country. He is blaise about his Irish heritage and seems to having an alterior motive for playing with us..making it into the bloody championship. His priorities are not in the right place, we want people who take pride in playing for our shirt and not some guy thinking of how its a nice little bullet point on his cv!!!!:mad:

cavan_fan

15/05/2008, 10:12 AM

Billy-Green

15/05/2008, 10:12 AM

Straight away I'd never want this fella representing my Country. He is blaise about his Irish heritage and seems to having an alterior motive for playing with us..making it into the bloody championship. His priorities are not in the right place, we want people who take pride in playing for our shirt and not some guy thinking of how its a nice little bullet point on his cv!!!!:mad:

Very well said, fair play mate

Drumcondra 69er

15/05/2008, 10:29 AM

Agree on the first thing. On the second I think you are misunderstanding him. He meant that moving up to the championship would help him get in the Ireland squad not vice versa.

Yeah, that was my reading of it. He clearly says it'd improve his chances of a call up 'by getting into teh Championship', dunno how anyone could read it the other way around. I did notice that 'I'm not Irish as such' quote but think people are being a bit too percious about it, he may well have just meant 'I wasn't born in Ireland but am aware of my heritage'. A lot of people in teh UK would have told him he's not Irish as such, think he's just pre empting it. He's still young for a kepper and a lot at that age would still be hoping for a break to get to a higher level and make an England squad given that they're not exactly over run with top keepers these days. I'd argue his approach is better then Clinton Morrisson's was at the time (and I'd be a fan of Clint) and far better then Andy Townsend's was (again I'd have been a fan).

livehead1

15/05/2008, 10:45 AM

I wonder if this was a TOP TOP playerr saying these things, would the uproar be the same? A real world star who for one reason or another isn't getting picked by 'his country'.

gspain

15/05/2008, 10:47 AM

I wish good Catholic boys like Lionel Messi and Kaka had thought likewise instead of League 1 keepers. :D

FarBeag

15/05/2008, 10:51 AM

Yeah, that was my reading of it. He clearly says it'd improve his chances of a call up 'by getting into teh Championship', dunno how anyone could read it the other way around. I did notice that 'I'm not Irish as such' quote but think people are being a bit too percious about it, he may well have just meant 'I wasn't born in Ireland but am aware of my heritage'. A lot of people in teh UK would have told him he's not Irish as such, think he's just pre empting it. He's still young for a kepper and a lot at that age would still be hoping for a break to get to a higher level and make an England squad given that they're not exactly over run with top keepers these days. I'd argue his approach is better then Clinton Morrisson's was at the time (and I'd be a fan of Clint) and far better then Andy Townsend's was (again I'd have been a fan).

Spot on. He made some excellent saves the other day all right. I haven't see him play before so I don't know how consistent he is. I would welcome him on board.

ifk101

15/05/2008, 10:52 AM

I'd estimate that 50% of Championship clubs have an Irish goalie on their books. And then you've got a number of decent goalies playing in the LOI. If we wants to play for us, he'll need to prove that he's better than all these players and he can only do that by playing regularly at a higher level than the Championship.

drummerboy

15/05/2008, 11:07 AM

Whats with “I'm a Catholic boy” got to do with playing for Ireland. Bizarre.

beautifulrock

15/05/2008, 11:21 AM

Whats with “I'm a Catholic boy” got to do with playing for Ireland. Bizarre.

Correct "No Catholics need apply" :)

Drumcondra 69er

15/05/2008, 11:39 AM

Whats with “I'm a Catholic boy” got to do with playing for Ireland. Bizarre.

Not bizarre at all, it's just a tounge in check comment ffs. A lot of 2g and 3g Irish get sent to Catholic schools in England, I've often heard that phrase used in the UK from people educated in Catholic schools or from 2g fans on away trips. Think you're reading waaay to much onto it.

elroy

15/05/2008, 1:05 PM

I think a couple of the comments above are a bit harsh, you'd hardly expect him to come out and say i really feel Irish and really want nothing more than to play for Ireland. In fairness, by suggesting that playing in the championship will improve his chances of playing for us shows at least a desire to play for Ireland.

Its the one position where we have always been reasonably strong. I think on current reckoning, he would have to be behind given, kiely, doyle, kenny and possibly henderson and murphy.

I know doyle had a poor first few games in the premiership but he was excellent the season before and i reckon he gets the opportunity again he will be our number one for the future.

Rocky77

15/05/2008, 1:21 PM

Surely someone like Brian Murphy would be ahead of him?

youngirish

15/05/2008, 1:26 PM

Call me old fashioned but if you come out with a statement declaring that you are not Irish then maybe you shouldn't be representing the Irish football team. If he's a Catholic he can declare for the Vatican City Select XI. I know we've had plenty of players with tenuous links to our country playing for us in the past (and to a lesser extent the present) but I for one don't want to see a return to those days even at the price of the additional success it may bring. Success at any cost is not what football should be about (though I would agree it's become like this is recent years).

The Ireland football team should be for Irish people and no that doesn't just mean those born in Ireland but at the very least the minimum requirement should be that you at least consider yourself Irish before applying.

Torn-Ado

15/05/2008, 1:59 PM

I wish good Catholic boys like Lionel Messi and Kaka had thought likewise instead of League 1 keepers. :D

Kaka is a protestant. His dad is German.

Seriously. :D

Don't ask me how I know but I do

greendeiseboy

15/05/2008, 2:25 PM

Kaka is a protestant. His dad is German.

Ah jaysus and i had him on me Celtic team on PES 08 - paid big bucks for him as well - have to put him on the transfer list so:D

FarBeag

15/05/2008, 2:49 PM

Ah jaysus and i had him on me Celtic team on PES 08 - paid big bucks for him as well - have to put him on the transfer list so:D

Class :D:D

theworm2345

15/05/2008, 3:16 PM

Say what you will about his Irishness, but he was excellent against Leeds at the weekend, maybe he will be again today. I wouldnt have him in the team though

Billy-Green

17/05/2008, 1:33 PM

Giovanni Trapattoni has called Carlisle goalkeeper Keiren Westwood into the Republic of Ireland

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0517/westwoodk.html

Jicked

17/05/2008, 2:46 PM

Very dissapointed with this. There are better keepers in the eircom League, and those keepers are Irish.

greendeiseboy

17/05/2008, 2:48 PM

i'm sure this wont please everyone but he looked good even if it "was against the greatest team the world has ever seen!!" but our squad is limited and we need as many players as we can get......give him a chance

Jicked

17/05/2008, 3:07 PM

I'd rather have given either Barry or Brian Murphy a chance ahead of him.

tricky_colour

17/05/2008, 3:12 PM

Looks like he is Irish now :D

rambler14

17/05/2008, 4:19 PM

He's in on Alan Kelly's recommendation so obviously he feels he's better than Eircom League goalkeepers.
Which he possibly is because I personally feel that Brian Murphy at Bohs is top class and is doing himself no favours by not going back to England.

Wangball

17/05/2008, 4:44 PM

Very dissapointed with this. There are better keepers in the eircom League, and those keepers are Irish.

And Westwood is Irish, if he wasn't he'd not be in the squad....I think its a little odd that Kenny was overlooked though, if either of the Murphy's were good enough they would of been called up a long time ago, they're hardly newcomers to the scene

stiofain

17/05/2008, 5:13 PM

“Playing for the Republic is something I’d definitely consider,” Westwood, who has been named in this season’s Professional Footballers’ Association League One team of the year, said. “I’m not Irish as such, but I’m a Catholic boy and it’s in my blood through my dad’s mum. I’m only a League One goalkeeper and it would help my chances by moving up to the Championship.”

What a ****ing idiot, so he feels he has a right to represent my country because he's made his holy communion? Very disappointed by the lads attitude already, shows exactly how much respect he has for Ireland with that stupid comment.

micls

17/05/2008, 5:22 PM

And Westwood is Irish, if he wasn't he'd not be in the squad....I think its a little odd that Kenny was overlooked though, if either of the Murphy's were good enough they would of been called up a long time ago, they're hardly newcomers to the scene

Neither is this fella. Same age as Barry Murphy isnt he? Or do you mean he's new to being Irish?

shakermaker1982

17/05/2008, 6:01 PM

Hmmm not sure what to make of this. If he kept his mouth shut I'd have been delighted to see a promising keeper join the ranks, but his comments would seem to indicate it's a 'career' move.

Jicked

17/05/2008, 6:27 PM

And Westwood is Irish, if he wasn't he'd not be in the squad....I think its a little odd that Kenny was overlooked though, if either of the Murphy's were good enough they would of been called up a long time ago, they're hardly newcomers to the scene

Well considering Westwood doesn't even pretend to consider himself Irish, its fair to say he's not Irish, even if he has done his Confirmation. And I'm not sure about Brian Murphy, but Barry Murphy (the Rovers' one) is only 22 so I don't see how you can say he's not a newcomer ffs

the ox

17/05/2008, 6:52 PM

I'm not sure we really need to call up League One goalkeepers who admit they're not really Irish.

His wikipedia entry made me chuckle

Kieren Westwood (born October 23, 1984 in Manchester) is an English-born football player who is "not Irish as such" but "is a good Catholic boy". He plays in goal for Carlisle United and is the number one choice goalkeeper.

FarBeag

17/05/2008, 7:10 PM

Greenforever

17/05/2008, 8:23 PM

Give him a chance, we don't know it what context he said these words. we'll know very soon what his attitude is like.

boovidge

17/05/2008, 9:46 PM

I can understand why he said "im not irish as such". People in the UK are actively discouraged from celebrating other cultures/nationalities they may belong to. "Plastic Paddies" get a fair amount of stick. However, I think the age he's declared shows where his loyalties lie on the football pitch.

boovidge

17/05/2008, 9:48 PM

Don’t worry, he will grow into it. Look at Morrison, Carsley, Lawrenson, Townsend, MacAteer etc etc. They all became fully fledged Irishmen after hanging around with real Irishmen and playing a few games wearing a green jersey. Give him a chance.

I wouldnt lump Carsley in with those lot. He was brought up aware of his irishness rather than the others who realised they were irish. Did i read on hear that he played hurling with his cousins when he was younger or was that a wind up? :D

joema

17/05/2008, 11:23 PM

Unfair to lump Lawrensen in with the likes of Clinton as well. Could easily have played for England but chose us - not that you'd know it from his television punditry admittedly

Think the wikipedia page sums it up for me btw

Irish_Praha

18/05/2008, 9:02 AM

At least Nicky Colgan wasn't called up again, that has to be a positive thing.

Drumcondra 69er

18/05/2008, 12:33 PM

Very dissapointed with this. There are better keepers in the eircom League, and those keepers are Irish.

And you know this how exactly? You watched much of Carlisle this season? Bar Murphy at Bohs there's no one in the EL I'd put near the international squad and I watch a lot of EL football. Forde looked class for Derry and didn't get a look in for Cardiff, that says something.

Some people are being ridiculously precious about a quote. Boovidge has it spot on, the way I read what he says is that he was just pre empting the obvious resposne that 2G and 3G people get in the UK and that he just meant he wasn't born in Ireland. In fairness there's even a small element of the Ireland support that shamefully give 2G fans with English accents stick over being 'plastics'. The likes of Andy Townsend have openly admitted finding a bar in Spain to watch the Euro 88 game between us and England, cheering England on and being gutted when we beat them. As for Lawrenson he was playing for Brighton when he got called up and was miles away from an England call up, he's said himself it just came down to being asked first. They still rightly got our full support when they played for us.

Looks at the Carlisle boards, loads of their fans are reckoning he's made a mistake, that he'll be snapped up and playing at a much higher level soon and could easilly make the England squad, if the likes of Paul Robinson and Scott Carson are the best they have to offer then it's a fair point. He's shown where his loyalties lie very early in a keepers career and fair play to him, get over it people.

And Boovidge, I think it was Kilbane that used to play Hurling as did Mick McCarthy. Carsley certainly was reared in and around the Irish clubs in the midlands though and would have been immersed in Irish culture all his life.

Soper

18/05/2008, 12:40 PM

I watch a lot of EL football.

AND

Forde looked class for Derry

System Error

livehead1

18/05/2008, 12:47 PM

System Error

would you disagree that Forde was one of the best keepers in the league?

pineapple stu

18/05/2008, 12:48 PM

Ssshhh - don't tell the Derry boys!

Drumcondra 69er

18/05/2008, 1:02 PM

System Error

Ludicrous comment, the point was that Forde looked like one of the best keepers in the league at Derry. To suggest otherwise if brainless. I still wouldn't have had him near the international squad.

Soper

18/05/2008, 1:06 PM

tetsujin1979

19/05/2008, 9:18 AM

Westwood's record for the season added to irish abroad: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroad/playerDetails.xquery?playerID=37039
He was ever present for Carlisle this season: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroad/teamDetails.xquery?teamID=643

Drumcondra 69er

19/05/2008, 2:30 PM

The thing is though, he didn't look like one of the best. Terrible at crosses and high balls, prone to flapping about. There were several goalkeepers better than him at the time he was here, and there remains several better than him now.

:rolleyes: Won the award as Keeper of the year in 2006. Who were these several goalkeppers beter then him back then? Football's all about opinions but can't agree with you on that. Most keepers are prone to errors and this is even more prevelant in the EL. Brain Murphy had a number of them playing for Swansea and is probably the best keeper in the EL now. Ashley Bayes was able to win a title ffs!

Flawless

19/05/2008, 8:49 PM

Kaka is a protestant. His dad is German.

Seriously. :D

Don't ask me how I know but I do

Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite - Kaka's Dads Name - Hardly German?

But i dont believe hes catholic, heard somewhere before he wasnt..

boovidge

20/05/2008, 1:25 PM

From RTE

There was still time for Vitinha to force a solid save from Westwood, a 62nd-minute replacement for Joe Murphy, after Damien Delaney's slip had put the midfielder in on goal.

Trapattoni later defended his decision to call up the Carlisle keeper in the wake of criticism from Bohemians counterpart Brian Murphy that he should have looked closer to home.

The Italian said: 'I did not know him (Westwood), but our scouts told me he played in the (English League One play-off) semi-final against Leeds and played two or three important games. We are looking at the young players. We have to look at all the possibilities.

I'm confident that Trap knows what he's doing and he wont shy away from picking Eircom players if they show theyre good enough.

Cymro

20/05/2008, 1:32 PM

Surely someone like Brian Murphy would be ahead of him?

Well, Kieron Westwood has succeeded in making a career in League One. Brian Murphy did not.

Drumcondra 69er says it better than me really........I don't want to cause offence but I really think you guys overestimate how good your league is. It's nowhere near Championship standard, as some think.

ifk101

20/05/2008, 1:53 PM

Well, Kieron Westwood has succeeded in making a career in League One. Brian Murphy did not.

Drumcondra 69er says it better than me really........I don't want to cause offence but I really think you guys overestimate how good your league is. It's nowhere near Championship standard, as some think.

Westwood isn't Irish, Murphy is.

The Championship is a better standard than the Premier Division in the LOI - I think the majority of LOI supporters would acknowlege this. But that's irrelevant as Carlisle United isn't a Championship club or a Championship standard club.

Westwood got the "call-up" because he can potentially play international football for another country.

boovidge

20/05/2008, 1:58 PM

oh come on, what are the realistic chances of Westwood getting an England call up in the next few years? There are good English keepers coming through the ranks and James' place in the side is pretty comfortable after another good season.

Westwood is unlikely to feature in September he was just called up at short notice so they could explore other goalkeeping possibilities.