We all dream of a team of Gary Breens

Spike Milligan said in one of his books that as a kid they'd a wee black dog called '******' (quite a popular name for dogs in the pre-PC between-the-war years :eek: ...Douglas Bader had a dog with the same name.)

In Spike Milligans case he said an Indian or Pakistani family moved in next door and they had to change the dogs name. Poor dog was about 5 or 6 and hadn't a clue who it was any more.

Back at the team hotel in Korea after the Spain game, a load of us fans launched into a team of Gary Breens which brought tears to the big mans eyes. No his biggest fan but you could see how much it meant to him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Spike Milligan said in one of his books that as a kid they'd a wee black dog called '******' (quite a popular name for dogs in the pre-PC between-the-war years :eek: ...Douglas Bader had a dog with the same name.)

---

Can vouch for the bit about the common name for a dog. Conchita's mother had a dog with that name in Cork growing up. Funny story about the parish priest with a visiting African missionary. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Honestly, I think he's a safe pair of hands

---

I hope this is not a subtle reference to Breen palming the ball into his own net against Russia at Lansdowne (when Shay would have had it otherwise...) :rolleyes:

His experience should still make him useful enough to keep in the Irish squad, and with a season of first-team Premiership football ahead of him, I think Kerr will stick with him until the World Cup - after which point I reckon Gary will call it a day. He is a useful head to have in training, but should never get a look into the first team with three centre backs of much higher quality that stand ahead of him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TerryPhelan

He is a useful head to have in training, but should never get a look into the first team with three centre backs of much higher quality that stand ahead of him.

---

Breen-Dunne or Breen-O'Brien would be a far better pairing the Dunne-O'Brien IMO.

just get the clown A.O'Brien out of there. fed up of seein his mistakes on match of the day, its jst a matter of time. our group is going to be decided on something as small as a slip in a vital game

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by livehead1

just get the clown A.O'Brien out of there. fed up of seein his mistakes on match of the day, its jst a matter of time. our group is going to be decided on something as small as a slip in a vital game

---

Why call him a clown ? Has he ever let us down ? However, his club form must at some stage come back to haunt us but, looking further ahead, when Kenny retires, we're going to be very short at the middle of the defence unless O'Shea matures very quickly. Dunne and who.....? Doherty, Breen, O'Brien, O'Shea, McCarthy or dare I say it Roy Keane adopting the Kenny C role (may be not because he'll be gone as well after Germany I suspect).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Havelock Squire

I hear your point but maybe it would be better applied to Dean Kiely. Carsley needed his time for his family life and his retirement really did help his game the last couple of seasons for Everton. Add to this the fact that he usually got the sh*t slagged out of him playing for Ireland (poor mans keane etc.) and was unfairly criticised for giving away a penalty (handball), against Turkey in the Euro 2000 playoff, for a long time.

Don't think he felt the bench warming was 'beneath him'.

---

That's fair enough - thinking back, I probably left Kiely out of that equation because subconsciously I would have thought of him as a player worthy of a place in the Ireland team. There's an element of hypocricy in my argument in that why would you complain about someone not turning out for Ireland when you think they're not good enough anyway, but it's important to see that a player makes some effort/sacrifice in order to represent thier country. In the case of Carlsley, I don't think it's possible to argue his case on the basis of 'family time', since most of the players (as far as I know) would have their owns ties in this regard.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by roboyle

In the case of Carlsley, I don't think it's possible to argue his case on the basis of 'family time', since most of the players (as far as I know) would have their owns ties in this regard.

---

I think he has a young handicapped child so I think his situation is different to most. I also think he retired because Kerr doesn't value him.

Good luck to Carsley. A terrible option for RHM but worthy of a squad place for CM in my view.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I think he has a young handicapped child so I think his situation is different to most. I also think he retired because Kerr doesn't value him.

Good luck to Carsley. A terrible option for RHM but worthy of a squad place for CM in my view.

---

I banged on and on about Carsley's retirement until someone quietly informed me of his family situation. :o What really matters, after all, footy or family...

Still, I never liked how people said how great he was because he travelled around the world with Ireland without ever getting a kick. If you want to play for Ireland, that comes with the territory.

He's doing well for Everton but he never once impressed me for Ireland. Kerr's selection of him against Georgia at home is still the only decision he's made that I would completely disagree with. He was complete muck (then again, I think that was on the right-wing) and Kerr took him off fairly sharpish. We were terrible that day...

I don't think he's missed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Why call him a clown ? Has he ever let us down ? However, his club form must at some stage come back to haunt us but, looking further ahead, when Kenny retires, we're going to be very short at the middle of the defence unless O'Shea matures very quickly. Dunne and who.....? Doherty, Breen, O'Brien, O'Shea, McCarthy or dare I say it Roy Keane adopting the Kenny C role (may be not because he'll be gone as well after Germany I suspect).

---

didnt necessarily call him a clown in relation to his ireland exploits, more his lack of ability at club level

That song is one of the most cringing songs ever - i f**king hate it :mad:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cosmo

That song is one of the most cringing songs ever - i f**king hate it :mad:

---

Team of Gary Breens? No way man. Total fun. Always try to get to number 14 at the Ireland games. Usually get a bit of abouse for it allright tho. :rolleyes:

on a tram in Basel 04 it went to 20!!