I know you're not being difficult. This is what I'm saying and what I'm not saying...Quote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
I never particularly took to Carsley as a player in the same way that I never took to Ian Harte or Kevin Kilbane the winger - it had nothing with where they were from or how Irish they considered themselves, I didn't think they deserved to be in the starting XI, especially when we had alternatives. Kerr's choice of a semi-fit Carsley against Georgia is still for me his one really bad decision. That's what I thought but it's simply a footballing matter. My mother's from Birmingham with Irish parents so I understand how someone can feel connected to Ireland without having been there.
However, I can see how many never took to him as he never seemed to be part of the squad in the same way that, again, Houghton or Morrison did. Again, I'm not making cases for either of these over Carsley, let me reiterate that, in terms of Irishness and wanting to play for the team. Houghton was very much part of the squad. Also, although he never made a secret about his Scottishness, this didn't seem to bother anyone.
Carsley never elaborated on why he was there - which Morrison did - so the mercenary tag could easily be applied. I'm not calling him that but I think that's why he wasn't the most popular of players. The fact that he's retired early hasn't helped his popularity either. The fact that he said in his statement that he doesn't miss it says something too.
I didn't like him as a footballer as I didn't think he contributed anything whatsoever to the team but that's another argument. Houghton and Morrison were accepted by the Lansdowne crowd, Carsley wasn't, that's what I'm saying, not arguing the merits of either one over another. See what I mean?
