Tets, Having just read your post, it occured to me that originally O'Hara was a left back for Spurs and even if he could not command a midfield role, a degree of versatility is always handy in any international squad.
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Myself, I couldn't care less what other people, who are not fans, think.
You will be disgusted if he is parachuted into the set up.Quote:
and I for one will be disgusted when he be parachuted into the set up, if not the team by Trap
And there are people who are disgusted with Trap for supposedly being lazy and disinterested in O'Hara, for supposedly not doing his job.
If 2 people with opposite views on this issue are disgusted with Trap, then the disgust held by either side has no value in the argument.
Because no matter what decision is made, it will attract equal disgust.
O'Hara is quite entitled to declare for Ireland. He has given very vague reasons for his delay. He hasn't shown much initiative on the matter but he hasn't disrespected the invitation. I'm sure he can become a better Irishman.
If Brady and Martin feel okay about the lad and are confident that it will work out, then I'm okay about it.
A decision to play him is the prerogative of the manager. For Jamie's sake, I hope he has some of that personality that Trap talks about and likes to see.
This used to be a 'Nolan inclusive' thread so thought I'd pop this here.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...785453,00.html
Nolan considered Ireland
Newcastle star amazed not to have been called on by England
Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan has considered an attempt to represent Ireland at international level after giving up on his chances of playing for England.
The former Bolton star scored against his old club in Saturday's 1-1 draw to join the likes of Steven Gerardhttp://static.lingospot.com/spot/image/spacer.gif and Frank Lampard as English midfielders who have netted 50 goals in the Premier League.
Despite that achievement, Nolanhttp://static.lingospot.com/spot/image/spacer.gif has incredibly never played for England, mainly due to the form of Gerrard and Lampard, and he has thought about switching allegiances to Ireland.
But he does not qualify through his grandparents and at the age of 27 he thinks that his international career is over.
Cut above
Nolan said in The Sun: "It's unbelievable, I didn't realise I was getting close to my 50th goal. It makes me very proud.
"It's amazing I haven't got an England cap, isn't it?
"But Lampard and Gerrard are a cut above. They've been world class year-in, year-out in the Premier League. England has gone for me."
He added: "The possibility of playing for Ireland has been brought up a number of times but unfortunately my grandad and my nans are only a quarter Irish, or half Irish, and they need to be fully Irish!
"I did try and cheat like Tony Cascarinohttp://static.lingospot.com/spot/image/spacer.gif did by going over and having 14 pints of Guinness. Didn't work though."
In this case I'm so glad we didn't (couldn't!) whore the green jersey to this guy.
I agree with you to a point. Truth is if O'Hara scores the goal against Armenia in Oct or more likely Slovakia/Russia in Sept that sees us qualify, would many of us complain?!?!
As regards "real" Irish backgrounds, I think for O'Hara, read Andy Townsend.
For Clark, its more akin to Kilbane.
Ditto. Outside of anything else I'm pretty sure he's talking sh1t. he was in an underage squad under Kerr and refused to play as he got put under pressure by Sam Allardyce at Bolton as far as I recall. I don't think there's any issue about his eligibility other then the fact that he didn't use the amnesty when it was in place for players over 21.
I know what you mean regarding him scoring the goal the gets us though to a major finals, but the fact is we could have done with him for the WHOLE of this campaign if was so willing to play for us. The truth is he openly admitted to waiting to see if he was going to get picked in the England squad.
We should be past the stage where we need the 'Andy Townsends' of this world to play for us (with all respect for the everything he did when playing for us)
I'd much prefer to go with the players that have committed Ireland and not some mercenary like O'Hara.
Anyone have today's Sun?... There is supposed to be an interview with Kevin Doyle where he states that Wolves centre half Richard Stearman is very keen on playing for Ireland.
That's one player we do not want playing for Ireland.shiver at the thought of dunne and him in the centre
http://www.givemefootball.com/GMF/fi...4053d5a019.jpg
Ability very much aside, he's like Duffer on steroids.
there's an article on sportinglife.com that says he was targeting a call up to the England squad: http://www.sportinglife.com/football...HD=premiership
No date on it, but from the URL, it looks like it was published on the 26th January
^
He says he has ''international aspirations'' - That doesn't necessarily mean England.
The Sun says :Quote:
Wolves central defender wants to play for Ireland, says team-mate Kevin Doyle. Stearman, 23, has lined out for England Under-21s but qualifies for Ireland under the granny rule. Ireland striker Doyle said :
''Richard would love to play for Ireland. I know he has got a grandparent who is Irish.''
Well we "needed" Andy Townsend when, by comparison with today, we had a wealth of riches in midfield. So I don't think you know what you are talking about if you are suggesting that in the "stage" or era he declared we were worse off than today. You could not be more wrong.
Edit - PS thats not much respect btw.
Jesus, shocked that Stearman could be recruited - although reckon he'd be a great addition. Tall, strong and fast and has had Torres in his pocket 2 years running at Anfield (supposedly leading to Benitez being interested in him). Prone to well-documented stupid mistakes due to a lack of concentration, however has cut those out of his game completely in the last 6-7 games and is proving himself to be a quality, young premiership centreback. Has been left exposed by our occassionaly defensively inept full backs (Zubar & Elekobi), however with steadier fullbacks next to him think he could do a great job. Also, at only 23, him and Clark could be a good pairing in a few years time.
Voted in this week's team of the week with fans views below, which includes the interesting stat (if you like stats) that Wolves have won 38% of their games with Stearman in the starting XI this season, compared to just 13% without him:
http://www.molineuxmix.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=58124
Another thread on fans views of Stearman:
http://www.molineuxmix.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=58092
That 38% to 13% statistic is pretty impressive.
Mind you I remember reading something similar about Stephen Hunt, my memory fails me but it was
something like they didn't pick up a single point when he didn't start.
He means hunt at hull.that's the stat
That stat related to hunt at hull PG.
I remember young Stearman breaking into the Leicester side from the academy, bright future at one stage, played mostly at right full while he was here, was very spindly, too slight for CB, but looks like he has been lifting since those days. He also played the holding midfield position on occasion, played it very well one game I remember, against higher calibre opposition. A footballer.
Blighted by inconsistency, but to be fair was young at the time. Sold to Wolves when the club was skint. Would have been a candidate for a bigger move earlier on though. The potential was certainly there though, definitely.
If England and Ireland named him in a squad tomorrow, would he chose us? No.
Is he a better option than some presently making our squad? Yes.
All points of view I suppose, the vote on the O'Hara issue suggests we arent too fussy who wears our shirt as long as we increase the likleyhood of a qualification.
There's an article in the Herald today by Paul Hyland about Celtic's Paul George having finalised his paperwork to play for us. He mentions O'Hara like it's a done deal.
This is the best I could do, the first one is old:
http://oneteaminireland.blogspot.com...o-ireland.html
Maybe the left sided player is not O'Hara, maybe if Hogan Ephraim
might just be a coincidence, but I can't access the fai's website at all today, anyone else having the same problem?
He still hasn't decided according to that but agent MM is doing his part. I wonder is he is going to be selected on Monday seeing that the FAI have already been in contact?
Jamie "obviously" O'Hara doesn't need anymore encouragement from the FAI, Mick McCarthy et al. to switch allegiances. Contrary to what he has previously said, he has long been aware of our interest in him but remains undecided. What motivates a player to play international football is the honour of representing their country. Since Jamie "obviously" O'Hara remains undecided about playing for us, what's the carrot that will motivate him if he does throw his lot in with us? What motivation that could exist for him can only be self-serving.
McCarthy told the Birmingham Mail. "I've been right in his ear hole - just pulling his leg
Just as well Mick is a manager. He'd never make it as a physio...
or an English teacher for the blind.
Just watch this guys ears stand up if we make the finals. He will be Irish then I bet. Overnight Irishness in a can.
And what of the player whos place he would take, he would like to see left at home who actually played his bit in getting us to the finals?
Its all very distasteful.
Dont want O'Hara, Pennant (we dont need people who have never had any notions of playing for Ireland unless it suits themselves and they know that they have no hope in playing for England) or Trap, Any chance we could entice Martin O'Neill to be our new manager. We need somebody who will look after the talent that is emerging and hang onto our brightest propereties (like McCarthy et al), any thoughts
No interest in playing for Ireland it seems.
http://www.birminghammail.net/birmin...7319-28372059/Quote:
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old has set his sights on a shock England call-up after delaying a decision over accepting a call from Ireland.
‘‘I haven’t given up on England to be honest,’’ he said.
‘‘There’s a new generation of footballers coming into that team and if I am playing week-in, week-out for Wolves and putting in performances and the club is on the up, there’s no reason why I can’t break into that team.
‘‘But right now I have been out for six months, I have played five or six games and am getting back to full fitness, but I still think there is more to come from me.’’