Jamie O'Hara

[greendeiseboy]

Kind of like that great English international Paul McGrath. I have no idea whether Finnan self-identifies as English, but he surely feels some affinity for the place.

Having an affinity to a place is different to what Ardrock is suggesting i.e that Finnan sees himself as English as well as Irish. I've never heard this being said about him.

He might have an affinity to the place but I doubt he sees himself as English.

http://keeganlee1.com/stevefinnan.html

There are very few players - only Finnan springs to mind - who can genuinely claim to be both Irish and English.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well the point isn't about whether he does or not, it's that he could claim to be both if he felt strongly about it.

[Colbert Report]

Anyone watching the Liverpool/Portsmouth match today? It is 3-0 Liverpool at half time. Marc Wilson is marking Torres, Finnan is on Babel.

Jamie O'Hara is definitely the best player that Portsmouth have, and by a wide margin too. He's doing all the little things right - getting into open space, slowing the play down to allow time for his players to re-position, and he's made a few delightful long ball passes out to the wings. He'd certainly slot straight into our team if he were to make himself available - Keith Andrews would have to make way.

[Deckydee]

http://blog.ireland.com/itb_soccerpb?entry=199

........Not only is he a player that Ireland can easily do without, it is never a good sign when a player needs to be convinced to play for a team. To suggest that he is using Ireland as a fall-back option is disrespectful to the Irish fans and the Irish players that would jump at the chance of lining out for their country.

........But hopefully by then this situation will be sorted out and Trapattoni will only be picking players that have a desire to play for Ireland.

[Yard of Pace]

http://blog.ireland.com/itb_soccerpb?entry=199

........Not only is he a player that Ireland can easily do without, it is never a good sign when a player needs to be convinced to play for a team. To suggest that he is using Ireland as a fall-back option is disrespectful to the Irish fans and the Irish players that would jump at the chance of lining out for their country.

........But hopefully by then this situation will be sorted out and Trapattoni will only be picking players that have a desire to play for Ireland.

In only the first few lines that piece includes "chase" "trying so hard" and "begging him". Are we doing that? I don't think so. The offer is there and if he decides not to bother waiting for England to call he can play for us as he also feels Irish.
Seems fair enough to me.

[TrapAPony]

We should get as many good players as we can. Too many average players in the Irish squad at the moment IMO.

[tetsujin1979]

I get the impression that Trapattoni cares little for the ideal nationality, he just wants the best players for the squad. If that means waiting for O'Hara to make his mind up, or for Stephen Ireland to change his mind, then he'll do exactly that for the greater good of the quality of the team.

Incidentally, this is what I had hoped for by appointing an "outsider" to the game here. We needed someone who would come in with a fresh pair of eyes, and know exactly what would be done to get the best team on the pitch and would come without any of the baggage that appointing someone from within the Irish football setup would bring.

[Gnobe]

Nationality isn't just a racial issue. Where you 'happen to be brought up' is generally recognised as quite a significant criteria - perhaps the most important - in defining your national identity. Hence Patrick Viera being French and Senegalese, Ibrahimovic Swedish and Bosnian , Finnan Irish and English .....etc

What happens when you leave a country at 14? Or that you've been that to two different schools in two different countries?

I was born in England, left there when I was 14, moved to Omagh, did my gcse's here, a levels here, and now a student at queens in belfast. I've been here for 10 years now almost I certainly regard myself as a local here. England's not my home anymore and hasn't been since I was about 14.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think the major point is that we need to be producing top-quality players in Ireland, and I think most people would agree that qualifying for one tournament every decade isn't going to inspire youngsters to become great players, especially given the recent success of the rugby team. If bringing in a few O'Haras, even as squad players, helps us reach a major tournament, then I think it's worth it.

[rebelmusic]

To be honest, if o'hara comes in and helps us qualify and do well in the euro's all the complainers will do a u-turn. Charlie's post is probably the most sensible - and o'hara has a decent ammount of irish in him. I wonder how much of this has to do with old irish/english rivalries. If he was half-dutch, half-irish would anyone be complaining? Dont think they would, in fact they'd probably make an online petition asking him to play for ireland

[dr_peepee]

If he was half-dutch, half-irish would anyone be complaining? Dont think they would, in fact they'd probably make an online petition asking him to play for ireland

I dunno. There was an online petition to Kevin Nolan instigated by posters on here some years ago.

I defended Clinton when he took a similar stance back in 2001. But with the O'Hara "package" something doesn't sit right. His comments alone regarding his international options say alot. Not in the slightest bit diplomatic when it comes to appeasing his possible "2nd option", shows a lack of common sense. Also has an inflated opinion of his England options given he can't get into his club squad ahead of Huddlestone and Jenas. The glamour model girlfriend too. I seen her on big brother (I said seen not watched there's a difference). The reason he's on loan is probbly cos he can't handle the fact she's been passed around the Spurs dressing room like a can of Deep Heat.

I dunno. I can't see him being an asset to the squad long term. He'll be missing friendlies and faking injuries before you know it. Storming out of squads if he doesn't start. There's just something a bit Chav about him. Put it this way. If tomorrow Keith Andrews was dropped for O'Hara, Andrews would be snapping but would bust a gut to get back in. However if O'Hara was dropped for Andrews I foresee a "Stick your team up your hole. I'm better than him." scenario...

Just a hunch..

[The Fly]

Incidentally, this is what I had hoped for by appointing an "outsider" to the game here. We needed someone who would come in with a fresh pair of eyes, and know exactly what would be done to get the best team on the pitch and would come without any of the baggage that appointing someone from within the Irish football setup would bring.

If only we could do the same for the under 21's.

[geysir]

Even though both are eligible under the same criteria, I can't say OHara gets the juices going in the way that McCarthy does.
If the team has a desperate need, I would turn a convenient blind eye to a deft rabbit trick from Trap.
For the greater good and all that.
But I'd expect Trap to be judicious and intolerant of any hanky panky.
As it stands, i'd say he has put O'Hara on the back burner.

[TrapAPony]

He's not everyone's cup of tea but Kevin Nolan got Championship Player of the Year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot..._1/8568456.stm

[SilkCut]

I dunno. There was an online petition to Kevin Nolan instigated by posters on here some years ago.

I defended Clinton when he took a similar stance back in 2001. But with the O'Hara "package" something doesn't sit right. His comments alone regarding his international options say alot. Not in the slightest bit diplomatic when it comes to appeasing his possible "2nd option", shows a lack of common sense. Also has an inflated opinion of his England options given he can't get into his club squad ahead of Huddlestone and Jenas. The glamour model girlfriend too. I seen her on big brother (I said seen not watched there's a difference). The reason he's on loan is probbly cos he can't handle the fact she's been passed around the Spurs dressing room like a can of Deep Heat.

I dunno. I can't see him being an asset to the squad long term. He'll be missing friendlies and faking injuries before you know it. Storming out of squads if he doesn't start. There's just something a bit Chav about him. Put it this way. If tomorrow Keith Andrews was dropped for O'Hara, Andrews would be snapping but would bust a gut to get back in. However if O'Hara was dropped for Andrews I foresee a "Stick your team up your hole. I'm better than him." scenario...

Just a hunch..

It's time we stopped idealising football and football players, they are almost all selfish money grabbing fools now. The days of loyalty are over, they ended at club level a long time ago when money flooded the game and now it has crept into the inernational arena, we are now faced with the reality that players will consider their options carefully before making a decision on who to play for. The days of just playing for the country of your birth was your only option are gone especially for players of a certain level ie. O'Hara and Nolan - good players but well behind whats on offer for their birth countries, O'Hara will decide to play for Ireland IMO as he is nowhere near the quality of Milner, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Carrick, Hargreaves, Barry, Wright - Phillips or any of the many options England have in midfield, his only plus point for them is the fact he is a leftie but it would appear that Adam Johnson is also a better player. Had he kept his thoughts to himself I would be more inclined to accept him playing for us however his honesty does suggest that he will be 100% commited to whoever he plays for. He does fulfil only 2 of the criteria I mentioned earlier in the thread though, he would improve the team and he is qualified but does he want to play for us?

Why do people keep mentioning his girlfriend? Why is that important?

As a side point Steve Finnan is IRISH not Irish and English, he represented us at every international level never even thought to play for anyone else.

[Charlie Darwin]

Why are people so offended by the idea Finnan might regard himself as part-English?

[Colbert Report]

He's not everyone's cup of tea but Kevin Nolan got Championship Player of the Year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot..._1/8568456.stm

Surely this can't be right, isn't there still two months left in the season?

[Razors left peg]

Surely this can't be right, isn't there still two months left in the season?

well when u consider that the forms for the PFA footballer of the year had to be submitted by xmas(not sure if thats still the case) its not that surprising

[Dodge]

well when u consider that the forms for the PFA footballer of the year had to be submitted by xmas(not sure if thats still the case) its not that surprising

That was the Footbakll Writers ||Award in England. PFA voting was done in April

The Football writers have chnaged (after they gave it to Ginola the year United won the treble)

[endabob1]

But Ginola won both awards that year because he was the best player in the league that year, regardless of who won what.