Keiren Westwood G Crewe Alexandra b.1984

[OwlsFan]

So many people there 20 years or younger who have no recollection of them being in the top flight. 40k tickets sold and many thousands left without tickets, including the missus who had to watch it in a nearby hostelry.

[Stuttgart88]

How can anyone not remember or not know of Carlton Palmer?

[OwlsFan]

How can anyone not remember or not know of Carlton Palmer?

Had a quick look at Carlton on Wikipedia. Ended his career at Staveley Miners Welfare FC but I notice that in 2004 he is linked to Dublin City but apparently didn't play. Don't remember that.

[pineapple stu]

We nearly started a mini-riot at a mid-season friendly between UCD and Stockport by singing "One Carlton Palmer". The Stockport fans didn't like him at all after only winning six league games all season as manager (2001/02).

Anyways, Stockport took revenge by signing Gary Dicker off us fairly soon after the match.

[Stuttgart88]

Dan McDonnel tweeted that all 4 keepers trained in Cork today. That'd be Westwood, not Rogers

Indo had earlier said that FAI refused to confirm if Westwood would make the trip.

Keane sat it out as he was sore. Nice double entendre thrown in there, in context of Fallon's article. That's at least a year's worth of ambiguous interpretation for TOWK to tackle.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Don't kill the messenger!

It's my old friend John Fallon who inferred Keano was throwing a strop several days ago.

[ger121]

Had a quick look at Carlton on Wikipedia. Ended his career at Staveley Miners Welfare FC but I notice that in 2004 he is linked to Dublin City but apparently didn't play. Don't remember that.

Could have sworn I seen him play for Dublin City against us in Tolka. Mind you the mind plays tricks on you as you get older...

[paul_oshea]

Did anyone see the two bandages around the knee on Westwood

[SkStu]

Could have sworn I seen him play for Dublin City against us in Tolka. Mind you the mind plays tricks on you as you get older...

Same. Didn't him and Efan Ekoku both move there under Roddy. Pretty sure they played a game or two too...

[SkStu]

Did anyone see the two bandages around the knee on Westwood

Do you reckon he got Alfe-Inged?

[sadloserkid]

Same. Didn't him and Efan Ekoku both move there under Roddy. Pretty sure they played a game or two too...

They did play. I think it's just that Wiki hasn't complete stats.

[OwlsFan]

Everton showing interest in Westwood http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-Westwood.html

I see Wednesday are quoted as saying £3 million would acquire his services. I am always fascinated as to how relatively cheaply you can acquire a keeper who is the equivalent really of a top class goal scorer by saving definite goals.

Rumour mill says Middlesboro are also interested.

[tetsujin1979]

Can't see Everton signing anyone until they appoint a new manager

[DeLorean]

I just meant he [Packie] wasn't claiming to know anymore than the rest of us and he made it clear enough that he is only speculating. I've a feeling he's wrong though and that Westwood will get the nod over Forde, fingers crossed.

Delores > Packie > Geysir

[BonnieShels]

Had a quick look at Carlton on Wikipedia. Ended his career at Staveley Miners Welfare FC but I notice that in 2004 he is linked to Dublin City but apparently didn't play. Don't remember that.

Could have sworn I seen him play for Dublin City against us in Tolka. Mind you the mind plays tricks on you as you get older...

Same. Didn't him and Efan Ekoku both move there under Roddy. Pretty sure they played a game or two too...

They did play. I think it's just that Wiki hasn't complete stats.

Might it be that Dublin City had their results expunged that year?

EDIT: You'd think that I'd recall that was 2006. CAMPIONES!

[paul_oshea]

"but his inclusion flew in the face of some unfavourable perceptions that had hardened into accepted wisdom."

We'll know not to accept Packies wisdom from now on Or Geysirs for that matter either

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ne-402806.html

[DannyInvincible]

Good piece, that, and clears up a few things.

My brother suggested to me the other day that when O'Neill first intimated there was a possible problem with reliability (which was very vague and ambiguous), he was actually referring purely to physical fitness rather than Westwood's commitment. The idea being that O'Neill wasn't certain about picking a player who would be likely to be suffering injuries and having to pull out, thereby causing squad disruption (not in a malicious way) or fluidity/continuity problems. Those comments by Westwood yesterday would seem to support that notion - that it was purely a physical fitness issue rather than a mentality thing - whilst it seems the media and many others read a meaning into O'Neill's words about Westwood's "reliability" that he may not have actually intended.

News of his withdrawal from various Ireland squads had become an irritant. They raised questions over commitment and sparked the observation from O’Neill that reliability was an issue while feeding the feeling that the pair’s relationship was strained from their time at Sunderland.

“It’s easy to throw that at me, I suppose, but I don’t see where that has any reason,” Westwood said when his frequent absences were put to him, after training at Fota Island yesterday. “The only reason I wouldn’t be in the squad is because I was injured.

“That’s frustrating to read, lads, yeah. I’m not going to lie to you because there’s no real substance to it, apart from I’m injured. It’s not like I’m fully fit and I’ve gone ‘nah, that’s not for me’. I haven’t done that, so it is a bit frustrating.”

I think the comment quoted below shows that he certainly is interested and committed to playing for Ireland.

His was an odd omission [from the squad for the Switzerland/Slovakia games] given his form with Wednesday, with whom he has enjoyed two superb seasons, but it seemed to chime with his experiences under O’Neill in the north-east where he spent so much of his time on the sidelines.

Westwood had sought a move away on loan at one point as Simon Mignolet kept watch in goal, but the Manchester native has explained before that he understood the manager’s refusal to allow him leave and he stressed yesterday that his motives were based on international ambitions.

“I remember telling him that (Giovanni) Trapattoni’s told me if I didn’t play, I’m not going to play (for Ireland). I told Martin that and before I knew it I was out of the team, like. Both teams.” He laughed as he said it, but Westwood eager to look forward now rather than back.

[tetsujin1979]

"but his inclusion flew in the face of some unfavourable perceptions that had hardened into accepted wisdom."

We'll know not to accept Packies wisdom from now on Or Geysirs for that matter either

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ne-402806.html

or anyone who claims to know what a look, smile or wink to camera really means

Neither.that he knows he isn't in the squad and saving face by looking happy and unperturbed.

[SkStu]

or anyone who claims to know what a look, smile or wink to camera really means

Still trying to figure this one out...

[DeLorean]

My brother suggested to me the other day that when O'Neill first suggested there was a possible problem with reliability (which was very vague and ambiguous), he was actually referring purely to physical fitness rather than Westwood's commitment.

Your brother is very wise. That was the very first thing I questioned when O'Neill's 'reliability' comments first surfaced.

Is he basically saying that he's pulled out of squads for reasons other than injuries? Or is he just saying he's injured too often?

It's becoming clearer and clearer that his commitment should never have been in question I think, by O'Neill or anybody else.