Kevin Gallen

**Deckydee** · 04/04/2008, 2:47 PM

Hi

I am hoping if someone could help me out. Just reading the thread there on Rooney�s brother declaring for Ireland and someone mentioned that Kevin Gallen had sent a letter to Brian Kerr asking to get back for Ireland and said that he was cohered into signing for England. Then it said that �the rule has changed� What exactly was this rule? In theory Gallen can still play for Ireland right? Did he officially declare for England, then why did he send a letter to Brian Kerr?

What is the story here with Gallen? Yes he was great and yes there was some rule that there could not be so many foreigners in a team etc and that Gerry Francis forced him into it. Then there was someone else at QPR that Gerry Francis forced into the England squad as well. Plastic Paddy knows who he is

Could someone shed some light on this story please?

**boovidge** · 04/04/2008, 3:39 PM

A while back there was an amnesty allowing players to switch countries if they hadnt been capped by the senior team. I believe Gallen is now inelegible because he wasn't picked by Kerr during the amnesty. It's academic really because he'll never play for Ireland.

**SaucyJack** · 04/04/2008, 3:40 PM

Originally Posted by Deckydee

Hi

I am hoping if someone could help me out. Just reading the thread there on Rooney�s brother declaring for Ireland and someone mentioned that Kevin Gallen had sent a letter to Brian Kerr asking to get back for Ireland and said that he was cohered into signing for England. Then it said that �the rule has changed� What exactly was this rule? In theory Gallen can still play for Ireland right? Did he officially declare for England, then why did he send a letter to Brian Kerr?

What is the story here with Gallen? Yes he was great and yes there was some rule that there could not be so many foreigners in a team etc and that Gerry Francis forced him into it. Then there was someone else at QPR that Gerry Francis forced into the England squad as well. Plastic Paddy knows who he is

Could someone shed some light on this story please?

odd, I was going thru some old 90 minutes magazines the other day and came upon 2 articles about Kevin Gallen in the one issue( threw it, and a bunch of other issues out, spring cleaning) one had a pic of Gallen playing for England under-21 against Ireland under-21's, the story of the small article was about sections of the Tolka park crowd yelling out Judas and traitor at Gallen, interviewed for the article he said he had no regrets declaring for England and not Ireland... sorry,that's all I have, just thought it was a weird coincidence.

**Razors left peg** · 04/04/2008, 3:46 PM

all players that had played up to under 21 level were given 1 year amnesty to change countries and after that no player can change past his 21st birthday

**Raheen** · 05/04/2008, 2:59 PM

There were three Gallen brothers, Kevin, Steve and Joe. The eldest of three, Joe, was capped by Maurice Setters for the Irish U21s and there was talk of a call up to the full squad but it never happened. He played on the same team as Mark Kinsella. Steven played for the U21s as well but I'm not sure when. One of the pair played LOI I think but I'm not certain. Like Kevin, Steve also played QPR and in La Liga. Joe coaches Millwall now.

Kevin wanted to play for Ireland but there was a limit on the number of foreign players in English clubs at the time so he had no choice but to pitch his lot in with the English.

**boovidge** · 05/04/2008, 3:18 PM

the rule also prevented Steve Bruce playing for Ireland

**Splurge** · 05/04/2008, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by Raheen

Kevin wanted to play for Ireland but there was a limit on the number of foreign players in English clubs at the time so he had no choice but to pitch his lot in with the English.

[/QUOTE]

Exactly, he was highly rated early on and QPR would have been a top 6 side in the early 90's so European elegibility was important then. He probably fancied his England chances then aswell.
We've much better options now however.

**Qwerty** · 05/04/2008, 4:48 PM

He was a hot prospect back in the day, largely because he broke Gary Linecker's scoring record at school-boy level. Open to correction but I think it's true. Too lazy to Google.

**Superhoops** · 05/04/2008, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by Raheen

Kevin wanted to play for Ireland but there was a limit on the number of foreign players in English clubs at the time so he had no choice but to pitch his lot in with the English.

He had a choice, he could have turned down the contract QPR offered him which required him to declare for England. At the time QPR were in no danger of breaking the 'foreigners' quota but by declaring for Ireland, Gallen's transfer value to QPR would have been reduced.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/04/2008, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by Superhoops

He had a choice, he could have turned down the contract QPR offered him which required him to declare for England. At the time QPR were in no danger of breaking the 'foreigners' quota but by declaring for Ireland, Gallen's transfer value to QPR would have been reduced.

I don't blame him for signing the contract. He could have been cast adrift by QPR if he didn't sign the contract, and he didn't want to take that chance. I don't think he wanted to play for England, but he was caught between a rock and a hard place. If anything, this reflects badly on Gerry Francis, a manager I did have a lot of respect for until this came to light.

**Superhoops** · 06/04/2008, 9:44 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I don't blame him for signing the contract. He could have been cast adrift by QPR if he didn't sign the contract, and he didn't want to take that chance. I don't think he wanted to play for England, but he was caught between a rock and a hard place. If anything, this reflects badly on Gerry Francis, a manager I did have a lot of respect for until this came to light.

At the time, Gallen was one of the brightest young stars emerging and there was no danger he was never going to get a professional contract, several clubs would have been interested. He wanted to play for QPR who he had been with since he was a boy and the price he had to pay to become a QPR professional was to declare for England. That was his choice, club over country.

**Serb** · 06/04/2008, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by boovidge

the rule also prevented Steve Bruce playing for Ireland

Are you sure? I thought rule change and the amnesty was in 2004, which is about 5 years after Bruce retired. Previous to that, I was under the impression you could change your allegiance any time as long as you weren't capped by the Senior team.

**pineapple stu** · 06/04/2008, 12:35 PM

I think the three-foreigner rule stopped Bruce playing for Ireland. Ferguson didn't want another foreigner in his team, given he'd already had problems playing Kevin Pilkington in nets in a Champions' League game in Barcelona because he couldn't fit Schmeichel in.

**Bluebeard** · 06/04/2008, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by SaucyJack

odd, I was going thru some old 90 minutes magazines the other day and came upon 2 articles about Kevin Gallen in the one issue( threw it, and a bunch of other issues out, spring cleaning) one had a pic of Gallen playing for England under-21 against Ireland under-21's, the story of the small article was about sections of the Tolka park crowd yelling out Judas and traitor at Gallen, interviewed for the article he said he had no regrets declaring for England and not Ireland... sorry,that's all I have, just thought it was a weird coincidence.

'Twas in Dalyer, and a packed crowd. Given was in goal for Ireland that day, and Nicky Butt was centre mid for England. Hearing the abuse given Gallen, I roared out "United Scum" when Butt was on the ball (I was young and foolish then...). The dirty looks I got for that!

**Razors left peg** · 06/04/2008, 2:01 PM

Originally Posted by Serb

Are you sure? I thought rule change and the amnesty was in 2004, which is about 5 years after Bruce retired. Previous to that, I was under the impression you could change your allegiance any time as long as you weren't capped by the Senior team.

the B cap for England definately stopped Bruce playing for us

**boovidge** · 06/04/2008, 2:41 PM

Originally Posted by Serb

Are you sure? I thought rule change and the amnesty was in 2004, which is about 5 years after Bruce retired. Previous to that, I was under the impression you could change your allegiance any time as long as you weren't capped by the Senior team.

Interesting article on Alex Bruce:

Part 1:
http://www.ireland-mad.co.uk/news/lo...TMNW&id=381057

Part 2:
http://www.ireland-mad.co.uk/news/lo...TMNW&id=381058

In the build up to the tournament 14 years ago, manager Jack Charlton was struggling to find a partner for Paul McGrath in the centre of Ireland's defence. Charlton got news that Steve Bruce had Irish roots, and promptly got in touch, offering him an unexpected chance to play on football's greatest stage.

Unfortunately for Bruce senior, European club competitions allowed only four foreigners in each squad, and with Alex Ferguson having already filled those slots, Bruce was denied the opportunity.
He did travel over to the World Cup however as a guest of United team-mates Denis Irwin and Roy Keane, and brought son Alex along to take in the atmosphere of Giants stadium as Ireland toppled the Italians 1-0.

"I was only nine at the time, but I can remember the atmosphere as if it were yesterday. It was such a great experience.

"My Dad was close to getting a cap under Jack Charlton but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond his control he wasn't able to turn out for the Republic. It was a big regret of his. He would have loved to play in the World Cup. I remember having a great time over in the USA though. The supporters were absolutely fantastic, and it gave me a little insight into what Irish football was all about."

**Serb** · 06/04/2008, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by boovidge

Interesting article on Alex Bruce:

Part 1:
http://www.ireland-mad.co.uk/news/lo...TMNW&id=381057

Part 2:
http://www.ireland-mad.co.uk/news/lo...TMNW&id=381058

Ah yeah, that makes sense alright, was thinking you meant the same rule that prevents people changing now (i.e. can't change allegiance after 21st birthday).

**TonyD** · 06/04/2008, 5:54 PM

Originally Posted by Raheen

One of the pair played LOI I think but I'm not certain.

Joe Gallen played for Dundalk for a while. Sometime in the mid - late ninties I think.

**Deckydee** · 07/04/2008, 7:39 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

all players that had played up to under 21 level were given 1 year amnesty to change countries and after that no player can change past his 21st birthday

1 Year!!! ??

That is very strange! Why just one year?

Will it happen again?

**Shedender81** · 07/04/2008, 8:34 AM

Originally Posted by Raheen

There were three Gallen brothers, Kevin, Steve and Joe. The eldest of three, Joe, was capped by Maurice Setters for the Irish U21s and there was talk of a call up to the full squad but it never happened. He played on the same team as Mark Kinsella. Steven played for the U21s as well but I'm not sure when. One of the pair played LOI I think but I'm not certain. Like Kevin, Steve also played QPR and in La Liga. Joe coaches Millwall now.

Kevin wanted to play for Ireland but there was a limit on the number of foreign players in English clubs at the time so he had no choice but to pitch his lot in with the English.

There is a choice... and he made it !