Keith Fahey

**DmanDmythDledge** · 16/08/2009, 8:26 PM

Originally Posted by irishultra

The good thing about fahey is that he is a playmaker, not a box to box to tough tackling kinda guy so he has actually loads of time to be an irish first team player(again how the hell has he not got a cap?????? only country in the world tbh where he wouldn't, you'd think we had players shining for all of europes elite league teams, not ones who struggle to even find clubs.

Ireland Reid Fahey

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Such a nice midfield. The intelligence of Fahey, the all action Reid, and the just talented in every way Ireland. Awesome. Its really annoying to see the midfield we line out now when you see what we could play. Also depending on club form, Andy Reid could challenge Fahey for a starting place, if Reid was injured we'd have Whelan, Andrews or McCann(who again magically doesn't make the squad) coming in to take his place. And Ireland is a machine so if available would always be.

So you would have players who have performed well in the Premiership and better than Fahey has in the Championship behind him?

**Razors left peg** · 16/08/2009, 8:28 PM

Originally Posted by boovidge

Was thinking of the other one..

Thought so but couldnt let it go

**Dodge** · 16/08/2009, 8:32 PM

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

So you would have players who have performed well in the Premiership and better than Fahey has in the Championship behind him?

Who performed better than him in the Championship? Hee was excellent at that level last year. Even Sky commentator today remarked on im being "one of Birmingham's better players last year"

**DmanDmythDledge** · 16/08/2009, 8:37 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Who performed better than him in the Championship? Hee was excellent at that level last year. Even Sky commentator today remarked on im being "one of Birmingham's better players last year"

McCann. Undoubtedly imo.

**Dodge** · 16/08/2009, 8:40 PM

I watched McCann a fair bit and he wasn't anywhere near as effective as Fahey (I even watched them in the same game in person)

McCann is an Andrews/Whelan type player (with an engine). Completely different to Fahey

**irishultra** · 16/08/2009, 9:03 PM

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

So you would have players who have performed well in the Premiership and better than Fahey has in the Championship behind him?

McCann will be a good player but he doesn't have the style that Fahey has. Fahey and Reid are alike, so would compete for a place but I prefer Faheys style so would place him over A.Reid.

And McCann wasn't that better or better at all than Fahey. Fahey plays and starts for a team which is much better than Burnley.

A few people I talk to on other forums of lower league english clubs don't really think much of mccann but really rate fahey.

**irishultra** · 16/08/2009, 9:09 PM

Originally Posted by CF1989

if people are saying he should be in the ireland squad now, then he should have been in it when he was with pats. he's not an awful lot better than when he was with pats...just that hes in england now. shows how much our league gets looked at

He should have been in. Only country in the world where a player performing at an elite level in the national league wouldn't even be considered for a place and all because of the British centric mentality that Irish football has.

I'm suprised more LOI fans have absolutely no time for the National team.

As far as I'm concerned a stronger picking players based on players playing in National League culture is needed. If a player is playing in the lower divisions of English football he shouldn't be considered over a player in LOI. Couldn't even imagine Norway picking English second division players.

**tetsujin1979** · 16/08/2009, 9:12 PM

Originally Posted by stiffler

Them sky commentators still cant say Fahey!!

was listening to the BBC Radio 5 commentary on NewsTalk, they pronounced it "Faw-hee"

**youngirish** · 16/08/2009, 9:38 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I watched McCann a fair bit and he wasn't anywhere near as effective as Fahey (I even watched them in the same game in person)

McCann is an Andrews/Whelan type player (with an engine). Completely different to Fahey

Both are very different players but McCann was one of the most highly rated midfielders in the Championship last season and I don't think it's fair to say Fahey was better last year though he also did very well once he settled into the team. He played wide anyway for Birmingham and not central midfield.

However, McCann is definitely more a Trap style midfielder and if he does well (he looked decent yesterday) then he should get a call up. Maybe Fahey could fill a hole in one of the wide positions. At the moment only Duff looks good in the wide roles.

**youngirish** · 16/08/2009, 9:47 PM

Originally Posted by irishultra

McCann will be a good player but he doesn't have the style that Fahey has. Fahey and Reid are alike, so would compete for a place but I prefer Faheys style so would place him over A.Reid.

And McCann wasn't that better or better at all than Fahey. Fahey plays and starts for a team which is much better than Burnley.

A few people I talk to on other forums of lower league english clubs don't really think much of mccann but really rate fahey.

As stated earlier this would not be the general consensus in the Championship so I don't know who you're talking to on forums. By what measure are Birmingham much better than Burnley anyway? Did you make that astute judgement based on a whole 1 game? I'd say the difference is miniscule and both will struggle this year to be honest.

Originally Posted by irishultra

He should have been in. Only country in the world where a player performing at an elite level in the national league wouldn't even be considered for a place and all because of the British centric mentality that Irish football has.

I'm suprised more LOI fans have absolutely no time for the National team.

As far as I'm concerned a stronger picking players based on players playing in National League culture is needed. If a player is playing in the lower divisions of English football he shouldn't be considered over a player in LOI. Couldn't even imagine Norway picking English second division players.

This is of course the usual irishultra garbage. You pick your players performing best at the highest level possible irrespective of whether that's in your own national league or a foreign league. If we have a player performing well week in, week out in the Championship then he should be included ahead of a player playing well week in, week out in the LOI as the Championship (no matter how much you like to think otherwise) is a higher level of football.

**Dodge** · 16/08/2009, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

However, McCann is defnitely more a Trap style midfielder and if he does well (he looked decent yesterday) then he should get a call up. Maybe Fahey could fill a hole in one of the wide positions. At the moment only Duff looks good in the wide roles.

There's no doubt that McCann is more the type of midfielder that Trapp likes. Thats a shame though

**Billsthoughts** · 16/08/2009, 10:32 PM

does youngirish fancy mccann or what?

I thought fahey did quite well today he was neat and tidy on the ball. he was playing man united the day after arsenal trounced everton. he will be a bit more adventorous against other teams. united closed him down fair quick whne he had the ball so they obviously rated him.

**drummerboy** · 16/08/2009, 11:45 PM

McCann is more an all round midfielder than Fahey, who is probably a little more creative. Both decent prospects but McCann is likely to improve as he is still very young.

**Hibernian** · 17/08/2009, 12:19 AM

Taught he was decent today have to say

Only thing is he seems a bit petty pushing away Berba at one stage and having spat off with Fletcher when he got booked and also digging with Evra.

Seems to be a Robbie Savage type of attitude by what I saw, but decent game all same like said

**Colbert Report** · 17/08/2009, 12:50 AM

He must be in with a shot for the Ireland squad at this point. I was very much a Fahey skeptic until I saw him play today against Manchester United, the biggest team in England and probably the world.

**Dodge** · 17/08/2009, 9:09 AM

Originally Posted by Hibernian

Only thing is he seems a bit petty pushing away Berba at one stage and having spat off with Fletcher when he got booked and also digging with Evra.

Seems to be a Robbie Savage type of attitude by what I saw, but decent game all same like said

Sign of confidence I thought. He was clearly kicked late by Fletcher (who was booked). Fahey did't do anything that any single midfielder wouldn't do.

Roy Keane made a nice career out of it

**elroy** · 17/08/2009, 9:15 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

his fitness would be better now and he would be alot sharper playing against better players every week.... you cannot ask someone to go from playing against the likes of Sligo or Galway etc to play against Italy in a vital world cup qualifer.... and I say that as a LOI season ticket holder

I think this is a valid point but isnt it great to see yet another player successfully making the move over from LOI to EPL/Championship. Of all the Irish players with promoted teams, I think Fahey is going to get better and better as the season goes on.

I mean from the perspective of that the standard in the LOI has undoubtedly increased in recent years. Having watched a little of the Celtic game the other day, I would strongly argue that at least the top 4/5 teams in the LOI would pose a greater challenge to Rangers/Celtic in the SPL than the other team in it.

**shaneker** · 17/08/2009, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by irishultra

He should have been in. Only country in the world where a player performing at an elite level in the national league wouldn't even be considered for a place and all because of the British centric mentality that Irish football has.

I'm suprised more LOI fans have absolutely no time for the National team.

As far as I'm concerned a stronger picking players based on players playing in National League culture is needed. If a player is playing in the lower divisions of English football he shouldn't be considered over a player in LOI. Couldn't even imagine Norway picking English second division players.

Seriously, have you ever even been to a foreign country? Watched football there, spoken to their fans? 'Only in Ireland, only in Ireland, only in Ireland.' Get over it - it's arse. Where I live, the biggest club is an hours journey away, and every football fan I know supports Chelsea/Arsenal and/or one of the Prague teams (about 2 hours away). You reckon China's domestic clubs get the same interest that AC Milan or Barcelona do? You think the Malaysian national side is selling out their games when Man Utd aren't in town? Look at the Slovakian national side - they pick players from West Brom, AC Cesena (Serie B) and FC Mainz (only just promoted from 2. Bundesliga, the Slovak captain has played for them for 2 years).

I agree with your point about the LOI, it's neglected by the national team and deserves more focus when it comes to picking players. There are talented players in the league - Fahey being the most recent example (as well as Murphy, although I'm mostly basing that on what people on here say). But please lose the deluded self-hating idea that this is specifically an Irish phenomenon. It's not. Other countries follow foreign teams ahead of their own leagues, and other countries pick players in higher quality leagues ahead of their own domestic leagues. It's a shame, and you're right to be annoyed about it as a die-hard LOI fan, but it's not just an Irish thing.

Back on topic - watched the game on a poor stream, but Fahey looked dangerous and tenacious, as well as looking very comfortable on the ball. Definitely didn't look out of his depth at EPL level.