Irish players playing in other European Leagues.

**irishultra** · 23/04/2009, 8:42 PM

Is it his mum who is Irish?

**SkStu** · 23/04/2009, 9:02 PM

Originally Posted by irishultra

Is it his mum who is Irish?

no i think Tidim is a vey popular name in Conemara...

yeah its his mum. see here

also found this - seems a prospect and committed.
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=4208

**KildareFan** · 27/04/2009, 6:05 AM

Matt Cassidy formerly of Bolton Wanderers is currently playing in Cyprus

Represented Ireland at Under 17, Under 18 and Under 19

**Yard of Pace** · 27/04/2009, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by KildareFan

Matt Cassidy formerly of Bolton Wanderers is currently playing in Cyprus

Represented Ireland at Under 17, Under 18 and Under 19

http://www.hankins.org.uk/bwscl/blog/002205.shtml
Seems like he was quite the prospect. What happened???

**Yard of Pace** · 27/04/2009, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by joema

Collins is the lad who plays for Huddersfield. Are you thinking of him?

...

Michael Collins has been doing well for my team, Huddersfield, this season. He scored a winner against Leeds which has guaranteed him hero status for the next few months anyway. Scores goals from midfield for sure. Not sure how good he is but he's young and if Lee Clark can get us promoted next season, which I'm sure he will do, it'd be interesting to see how far he'll go. Not that we're short of midfield options with Maguire, McCarthy, Garvan etc.

**irishultra** · 03/05/2009, 8:18 PM

This is taken from a piece about Matt Derbyshire, an English player who plays for Blackburn but is on Loan at Olympiakos after he scored in the Greek cup final.

It might have pleased the more conservative of football pundits to see their theories about the Briton’s inability to blend in with the continental neighbourhood on the pitch, though the romantics and forward-thinkers will now consider Derbyshire’s integration into a rich and complex football culture as a success for his native home and adopted one.

I don't think as an Irish fan its wrong of me to at least want to see some of our players play elsewhere other than UK. Maby some of you who love the English League don't really know why or care, but personally I would like to see Irish players diversify a bit more.

**Colbert Report** · 03/05/2009, 9:27 PM

Originally Posted by irishultra

This is taken from a piece about Matt Derbyshire, an English player who plays for Blackburn but is on Loan at Olympiakos after he scored in the Greek cup final.

I don't think as an Irish fan its wrong of me to at least want to see some of our players play elsewhere other than UK. Maby some of you who love the English League don't really know why or care, but personally I would like to see Irish players diversify a bit more.

I hear you. I would love to see McGeady playing in Spain. Other than him I don't see any of our players fitting in for any teams in Spain, Italy or Germany.

**Umberside** · 03/05/2009, 9:28 PM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

I hear you. I would love to see McGeady playing in Spain. Other than him I don't see any of our players fitting in for any teams in Spain, Italy or Germany.

Steve Finnan and Ian Harte are examples of that. Both went to Spain after long careers in England but were completely out of their depth.

**irishultra** · 03/05/2009, 9:32 PM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

I hear you. I would love to see McGeady playing in Spain. Other than him I don't see any of our players fitting in for any teams in Spain, Italy or Germany.

But England and Germany basically have the identical playing styles. TBH I don't think we'll ever see Irish players play in any number in either Spain or Italy, they have their own football culture which tends to revolve around an influx of South Americans with southern European origin but if a few more of our players could play in Germany/Holland and France I would be happy. Its not as if its not probable, every so often particulary around Uefa Cup opening roads a League of Ireland player will be linked with a move to France or Holland, Liam Kearney being the last one I remember.

As I say its as a spectator I want this not for any deep footballing reasons. I don't think it would make us a better team overnight, getting a sustainable league for Irish players to stay in would be more beneficial.

**Colbert Report** · 03/05/2009, 9:35 PM

Originally Posted by irishultra

But England and Germany basically have the identical playing styles.

I really don't know so I can't offer an opinion on that. I don't watch enough German football to know the difference. The only thing I will say is that I don't know of any senior Irish squad player to make it on the continent, with the exception of Liam Brady.

**Wangball** · 03/05/2009, 9:39 PM

http://soccermanager.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33370

Anyone heard anything about the fella?? Apparently Lyon & Real Madrid are looking at him

**Colbert Report** · 03/05/2009, 9:40 PM

Originally Posted by Wangball

http://soccermanager.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33370

aNYONE

He's not Irish, he's Dutch.

**irishultra** · 03/05/2009, 9:42 PM

Do I smell another petition?

**Wangball** · 03/05/2009, 9:44 PM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

He's not Irish, he's Dutch.

He's as Irish as Aiden McGeady, Michael Collins, Selcuk Tidim or Matt Cassidy...all Irish qualified by virtue of parentage....all of who have been discussed in this thread and you've not raised any objection to them

There was a snippet of a piece on him in the Evening Herald a week ago confirming his parentage

**Wangball** · 03/05/2009, 9:45 PM

Originally Posted by irishultra

Do I smell another petition?

Not a petition, I am thinking of writing a song though...."The Ballad of Adam Maher"

**Colbert Report** · 03/05/2009, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Wangball

He's as Irish as Aiden McGeady, Michael Collins, Selcuk Tidim or Matt Cassidy...all Irish qualified by virtue of parentage....all of who have been discussed in this thread and you've not raised any objection to them

There was a snippet of a piece on him in the Evening Herald a week ago confirming his parentage

McGeady at least spent his childhood summers in Ireland. Adam Maher has never set foot on the Emerald Isle.

**tetsujin1979** · 03/05/2009, 10:24 PM

small mention in the herald here: http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/fa...e-1622179.html

Meanwhile, the FAI will investigate if Holland's latest young talent, midfielder Adam Maher, is eligible to play for the Republic. The 16-year-old, who has already been capped at U16 level by Holland, is attached to Dutch top-flight club AZ Alkmaar and was recently linked with a move to major French club Lyon.

**irishultra** · 03/05/2009, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

McGeady at least spent his childhood summers in Ireland. Adam Maher has never set foot on the Emerald Isle.

What the hell? Presumably Mahers parents are Irish, McGeady has distant Irish relatives. I'm not saying Maher is any more Irish but you can't say that McGeady is any more either. And how do you know he hasn't. He's only 15, I find it very hard to believe that with Irish parents he's never been to Ireland especially in the days of cheap flights.

**Yard of Pace** · 04/05/2009, 11:06 AM

That's an interesting one alright.

As an aside, I was just reading about Matt Derbyshire, the Blackburn striker, having great success on loan at Olympiakos. Instead of coming off the bench in the 80th minute for Big Sam to "put himself about" he's man of the match in the Greek cup final in front of 50,000 fans. He must be learning so much. Tyrone Mears at Marseille too, doing very well. There's a heap of our players who I think could do great things on the continent and it'd only help our national team to have such experience of different styles of play.
Just a thought.