Irish players playing in other European Leagues.

**irishultra** · 04/05/2009, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Yard of Pace

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.

Like Kevin Doyle, his style would be excellent for the Bundesliga, I was looking at the Bremen forward line and Doyle could well start for them. Hunt is another one imo who I would love to see play in Germany.

**dr_peepee** · 05/05/2009, 9:34 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

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

The man never drank a Duff in his life!!

**endabob1** · 05/05/2009, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

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.

Aldo did well in Spain for a couple of years, was a big favourite with the Basques. Cass had a good run albeit in the second tier in France & quite a few others had stints in France/Spain just before Italia 90
John Byrne & Frank Stapleton were at Le Harve don't know what level they were at at the time
Moran did a couple of years in Sporting Gijon - Again, not sure whether they were La Liga or not at the time
McCarthy was at Lyon for a very short spell before coming back to Milwall
Then there was Connolly's spell at Feyenoord & Excelcisor
Apart from those the recent moves for Harte & Finnan there was Keane's short stay with Inter & a few lower profile moves, Foley in Belguim with Genk & Now Brugge I believe, Babb & Mahon's ill fated joining of the Souness fiasco in Portugal at Sporting.
So there's been quite a few who've dabbled but not many with a lot of success

**Stuttgart88** · 05/05/2009, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Umberside

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.

Finnan was a regular at Liverpool FFS, playing in two CL finals. He was injured pretty much throughout his whole time in Spain and he went there very late in his career. I think some proper perspective is required.

**Supreme feet** · 05/05/2009, 1:14 PM

I remember reading somewhere that Harte was a crowd favourite at Levante, but my mind could be deceiving me.

I think it would be great to see more Irish lads trying their luck further afield - it seems a pity that players like McPhail, Partridge, Barrett, Potter and other 'great white hopes' saw no alternative other than to drop down through the English and Scottish leagues after leaving big clubs. Surely playing for mid-table teams in France, Holland or Germany would aid their development (particularly for international football), rather than plodding away in the Championship, SPL and League One, where it's very easy to disappear into obscurity and anonymity. I think Irish lads should be a bit more ambitious/greedy, and get their agents to actually earn their money.

However, we also need to convince Continental scouts that we're producing technically good players. Until results really improve in Europe for our domestic sides, that's a hard ask; though it was encouraging to hear that Hertha Berlin were sniffing around after Fahey last September.

**Umberside** · 05/05/2009, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Finnan was a regular at Liverpool FFS, playing in two CL finals. He was injured pretty much throughout his whole time in Spain and he went there very late in his career. I think some proper perspective is required.

I said they were out of their depth. Finnan was a fantastic player, I meant he doesn't play in most games so they have a better player than him at Espanyol. I was saying his move didn't work, not that he's old and crap.

**Dodge** · 05/05/2009, 1:35 PM

From an earlier post, both Irish lads at the Italian Serie C side have left. One was indeed Mickey Collins (whio was previously with Liverpool) - he's Eamon Collins' son. Both players are currently raining with LOI sides with a view to signing in July

**tetsujin1979** · 05/05/2009, 2:32 PM

Originally Posted by Umberside

I said they were out of their depth. Finnan was a fantastic player, I meant he doesn't play in most games so they have a better player than him at Espanyol. I was saying his move didn't work, not that he's old and crap.

He doesn't play because he's injured, not because the starting right full is better than him

**Umberside** · 05/05/2009, 3:38 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

He doesn't play because he's injured, not because the starting right full is better than him

Oh yeah I forgot that. I was wondering why he's only played four league games this season

**zackmorris** · 05/05/2009, 9:48 PM

any idea who mccormack and collins are training with in the LOI?

**irishultra** · 05/05/2009, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by endabob1

Aldo did well in Spain for a couple of years, was a big favourite with the Basques. Cass had a good run albeit in the second tier in France & quite a few others had stints in France/Spain just before Italia 90
John Byrne & Frank Stapleton were at Le Harve don't know what level they were at at the time
Moran did a couple of years in Sporting Gijon - Again, not sure whether they were La Liga or not at the time
McCarthy was at Lyon for a very short spell before coming back to Milwall
Then there was Connolly's spell at Feyenoord & Excelcisor
Apart from those the recent moves for Harte & Finnan there was Keane's short stay with Inter & a few lower profile moves, Foley in Belguim with Genk & Now Brugge I believe, Babb & Mahon's ill fated joining of the Souness fiasco in Portugal at Sporting.
So there's been quite a few who've dabbled but not many with a lot of success

In fairness I don't think there are near enough players who leave Ireland move outside of the UK to gauge whether or not our players suit playing on the continent or not, like unless we are the most culturally dependant nation on the planet(with the uk) it shouldn't be that hard to adapt really, plus i'm sure if the same amount of players who go the uk went to germany for example we would see many players making teams there, in fact i'm nearly certain many LOI players would do well in Bundesliga. ah well, the 'dream' will have to remain in my ireland football manager database.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/05/2009, 9:01 PM

I met a board member of 1860 Munich on Monday. I asked him about Joe Kendrick. He had to think long & hard. "Ah, yes, Kendrick. He wasn't really any good was he?"

I did my bit and said there were far better players in Ireland to look at!

**irishultra** · 06/05/2009, 10:56 PM

WTF. legend did you tell him he's playing in Azerbaijan or something now?

**Dodge** · 06/05/2009, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by zackmorris

any idea who mccormack and collins are training with in the LOI?

Collins is training with Pats

**sadloserkid** · 08/05/2009, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Collins is training with Pats

Is one of those players mentioned not looking to go on trial with Udinese or some such?

Also Cascarino scored plenty of goals in the French top tier too with Nancy.

**Dodge** · 08/05/2009, 11:53 AM

They might be looking to go on trial at Udinese, but they're in ireland at the moment, and they didn't exactly set Serie C on fire...

**eirebhoy** · 08/05/2009, 5:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

They might be looking to go on trial at Udinese, but they're in ireland at the moment, and they didn't exactly set Serie C on fire...

Serie B.

Both only 18 as well in fairness.

**Stuttgart88** · 08/05/2009, 6:00 PM

Originally Posted by sadloserkid

Also Cascarino scored plenty of goals in the French top tier too with Nancy.

Is she the one who accused him of assault?

**Closed Account** · 08/05/2009, 8:53 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Is she the one who accused him of assault?

Brilliant :-)

**irishultra** · 20/05/2009, 11:23 PM

omg its actually a bit depressing when you think about the reliance we have on england in this country.

this post on boards.ie kinda made me think of this thread.

Why not? We have never had a league system in this country that coud accomodate our top players. We don't even have a youth system to develop players to the standard that they have attained across the water. The history of Irish players travelling to England and playing in the English football league system is older than the European Cup. It should be allowed to continue. While we are a separate country, in soccer terms we have always been part of the English league system, all the best players have always played there.
History and the current state of the other football leagues in the British Isles is enough for me to believe that this should continue

depressing.