Liam Miller

[irishultra]

I've always thought of Miller as the type of player who'll never win you a game but he'll never lose it for you either. He's your typical David Connolly esque kind of guy thats a mediocre premiership player for a lower half side or a stunning SPL/championship player who's probably destined to hop between both sides stuck in limbo between great successes and horrible failures.

But I think he's more than good enough for us as a squad player, I'd have no reservations about Miller coming off the bench, as far as I'm concerned there's very little between him and Whelan/Andrews/Gibson and I'd much rather someone reliable like him as an option than untested players who could turn out to be unreliables like Douglas or Alan Quinn were in the past.

he played in the championship and was rubbish, far from stunning. the spl is his level.

[dr_peepee]

he played in the championship and was rubbish, far from stunning. the spl is his level.

I dunno. He played in a promotion winning team at Sunderland and got to the Play offs with Leeds. He's a good Championship player at best.

[jbyrne]

he played in the championship and was rubbish, far from stunning. the spl is his level.

he palyed in the champions lge and was very good on a few occasions

[tiktok]

I dunno. He played in a promotion winning team at Sunderland and got to the Play offs with Leeds. He's a good Championship player at best.

SPL/Lower regions of Championship would be similar enough, I don't think he'd add much to a club chasing promotion to the Premiership. He's not a bad player, but he's never going to set the world alight.

he palyed in the champions lge and was very good on a few occasions

That's true, but it is a good while ago in fairness. He never really reached what those few games promised after he did the bench rotation bit a Old Trafford.

I can't see him ever getting back on the Irish Team [the occasional squad appearance maybe] but with McCarthy, Meyler, Andrews, Whelan, Gibson all promising more [or of a little more ability, playing at a higher level, age in their favour] he's not likely to break into the first team again.

[Murfinator]

More promising perhaps but better right now? Debatable. McCarthy has made 1 premiership start, Gibson has been at the centre of some horrible MU performances lately, both whelan and andrews have been dropped. Steven Reid is as ever a ticking injury time bomb.

You simply can't dismiss the option of Miller, it'd be foolish.

[twoenz]

Trap sees something in Miller. If he's good enough to give a game to when he didn't have a club, why would he turn around and not pick him when he gets a club?

And the 2 friendlies that we've lined up at the minute, against Argentina and Brazil, aren't really the ones that you want to be playing the second string against. I'd love to see some experimentation, but there's no chance that the bean counters in the FAI are going to be allowing any of the big guns being left out in either game. We'll need a few games in June against some mid ranking World Cup teams to get new players capped, so Miller's a shoe in for the start of the campaign.

[Charlie Darwin]

Miller has talent, undoubtedly, but his concentration levels seem to be below par. He has vision and an ability to pick a pass that no other Irish midfielder has (not even Andy Reid) but he doesn't have the all-round game to match. Perhaps he's decided to pull his socks up and his 30s will see him become a quality player, but the clock is ticking.

[SilkCut]

Miller has talent, undoubtedly, but his concentration levels seem to be below par. He has vision and an ability to pick a pass that no other Irish midfielder has (not even Andy Reid) but he doesn't have the all-round game to match. Perhaps he's decided to pull his socks up and his 30s will see him become a quality player, but the clock is ticking.

This is actually quite a reasonable point, he can pass, to say he is a better passer than Andy Reid is questionable, but I agree he can pass - he just can't get himself into a position to do so regularly enough. I wont go back into the rest of his faults and failings but I will say that the last part of your post is disappointing, we have been saying stuff like that for years, he has had enough chances.

[Carrigaline]

Scored today.

[yapster]

Millar has had enough chances to prove himself over the years and failed. He is not going to improve at the age he is. He seems to hide in games and lacks courage to express himself in the game.

[Murfinator]

That'd be an accurate description of Gibson, I wouldn't agree with that on Miller. The rare occasions he has been given an international chance I thought he's been relatively ambitious and tried to make an impact. Thinking especially of a fantastic through ball for Duff in a recent friendly (against who escapes me), his overall dominance against Nigeria and that lobbing wondergoal against Sweden. I don't think he shys away from the game.

The stuff this forum throws at Liam Miller at times baffles me. He's a good player, nobody is calling him world class or anything but it appears some people won't rest until the name of Liam Miller is tarnished into the ground and any sort of praise directed at him is taken as a personal insult by these people.

Someone want to explain why that is to me?

[yapster]

At United they called him Wendy Millar

[SilkCut]

That'd be an accurate description of Gibson, I wouldn't agree with that on Miller. The rare occasions he has been given an international chance I thought he's been relatively ambitious and tried to make an impact. Thinking especially of a fantastic through ball for Duff in a recent friendly (against who escapes me), his overall dominance against Nigeria and that lobbing wondergoal against Sweden. I don't think he shys away from the game.

The stuff this forum throws at Liam Miller at times baffles me. He's a good player, nobody is calling him world class or anything but it appears some people won't rest until the name of Liam Miller is tarnished into the ground and any sort of praise directed at him is taken as a personal insult by these people.

Someone want to explain why that is to me?

Its because we all know what he is capable of, like you say at the start of your post he has done some really good stuff in the past. However there is absolutely no consistency in his game. He only performs well when he feels like it. That says (to me at least) that he is not a team player, he is absolutely not someone you can rely on, I would always worry what Liam Miller was going to show up. I know there has been lots of players who could seem to not even be on the pitch for long periods of time then out of no-where win the game for their team. Ian Wright for example would be annonymous for 89 minutes but still score the winner, he however did that week in week out, Miller is capable of that but never got that consistency into his game where the players around him knew what to expect. He is like El Hadji Diouf he will win a game for you every now and then when he feels like it.
You are right Murf he is not world class and nobody is saying that, what people (you included) are saying is that he is good enough to play for Ireland - he isn't - the praise he is getting for his performances this season are well deserved, he is performing very well, but it is in the new version of the SPL a league which is no better than the LOI even including Celtic and Rangers it is not a lot better. We as Irish people would have more interest in the SPL than most, most of us remember it when players like Laudrup, Gazza, Larsson, Albertz, Gattusso, Lennon, Lambert, McStay, Collins, Gough, Viduka, Sutton, Flo, Robertson, Hartson, Moravcik, McCoist and many many more were playing there now there is Boruc, McGeady and Kris Boyd with perhaps Fleck at Rangers and Stokes who are capable of playing at a much higher level. The standard has dropped dramatically since the collapse of Setanta. Just because a player is playing well at Hibernian does not warrant inclusion in an internation squad - would you call up Billy Mehmet, Sean Dillon or any of the other Irish journeymen playing there?

Miller has found his level Murfinator and fair play to the guy but its SPL it is NOT international.

[Acornvilla]

the way people talk about internaqtional standard here is stupid.. you would swear we were spain not some small 4.5 million populated country.. milliar is good enough to be in the squad!!

people give out to yapster for being negative all the time.. well some of ye are giving him a run for his money lately.. especially at liams expence

[yapster]

Its because we all know what he is capable of, like you say at the start of your post he has done some really good stuff in the past. However there is absolutely no consistency in his game. He only performs well when he feels like it. That says (to me at least) that he is not a team player, he is absolutely not someone you can rely on, I would always worry what Liam Miller was going to show up. I know there has been lots of players who could seem to not even be on the pitch for long periods of time then out of no-where win the game for their team. Ian Wright for example would be annonymous for 89 minutes but still score the winner, he however did that week in week out, Miller is capable of that but never got that consistency into his game where the players around him knew what to expect. He is like El Hadji Diouf he will win a game for you every now and then when he feels like it.
You are right Murf he is not world class and nobody is saying that, what people (you included) are saying is that he is good enough to play for Ireland - he isn't - the praise he is getting for his performances this season are well deserved, he is performing very well, but it is in the new version of the SPL a league which is no better than the LOI even including Celtic and Rangers it is not a lot better. We as Irish people would have more interest in the SPL than most, most of us remember it when players like Laudrup, Gazza, Larsson, Albertz, Gattusso, Lennon, Lambert, McStay, Collins, Gough, Viduka, Sutton, Flo, Robertson, Hartson, Moravcik, McCoist and many many more were playing there now there is Boruc, McGeady and Kris Boyd with perhaps Fleck at Rangers and Stokes who are capable of playing at a much higher level. The standard has dropped dramatically since the collapse of Setanta. Just because a player is playing well at Hibernian does not warrant inclusion in an internation squad - would you call up Billy Mehmet, Sean Dillon or any of the other Irish journeymen playing there?

Miller has found his level Murfinator and fair play to the guy but its SPL it is NOT international.

Spot on..

[dong]

Spot on..

Yes. Spot on.
Liam Millar is a very similar player to Wright and Diouf.

[yapster]

Yes. Spot on.
Liam Millar is a very similar player to Wright and Diouf.

actually no your right. those two are better players than Millar imo

[Acornvilla]

well wright is the second highest scorer in arsenals history so its a bit of a stupid comparison and also himself and diouf play diffrent positions to miller so silly comparisons atleast get someone playing the same position

[SilkCut]

well wright is the second highest scorer in arsenals history so its a bit of a stupid comparison and also himself and diouf play diffrent positions to miller so silly comparisons atleast get someone playing the same position

Good God why do people not read posts properly, the comparison is clearly between the attitudes of the players mentioned not the positions or skill levels. It was in response to a question asking why I have such an issue with Miller. It is his attitude, he only plays well when he feels like it which was exactly what Wright did except he contributed in every game he played even if only for a short period of time, Diouf and Miller only contribute sporadically and therefore can not be relied upon. I have stated many times that Miller has talent he just does not use it and is unlikely to start now as he is 29 and his habits will be difficult to change. I could not think of a central midfielder as similar in skill and attitude as Miller but if it helps you understand where I am coming from think of Alan Mahon or Stephen McPhail both incredibly talented but ultimately unable to use those talents to any consistent effect. Neither of those guys got the oppourtunities Miller has been given, and I hate to critise either of them because of that, especially McPhail because of the issues the poor guy is dealing with now. I hope this helps you Acornvilla.

[Acornvilla]

yep still think he doesnt deserve the flack he gets thou