Yes
No
A lot of games he has been playing basically as a second striker, similar to the role Gerrard generally plays with Liverpool, so to call him a "midfielder" may be a bit generous at this stage, although he can and does player deeper on occasion.Originally Posted by TrapAPony
Well, he's still young. Who knows what might happen down the line. I think most here would accept Stephen Ireland back even though he's said he feels nothing playing for us. O'Hara's comment about feeling English AND Irish is enough for me to give him leeway. If Fabio doesn't answer his tweets then he'll be a nice option for us, though I do hope the younger lads coming through will be enough in that regard. He's a player I really like though.
Plus he's probably the best player in the league.
Really??
Although at the time McAteer joined up with us (i.e 94), Ireland (was probably the only time in recent memory) the more attractive option than England for a player eligible for both countries.
Is that actually true? I don't recall Kilbane ever being called up by England or any stories of them showing an interest. Wasn't he playing for Preston when he debuted for us? I know there's a lot of KK fans out there but I've honestly never much rated the guy. Funny how he seems to be held in such high regard, whereas Mcgeady - a clearly more talented individual who genuinely could have walked in to the team of his birth country - gets so much flak
he was called into an England underage squad, and turned it down. While some players have regarded international football as a distraction from the club game, or a nuisance to be avoided, he's one of the few who genuinely enjoys playing for his country. Despite his lack of ability, he's amassed over 100 caps, playing in a variety of positions, and has never (to the best of my knowledge) refused a call up to the squad.Is that actually true? I don't recall Kilbane ever being called up by England or any stories of them showing an interest. Wasn't he playing for Preston when he debuted for us? I know there's a lot of KK fans out there but I've honestly never much rated the guy. Funny how he seems to be held in such high regard, whereas Mcgeady - a clearly more talented individual who genuinely could have walked in to the team of his birth country - gets so much flak
We could do with a few more like him.
Excerpt from a Kilbane interview
You were born in England, but consider yourself Irish. Has that always been the case?
It has been a bit of a joke over the years, that you just need to a have a pint of Guinness to get called up to the squad, but I think that a lot of the English-born lads in the squad have a strong affinity to Ireland. When I was growing up, I always felt like I had a strong link, both my parents are Irish so I always felt close to the country. I had the chance to play for England at a youth level but turned down the chance because I always felt connected to Ireland.’
also
http://findarticles.com/p/news-artic.../ai_n38912187/
"Despite being English-born, Kilbane was always fiercely proud of his roots. Nobetter example of that came at Preston North End, when an excited Sam Allardycetold a young Kilbane he had been selected for England Schoolboys.
Kilbanes response to his flabbergasted manager was straight forward: Why wouldI want to play for England? Im Irish."
Not many left sided players in England so it's not a huge surprise.
Last edited by MuckaTucka; 14/04/2010 at 3:33 PM.
Criticism is prejudice made plausible
If that's the case then repect to him. I've made it quite obvious I'm more than a little sceptical of the plastic brigade but if he sincerely grew up considering himself Irish and not hedging his bets on the issue then I'm happy to consider him so too. Different situation certainly to someone with one Irish grandparent pulling on the green shirt because they cant see anything better coming along.
The reason I've been a bit dubious about KK is this, possibly apocryphal, story about his playing an England youth trial game but not really trying. I can't really imagine a professional footballer doing that. I remember reading in Alex Ferguson's biography about Nicky Butt refusing pointblank to ever consider an interest from the Scotland youth set-up despite his insistence and if someone can stand up to Fergie like that Big Sam's got to be a pushover in comparison
According to Trap and the Irish Times, Kyle Naughton is set to switch his allegiance.....
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...269160310.html
Others are in the pipeline, he said, with work on securing international clearance for "two or three" English-born players to switch their allegiance already underway. Kyle Naughton, the Tottenham defender who has been on loan at Middlesbrough recently, he said, is one, while Jamie O'Hara, remains a possible recruit.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
similar report in today's Independent: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...n-2153640.html
I have already said, (Jamie) O'Hara, ok, we wait until after the World Cup. Those in this squad now are the players for whom documentation and procedures have already been put through but there are others for whom that has started. Also, Kyle Naughton. Marco (Tardelli) speaks with two or three and they say 'we wish to come'.
Do you think you will be adding them to the irish abroad section like you added Colin Green?
I hope so!
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
Ok, cool
More about it here on the Examiner:
http://irishexaminer.com/sport/socce...ns-118281.html
Me wonders who the 7 are?
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
I would reckon Simon Cox ,Naughton, ( O'Hara ) Ambrose, Nolan has been on fire lately! and maybe some total random guys sure who the hell knew about Paul Green!Ok, cool
More about it here on the Examiner:
http://irishexaminer.com/sport/socce...ns-118281.html
Me wonders who the 7 are?
Gary O'Neil and I would definetly go with Kilgallon ( I remember reading he approached Stan 3 years back ) I would like to see Jonjo Shelvey but apparently he snubbed a approached from Brady before the France games.
We should probably dial down our aspirations a bit here. Naughton is a young lad who is very much on the England team's radar, and Gary Cahill even has an outside chance of making the World Cup squad. I'd be delighted to see that calibre of player declare for us, but it's more likely to be the likes of Paul Green and Martin Rowlands who can do a job, albeit an unexceptional one.
The list of players has been posted many a time on this site, but heck, one more time wont kill. It has to be from this list, I cant think of anymore. (I said the same about Paul Green)
Gary Cahill (Bolton)
Mark Noble (West Ham)
Kyle Naughton (Tottenham)
Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland)
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)
Jamie O'Hara (Portsmouth)
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham)
Matt Kilgallon (Sheff United)
Matt Connolly (QPR)
Hogan Ephraim (QPR)
Adam Hammill (Barnsley)
Andy Lonergan (Preston)
Kevin McCann (Hibernian)
Zander Diamond (Aberdeen)
Darren Ambrose (Crystal Palace)
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
A case of quantity above quality. We have a number of exciting young talents coming through. It really would be a shame if any of the aforementioned names are fast tracked into the international squad at the expense of our up and coming players.
Those in bold would be useful IMO. Simon Cox (WBA) is also eligible.
If the marriage ruling still exists Matt Derbyshire of Olympiakos is eligible. Although Paul Butler wasn't the best, he used this ruling to play for us back in 2000.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2000/0223/soccer.html
Fairly sure Gary O'Neil of Middlesbrough is eligible too.
Last edited by TrapAPony; 28/04/2010 at 8:58 AM.
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