Yes
No
O'Hara puts Wolves 1 up against WBA. Is that deserving of a flag?Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
interesting interview with O H'ara with talksport stating that he is not sure wether he qualifies to play for us, but if he receives a call, might well take that opportunity.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/spo...public-ireland
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/spo...public-ireland
Asked about international future
Asked would he like to play for Republic of Ireland"Yeah, I mean I don't know what the scenario is to be honest because, em, I mean they asked me before and there was something where I couldn't play and then its been changed recently, eh, something to do with playing in the Under 21's and you know I think the rules been changed. So I'm not sure whats been going on, obviously I've been injured for a while so I haven't really thought about it. But you know if I get a phone call then obviously its something I'll have to think about and discuss with my family because obviously everyone wants to play on the international stage. So I'm not sure whether I can play, I'm not 100% on the situation but I will definitely be interested."
Obviously.Yeah, I mean obviously all my family are Republic of Ireland, all live in Wicklow, so I've got a big Irish Family and they are always phoning me up, saying, come play for Ireland. But obviously through the young stages, I've always played for England, so you know I didn't want to be disrespectful and say I play for Ireland and I'm not 100%. Now I think the opportunity has come, I'm 24 years old. I'm playing Premier League football, hopefully on a regular basis so If I get the phone call then its something I'll look at.
Last edited by Closed Account; 21/02/2011 at 10:52 AM.
Wolves best player yesterday and a fairly honest interview. Would improve the team.
So he has finally realised that he won't be getting an England call up...
Good player but he was aware the rules had changed a year ago and he said then (SSN interview when out fishing I think) that he'd have to think about it.
I mean come on it's hardly taxing on the brain.
Do I want to play for Ireland?
YES. INFORM FAI.
or
NO. Hold out for an England call up. Lampard & Gerrard are starting to fall apart.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
Barry, Carrick, Parker, Wilshere, Henderson, Milner, Huddlestone and even Rodwell, Cattermole & Muamba would likely be ahead of him after that. Don't see him playing for England at all and I think he has finally woken up in that regard.
Last edited by TrapAPony; 21/02/2011 at 4:00 PM.
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
the one thing he has going for him in relation to an English call up is that he is a ciotóg. Not too many of those knocking around the English midfield. I dont think a big enough deal to get him a call up though. i think he will end up playing for us soon going on those quotes.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Assuming the whole agent looking for a guaranteed starting berth was either about Noble or was just another Trapattoni misunderstood interview, I'd still have reservations about calling up O'Hara.
Without going down the whole, "who should be representing the country?" route because its a can of worms,
any good manager would make sure that fasttracking someone like O'Hara into the squad didn't disrupt the squad dynamic. I'd definitely pass it by some of the more senior members or ask the captain to have a word with the squad.
I think it was Noel Hunt or someone who alluded to the fact that some of the Irish born players felt that a foreign born Irishman was more likely to be called up if it was a straight choice. This should never be the case. I mean Paul Green told the FAI that he qualified and he was in the next squad. Would the same work for Michael Doyle or Alan Dunne?
btw, in the case of "who should be representing the country?" debate, I'd prefer if we didn't have to call up the likes of O'Hara, Noble etc. At the end of the day, I feel the national team is representing me and people like me who've wanted to pull on a green shirt since I was 4 years old. And with 4 million people, we should have more than enough to put out a good side. But if O'Hara did get called up, I'd support him no less than Damian Duff, Kevin Kilbane or Clinton Morrison.
I feel a bit insulted by him now taking the 'I wasnt sure if I could play for Ireland or not' line if I'm honest, as well as being insulted by his repeated online pandering to Capello also while keeping the Ireland option nudged tactically open at all times, he knows well he is eligible, just didnt want to play for us untill it was a last resort.
Still, we are about to be represented by this guy I'd say looking at that interview. Cant say I want to be though.
I see your point, no good will come from booing him but I would just like Irish fans to send a message to these guys that Ireland as such a clearly distant second option is not what we want. Declare early, or leave it. I dont think thats unreasonable of us.
Yeah, I get the impression he's ready to board but probably wants to dilute his previous England politicking by feigning ignorance on the eligibility rules, talking up the Irish familia etc. Or maybe I'm just a cynic today. Anyway, "I will definitely be interested" is the likely 'come and get me' in that piece.
Not often Gareth Barry and "ahead" are used in the same sentence. Pacey player.
I can fully understand anyone not wanting O'Hara to get selected. I'm certain he would have chosen England if they had have selected him. But we would never have qualified for 1988, 1990, 1994, 2002 without players who almost certainly chose Ireland as a fall back option. The list is long and includes Cascarino, Houghton, Aldridge, Babb, Mcateer, Holland, Townsend and a few others. We have an Irish born Premiership player who does not want to play for Ireland. Its not a perfect situation but I'd rather see us qualify with players who "come late" to their Irish roots and put everything in than not qualify with inferior players.
Not spliting hairs but Babb was quoted in a programme at Millwall when he was a youth player as wanting to play for Ireland as one of his ambitions and Houghton, while he probably would have taken a cap had Scotland called him up, always harboured Irish ambitions from what I've read.
But your point stands although O'Hara has been so up front about his English ambitions it would stick in my craw.....
England also made a play for McAteer.
The lad was born and bred in England. Its natural that he would want to play for the country of his birth. He obviously has family here and therefore a certain amount of affinity with Ireland. If he did play for Ireland, I'm quite sure he would find it an honour to represent the country of his ancestors. I don't think he should be castigated for wanting to play for his birth country.
Always look on the bright side of life
From a pure pragmatic point of view, and putting emotions aside, if O'Hara declares it will certainly reinforce our midfield. Of all the potential players who could or might declare he is the one who we most badly need. He is only 24 and with the number of exciting young midfielders that we have, he could prove a midfield general at least in the short term. I think it's also worth mentioning that with the tragedy of emigration back again, and worse than ever, we will all have to become more accepting of players living abroad who will or might want to represent us.
I appreciate that it's far too easy to be negative about this character, but féck, it's hard to be positive.
"Yeah, I mean I don't know what the scenario is to be honest because, em, I mean they asked me before and there was something where I couldn't play and then its been changed recently, eh, something to do with playing in the Under 21's and you know I think the rules been changed."
The FAI have already asked him did he want to declare and told him he was eligible because of the change in the rules. That doesn't appear to made to have made much impact on his psyche as he can hardly remember it.
"So I'm not sure whats been going on, obviously I've been injured for a while so I haven't really thought about it."
He was in the Portsmouth team at the time (spring 2010), playing the injury excuse card does not cut the mustard.
"But you know if I get a phone call then obviously its something I'll have to think about and discuss with my family because obviously everyone wants to play on the international stage"
The FAI have already asked him to declare, surely the next step is up him.
"So I'm not sure whether I can play, I'm not 100% on the situation"
Jesus wept, still not sure of his eligibility? maybe if Jamie was a teeny weeny bit interested he might have listened to the FAI representative and out of respect, already given it a bit of thought.
Houghton and Aldridge needed the time for an intake of breath before replying to their invitation.
"Now I think the opportunity has come"
I suspect the opportunity has already gone.
If he now wants to pursue playing for Ireland, then let him contact the FAI and make himself available.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...l-2550030.html
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ll-146107.html
My question is, what excatly is his irish links? Mother? Ol'lad?
How far back etc etc
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks