Jeez, maybe OWC posters are correct. Maybe we are insecure, paranoid and irrational rats who can't quite handle our women!Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Had missed this piece by John Fallon the other week: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31156636.html
He's fairly critical of O'Neill's comments and handling of the situation.
That seems kind of flimsy to me. The whole article is centered around O'Neill saying this:
"I've been involved close to 18 months now, if he was available to us he would have quite surely. . . regardless of not getting starts at Aston Villa, we'd have had enough friendly games that he would have had an opportunity to make an impact at senior level, if he'd been with us from the start"
O'Neill may have meant that he would have probably got an opportunity in one of the friendlies during the period Grealish has been on his break from international duty. The fact that he says "regardless of not getting starts at Aston Villa" kind of proves this is the period he was talking about, not when he was on loan in League One or playing for our U21's. So basically the next six paragraphs are pointless, as O'Neill probably wasn't referring to that period. I know techincially Grealish was with us at the start, but he hasn't been with us from the start, which implies he's been there all the way through.
It does seem unfortunate that O'Neill and/or Keane don't attend the U21 games but I suppose they'd be extremely busy with the senior team more often than not on those dates?
He talks about Staunton calling up Terry Dixon as if Dixon has vindicated the decision by coming a world class player or something. Robbie Keane was a totally different scenario too, firstly it was an area we were short and secondly Keane was playing at a higher level than Grealish, and generally causing more of a stir than Grealish during his time in League One.
How does he know that the interest from Chelsea and Tottenham was "genuine interest", and so what anyway? Big clubs sign kids that turn out to do nothing all the time.
Last edited by DeLorean; 30/04/2015 at 11:26 AM.
I think you're right. Grealish became officially unavailable as soon there was talk of him being promoted to the senior team. I took it to mean that he would always have been unavailable for a senior call-up; obviously, it only became apparent to us once the prospect arose. The fact his declaration of unavailability also coincided with contract negotiations and an effort to break into the Villa first team beclouded things, or provided him with a "get-out", but I certainly don't think it is fair to portray it as a case of him having been available for a senior call-up at one point in time but being then unwanted or ignored by the senior management. Or is it? If Martin had called him up for, say, the competitive Georgia game last September, would he have accepted the invitation?
Well I suppose it's an important distinction (and one I kind of forgot myself) that he wasn't really taking the time out to concentrate on his club career ahead of playing international football, but ahead of decided who he would prefer to play international football with. So, no, I don't think he would have accepted any call up from us, and certainly not one that was forever binding. O'Neill has been speaking to the guy, I find it a bit ridiculous that these journalists just fill in the gaps and come to their own conclusions about what he should and shouldn't be doing. Just like their English counterparts, none of them were too bothered before Grealish made the headlines at Wembley.
Martin Samuel responds to some of the comments that were left under his article in the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...h-English.html
Not had any response from him to what I wrote myself, although I was assured it would be passed on to him.
Ouch.
"Hopefully" is not a firm declaration of anything.
Didnt think i implied it was
But agree - most certainly far from a definite
but please god he will be..........hopefully....
Don't worry. I'm not losing any sleep, nor did I particularly expect him to respond to me personally anyway, just in case that's how you interpreted what I'd written. I was simply clarifying that I was informed by the Daily Mail's corrections department that they would pass what I wrote on to him. I had no further expectations beyond that.
It wasn't a declaration of binding commitment, but it was a declaration of intent. That would naturally exclude other possible options (assuming he wasn't engaging in deceit). His father has also clarified that his plans to be back playing with us in September remain unchanged.
Grealish's assist for Cleverley versus West Ham yesterday:
Grealish was quality throughout the game. A real talent not even remotely phased by playing at a high level.
Yes, but is it good news?
That is the question.
Bit like Macbeth.
"To be, or not to be, that is the question—"
Can't believe you wrote that....
You're supposed to call it The Scottish Play, in preparation for June. Or is that just in the theatre?
Last edited by Eminence Grise; 11/05/2015 at 5:46 PM.
Hello, hello? What's going on? What's all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here!
- E Tattsyrup.
Interesting that Jack Grealishs football agency is Stellar Group, co-owned by a Jonathan Barnett. The same Barnett who said
“Why should we take any notice of comments from people who don’t know what they are talking about – and from people who have failed in management,”
during the week about another of his charges, Gareth Bale.
I'm thinking if Jack really wants to play for us he will accept a call-up for the game against Scotland. Would someone who supposedly wants to play for Ireland not give their right arm to be involved in such a match???
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
I really hope Keane is on the bench for the Scotland game, unless he is fully fit for more than two weeks and shows something in the England friendly. He has been carted around enough lately without being half-fit at the same time. It's a great move going to the MLS at his age but he's been travelling halfway around the world for Intl. games for 3 or 4 years now and it's only viable for so long. It's taking its toll now.
So Dunphy now wades in http://foot.ie/threads/200872-RTE-Du...-Jack-Grealish
I thought he would use just the Hoolahan situation to batter O'Neill but now he has found another stick in Grealish. As ever, the new manager is initially praised by both D & G and then slowly but surely the poison is spread.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
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