Jack Byrne (M Dubai Irish (loan from Shamrock Rovers) b.1996)

**Diggs246** · 26/08/2021, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Robbie was a grandfather by that stage, after a long illustrious career with Galaxy, one that was even worthy of a statue in his honour.

Really? I knew becks got a statue, but did robbie get one?

**mark12345** · 26/08/2021, 4:37 PM

Mexican league would be slightly stronger in my opinion but the gap is closing. MLS is improving year in year out and at this point in time has supplied European leagues with a decent amount of talent

**pineapple stu** · 26/08/2021, 4:48 PM

Originally Posted by mark12345

MLS at this point in time has supplied European leagues with a decent amount of talent

Has it?

A couple of decent youngsters have come from the MLS for sure (Alphonso Davies a good recent example), but that should the case of any league. They go to Europe to finish development and that doesn't really reflect the standard of the MLS. The number of players who left the MLS for Europe last year was tiny for example, and that includes some retirees returning home (Rooney and Zlatan the obvious two).

I think that list of transfers argues quite strongly against the idea that the MLS is supplying European leagues with a decent amount of talent. The 2019 list isn't much better.

**irishfan86** · 27/08/2021, 5:08 AM

It�s just a bit of a strange league in that there can be a range of salaries and talents that you rarely see in a European league. Every team has its stars, but in MLS, that gap in pay and quality is huge. The Vancouver Whitecaps just recruited Scotsman Ryan Gauld who was considered one of the best players in the Portuguese league and wanted by Norwich this summer. He�s 25 and in his prime and came to Vancouver for the money. Three goals in three games arriving mid season with no match fitness and could definitely play at a higher level.

Then you�ve got guys on the fringe of the starting lineup who are quite inexperienced or journeymen that might find it tough to get regular minutes in League 1 or 2.

I am based in Vancouver and don�t watch much LoI so my knowledge is limited to Byrne�s Ireland appearances. I was impressed vs Bulgaria and there�s definitely something about him. In MLS I think the challenge is he�s not enough star power to qualify as a Designated Player, and if he�s a bit injury prone, it might be a bad league for him due to the physicality and focus on more athletic players.

The reality is we are currently picking League 1 players in our squad. If Byrne went to MLS and did well, I believe he should be considered for selection.

**Colbert Report** · 03/09/2021, 12:51 PM

Released by APOEL FC today. He had twenty-one months left on a twenty-nine month contract.

**tetsujin1979** · 29/04/2022, 10:05 AM

Good interview with Alan Cawley

**paul_oshea** · 29/04/2022, 11:59 AM

https://audioboom.com/posts/8073263-...ife-long-frien

Twitter doesn't work on a lot of firewalls so just provided the link directly.

**Eirambler** · 29/08/2025, 11:08 PM

Heading for the UAE third division at 29 years of age. An unserious move by an unserious player.

**seanfhear** · 30/08/2025, 3:11 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Heading for the UAE third division at 29 years of age. An unserious move by an unserious player.

Is there money to be made ?

**nigel-harps1954** · 30/08/2025, 4:27 AM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

Is there money to be made ?

Was a falling out with Stephen Bradley at Rovers. Presumably little in the way of money to Rovers but a big wage off the books.

**Eirambler** · 30/08/2025, 8:48 AM

It's actually the UAE fourth division, even worse than I thought.

**pineapple stu** · 30/08/2025, 9:00 AM

Yeah, the Third League but the fourth tier. By contrast, Kaleem Simon - ex UCD among a lot others, and a Montserrat international - was at Gulf United in the second tier last year.

It's a bizarre move. I presume there's money and/or his mates in it

**Eirambler** · 30/08/2025, 9:10 AM

There was so much hope for Jack 5 to 10 years ago, that he was going to be another Wes Hoolihan, only better. Where did it go wrong to the extent that he's been bombed out of Shamrock Rovers at 29?

As a teenager he spoke about how he was very keen to make a living for his whole family, to get them out of the financial difficulties they found themselves in after his dad died when Jack was 11. But there seems to have been numerous attitude and discipline issues that have framed his career.

I hope he has made enough money to have given them a better life, maybe that was the catalyst for the ill-fated move to Cyprus, but it feels like he has come up well short of the player that he could or maybe should have been.

**seanfhear** · 30/08/2025, 11:04 AM

Would there be any dodgy characters financing this carry-on ?

**D24Saint** · 30/08/2025, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

Would there be any dodgy characters financing this carry-on ?

Something doesn’t add up with the move tbh.

**nigel-harps1954** · 30/08/2025, 1:30 PM

He's getting a cheap holiday for a few months really.

**Razors left peg** · 30/08/2025, 1:33 PM

Some accountant is gonna be ****ed off that hes lost his place in the team

**Exgrad** · 01/09/2025, 1:21 PM

Stepehn Ward, of Whats app voice note fame, is their head of football, so premumably there is some money from wherever knocking about there:

https://trainingground.guru/ward-lea...ai-irish-role/

**Buckett** · 01/09/2025, 3:40 PM

https://www.dubaiirish.com/

Their website is absolute nonsense. It says they're amateur. It also says they provide a pathway from U4's to professional. It also says it's run entirely by volunteers.