Shane O'Neill(Colorado Rapids)

It appears that O'Neill stated to Balls.ie in 2013 that Noel King had been in touch with him, but that he turned down an invite because he was already in a US training camp: http://balls.ie/football/jurgen-klin...ior-usa-squad/

Originally Posted by Balls.ie

So why is he not playing for Ireland? We spoke to Shane back in May 2013 and even then it seemed he had his heart set on representing his adopted homeland. The O’Neill’s moved from Cork to Colorado when Darragh and Shane were young boys and although they returned to Ireland every summer, Shane told us that, away from home at least, he does feel more American.

My parents both come from Ireland, they lived there for 30 years, so it’s a very Irish culture at home. Around my friends though I feel American. It’s a bit of both I suppose.

That’s not to say Ireland weren’t interested. O’Neill was invited to train with the u-21’s a number of times but as a product of the American underage system, he decided to stay where he was and now, it must be said, that decision has born fruit.

I’ve talked to the Ireland Under-21 manager a few times and I was asked to go over for a few days of training before the game against Holland, but I was already in camp with the U.S team so it didn’t work out.

I’m just taking it in stride, I’ll see what opportunities come but I’m not going to close any doors, I’m up for anything. I’m not too worried about it right now. I’m just focused on paying with the U.S Under-20s and I’ll see what happens.

Here was the original interview from May of 2013: http://balls.ie/football/shane-oneill-interview/

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

It appears that O'Neill stated to Balls.ie in 2013 that Noel King had been in touch with him, but that he turned down an invite because he was already in a US training camp: http://balls.ie/football/jurgen-klin...ior-usa-squad/



Here was the original interview from May of 2013: http://balls.ie/football/shane-oneill-interview/

The thought of Mrs Brown attempting to try and convince someone to be one of her boys just about sums up the FAI!

Sunday Pub Team manager at best!

Originally Posted by the doc

The thought of Mrs Brown attempting to try and convince someone to be one of her boys just about sums up the FAI!

Sunday Pub Team manager at best!

Noel King? The lad was already in a US squad and seems to feel more American outside the home. Those were the reasons he gave for rejecting the invitation. Why do you automatically assume it's King's fault?

Besides, the FAI have convinced many talented dual nationals to play for us over the years, so it's not as if they're completely failing on the recruitment front. I mean, they even have a bit of a reputation amongst begrudgers and ignoramuses; we were often subjected to being called the "England 'B' team" over the years (someone check the recent head-to-head records...) and NI fans bitterly refer to us as "the Beggars", which, if meant completely neutrally, is utterly hypocritical and lacking in any sense of self-awareness, although I do suspect there's an added element of haughty and bigoted Chosen-People-type social supremacy underlying that as well.

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Noel King? The lad was already in a US squad and seems to feel more American outside the home. Those were the reasons he gave for rejecting the invitation. Why do you automatically assume it's King's fault

Klinsmann or Mrs Brown?

Who would you listen to?

Im a YDD!!!!!😉

To be honest, I'm not sure which of them; Klinsmann's twang is pretty hard to listen to as well!

In seriousness, I see your point, so I've emailed the FAI just to be certain he's on the radar and to suggest that maybe someone senior gets in touch with the lad. Let's hope my massive influence holds sway...

What's a YDD, by the way?

Im guessing Yankee Doodle Dandy?

A Yearning De-affiliated Defender, maybe?

I got a reply and my email has been forwarded on to the International Department for their attention.

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

I got a reply and my email has been forwarded on to the International Department for their attention.

The FAI International Department?




By now it seems that Klinsmann has called up just about every tom, dick and harry available to the USA's squad, for their past/future spate of friendlies.

'Ireland face missing out on rising US star Shane O'Neill': http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...eill-1.2099554

Originally Posted by Joseph D'Hippolito

O’Neill has spoken with Noel King, Ireland’s under-21 manager, “here and there” but “not a whole lot”. King had invited O’Neill to an under-21 camp before a 2013 friendly against the Netherlands, but at that point he was already training with the US under-20 team.

“I’ve never had any real contact with them, in terms of a call-up,” O’Neill said about the Irish national youth programme.

US manager Jurgen Klinsmann is also happy with O’Neill, who is young enough to play in next year’s Olympics, if the Americans qualify. “He’s a very important prospect for our Olympic team,” Klinsmann said. “He’s getting better one step at a time. It’s a real pleasure to work with him.”

O’Neill made Klinsmann’s 18-man match roster for the US’s last two friendlies. But despite never representing Ireland, O’Neill has not yet made a formal commitment to the US. “It’s down to whatever feels right for me,” he said. “When it comes, if I ever have to make that decision, I’ll know.”

Interesting comment beneath the article:

Originally Posted by Kevd

Shane O'Neill wrote to the FAI some time ago when he was starting out, told them he was Irish qualified and was playing in the MLS and that he wanted to be considered to play for Ireland. The FAI wrote back to him and said that if he wanted to pay his own way over for a trial he could do so. No wonder we have such a poor international team when they potentially leave a very good player slip away in such a poor fashion.

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Interesting comment beneath the article:

Shane O'Neill wrote to the FAI some time ago when he was starting out, told them he was Irish qualified and was playing in the MLS and that he wanted to be considered to play for Ireland. The FAI wrote back to him and said that if he wanted to pay his own way over for a trial he could do so. No wonder we have such a poor international team when they potentially leave a very good player slip away in such a poor fashion.

Meh, maybe they get hundreds of those letters from people around the world. It would cost too much to bring all of them over.

That said, he's trained in England during the MLS off-season at least twice, so they might have had a look at him then.

Originally Posted by osarusan

Meh, maybe they get hundreds of those letters from people around the world. It would cost too much to bring all of them over.

That said, he's trained in England during the MLS off-season at least twice, so they might have had a look at him then.

Yeah, that's a fair point about cost of travel. I'm pretty sure though he's even been to Ireland since he's "started out". The FAI have had plenty of opportunities to keep tabs, co-ordinate something and actually see him if they'd really wanted. He spoke of training with Cork City during at least one summer he was back home, didn't he?

I know it's a big place, but don't we have some sort of trustworthy figure, operating in an unofficial capacity even, who could help keep an eye on goings-on in the US? There are a few Ireland-eligible players playing in the MLS at present as well as O'Neill; there's Kovar, Neagle and Meara that we know of... I'd be surprised if there weren't others of whom we're not aware. Who watches Robbie, for example, to make sure he's still doing the business and not in any sort of swift decline before flying him over?

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Who watches Robbie, for example, to make sure he's still doing the business and not in any sort of swift decline before flying him over?

Balls.ie usually post a video when he scores, they probably have somebody checking that.

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

'Ireland face missing out on rising US star Shane O'Neill': http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...eill-1.2099554

The guy is in the US squad but he's not come close to whole-heartedly committing to them. To me, that's a clear indication that he would lean towards Ireland if the choice arose.

But it doesn't appear as if the FAI have come close to offering him the choice. Whilst, on the other hand, there were newspaper reports at the start of this season linking us with approaches to England under-21 Harry Kane even after he stated his goal was to earn a senior call-up.

Maybe I don't know what's going on in the background but I'm aware of the fact that this kid is bright, well-reared and from a humble background. Playing games with the media isn't in his blood. His mother's side are very, very tight-knit (all of his family gathers in Caherciveen to watch any televised Colorado Rapids games) so I'd imagine he'd take a leaf out of his uncle Maurice's book- a renownedly quiet chap who preferred to train on his own much of the time, even though he's the only footballer Kerry have produced in the last 20 years to hold a candle to Colm Cooper (I'd argue the battle for best Kerry forward of the last 20 years is closer than some would).

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

The guy is in the US squad but he's not come close to whole-heartedly committing to them. To me, that's a clear indication that he would lean towards Ireland if the choice arose.

Hmm, possible, but hard to know; his comments suggest he'd be as happy to play for one as he would be to play for the other as he feels a real affinity to both. It's also possible the only reason he has not yet committed to them is because he's not been given the opportunity to play in a senior competitive game.

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

The guy is in the US squad but he's not come close to whole-heartedly committing to them. To me, that's a clear indication that he would lean towards Ireland if the choice arose.

I think that's way too big a leap*. He doesn't know how the US thing is going to work out, so it would be foolish for him to burn bridges elsewhere. He said he feels more American around his friends, even though his family life is obviously more Irish. He refused a call up to Ireland underage because he was already involved with the US underage. If he felt as Irish as, say, Kevin Kilbane, it's possible he would have jumped at the chance offered by us at that stage. I get the feeling we're the number two option here, but I wouldn't be insulted by that in the slightest. If he actually is 50/50 in terms of allegiance, the convenience factor of playing for the US would be a fairly reasonable reason to swing it.

Indeed, being in their squad doesn't necessarily mean he's anywhere near committed to them; there are plenty of players in IFA squads, for example, who would jump at the chance to play for Ireland if offered the opportunity. Thing is though, as Delorean points out, O'Neill has already been offered an opportunity, albeit whilst he was already part of a US camp, but if he was genuinely leaning towards us, you'd have to think he'd have taken it.

Baffling that the FAI cannot seem to convince a lad with two Irish parents, whose father Colm played for Cork and his uncle was one of Kerry's greatest players, to play for Ireland. Maybe O'Neill is thinking, that the USA have showed interest in him all along & it's only now the FAI are interested when he got better. Hopefully if Kevin Doyle gets a move to Colorado that he can have a word.

Originally Posted by TrapAPony

Maybe O'Neill is thinking, that the USA have showed interest in him all along & it's only now the FAI are interested when he got better

Well his natural ladder of progression was US based, so I wouldn't blame the FAI for that. There must be countless US soccer players that qualify for Ireland, I wouldn't really expect the FAI to do anything until they look a more than decent prospect. I wouldn't find it that baffling that they can't convince them at that point, if they feel at least 50% American and live and play in the US.

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I think that's way too big a leap*. He doesn't know how the US thing is going to work out, so it would be foolish for him to burn bridges elsewhere. He said he feels more American around his friends, even though his family life is obviously more Irish. He refused a call up to Ireland underage because he was already involved with the US underage. If he felt as Irish as, say, Kevin Kilbane, it's possible he would have jumped at the chance offered by us at that stage. I get the feeling we're the number two option here, but I wouldn't be insulted by that in the slightest. If he actually is 50/50 in terms of allegiance, the convenience factor of playing for the US would be a fairly reasonable reason to swing it.

Of course he doesn't know what way the US thing is going to work out but the fact they've enough faith to have them in his squad at the moment should infer something to a young, confident, professional athlete. And of course he'll feel more American around his friends- his friends are probably all American. Then again, his family are all Irish.

Did he refuse a call-up or did he refuse to train with us? That's not very clear.