Andy Reid(b 1982)

**Brendan 82** · 25/08/2009, 4:24 PM

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

QFT.

While he may have been visibly a bit over weight it never effected his fitness has he played the full 90 minutes in the majority of games comfortably over the past few seasons.

As i said a couple posts ago, he has passed/skilled his way to a paycheck the last few years. Imagine if he was a fitness freak; how good could he have been? Imagine if he really dedicated his life to it while he was at Tottenham, he could have succeeded there and possibly gone on to bigger and better things. Everyone knows he has been able to get by the last few years, no one is really arguing that. I just think it is a shame, because I rate him as a player but believe he could have been so much more. This latest development, while encouraging, is beyond tardy.

**geysir** · 25/08/2009, 4:31 PM

Based on stated weight loss, I reckon Andy must be now as fast over the 100m than "supermac" MacDonald was.

**TerryPhelan** · 25/08/2009, 4:43 PM

I'd imagine there are few who disagree with you. Andy has never had a bad game for Ireland in my book (aside from Switzerland away perhaps, where his cause was not helped by a 90 minute barrage of criticism by Stephen Carr who was playing behind him. For a young guy new to the international scene, playing in a high pressure game away from home, I always felt Reid deserved far better support than he got from Carr that night). It seems peculiar that Miller ticks more boxes because he can do everything, albeit moderately, whereas Reid does some things excellently and others slightly poorly and is seen as a luxury who is incompatible with the manager's plans. Football is rarely decided on the basis of logic, of course. Or more likely still, Trap's logic is more sound than I am giving him credit for. I would be interested to hear his response to our queries about Miller's inclusion though - as far as I'm aware this is one issue which the press have yet to raise with him.

**Thommo** · 25/08/2009, 4:44 PM

Superb last night Reid looks really super fit great quote from the paper yesterday re his fall out with Trap.
"If he left everybody out of the squad last night who was singing that night their'd probably be only two people in the squad - and that's only because they didn't know the song"

Gaffe of the night the sky commentator's pronunciation of young Spillane's surname pronounced "Spill lane"

**Drumcondra 69er** · 25/08/2009, 4:55 PM

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

QFT.

While he may have been visibly a bit over weight it never effected his fitness has he played the full 90 minutes in the majority of games comfortably over the past few seasons.

Different thing, did he play them to the best of his ability? Might he have been sharper without the extra weight? They're fair questions. And he was in the Championship a season and a half ago, he's been very much in and out of the Sunderland team since joining in the Jan 08 window.

**Brendan 82** · 25/08/2009, 5:01 PM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

Different thing, did he play them to the best of his ability? Might he have been sharper without the extra weight? They're fair questions.

This is pretty much my point. I reckon he could have been a legend if he was a "fitness freak" his whole career.

**eirebhoy** · 25/08/2009, 6:22 PM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

That fact that a professional sportsman needed to lose the guts of a stone and a half and has taken until now to do it is a travesty.

My guess is he put it on over last summer or last season. He was Sunderland's main man when he joined and then had a peripheral role last season.

He wasn't always big
http://www.goal.ie/fundraising/image...%20-%20use.JPG

**Stuttgart88** · 25/08/2009, 6:56 PM

You're still in denial eirebhoy

He's been overweight by athetic standards for several years. No argument.

D69er is spot on. The fact that he has only now got into shape is a bad indictment of either himself or his club's dieticians, probably both.

Diod anyone notice how the Spurs squad all lost weight after Ramos took over? Huddlestone & Robinson in particular, but even players like Keane. It's simply inexcusable not to be in peak condition as a top footballer these days.

Trust me, I participate in endurance sport and like to think I know about these things.

**eirebhoy** · 25/08/2009, 7:09 PM

I find it strange how Keane's attitude to him completely changed after a brilliant first half season. Changing his position, making sure he played the 120 minutes in an unimportant league cup game having not played a full game previously. I'd say he slacked a bit last summer.

**geysir** · 25/08/2009, 7:12 PM

If he only lost what he put on in secret over the summer then how come all the references to the new slimline Andy Reid?

**eirebhoy** · 25/08/2009, 7:26 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

If he only lost what he put on in secret over the summer then how come all the references to the new slimline Andy Reid?

Talking about last summer, 2008. He looks slim to me here:
http://www.goal.ie/fundraising/image...%20-%20use.JPG

Taken a couple of years ago.

**eirebhoy** · 25/08/2009, 11:51 PM

I watched the 2nd half of the Sunderland game which I missed last night and Reid played in the centre for the last 20 minutes. The most noticeable thing about him in that position is that players want to pass it to him. It's not seen as a negative step backwards for the winger to pass it to Reid and I think they'd trust Reid to do the right thing.

**shakermaker1982** · 26/08/2009, 7:03 AM

He was a big lad at Forest but he could do a 90 minute shift easy enough. Appearances can be deceptive.

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2009, 8:23 AM

EB, but what was the average age of the wingers, were they young uns? he is 27 at this stage, a wise head so to speak so those more inexperienced will always look to pass to him.

**Drumcondra 69er** · 26/08/2009, 8:38 AM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

He was a big lad at Forest but he could do a 90 minute shift easy enough. Appearances can be deceptive.

Totally misses the point. If it wasn't an issue then why bother losing the weight now? Just for the craic or purely for appearances? I used to do a 90 minute shift every Sunday morning in St. Anne's park after a feed of pints, a kebab and 4 hours sleep. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have been better had I stayed in the night before.

**geysir** · 26/08/2009, 10:19 AM

Time to bury Andy's old Irish jersey,
maybe put it in the coffin along with "Gran".

**Stuttgart88** · 26/08/2009, 10:26 AM

I've been searching for a photo that was in all the papers after the 3-0 home win over Cyprus in 2004 but can't find it.

It was a photo of Reid with his jersey off after swapping it with a Cypriot. 2 things stood out for me: dodgy tattoos and a complete lack of muscle definition - i.e., flabby upper arms.

I'm not a body fascist but if anyone can dig this photo up it'll categorically prove that earlier in his career he was not well conditioned. No big deal for you and me, a very big deal for a professional sportsman (bar front-row forwards, sumo wrestlers etc.).

**shakermaker1982** · 26/08/2009, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

Totally misses the point. If it wasn't an issue then why bother losing the weight now? Just for the craic or purely for appearances? I used to do a 90 minute shift every Sunday morning in St. Anne's park after a feed of pints, a kebab and 4 hours sleep. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have been better had I stayed in the night before.

He might want to pull birds in a night club with a slimmer look? Andy Reid could lose 4 stone but will never turn into a box to box midfielder. Berbatov is a rake but is a lazy fecker at the best of times. Shape and size isn't everything.

I've seen him live at least 30 times and I can never recall him struggling for fitness. Other players yes but never Reidy hence my appearances can be deceptive comment. I hope the weight loss does help his all round game and yes it might appeal to the Trap and Bruce because it shows he is knuckling down in training but I don't think it will transform him into Frank Lampard.

**endabob1** · 26/08/2009, 11:14 AM

There was a quote somewhere from Martin Jol that he was one of the best trainers at Spurs, but tbh I think reid is a good Championship player or bottom half of the premiership on a good day, he doesn't appear to be able to play to his level consistently enough to be better. I have friends who are Charlton fans and he was great with them while he was there, whereas he has always struggled when expected to perform at a higher level.
Also every summer we get the "look how much weight Andy Reid has lost" story, he must be anorexic by now!

**geysir** · 26/08/2009, 11:18 AM

If only we could say the same about women and live.

You would have to admit that he looks chubby here, out of condition in face and body.
early feb 2009

Heres a couple that would prejudice your image of what was under the shirt,
but It could well be just the wind blowing
Andy V Germany

Charlton days