Captain Kenny

**NeilMcD** · 09/03/2005, 1:06 PM

Cunningham will wait and see

SOCCER DIGEST Cunningham contract: Kenny Cunningham is expecting Birmingham City to allow his current contract to expire before deciding whether to offer him a new deal.

City manager Steve Bruce has admitted it is club policy not to allow a player to enter the final year without starting negotiations but Cunningham, who has 15 months to go on his current deal, is not anticipating an early decision from his club over whether to extend his time at St Andrews.

"I've got just over a year left of my contract," said the 33-year-old Republic of Ireland captain. "I haven't spoken to the club and the situation for a 33 to 34-year-old is different from a 27 to 28-year-old.

"It wouldn't surprise me if the club are thinking 'the contract will run itself down and then we'll take things from there'.

"When you get to my age you accept that those two, three, four-year contracts are a thing of the past and you just take it from day to day.

"Things can change very quickly. Physically I'm very happy with my condition at this moment in time and my form is okay so we'll see."

**dublinred** · 09/03/2005, 1:24 PM

Will he start in Germany next summer , he has slowed up alot anytime I have seen him recently , at least we have Richard Dunne waiting in the wings.

**dynamo kerry** · 09/03/2005, 1:36 PM

my reckoning is that if he plays in the qualifiers it will take an outstanding amount of form from someone else to surplant him. he is the defensive leader, co-ordinator,. no one else comes close.
unless gary breen comes back

**eirebhoy** · 09/03/2005, 1:54 PM

Aye, Breen is the only other option. Dunne-O'Brien would be a terrible partnership. Neither of them are used to leading the line.

**Stuttgart88** · 09/03/2005, 2:07 PM

What age is Breen now?

**eirebhoy** · 09/03/2005, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

What age is Breen now?

31, not 32 until December.

**Stuttgart88** · 09/03/2005, 3:23 PM

Thanks. So Breen has quite a bit of time left then.

I take the point about neither Dunne nor O'Brien being a leader but each is still relatively young. Younger players tend to adopt the role of junior partner. I'd say with a bit more experience, or once necessity dictates, one of them could assume the organiser / leader role.

I was under the impression that Dunne was getting better in this regard until Kerr pointed it out recently as a weakness in his game.

**bitored** · 09/03/2005, 5:07 PM

he has slowed up alot anytime I have seen him recently

Have to agree with you there - can't recall specific incidents but I seem to remember him getting caught out on numerous occasions recently. If we make it to Germany and Kenny's past it at that stage who do we reckon will get the armband? Given?

**Slash/ED** · 09/03/2005, 5:46 PM

Yeah I'm a bit concerned about his form of late, we rely on him so much.

**Metrostars** · 09/03/2005, 6:04 PM

So theres Kenny, O'Brien, Breen, Dunne and possibly O'Shea who can play the CB role. Any young ones coming up who are any good?

**tricky_colour** · 10/03/2005, 1:08 AM

Originally Posted by bitored

Have to agree with you there - can't recall specific incidents but I seem to remember him getting caught out on numerous occasions recently. If we make it to Germany and Kenny's past it at that stage who do we reckon will get the armband? Given?

I think it has to go to Keane (Roy) I am sure he would ensure the defense
was doing its job correctly!!!

Then I think is probably Dunne and someone from O'Brien, OShea, and
Breen, probably in that order.

I think the leadership thing is probably not that important, not as important as
Dunnes pace anyway.

**Paulie** · 10/03/2005, 9:29 AM

Originally Posted by londonred

he has slowed up alot anytime I have seen him recently ,

I really don't know where this idea has come from that there was ever a time when Kenny relied on pace. He has never been quick. He has been and still is a great player for us but pace is something he has never had.

**eirebhoy** · 10/03/2005, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

I think the leadership thing is probably not that important, not as important as
Dunnes pace anyway.

A defence without an organisor is like a midfielder without a holder. If Dunne can lead the line, fair enough, but I'd want him to be leading the line at City before giving him the job at international level. Organisation skills will cancel out for Breen's lack of technical ability twice over and I am 100% sure that if Cunningham was unavailable for the Israel game Kerr would put Breen in.

BTW - its not Cunningham's world class abilty with the ball that has given us such a magnificant defensive record (probably the best defensive record Ireland has ever had). Organisational and leadership count for so much.

**byrnie20** · 10/03/2005, 10:11 AM

Metrostars - "So theres Kenny, O'Brien, Breen, Dunne and possibly O'Shea who can play the CB role. Any young ones coming up who are any good"

There are alot of good young centre backs coming through,but they are too young at present.Paul McShane 19 is very good,Darren O'Dea 18 is very promising he can play centre half or left back and Paddy McCarthy 21 could possibly be in with a shout if he proves a success at Leicester.Eddie Nolan 16 is another with huge potential he plays for Blackburns U18 who are top of the academy league.Both McShane(Man U) and O'Dea(Celtic) play for the reserves.
I think McShane has been injured for a while can anyone confirm that, cheers.

**eirebhoy** · 10/03/2005, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by byrnie20

I think McShane has been injured for a while can anyone confirm that, cheers.

He was sent back to Old Trafford from his loan at Walsall because of injury but he played for Walsall recently so I assume he's OK. I think his loan spell is over though.