Might as well give him his own thread -some comments from him today on his international transfer.
“The last few weeks have given me time to think about things and I have to do what my heart says.
"The Republic of Ireland are the team I have always dreamed of playing for and I have to try my best to achieve that."
Apparently Sykes is a fluent Irish speaker as well, there can't have been too many of those in the NI Senior squad down the years.
Where are the quotes from? They make for fantastic reading.
The Sykes quotes are from Oxford United's website: https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2020/august/cooper-call-up/
Kenny made the point here: Fluent Irish speaker Mark Sykes following his heart in switching allegiance from Northern Ireland, says Kenny https://the42.ie/5184442
Think Norman Whiteside had the cupla focal ..Originally Posted by Eirambler
Faigh A Beallach / Fág An Beallach !
Really? Where did you read that? I’d be surprised. He’s from Shankill Road
Last edited by tetsujin1979; 25/08/2020 at 10:29 AM.
Someone on YBIG stated that Mark's father was shot in the loyalist attack on the Sean Graham bookies in 1992. I have done a check and there are quotes from a Mark Sykes here who is 50/51: https://www.thesun.ie/news/3756586/m...ments-blunder/
Not football related but I see his dad was arrested at a remembrance event related to the massacre he survived in 1992. The involvement of the police was supposedly on the premise of Covid regulation enforcement, but intimadatory incidents like this probably go a long way to explaining why Mark and others from a nationalist background continue to prefer to associate with the Irish football team rather than the Northern one.
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/202...-man-arrested/
https://www.irishnews.com/sport/foot...sykes-2279427/
This warms the cockles of the heart. Based on these comments alone, I hope this lad develops to be a good enough player to get capped for us.
The writer also manages to get in there twice that Mark is from the Ormeau Road.
Great.
Hadn't realised that his contract is up at the end of the season and no sign of it being renewed as of yet. Seems to get mixed reports at Oxford, their support aren't exactly desperate to see him stay on. There is also currently a squad size limit in the lower leagues of 20 players over 21 in the first team squad, which might count against him - I didn't actually know that this rule existed at that level.
In terms of the (many) other Irish players at Oxford Anthony Forde is in a similar situation to Sykes, his contract is up and he's very much a squad player, he's 27 now. Liam Kelly doesn't seem to be rated and will be heading back to the Feyenoord reserves. Nico Jones looks to have fallen away completely, the under 21 rules should suit someone like him but he doesn't seem to be progressing.
Shodipo has done well there but will presumably go back to QPR and try again to get into their first team.
Oxford have taken up the option to renew Sykes' contract for another 12 months. He seems to have done well since reclaiming his starting berth. Let's hope he can kick on from here. Oxford are currently in the League One play-off places, residing in 5th - but it's extremely tight, with Oxford, 6th-place Lincoln and 7th-place Portsmouth all on 68 points, and Charlton, in 8th, only 2 points worse off. Indeed there is only 6 points difference between 5th place and 12th.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/1...s-alex-gorrin/
Has been strongly linked to a transfer to Ipswich in the media today.
is near a call up according to some journals
Which journals would that be??? When is squad announced?
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Old Moores Almanac
Probably Thursday.
Thursday according to the independent: https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-41003592.html
Kenny, who names his squad on Thursday for the World Cup double-header against Portugal and Luxembourg, is in a position to recall Alan Browne and Jayson Molumby to his midfield after the duo missed the qualifier away to Azerbaijan due to suspension.
If Knight and McGrath are missing, I’d like to see Ronan called up. He’s an enigma, but seems to have lovely technique. I think he is the new Wes. Perhaps both suffered from being perceived as too small, but are actually equipped to thrive better at a higher level of football. We’ll never know if he’s an international player until he gets a chance to show us what he can do.
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks