Stephen Hunt

[drinkfeckarse]

Interesting going back to the early posts in this thread.

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=3346...t=stephen+hunt

He's come a long way in 2 years.

That's what I was getting at really. I doubt that he ever thought he'd see the day that he was being offered £30k p/w.

[eirebhoy]

I remember laughing reading an article a few years ago with Brentford's Hunt saying he hopes to get a chance to play in the rumoured B match and get a chance to challenge Duff for the left wing spot.

[Stuttgart88]

If nothing else it just shows how ludicrous it for people writing off players just either side of 20, as they're doing now.

Finnan was a late developer and Jon Walters seems to be too.

Earlier in the previous Stephun Hunt thread some were questioning the wisdom of picking a 25 year old! The 2006 WC showed that you can't beat experience.

[tetsujin1979]

i take it you were being sarcastic there?

I don't even know anymore

[DotTV]

If nothing else it just shows how ludicrous it for people writing off players just either side of 20, as they're doing now.

Finnan was a late developer and Jon Walters seems to be too.

Earlier in the previous Stephun Hunt thread some were questioning the wisdom of picking a 25 year old! The 2006 WC showed that you can't beat experience.

There might still be hope for me then! Does 27 count as just the other side of 20?

[DmanDmythDledge]

If Hunt leaves Reading and I hope he does, he has to chose Everton if he looks at it from a professional viewpoint. If he choses Sunderland he needs his head examined.

However, he is a red so he might chose to avoid the BS.

Everton - European football, doing very nicely in the PL (back in europe next season), possible carling cup final at wembley.

Sunderland - relegation battle and possible championship football next season.

Reading - football in the lower half of the PL with the danger of getting dragged into the relegation battle.

He wouldn't get his game at Everton. He's better off staying with Reading at the moment if they are the only clubs interested in him.

[ramsfan]

money talks, reading are a steady club in good financial state who will stay in prem for a long time, sunderland are just building but they are not really buying quality if they get relegated pressure may come on keane financially and job wise and acouple of seasons in championship could be disastrous for hunts reputation and ireland chances

[Irish_Praha]

I think over the next five years we will see more and more "late bloomers" and by that I mean players who establish themselves in the top division in their mid to late 20's rather then their early 20's. This is a by-product of the top teams buying in ready-made talent from abroad and not being willing to take a risk on young unproven players from their youth teams, who then end up having to drop a few divisions. The players they have misjudged will prove their worth in the lower divisions and work their way back up to the top division after a few years through a low to mid table team and when they have proven themselves for a few seasons at that club they will eventually be snapped up by a top team. It's probably not such a bad thing as I reckon with the improvement in diat, fitness regimes and surgery, more and more players will still be able to play at the top level well into their 30's.

[irishfan86]

With Kieran Richardson already there would he be guaranteed a starting spot??

I read an interview where Keane talked about his versatility, about how he could play on both wings successfully.

To be honest, with a fully healthy lineup, the winger positions would be a 3 way battle between Richardson on the left, Edwards on the right, and Hunt in Roy's view can play on either side.

Considering both of those players are made of glass, he'd have plenty of playing time even if form and ability alone couldn't do it (which in my view they can).

I've watched almost every Reading game this season and Hunt is NOT a grafter.

Just because a player works hard does not mean he lacks talent. He just combines at worst slightly above average talent with tremendous desire and athleticism.

You do not score and set up the amount of goals he has this season by "trying hard."

[tetsujin1979]

He wouldn't get his game at Everton. He's better off staying with Reading at the moment if they are the only clubs interested in him.

Dunno about that, Johnson has fallen out of favour. Anichebe and Vaughn are still very young. I think Doyle would be an effective partner to Yakubu, who's off on African Cup of Nations duty. At the very least, he would be first choice in the short term.

[tricky_colour]

I think he should stay where he is, he has done very well at Reading and become established there, he seems to be 'part of the furniture' there. Coppel seems to have had belief in him which goes back a long way. Things can all to often go pear shaped after a 'big money' move.
http://www.officialplayersites.com/p...cle.php?id=764

[rambler14]

He is probably our brightest talent at the moment and a move to Sunderland would be totally the wrong move. He should stay were he is. If he goes to Sunderland he'll either look for a new club in 5 months time because Sunderland went down or he will rot in the championship.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Dunno about that, Johnson has fallen out of favour. Anichebe and Vaughn are still very young. I think Doyle would be an effective partner to Yakubu, who's off on African Cup of Nations duty. At the very least, he would be first choice in the short term.

I was talking about Hunt.

[BigmanCas]

Stephan Hunts remarks in todays paper beggars belief. Giving out about Don Givens not picking him as he is in form? Keep talkin like that and he'll not endear himself to the new boss. He might be playing reasonably ok but not near good enough to displace the wingers on show. It really pains me to hear people cheer his name as if he is the messiah. He is a substandard international player - playing not bad with a team who will probably be relegated from the premier league - and just so happens has a lion heart. He does not have anywhere near the ability of Damien Duff and Aiden mc Geady. Any challengers? Good to see Mc Geady play well at croker - He does not deserve the slating he gets from some quarters. He is our greatest talent and deserves respect and encouragement. After all he is only 22. Bring on Terry Venables and quick!!! Sack Delaney and Givens NOW

[Billsthoughts]

Mageady gave two of the worst performances I have ever seen from an Irish player EVER in Slovakia and Czech Republic. Best player my hole.

[paul_oshea]

mceddie is getting better though bill ( assuming he learns how and WHEN to pass ) and so is duff, hunt should shut-up, he should know how limited he is and it showed against the brazilians big-time, he is a good impact sub, thats all.

[BigmanCas]

Since making his début, aged 18, McGeady has picked up the following awards:

• December 2004 - SPL Player of the Month
• Season 2004/05 - Celtic Young Player of the Year
• November 2005 - SPL Young Player of the Month
• Season 2005/06 - SPL Championship winner
• Season 2005/06 - Celtic Young Player of the Year
• August 2006 - SPL Young Player of the Month
• September 2006 - SPL Young Player of the Month
• October 2006 - Young Player of the Month
• Season 2006/07 - Celtic Young Player of the Year
• November 2007 - SPL Player of the Month

He deals week in week out with naysayers and people who want to cut him down at every turn beacuse he is the best thing Scotland have produced in years / maybe ever and he has decided to play for his spiritual home. But then there are people like yourself Bill who make him maybe regret his decision. It is terrible that he is getting slack here as well as there. He has started how many competitive internationals - maybe 4? and you have written him off at 22 Bill. You know nothing and remind me of E Dunphy. He wasn't the worst in Bratislava - Stephan Ireland, Jonathan Douglas, Sheasy were worse. He was the easy sub. Granted poor in Prague - but look what happened his replacement.. Waken up Bill.

[eirebhoy]

( assuming he learns how and WHEN to pass )

He has. I think a lot of Irish fans just have it in their heads that the opposite is the case. I mentioned how he waited for Kilbane to just about beat the offside trap before playing a ball over the top (which actually went out of play in the end). That shows some sort of intelligence and not the head down dumb player he's regarded by some. Many Irish fans spot any single negative from McGeady and assume (or try to tell their mate in the seat beside them) that it's typical McGeady. The difference in the people towards McGeady around me after that late pass to Duff was incredible. They critisise him for no end product yet the same thing can be said about every one of our players on Wednesday.

As McGeady said this week about his performances Czech and Slovakia, "I had a stinker".

Anyway, on Hunt.. I don't see him as anything more than an impact player. He has certainly not shown me any of the link up play that I know McGeady is capable of and that's crucial for me. I want our midfielders linking up and moving around the pitch at will.

[Bondvillain]

I havent read the article, as there's no link to the attributed comments, but I will say that his performance notwithstanding, hunt's dedication & attitude cant be faulted.

A player narked that he isn't starting for Ireland makes a pleasant change from Us being narked cos players cant be arsed turning up anymore.

[BigmanCas]

Well said Eirebhoy - by the way I am not a celtic fan - just in case people think its a reason for supporting the talent that is Aiden Mc Geady!!