Willo Flood

**oconghc2** · 26/03/2006, 1:10 AM

Fair play to Willo Flood today. First start for man city after being called back from loan and bad injuries.

Looked very lively - looked like someone who was playing for his future at the club and had a point to prove. Outshone Ireland and got a lot of praise from his manager.

Hope his injuries are behind him and who knows what might happen in future. I think he could be a further sign of upcoming youth talent.

**Plastic Paddy** · 26/03/2006, 6:37 AM

One swallow (or should that be Willo?) does not a summer make. That said, the best of luck to him. I hope he re-establishes himself at Eastlands but he's a lot of work to do if this is to be the case.

PP

**gspain** · 26/03/2006, 9:25 AM

Watched it on RTE and Stuart Pearce singled him out for special praise too.
He had a great game. Known Wilo's luck he'll get injured in training now or else get dropped.

Stephen Ireland did OK in midfield but was surprisingly subbed. Dunne was great as usual. Duffer didn't have one of his better games and went off with what looked like an injury.

**tetsujin1979** · 26/03/2006, 12:26 PM

Willo's been captaining the reserves since recovering from an operation shortly after Christmas, and playing particularly well. That said, I was still surprised to see him start yesterday, even with the injury list at Man City. I thought he looked off the pace in the first half, and was lucky Drogba didn't score after a slip released the ball to Lampard. In the second half he was a different player, tracking back, keeping possession with simple passes, and always looking to receive the ball in midfield. I can see him continuing in the starting XI for the next 2 weeks or so, but when the injured/suspended players start to return, it's hard to call if he'll keep his position. It's a similar predicament that Stephen Ireland found himself in when Reyna returned from injury and Riera arrived on loan.

**Dr. Ogba** · 27/03/2006, 12:13 AM

good to see him back playing again alright, has had a fairly sh!tty run of injuries alright...

How old is young William now? And has he bulked up any since he first came on the scene?

**Superhoops** · 27/03/2006, 7:22 AM

Originally Posted by Dr. Ogba

How old is young William now? And has he bulked up any since he first came on the scene?

He will be 21 on 10 April next and No!

**tetsujin1979** · 27/03/2006, 2:39 PM

Some quotes from Man City's official site about Willo's performance against Chelsea, it seems Pearce thought he was well suited to the formation he picked.
From http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pa...=3&toyear=2006

“Willo’s benefited from that [the team selection] and having done so I thought he was our best player.”

From http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?sy...&newsid=316873

“It [going on loan earlier in the season] was a big help because Championship football’s a bit different to Premiership football. You don’t really get much time on the ball, and it’s all hustle and bustle, but that’s helped a lot because I’ve come in and felt ok."

**nedder** · 27/03/2006, 4:15 PM

I thought Willo was excellent on saturday, hopefully Stan was watching!
Still very slight in stature, but he's well able to play

**Superhoops** · 27/03/2006, 6:10 PM

Originally Posted by nedder

I thought Willo was excellent on saturday, hopefully Stan was watching!
Still very slight in stature, but he's well able to play

Unless we get a run of injuries, he will never get a look in in our senior team. He runs forever and although he is onyl 20, he is too small not likely to bulk up much and is too easily knocked off the ball.

Suspect when City get Cole, Sinclair and Barton back, Willo will be lucky to get onto City's bench. Not Premiership class, he is a good Championship player at best.

**FarBeag** · 28/03/2006, 9:14 AM

Originally Posted by nedder

I thought Willo was excellent on saturday, hopefully Stan was watching!
Still very slight in stature, but he's well able to play

I am sorry but i do not agree with what you are saying. He was very average on Saturday and gave away the ball away constantly in dangerous areas particulary in the first half.Granted he has not played many games this season and will get better if he gets the chance.

**eirebhoy** · 28/03/2006, 11:00 AM

I didn't think he had a great game on Saturday but that's maybe down to the high standards he has set when I've seen him before. Fair play to him though, he didn't stop running for the entire match. He definitely has the potential to make the right wing position his own in the Ireland team. He's a player that has always been ahead of his age group at all levels for club and country.

**Stuttgart88** · 28/03/2006, 11:29 AM

I was very disappointed in his last two outings for the U21s. He can beat his man well enough but he never looked up before playing his final ball and wasted several good positions. Definitely a lot of room for improvement.

**youngirish** · 28/03/2006, 1:08 PM

Never been too impressed by Willo have to say. He tries his heart out God bless him but the end product is never up to much. He was poor when he went out on loan to Coventry earlier in the season and he only played on Saturday due to the enormous number of injuries City had. Can't see him making it in the premiership. He's nearly 21 now and should really be improving but just looks to be going backwards from last seasons highs (goal and Man of the Match performance against Norwich).

**eirebhoy** · 28/03/2006, 4:08 PM

I read today that Flood was living alone in Manchester and a drug addict knocked at his door and forced his way in with a knife. He took things like the Plasma TV, Computer and more. Willo had to go back to Dublin for 2 weeks after this and was too scared to go back living alone that he has moved in with Karl Birmingham. The junkie was caught and is now serving 8 years.

/edit - found this:
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/me...rror_raid.html

It seems from the comments that he should never have been living in Wythenshawe as it's a very rough place.

**youngirish** · 28/03/2006, 5:24 PM

F**k sake. Where's he from in Dublin? Foxrock? Get over it worse happens everyday in the fair city.

**eirebhoy** · 28/03/2006, 6:00 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

F**k sake. Where's he from in Dublin? Foxrock? Get over it worse happens everyday in the fair city.

I can't believe this post. Can you imagine if this was someone like Shaun Wright Phillips? So because it's a footballer from a rough part of Dublin we should ignore it? A 20 year old gets brought around his house and threatened to be killed for 10 minutes, his car, tv, computer, etc. robbed and he just has to get on with it? He's hardly Duncan Ferguson.

**tetsujin1979** · 28/03/2006, 7:14 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

F**k sake. Where's he from in Dublin? Foxrock? Get over it worse happens everyday in the fair city.

He's from Ballyfermot, but that comment is way out of order, he was recovering from an injury, and probably wouldn't be much able to defend himself against someone up to his tonsils on various chemicals if he was in the best condition. As eirebhoy says, he's hardly Duncan Ferguson

**CollegeTillIDie** · 01/04/2006, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

He's from Ballyfermot, but that comment is way out of order, he was recovering from an injury, and probably wouldn't be much able to defend himself against someone up to his tonsils on various chemicals if he was in the best condition. As eirebhoy says, he's hardly Duncan Ferguson

Well said tetsujin

Oh and for the record youngirish,....Foxrock has more break ins than Ballyfermot