Older Players Returning to the Eircom League

**bawn79** · 11/05/2006, 10:43 AM

Ive just seen that Kenny Cunningham has been released by Birmingham, is there anyway that older big-name players could be persuaded to return to Ireland rather than drop down the divisions in England?
I know its all about the money but maybe the FAI could encourage it through offering them roles within the coaching structure of the FAI or something.
I dont know just throwing out ideas.

**Dodge** · 11/05/2006, 10:49 AM

Just on this. Congratulations to Pats' legend Curtis Fleming for succesfully destroying Shels seaason last year.

Oncea saint...

**pete** · 11/05/2006, 11:21 AM

I think irish players move to the UK so young that by the time they are about to retire they have established connections in the Uk that in hurry to move back to ireland. Cunningham will probably have spent 1/2 his life living in England.

I would like to see it happen though. Fleming was probably too close to retirement but Cunningham would have another 2-3 seasons left in him. Financially though i doubt an eL club would make someone like Cunningham one of its best paid players.

**NeilMcD** · 11/05/2006, 11:37 AM

Good point there Pete. I think they have set up home in England and although they are Irish there kids etc are going to schools there etc etc so the idea of moving back to Ireland is probably not one that they thinkg about seriously. I think its issues outside the quality of the league that stop players coming back to Ireland.

**Plastic Paddy** · 11/05/2006, 12:10 PM

So you're saying, Neil, that the schools and all are better in England...

PP

**pete** · 11/05/2006, 12:19 PM

Scandanavian player seem to be return hoem for last few years of their career (Larsson turned down contract extension with Barca for 18 months with midtable Swedish team) but i think thats because they tend to be european football nomads moving between several countries so maybe not so solid connections.

Would Cunningham be better than the central defenders of the top eL sides? Would he choose League One over the eL where money would be similar depending on the club...

**NeilMcD** · 11/05/2006, 12:19 PM

Never said that, I said that they have set up home there and their kids are in schools etc so they probably dont want to uproot them etc. I am sure Keane is thinking the same thing when he considers staying on an extra year at Celtic.

**pineapple stu** · 11/05/2006, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I think irish players move to the UK so young that by the time they are about to retire they have established connections in the Uk that in hurry to move back to ireland. Cunningham will probably have spent 1/2 his life living in England.

Also, if they're looking to stay in the game, they'd just stay in England as they'd want to end up coaching/managing there anyway due to the number of opportunities among other things. Niall Quinn returned to live in Ireland - one of the few, as far as I can see - and is now getting heavily involved with Sunderland so may well move back.

Originally Posted by pete

Would Cunningham be better than the central defenders of the top eL sides?

Eh...yes.

**livehead1** · 11/05/2006, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Would Cunningham be better than the central defenders of the top eL sides?

the best, and comfortably. Who would you say the best defender in the EL is, Gavin?

**bawn79** · 11/05/2006, 12:30 PM

I agree with the setting up homes in England, that is probably a big factor as well. Even at the end of there career if they were only average players it would be great to see them playing for the draw in terms of crowds plus the experience they would bring re club organisation etc. Also once they retire they could move into management.
I wonder do a lot of Irish players have English partners? perhaps because of the age they leave this would be quite likely. A 16 year old obviously isnt going to bring his girlfriend over with him.
If they left at the 21-22 year old age then the odds would be higher that they would have Irish partners. That could be a factor in the Swedish players heading home.
The circle continues i guess, get older players to come back would improve the league and then players wouldnt have to move until they are 21-22.
But until the rot of players going over at a young age then they will more than likely put down roots.
Thats why I was wondering if it was possible to get say 10 big name players to come back through some kind of intervention by the FAI and place them each with a club ala the MLS in america.
Totally pie in the sky i know.......

**drinkfeckarse** · 11/05/2006, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Would Cunningham be better than the central defenders of the top eL sides? Would he choose League One over the eL where money would be similar depending on the club...

Miles better and I don't think Cunningham will be short of offers at all either from lowly Premiership teams or decent Chanpionship sides. You don't go from being a Premiership regular one minute to hoping for a League One club the next.

There'll never be a shortage of clubs looking for players with his experiance.

**pete** · 11/05/2006, 12:36 PM

Cunningham for example would have much higher wages than any of the current top eL sides equivalent so would be a fact of where to invest your money.

**Plastic Paddy** · 11/05/2006, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by bawn79

Totally pie in the sky i know.......

...but you do make some excellent points.

I suspect you're right; that players that leave their home country before they are 20 are more likely to settle with partners from the country in which they play their football, whereas players that are older may well take their partners or families with them and hence be more likely to return. If only clubs in Ireland could hang on to the young prospects rather than the talent continuing to haemorrhage to Britain as now...

PP

**livehead1** · 11/05/2006, 5:40 PM

Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

If only clubs in Ireland could hang on to the young prospects rather than the talent continuing to haemorrhage to Britain as now...

PP

a double edged sword, they train with some of the best players in Europe when they go over and are trained by more highly qualified coaches, with better facilities.

**Roverstillidie** · 11/05/2006, 7:33 PM

Originally Posted by livehead1

a double edged sword, they train with some of the best players in Europe when they go over and are trained by more highly qualified coaches, with better facilities.

nonsense, we produce the best schoolboy sides in europe.

and besides, how many other countries with similar standard leagues/underage set ups let their players go for free to another country?

**cheifo** · 11/05/2006, 11:19 PM

Theres also the player manager role or coaching role option(a la farelly).
Imagine if Keane decided to cut his management teeth at Cork, big crowds,
guaranteed exposure etc.

**Dodge** · 12/05/2006, 6:12 AM

And I@m sure it'll work out just as positively as Farrelly's has...

**Plastic Paddy** · 12/05/2006, 6:34 AM

Originally Posted by livehead1

a double edged sword, they train with some of the best players in Europe when they go over and are trained by more highly qualified coaches, with better facilities.

I do not believe that the interests of players like Colin Larkin or JJ Melligan (to name but two) have been better served by kicking around the English lower leagues with the likes of Mansfield or Chesterfield (Larkin), Kidderminster or Cheltenham (Melligan) than they would have been by staying at home and playing for Cork, Drogs or whoever. They certainly won't have been training with Ronaldo at Aggborough or Saltergate!

And for Larkin or Melligan read Cryan, Gilroy, Foy or any of the other promising Irish talents to have fallen by the wayside in England...

PP

**livehead1** · 12/05/2006, 9:38 AM

Originally Posted by Roverstillidie

nonsense, we produce the best schoolboy sides in europe.

and besides, how many other countries with similar standard leagues/underage set ups let their players go for free to another country?

o for god sake will you ever get off your EL loving high chair. you miss the point completely. Its simply not up for debate. The coaching standards in Britain and the training facilities are much better.

**livehead1** · 12/05/2006, 9:40 AM

Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

I do not believe that the interests of players like Colin Larkin or JJ Melligan (to name but two) have been better served by kicking around the English lower leagues with the likes of Mansfield or Chesterfield (Larkin), Kidderminster or Cheltenham (Melligan) than they would have been by staying at home and playing for Cork, Drogs or whoever. They certainly won't have been training with Ronaldo at Aggborough or Saltergate!

And for Larkin or Melligan read Cryan, Gilroy, Foy or any of the other promising Irish talents to have fallen by the wayside in England...

PP

of course there is but i am a firm believer that the best will rise to the top given the right facilities and oppurtunities. For example, Keith Foy. He was let go by forest cos he couldn't sort out the drink. I can remember him and andy reid in a pub called Callaghans on the Karaoke steamed out of the head. they were told to lose the weight, reid did, foy didnt.