Darron Gibson

[geysir]

I don't think Gibson is up to starting at CM. That's it.
I do not see why the contents of dubious, but typical pre-match Indo article become some hammer to beat him with and used to back up negative personal opinions about him.


Like many sporting achievers, he may well have his ambitions about what he wants to achieve in the game. He may well have a stubborn belief in his ability to get there and have a single minded belief that he has the wherewithal to develop his talent and take his place at the very top of the game with his club. All sounds commendable enough to me.

[macdermesser]

Interesting reading the comments by DannyInvincible ... I wonder is Fergie stirring the pot somewhere in all of this. Not exactly the biggest supporter of international football when it comes to his own club's interests. Gibson's alleged "having a laugh?" response suggests that the penny hasn't dropped with him. Anyway, its not Andrews or Green he should be worrying about but Meyler, Mc Carthy and Wilson. Wish this had been all kept out of the news - media looking for a Stephen Ireland or Andy Reid type controversy to hype out of all proportion.

[SwanVsDalton]

The college gives out this 'alumnus illustrissimus' award on an annual basis that is reserved for past pupils who've stood out as having contributed something of major value or achieved something of significance in their respective fields. Former winners include the likes of Seamus Heaney, John Hume and Martin O'Neill, who even embarked on a law degree at Queen's University in Belfast before giving it up for a career as a professional footballer with Nottingham Forest. Anyway, it's always kind of amused me that, years down the line, if Gibson - the notorious bad egg - were to make it with United and Ireland, maybe even winning a European Cup or something like that along the way,* the college would, no doubt, have to wax lyrical about how valued a pupil he once was at St. Columb's. God forbid, he might even be bestowed with the aforementioned honour and set on the same pedestal as two Nobel laureates!

*Would a World Cup be stretching it?

I'll bet Martin O'Neill was a handful at school too, though.

As an aside - I'm pretty sure Martin O'Neill was expelled from St.Columb's for cheating on a French exam. Allegedly he attempted to sneak in a French-English dictionary. So as you say Danny, our former school would have no difficulty bestowing any honour on Gibson despite his past behaviour - especially since they've gone on to successfully 'claim' an expelled pupil.

As for this Gibson brouhaha - erm, what of it? If ever a story has been blown out of all proportion...Gibson clearly has his heart set on doing it with Man Utd and time will tell whether he makes it. But Trap would like him to play. In the words of Harry Hill: FIGHT!??! Erm, no not really. Sorry over-zealous journos...

[Charlie Darwin]

Interesting reading the comments by DannyInvincible ... I wonder is Fergie stirring the pot somewhere in all of this. Not exactly the biggest supporter of international football when it comes to his own club's interests.

That's never really gone far beyond pulling players out of friendlies and perhaps encouraging Scholes to retire after 10 years in the jersey. Fergie can do the maths as well as anyone - international players are worth more money than non-internationals.

Storm in a teacup. The fact is that if Gibson's game doesn't come on in the next couple of years he'll probably end up at Stoke or an equivalent side anyway and we can all have a good laugh.

[DannyInvincible]

As an aside - I'm pretty sure Martin O'Neill was expelled from St.Columb's for cheating on a French exam. Allegedly he attempted to sneak in a French-English dictionary. So as you say Danny, our former school would have no difficulty bestowing any honour on Gibson despite his past behaviour - especially since they've gone on to successfully 'claim' an expelled pupil.

Was never aware of this. My da was in the same year as O'Neill at St. Columb's so I'll ask him for the gory details. I'm surprised he's never mentioned it before as he used never stop going on about how he once played O'Neill in the final of an end-of-year handball tournament. All in spite of the fact he lost convincingly. He'd usually leave that part out, mind.

[Predator]

Derry men causing trouble? Never...

[SwanVsDalton]

I first heard the story from my Da who was above him at school. Though he's been known to throw the Derry exaggeration on to whatever he says - however it is true O'Neill left the College and finished school elsewhere (St.Malachy's in Belfast I think).

[DannyInvincible]

I've just noticed that 'EalingGreen' has today on OWC decided to pick up on and respond to a post I wrote there in early 2007 in light of my post here last night on what an old English teacher of mine made of Gibson. What commitment...

I read a post somewhere within this monster of a topic which labelled Gibson a 'scumbag' and the way it read, I felt there was something more to it than simple annoyance towards the guy for not choosing to represent Northern Ireland.

Far be it for anyone to criticise a player who "crosses the divide", whether it be eg Spurs/Arsenal (Campbell), Ranger/Celtic (Mo Johnson) or Liverpool/ManU (Owen).

Anyhow, if Gibson is not a "scumbag", do you recognise this description of him from a certain other website the other day?

"I was two years ahead of Gibson at St. Columb's College in Derry a few years back and I remember it must have been around the time when he went on trial with Manchester United, or else he had just signed, but an English teacher of mine, who had also been Gibson's form teacher told us he was one of the worst trouble-makers he'd ever encountered and that those running the college would be delighted to be seeing the back of him. I feel like I'm dishing the dirt on the guy now but this teacher was happy enough to share this with his classes, so it's not like it's a big secret or anything. Any time I've ever seen him out in Derry - about twice a few years ago - he's been sitting in a corner looking like he's in the middle of taking a huff. That appears to be his general demeanour, however. Don't think I've ever seen the guy smile. Whether that says something about his general attitude being poor or not, I dunno. Maybe."

EG; I'm sure you know well that I am in no position to respond on there due to the eight-year suspension - or however long it was again - of my account. In light of that and the fact your post today was the first in that topic since April of 2008, I suspect you're probably just playing to the gallery, but I'll take the opportunity to respond here as I'm more than certain you'll have no problems seeing it.

I was relaying that anecdote as I found it to be a somewhat humourous, if very basic, insight into the guy's possible character or personality, especially given the thought of a former school mischief-maker potentially being lauded with the highest honour the school could bestow upon its former pupils in later life. There was nothing as acerbic as dubbing him a "scumbag" in what I said. I don't know the guy personally, after all.

To insinuate that it's an admission that Gibson is indeed some sort of "scumbag", however, especially one in the sense or context of which I perceived the original slur used against him on OWC to be meant - with sectarian connotations or a hint of underlying bigotry maybe - would be to misconstrue what I wrote entirely. So, well done; mission accomplished on completely missing the point yet again.

When I took issue with the use of the word "scumbag" to describe Gibson - I can't even remember the exact context now as my memory clearly isn't a patch on yours, but I've had a cursory read of some of the related posts around the time - I certainly didn't take it to amount to a mere evaluation of what the guy's general persona might be like. That's what I was referring to last night. I felt the label on OWC, on the other hand, cut a bit deeper than that; a lot deeper, in fact, than getting up to a bit of trouble when the opportunity presented itself in school or looking glum in a night-club. To be honest, and maybe I was wrong on how I took it, I felt he was being singled out as a "scumbag" specifically because he was a Catholic/nationalist who had decided he'd rather play for us over Northern Ireland. It's all about the context and nuance, EG.

Hypothetically-speaking, if, say, David Healy had been eligible to play for Scotland due to a Scottish parent or something and had declared for them in his youth, as Gibson did with Ireland at the age of 16 or 17, I'm not so sure he would have been victim to the same deluge of bitterness as that to which Gibson found himself being subjected. Shane Duffy fell victim to similar upon his switch to us "Beggars"/the "Darkside". Maybe I misunderstood the vitriol expressed and it had nothing to do with them being Catholics/nationalists preferring to play for Ireland - I'd have to be in very generous mood to offer the benefit of any remaining doubt there - but to accuse me of hypocrisy now, three and a half years later, is a bit rich. I hope that clears up any misunderstanding.

[ken foree]

sorry, way off but... seamus heaney is God.

[paul_oshea]

I first heard the story from my Da who was above him at school. Though he's been known to throw the Derry exaggeration on to whatever he says - however it is true O'Neill left the College and finished school elsewhere (St.Malachy's in Belfast I think).

i was going to say i was pretty sure he spent most of secondary school in belfast where he felt out with gaa crowd because of playing both soccer and gaelic. i didnt think he even spend more than a year or 2 at most at school in derry.

[Predator]

EG; I'm sure you know well that I am in no position to respond on there due to the eight-year suspension - or however long it was again - of my account.

Consider yourself lucky, I have been banned outright. That was a sad day.

[paul_oshea]

Irish Times has Trapattoni's comments on the issue.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...278513017.html

hmmm why would he speak like that in italian? ...

[The Fly]

Consider yourself lucky, I have been banned outright.

I was wondering why you had been so quiet recently!

Coincidentally, I had just scanned over the 'Liam Boyce' thread on OWC earlier today, and noticed your current status. Was it a summary execution or did you receive any prior correspondence?

That was a sad day.

I'm sure you won't take it too much to heart.


-------------------------



Ahh well...............alone again...............

[geysir]

Jaysus Danny, it sounds as if you are trying to explain yourself to a virus

[John83]

Jaysus Danny, it sounds as if you are trying to explain yourself to a virus

Hey that works. I'm treating my cold with a strict regimen of negotiation, threats and bribery, and I'm sure I'm getting better.

[geysir]

I was more thinking of a computer virus.

[EalingGreen]

I've just noticed that 'EalingGreen' has today on OWC decided to pick up on and respond to a post I wrote there in early 2007 in light of my post here last night on what an old English teacher of mine made of Gibson. What commitment...



EG; I'm sure you know well that I am in no position to respond on there due to the eight-year suspension - or however long it was again - of my account. In light of that and the fact your post today was the first in that topic since April of 2008, I suspect you're probably just playing to the gallery, but I'll take the opportunity to respond here as I'm more than certain you'll have no problems seeing it.

I was relaying that anecdote as I found it to be a somewhat humourous, if very basic, insight into the guy's possible character or personality, especially given the thought of a former school mischief-maker potentially being lauded with the highest honour the school could bestow upon its former pupils in later life. There was nothing as acerbic as dubbing him a "scumbag" in what I said. I don't know the guy personally, after all.

To insinuate that it's an admission that Gibson is indeed some sort of "scumbag", however, especially one in the sense or context of which I perceived the original slur used against him on OWC to be meant - with sectarian connotations or a hint of underlying bigotry maybe - would be to misconstrue what I wrote entirely. So, well done; mission accomplished on completely missing the point yet again.

When I took issue with the use of the word "scumbag" to describe Gibson - I can't even remember the exact context now as my memory clearly isn't a patch on yours, but I've had a cursory read of some of the related posts around the time - I certainly didn't take it to amount to a mere evaluation of what the guy's general persona might be like. That's what I was referring to last night. I felt the label on OWC, on the other hand, cut a bit deeper than that; a lot deeper, in fact, than getting up to a bit of trouble when the opportunity presented itself in school or looking glum in a night-club. To be honest, and maybe I was wrong on how I took it, I felt he was being singled out as a "scumbag" specifically because he was a Catholic/nationalist who had decided he'd rather play for us over Northern Ireland. It's all about the context and nuance, EG.

Hypothetically-speaking, if, say, David Healy had been eligible to play for Scotland due to a Scottish parent or something and had declared for them in his youth, as Gibson did with Ireland at the age of 16 or 17, I'm not so sure he would have been victim to the same deluge of bitterness as that to which Gibson found himself being subjected. Shane Duffy fell victim to similar upon his switch to us "Beggars"/the "Darkside". Maybe I misunderstood the vitriol expressed and it had nothing to do with them being Catholics/nationalists preferring to play for Ireland - I'd have to be in very generous mood to offer the benefit of any remaining doubt there - but to accuse me of hypocrisy now, three and a half years later, is a bit rich. I hope that clears up any misunderstanding.

Actually, it's all a whole lot simpler than all that.

Browsing this thread, I noticed your interesting description of DG's character etc. Knowing that you used to post on OWC and guessing that you will have contributed there on the subject of Gibson, I did a very quick Search, and the post which I quoted above was, I think, 4th or 5th on the list.

Therefore I reproduced it on OWC, since I guessed it would be of passing interest to some of the posters there.

That's basically it. Note that I did not call him a "scumbag", nor would I use that term. Nor did I (intend to, at least) imply that you thought him a scumbag.

If, having defended DG on OWC, you are a little embarrassed at having your own words from elsewhere quoted, then there you go - these things happen on the Internet. (Perhaps you aren't embarrassed, I don't know). As for having no opportunity to defend yourself, I forgot/overlooked that you were banned, I suspect because I thought a Banned Member's posting history was deleted from site and therefore wouldn't show up on the Search function?

Beyond that, all I can say is that your original post offers an interesting insight on one aspect of the Gibson saga which always puzzled me. Namely, I have seen him/his family quoted as saying that he originally only fell out with the IFA because they insisted he play for one of our under-age teams, rather than be allowed to attend a training session at Old Trafford. This was what then caused him to turn to the FAI.

On the other hand, I have also seen him/his family quoted as saying it "had always been his dream to play for Ireland etc".

Perhaps the explanation is that whilst he's no "scumbag", he is a contrary hoor?

Anyhow having, I hope, cleared that particular diversion up, fwiw, here is my take on the current Trappatoni/Ferguson disagreement whether DG should stay at OT, or find another club.

Obviously DG's worth to Trapp is diminished if he's not getting match practice at MU, so he will want him to move, whether permanently or on loan.

Ferguson's position is, I suspect, rather more subtle. That is, having been given a reasonable opportunity last season to make an impression at OT, Fergie may be disappointed/surprised that he didn't kick on further. In which case, you might have expected him to loan him out (if he thought that might help), or sell him completely, if he now considered he wasn't going to make it.

That said, with the Glazers increasing the squeeze on Fergie's transfer/wages budget, he is increasingly having to "make bricks without straw". In particular, he is ever more dependant in midfield on veterans like Giggs and Scholes, or crocks like Hargreaves and Carrick, or a number of talented, but still inexperienced imports. Therefore, if MU suffer eg two or three midfield injuries and a suspension, at a time when they have to play, say 7 games in 4 weeks, then Ferguson might be forced to turn to Gibson.

In which case, he won't want him unavailable on loan, therefore he talked the player up in pre-season, both in the Press and (presumably) face-to-face. Which may be unscrupulous, but hardly out-of -character of Ferguson (imo).

Moreover, he won't want to sell him outright, either, since his wages probably aren't excessive, he wouldn't fetch that much (£4-5m?), and whatever he did command may well not be given to Ferguson to reinvest.

Having said all that, I could be entirely wrong!

[Crosby87]

So your conclusion is that basically Fergie might need Gibson at some point when they are playing a lot because he has no one else because the Glazed Donuts won't let him get anyone better. Not putting the thought down but that was a long thing to read for that somewhat obvious conclusion.....

[Sullivinho]

I'm sure you know well that I am in no position to respond on there due to the eight-year suspension - or however long it was again - of my account.

I have a confession to make. I laughed at that. Any chance of it being reduced for good behaviour?

Seriously though, what did you do to deserve that? You hardly seem the type that gets banned from internet forums.

[Predator]

Coincidentally, I had just scanned over the 'Liam Boyce' thread on OWC earlier today, and noticed your current status. Was it a summary execution or did you receive any prior correspondence?

After having my 'warning level' increased several times by that 'fhtb' character, for stating my opinion that I didn't think Shane Ferguson would change association despite technically being able to do so under FIFA's rules, I contacted their site administrator, 'Marty' and I explained that I felt it was a bit unreasonable. 'fhtb' (I presume) had deleted my comments and claimed that 'speculation' was the reason my 'warning level' was raised. Speculation? On a football forum? Get outta town!

Anyway, I received no message back from 'Marty', but was simply refused access to the forum and received an email explaining to me that I could reclaim exactly £3.08 from the OWC admin.

I'm sure you won't take it too much to heart.

Indeed, although I was genuinely surprised at the blatant ostracism, censorship even, of those who differ in opinion/non-IFA fans/Ireland fans. I don't believe I broke any rules and I attempted to engage posters, but was consistently branded a troll. Many of the posters on OWC played the man and not the ball, which truly says a lot.

Ahh well...............alone again...............

Not for long probably, they'll be gunning for you. I'm actually amazed that you weren't banned/suspended for 8 years during that time they sarcastically renamed a thread in your honour. Once again, 'fhtb' was at the centre of that.