Irish players released by UK clubs

**Soper** · 10/05/2007, 1:19 PM

Hawkins, Ward, Doyle, Forde, O'Callaghan.....

**lofty9** · 16/05/2007, 10:58 AM

Jason Byrne staying with Cardiff.

**OneRedArmy** · 16/05/2007, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

I think the step up from LOI(or IL) to the Championship in England is emense and only a few players on this island would be able to make the transition.

Change the record....

**Burnsie** · 16/05/2007, 1:03 PM

I think the step up from LOI(or IL) to the Championship in England is emense and only a few players on this island would be able to make the transition.

spot on lad

**Dodge** · 16/05/2007, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

I think the step up from LOI(or IL) to the Championship in England is emense and only a few players on this island would be able to make the transition.

I would've agreed with you last year BUT Stephen Ward wouldn't have made many LOI fans top ten strikers last year and he's doing quite well for himself at Wolves (I think he won the CHampionship POTM earlier this year).

If he can do it, plenty of others can

**pete** · 16/05/2007, 1:51 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

I think the step up from LOI(or IL) to the Championship in England is immense and only a few players on this island would be able to make the transition.

I think could easily find list eL players able to make the move into Championship first teams as shown by the numbers in the last year. Not all those that left were the best players in the eL which shows plenty of more players could "make it".

Players such as Murphy & Long left before them too.

**Burnsie** · 16/05/2007, 3:40 PM

Stephen Ward wouldn't have made many LOI fans top ten strikers last year and he's doing quite well

an anomaly: someone whose skills were better suited to the english divisions than the eircom league. to counter the point: i assume jason byrne would have been in every LOI fan's top one strikers for the last five years, and he ahs sunk without a trace.

**Dodge** · 16/05/2007, 4:50 PM

If you read the thread, you'll see why

And he certainly wasn't my top striker.

Suppose Dayl Murphy and Kevin Doyle are anolamies too?

**BohsFans** · 16/05/2007, 4:56 PM

I think Wes Hoolihan deserves a mention as well, he's better than League One anyway!

**Aaron** · 16/05/2007, 5:42 PM

Originally Posted by BohsFans

I think Wes Hoolihan deserves a mention as well, he's better than League One anyway!

Middlesbrough supposed to be after him

**Gaillimh Al** · 16/05/2007, 7:26 PM

Byrne and David Forde both staying at Cardiff. With their other goalie being let go, Dave should hopefully get more opportunities next season.

**Cymro** · 16/05/2007, 7:29 PM

Originally Posted by Gaillimh Al

Byrne and David Forde both staying at Cardiff. With their other goalie being let go, Dave should hopefully get more opportunities next season.

Cardiff are targeting a new goalie as top priority so I feel Forde will be number two there next year.

**Cymro** · 16/05/2007, 7:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

If you read the thread, you'll see why

And he certainly wasn't my top striker.

Suppose Dayl Murphy and Kevin Doyle are anolamies too?

We'll see how Byrne gets on next year now he looks to be staying at Cardiff.

It would say a lot though if he scored hatfuls in the League of Ireland yet couldn't break into this current Cardiff side. Swansea would beat 'em right now, and that's not personal bias. They could be relegation fodder next year, depends on who comes in and goes out there during the summer. Supposed to be a lot of new arrivals so they might be better next year but I doubt they'll be any more than a mid-table side.

**Soper** · 16/05/2007, 7:42 PM

So I suppose Serie A is crap because Shevchenko couldn't score hatfuls of goals in the Premiersh1t?

**Cymro** · 16/05/2007, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Soper

So I suppose Serie A is crap because Shevchenko couldn't score hatfuls of goals in the Premiersh1t?

Well, there's a bit of difference between playing, albeit somewhat irregularly, for the richest club in the world, and playing well on occasion (remember the goal he scored in the FA Cup against Spurs) and, in Byrne's case, being behind a former Newport County player in the pecking order at a pretty poor Cardiff side.

Shevchenko has the Premiership's best strikers to compete with, Byrne has a load ****e to compete with.

**GavinZac** · 16/05/2007, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

Byrne has a load ****e to compete with.

Yeah, and he was given one opportunity, and he scored. Whats happened since then?

**Risteard** · 17/05/2007, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Cymro

It would say a lot though if he scored hatfuls in the League of Ireland yet couldn't break into this current Cardiff side.

I wouldn't say he scored hatfuls but he was a class act alright.

**Cymro** · 17/05/2007, 1:25 AM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

Yeah, and he was given one opportunity, and he scored. Whats happened since then?

He got injured, then did nothing for 90 minutes in his comeback match in the FAW Premier Cup (which I saw). He hasn't played since, presumably because he isn't deemed good enough by the manager.