Irish Abroad 2007/2008

**cheifo** · 24/12/2007, 1:41 AM

Stokes should have been celebrating grtting the winner for Sunderland again but made a terrible decision not to square ball for him to tap in.
St Ledger had one wonderful run upfield box to box against Burnley.Def seems to have something about him.

**tetsujin1979** · 24/12/2007, 1:04 PM

Darron Gibson's loan at Wolves extended until the end of the season: http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/pa...198428,00.html

**tetsujin1979** · 24/12/2007, 1:28 PM

Irish Abroad for Saturday, 22nd December 2007: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2007-12-22
Reading have won every home game in which Stephen Hunt has scored, but have yet to win away from home when he has found the net
Blackpool continue their trend of winning every home game Wes Hoolahan scores in
Paddy McCarthy plays his first game since September
Colchester lose for the first time in a game Mark Yeates has scored in
Eddie Nolan has lost every away game he's started on loan at Hartlepool, curiously he's won every home game he's started
Alan O'Brien hasn't started a game for Hibs since August, but has been introduced in every away game he's been a substitute for
Dundee lost their first home game in which Noel Hunt scored
There's been a lot of talk about Jamie McCarthy, but does anyone know much about Andy Jackson at St Johnstone? He's been a fairly regular scorer for them this season

Irish Abroad for Sunday, 23rd December 2007: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2007-12-23
Damien Duff makes his comeback
Aberdeen haven't lost a home game Richie Byrne has started in, their draw with Rangers today was the first game they didn't win. Richie has also yet to be substituted in any match he's started

Apologies for the lateness of the update, my computer picked up a virus over the weekend and it took me until yesterday to get it sorted.

**tetsujin1979** · 26/12/2007, 12:08 PM

Saw this on Fulham's website: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/Ne...uryUpdate.aspx

Michael Timlin had surgery for a wrist fracture which required a bone graft. He is currently doing fitness work but has to avoid any contact or damage. We’re looking at a four to five week period before he can take part in training again.

**eirebhoy** · 27/12/2007, 6:04 PM

Willo Flood played right back for Dundee Utd yesterday. I don't know if he's being playing regularly in that position. He got forward quite a lot and did well.

**tetsujin1979** · 27/12/2007, 10:40 PM

Eddie Nolan has had his loan at Hartlepool extended for another month: http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk/pa...198714,00.html

**tetsujin1979** · 28/12/2007, 12:00 AM

Irish Abroad for Wednesday, December 26th: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2007-12-26
Steve Finnan starts his first game in a month
Joey O'Brien plays his first football in 2 months
John O'Shea starts his first away league game of the season
Liam Lawrence becomes the fourth Irish player this season to notch a hat trick, and the second midfielder
Sean Scannell starts his first game
Crystal Palace continue their trend of winning every away game where Clinton Morrison scores
Sean Thornton starts for the first time in more than a month
John Thompson was an unused substitute against his former team Nottingham Forest, he hasn't played since September and has been an unused substitute 11 times

Irish Abroad for Thursday, 27th December 2007: http://www.chatsoccer.net/irishabroa...ate=2007-12-27
Steven Reid started his first game that he didn't lose
Stephen Ireland made his comeback from suspension

**tetsujin1979** · 28/12/2007, 9:43 AM

Wes Hoolahan linked with Sheffield United: http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...008211,00.html

**cheifo** · 29/12/2007, 12:29 AM

If someone had said to you five years ago that the Irish player playing most consistently with his club*in 07/08 would be Lee Carsley you would have thought:"Jaysus no, what about all our young fellas?"
Its a funny old game.

*Slight exaggeration I know taking into account Robbie and big Richards form but you know what I mean.

**tetsujin1979** · 29/12/2007, 2:57 AM

Originally Posted by cheifo

*Slight exaggeration I know taking into account Robbie and big Richards form but you know what I mean.

Given that at the time, young Robbie was warming the bench for Leeds, and Richard couldn't decide if pints with his family or training with City was better for his career, I'd say it's not much of an exaggeration!

**eirebhoy** · 30/12/2007, 12:16 AM

McShane was apparently excellent today against Bolton. No surprise it was against a target man in Kevin Davies. Anyway, the BBC still make stuff up saying the ball hit McShane's arm for the goal. The ball didn't touch him. He was shoved in the back. His timing for headers is superb and certainly not something he can be critisised for. I don't know what it is but people like to try and find faults in everything McShane does. His style of play makes him look like a headless chicken but he's far from that and will be class when he hits his peak imo.

**irishbaz** · 30/12/2007, 10:35 AM

I watched the game between Palace and Sheff Utd yesterday on the advice of a mate who has been going on about Sean Scannell saying this lad had it all could play on both wings, was attacking in nature and could score. He said he was Irish and only 17, watching him yesterday he looked good in the first half and faded in the second but at times switched wings looked comfortable with both feet and had a good chance saved. Does anyone else know anything about him?

**Hibernian** · 30/12/2007, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by irishbaz

I watched the game between Palace and Sheff Utd yesterday on the advice of a mate who has been going on about Sean Scannell saying this lad had it all could play on both wings, was attacking in nature and could score. He said he was Irish and only 17, watching him yesterday he looked good in the first half and faded in the second but at times switched wings looked comfortable with both feet and had a good chance saved. Does anyone else know anything about him?

Dont know much about him myself saw him yesterday too and taught he looked very good indeed,

But about how many youngsters have we said that about before but hopefully this guy will make it.

**Superhoops** · 30/12/2007, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by irishbaz

I watched the game between Palace and Sheff Utd yesterday on the advice of a mate who has been going on about Sean Scannell saying this lad had it all could play on both wings, was attacking in nature and could score. He said he was Irish and only 17, watching him yesterday he looked good in the first half and faded in the second but at times switched wings looked comfortable with both feet and had a good chance saved. Does anyone else know anything about him?

He has come through Palace's academy and has played for their U-18's, reserves and first team this season. His record at all levels would indicate he has an eye for goal.

He is in our current U-18 squad and played last month in the two games in Germany. He has played at U-16 and U-17. Last season with the U-17 squad, he started in 2 of the 3 games in the first Qualifying stage of the UEFA championship on Azerbaijan, he played in all three games (2 starts, 1 sub) in the Elite Qualifying group of that tournament in Germany, he started in both the friendlies against Italy in January and he played in all three games (2 starts, 1 sub) in the tournament in Hungary at the start of that season, scoring three goals. Sean McCaffrey rates him as an outstanding prospect.

Born in UK and qualifies for us through his Irish father.

**tetsujin1979** · 30/12/2007, 1:08 PM

He has a younger brother in Palace's academy as well.

**tetsujin1979** · 30/12/2007, 1:19 PM

Richard Keogh's latest diary entry: http://www.icons.com/keogh/diary.html?30.12.07

**tetsujin1979** · 30/12/2007, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

McShane was apparently excellent today against Bolton. No surprise it was against a target man in Kevin Davies. Anyway, the BBC still make stuff up saying the ball hit McShane's arm for the goal. The ball didn't touch him. He was shoved in the back. His timing for headers is superb and certainly not something he can be critisised for. I don't know what it is but people like to try and find faults in everything McShane does. His style of play makes him look like a headless chicken but he's far from that and will be class when he hits his peak imo.

Got 2 bonus points in fantasy football as well yesterday. He has 6 altogether now, the only Sunderland player with more is Jones with 7, although Higgenbotham also has 6.

**balls** · 30/12/2007, 5:36 PM

was in london over xmas was reading daily star it said chelsea and arsenal were interested in signing 3 young palace players. scanell was one of these and some other young 15 year old wonderkid

**irishfan86** · 30/12/2007, 6:22 PM

He was named in the Emerging British XI or something I was reading.

**dr_peepee** · 30/12/2007, 8:20 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

McShane was apparently excellent today against Bolton. No surprise it was against a target man in Kevin Davies. Anyway, the BBC still make stuff up saying the ball hit McShane's arm for the goal. The ball didn't touch him. He was shoved in the back. His timing for headers is superb and certainly not something he can be critisised for. I don't know what it is but people like to try and find faults in everything McShane does. His style of play makes him look like a headless chicken but he's far from that and will be class when he hits his peak imo.

Defo Agreed.. I'd prefer if Sunderland had a bit of depth though cos for a couple of games there I felt he needed to be taken out of the firing line for a bit, just a game or two much like with Gordon. Not quite dropped, but we forget how young he is and increased expsosure at such a young age can be counter productive when things aren't going well. And as you said, people hyper analysing any faults can't be good for his development.

I firmly believe though he brings something to a team beyond his footballing contributions. That level of commitment is infectious and forces other arguably more senior players to look at themselves and raise there game to suit.