Ian Harte to Sunderland and possibly A.Reid

**Sligo Hornet** · 29/08/2007, 12:54 PM

Andy Reid ( when on form) is one of those rare midfielders who, although not very quick or mobile, find time on the ball to deliver decisive passes.....very much in the Jan Molby mould ( he liked a pie or two as well!

)

p.s. happy birthday Eirebhoy!

**paul_oshea** · 29/08/2007, 1:00 PM

quel age avez vous?

or something like that. happy BDay EB, hopefully the old adage is correct that with age you become wiser, and stop tipping scheisser players as the next big thing and stop having boners about crap players everytime they do something half decent

**Stuttgart88** · 29/08/2007, 1:05 PM

I think as he gets really old he'll stop having boners altogether (so I'm told).

Happy birthday eb.

**youngirish** · 29/08/2007, 1:08 PM

Happy birthday EB. A year older, a year wiser, you will soon have all that optimism that you regularly display on these boards sucked out of you by the progression of time. Trust me it happens.

**livehead1** · 29/08/2007, 1:23 PM

Happy 50th

**eirebhoy** · 29/08/2007, 1:26 PM

Jaysus, who sussed that one?

Thanks all. I've a mix of a hangover and a cold today though and there's a very important game of football being played tonight.

**livehead1** · 29/08/2007, 1:37 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Jaysus, who sussed that one?

Thanks all. I've a mix of a hangover and a cold today though and there's a very important game of football being played tonight.

Bristol City v Man City?

**eirebhoy** · 29/08/2007, 3:32 PM

That's the one.

Anyway, Harte signed for Sunderland today.

**NeilMcD** · 29/08/2007, 3:35 PM

Sunderland have completed the signing of former Leeds defender Ian Harte.

The 29-year-old joins Roy Keane's squad as a free agent, on a one-year contract.

Black Cats boss Keane said: "I've played alongside Ian and I know the qualities he can bring to our club. You need a big squad in the Premier League and he will add strength to ours."

Harte, a former Republic of Ireland team-mate of Keane, spent nine years at Elland Road during which time the Yorkshire club reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

He said: "It's great to be back in the Premier League and I'm raring to go, I want to get playing as soon as possible.

"This is a good opportunity for me at a massive club like Sunderland, and there are plenty of Irish lads here to make me feel welcome."

Harte, who moved to Levante in Spain on a free transfer in 2004, trained with Sunderland last week in a bid to impress Keane after being released by the La Liga club.

Harte, a left-back known for taking free-kicks and penalties, has won 64 caps for Ireland, scoring 11 times.

He could play some part in tomorrow's reserve game between Sunderland and Newcastle at the Stadium of Light (7pm).

Harte is Sunderland's 10th signing since they won promotion to the Premier League.

**Stuttgart88** · 29/08/2007, 3:35 PM

Who was it that was saying Keane was a much better manager than Mick, by citing an appalling run of results upon promotion as example? How does a 3-0 defeat by Luton stack up then? Not bad against a 3-1 defeat by Morecambe I suppose!

**NeilMcD** · 29/08/2007, 3:37 PM

Hold fire stutts, I know where you are coming from a bit premature though.

**livehead1** · 29/08/2007, 3:40 PM

How many Irish is that up there then?

**Stuttgart88** · 29/08/2007, 3:41 PM

Yeah, I know but the guy who took Owls Fan on was so adamant it made me chuckle a bit last night.

**0325422** · 29/08/2007, 4:03 PM

ill be putting ian harte in my premierleague.com fantasy football for the amount of goals i can see him popping in. dont rate him as much of a defender obviously due to world cup 2002. If he can get his confidence back he would be a good addition to the ireland team as a natural left back. Dont think O Halloran is up to playing this position yet. Playing and training with so many irish player at sunderland can only help the irish set-up.

**Billsthoughts** · 29/08/2007, 4:14 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Who was it that was saying Keane was a much better manager than Mick, by citing an appalling run of results upon promotion as example? How does a 3-0 defeat by Luton stack up then? Not bad against a 3-1 defeat by Morecambe I suppose!

he went thru a bad spell(in fact probably a couple) last year as well and ended up winning the league. Its early days and he is one of the managers least likely to get the sack so would expect him to turn it around again. Carling Cup doesnt mean anything. Only bad defeat they have had was to wigan. And didnt he surpass Macarthys home premiership record on the first day of the season? That made me chuckle.

**OwlsFan** · 30/08/2007, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

And didnt he surpass Macarthys home premiership record on the first day of the season? That made me chuckle.

He also surpassed in spending months before a ball was kicked what Mick had to spend for the whole season. Did that make you chuckle as well

Strange buy that of Harte. Very limited player defensively in what I assume will be a season of struggle for Sunderland. I wonder what the Sunderland fans make of all these Paddies going to the Northeast. Derek Geary of the Blunts might (but only just) have been a better option if he has to buy green.

**NeilMcD** · 30/08/2007, 9:49 AM

I think he is making the same mistake as Mc Carthy in buying quantity rather than buying quality. However he is paying way more for average players.

**RogerMilla** · 30/08/2007, 9:52 AM

gordon and mcshane are the only premiership quality players signed , in my opinion.

**Soko** · 30/08/2007, 9:56 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I agree with your sarcasm in your first point but the above point is a bit silly. He was hardly making his debut against Denmark. We've had enough chances to see him by now. He could be the star player for someone like Everton. If Arteta and Cahill can, Reid certainly can.

Arteta oozes class, Reid couldn't lace up his boots

And he is fat. Watching him and puff around the field against the Czechs last year was embarrassing.