Finnan retires from International Football

**bwagner** · 22/01/2008, 2:39 PM

Really jebus - well let me tell you about your boyfriend Finnan ....Ireland Have about 3-4 real senior players in the squad (Given,Carsley,Kilbane,Dunne) This is our darkest hour and he turns his back , he could have at least waited to talk to the new manager and say hi Im not doing friendlies etc. its the youngest squad we have had ever and its needs top players from top clubs to guide them.Its all money now and if he wasnt from stab city you would'nt even care about him .p.s he is as limerick as Phil Babb

**Stuttgart88** · 22/01/2008, 2:40 PM

Agree with all of that but didn't he leave Limerick aged 7?

**eirebhoy** · 22/01/2008, 2:40 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Can't be bothered, I think I'll just hang around here. Alternatively if ye'd set up a France National Team section I'd head off there, because if there's one national team I love, then it has to be France. Much prefer my representatives at international level to be millionaires I can't relate to with a French manager, than millionaires I can't relate to with a Cockney manager any day of the week

At least keep it in mind where you're actually posting. I don't think anyone would get a good reaction here if they called the LOI "some poxy league".

**Maroon 7** · 22/01/2008, 2:42 PM

Can anyone blame him retiring when you see the reaction on here?

Barely anyone has thanked him for playing for Ireland for the best part of a decade.

Instead he's getting called a traitor and a mercenary.

**Stuttgart88** · 22/01/2008, 2:45 PM

His performances have been praised to the hilt here in the past. The traitor & mercenary jibes are too extreme but 31 is no age to retire and frankly I feel like he's letting us down now.

I've known international rugby players to make their debut at 31 FFS.

**Thunderblaster** · 22/01/2008, 2:46 PM

Thanks to Steve Finnan on his undenying loyalty to the green shirt over the last eight years. You will be missed and I hope that the incumbent will persuade you to come back. Best of luck for the future.

**OneRedArmy** · 22/01/2008, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Maroon 7

Can anyone blame him retiring when you see the reaction on here?.

A pre-emptive retirement then so?

I think thats known as reverse justification.....

**DotTV** · 22/01/2008, 2:47 PM

First job of the new manager will be to get him back on board.

**Maroon 7** · 22/01/2008, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

A pre-emptive retirement then so?

I think thats known as reverse justification.....

Well let's just hope if the new manager tries to convince him to stay on that he doesn't look in here in the meantime.

**eirebhoy** · 22/01/2008, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by Armando

I know how silly this is but, in a way players shouldn't really be allowed to retire from international football, without good reason, if they're still playing professionally.

They're not. See Makelele.

**Armando** · 22/01/2008, 2:50 PM

Originally Posted by DotTV

First job of the new manager will be to get him back on board.

Agreed. Any manager worth his salt will do this.

**Armando** · 22/01/2008, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

They're not. See Makelele.

Ye, I thought that was great by Domenech...call him up anyway and deal with it from there. At least he showed to Makelele that he really wanted him and wasn't going to take no for an answer and it worked.

**boovidge** · 22/01/2008, 2:55 PM

TV: Please play for Ireland
SF: Oh go on then

It's not going to happen, he's made his choice and made it official by telling the press. He'd look like a right eejit changing his mind after a couple of weeks!

**OneRedArmy** · 22/01/2008, 2:56 PM

I fully support international managers naming their preferred side and force the lads to turn it down.

**NeilMcD** · 22/01/2008, 2:56 PM

I think Makelele wanted to play but did not want to let down Chelsea, so he told Domenech is plan and Domenech called him up and Chelsea had to release him. Makelele could say to Chelsea that he planned to retire but was not allowed.

**�ire �g** · 22/01/2008, 2:56 PM

Hardly surprising his retirement when he wasnt fit to travel to Bratislava & Prague and then 3 days later;

PORTSMOUTH 0 - 0 LIVERPOOL
Saturday 15 September 2007 12:45 , Barclays Premier League

Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher (c), Steve Finnan, Yossi Benayoun, Xabi Alonso, Momo Sissoko, Jermaine Pennant, Peter Crouch, Andriy Voronin

Subs:Torres (Crouch 62) Gerrard (Pennant 67) Babel (Alonso 77)

**ghBohs** · 22/01/2008, 2:59 PM

Finnan retires from internation football.

A nation shrugs it's shoulders and says "nyeh".

**osarusan** · 22/01/2008, 3:02 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Maybe its to do with Sheffield and Limerick both been kips.

What an idiotic comment.

It's clear you disagree with his opinions, as do I, but there is no need for the kind of comment I've quoted.

**aidz1** · 22/01/2008, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by �ire �g

Hardly surprising his retirement when he wasnt fit to travel to Bratislava & Prague and then 3 days later;

PORTSMOUTH 0 - 0 LIVERPOOL
Saturday 15 September 2007 12:45 , Barclays Premier League

Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher (c), Steve Finnan, Yossi Benayoun, Xabi Alonso, Momo Sissoko, Jermaine Pennant, Peter Crouch, Andriy Voronin

Subs:Torres (Crouch 62) Gerrard (Pennant 67) Babel (Alonso 77)

Surely a player has to return to match time at some stage after an injury. This one just happened to be A few days later. He may not have been ready earlier.

He was about to only player to stand out for us in the Cyprus game a month later.

**mackannovic** · 22/01/2008, 3:04 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

His performances have been praised to the hilt here in the past. The traitor & mercenary jibes are too extreme but 31 is no age to retire and frankly I feel like he's letting us down now.

I've known international rugby players to make their debut at 31 FFS.

I've known International Rugby Players to be grossly overweight. It's a completely different sport.