Quotevery nice
From today's Indo: http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stor...=12&si=1552243
For the past 10 years Shay Given has virtually owned the Irish goalkeeping jersey.
As long as he stays injury free, the Newcastle united 'keeper should break Steve Staunton's record of 102 appearances by 2010.
The exploits over the past 20 years of Packie Bonner and Given have inspired a generation of wannabes like Wayne Henderson, Saul Deeney, Barry Roche, Colin Doyle and Ed Randolph, but the 'keeper making a lot of people sit up and take notice is 18-year-old Dubliner Shane Supple.
There is a delightful story told of the day Given signed for Blackburn Rovers. Once he had put pen to paper he was whisked away to play in a youth match and, obviously nervous, he made a major boob that led to a goal.
It prompted one Blackburn coach to suggest to his father Seamus that it was just as well Shay had signed before the game whereupon the senior member of the Given family replied that his son would be a senior international before his 20th birthday.
Given eventually made his Ireland debut 24 days before he turned 20, much to the delight of his father whose reputation as a footballing soothsayer was firmly established by that presumptuous prediction.
Talent
With new manager Staunton set on blooding young talent, there's every chance Supple might follow in the footsteps of his idol and win a senior cap before he is 20, especially as he is now first choice 'keeper at Ipswich Town.
"Growing up, Peter Schmeichel was my hero but now it is Shay Given because he is so like me. We are of a similar build and are both just over 6ft. He is a great shot-stopper and very consistent," says Supple.
From Blanchardstown, where he lined out for the local St Brigid's GAA Club as well as Verona and later Home Farm, Supple was a member of the excellent Ipswich side which won the English FA Youth Cup last season.
The former St Declan's CBS student has been at Portman Road since he was 15, after being spotted by Ipswich scouts Larry Fox and Joe Martin, and Supple's performances in the Youth Cup run suggested he was definitely proceeding in the right direction. However, what's happened since has definitely caught him by surprise.
"I came back in the summer not knowing I was going to be fighting for the No 1 jersey. Kelvin Davis had gone to Sunderland but I expected them to bring in somebody else.
"They didn't. I got a couple of games early on in pre-season but then Lewis Price got injured at Christmas and I got in. The team have played really well since then and the gaffer (Joe Royle) has been terrific in sticking with me."
Going from the youth team to the Championship would seem a daunting step but Supple has taken it all in his stride.
"It's not such a huge step up. I thought it would be when I made my debut, but the only difference is that it is a bit more physical. You are coming up against big lads who are stronger, so I have taken a few knocks.
"But I don't mind the physical stuff because I played Gaelic football with St Brigid's and I have no problem coming to collect a cross."
Debut
His debut came on New Year's Eve against Luton when Ipswich won 1-0 and Supple was more than pleased with his performance.
"It was nice to keep a clean sheet and make one or two good saves."
Every year young Irish footballers face the choice between big clubs and small clubs like Ipswich and Supple turned down Aston Villa, where his hero Schmeichel was on the playing staff, to head for East Anglia. "I liked the feel of the place. It's a family club and everybody that comes here sees that. There are a lot of young players here so it's a bit homely."
Putting pressure on Given for his international place is a long term objective for Supple but he knows he has some way to go before he finds himself reporting in to the Irish team's headquarters in Portmarnock.
"I want to try and break into the U21s first, while at club level I want to hold down my place in the first team and establish myself as a first team player. Hopefully I can also get into the Premiership with Ipswich."
Twelve years ago Shay Given arrived at Sunderland from Blackburn and produced 16 clean sheets in the final 18 games to deliver promotion. So, who knows what might happen Ipswich this season if Supple can continue to keep them out at his end.
very nice
what he said. on a personal note i would just like to impress everyone on this board by saying that i also used to play for verona as a youngster even though i was quite crap. thank you.Originally Posted by livehead1
I
well i used to play for sandiacre town and their on championship managereven though i was quite crap!
By all accounts, Supple had a good game against Leeds last night and made two "outstanding" saves.
Have Boot Disk, will travel
so he is ipswichs number one then at the moment?
still think that paddy kenny is the more likely sub for shay, though i think that guy Stack plays for some championship club as well-didnt he get accuse of rape last year...
I
Stack is Readings number two at the moment. Yeah he was accused but AFAIK nothing happened with it.
I'd love to invent a time machine then go back in time and win the lottery, buy new players and a stadium. Time machines are brilliant aren't they- Ian Holloway
I think Supple should come into the senior squad as sub for some of these friendlies. To me he seems the most likely to replace Shay in the long term.
i feel your opinion on this and many others who feel likewise will be somewhat different should sheffield united gain an expected promotion to the premiership, if kenny proves himself their he is a better option than supple for a the forseeable future
Case went to court and Stack was cleared.
He is second to Hahnemann at Reading but has been getting a run out in the cup. Hahnemann is in fantastic form so Stack kept out by a great keeper. He'll be back in the Premiership next season.
Have Boot Disk, will travel
True - I always though Kenny was older than 27. He has that look about him. Still Supple is very young and is rising above Stack, Henderson, etc in the pecking order.
How has he passed Henderson in Pecking order? He hasn't even played a 21's International while Henderson is first choice at his club also and has a load of 21 caps?
I mean that he is in the process of doing so. By all accounts Supple is playing better for Ipswich than Henderson is for Brighton and I can seem him going ahead of Henderson in the pecking order.
I think he's the best prospect of our younger keepers anyway.
Maybe but i think Hendersons defence is largely at fault rather than him playing bad. I agree he may be in the process but i still think Henderson would be picked if a place in the squad came available. Best of look to both of them and the competition can only be good for the national team!
So what you're saying lads is that we've plenty goalkeeping options. Right, lets be happy about this and hope the competition for a place in the squad remains strong.
Have Boot Disk, will travel
Yeah, I'd have Henderson as 3rd choice keeper. He's doing really well at Brighton and now gone past the U21 age. Supple hasn't even broken into the U21s yet.
well i used to play for sandiacre town and their on championship manager
actually my name appeared on it a fewyears ago too....and it was genuine
yeh i signed myself and i was ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS like 1's n 2's for everything!lol
Sorry I got mixed up with the EA Ice skating game there....
to whoever wrote the article, it's Darren Randolph,not Ed Randolph, that's his dad's name.
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