KEVIN DOYLE INSISTS his move to America hasn’t marked the end of his international career and he still harbours hopes of playing for Ireland again.
The striker moved to Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids in May after an unsettled couple of seasons in England but was left out of Martin O’Neill’s squad for last month’s qualifier against Scotland.
Doyle’s last appearance for the Boys in Green came in the 7-0 rout of Gibraltar last October and he has only started two friendlies under O’Neill.
Speaking to Newstalk’s Off the Ball on Tuesday, the 31-year-old revealed he spoke to the Ireland manager before making the move across the Atlantic but said he’d already made his mind up to leave Wolves.
“I’d made the decision by myself to be honest,” he said. But I spoke to him [O'Neill] before the last two squads. I was only out here a week at that stage and we just felt it was unlikely I was going to play in either of the games because I hadn’t played a club game in six months.
“So I felt it was better to stay here and not be jet-lagged again and play some football instead of flying home to probably sit on the bench.
“Hopefully I can play some games between now and the next qualifiers and get back involved. That’s my aim.”
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Doyle, who has scored one goal in seven outings for his new club, admitted he could have stayed in England but the offer to head to the MLS was too good to turn down at this stage of his career.
Doyle has found the net just once in the MLS but says he's settling in well. AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
The Wexford man says he’s now fully settled in Denver after moving into a new house with his wife and kids.
“It’s a pretty cool place,” he continued. ”It’s a lovely city. Obviously, America’s a fantastic country and an opportunity to see it. Every second week, we’re in a different city so there’s somewhere new every second week. It’s been fun so far.
“We really enjoyed living in England, we had a great life there so it wasn’t like we were desperate to move but footballing wise, I said why not try something totally different.
“I could of stayed in England, which would have been the plan, but it would have been the same grounds, same players, same everything like a merry go round for another few years so I said why not to America.”
Doyle’s contract at Molineux was due to expire this summer but because the deal to move to Colorado was already agreed back in February, he didn’t even enter negotiations with any clubs closer to home.
Having played in the top three tiers of English football in as many years, Doyle says the MLS is noticeably more tactics-based with an emphasis on a technical style of play.
“It’s different but football’s football. It’s quite technical as there’s a lot of South American players.
Doyle was one of six players cut from the Ireland panel for the games against England and Scotland. PA Archive / Press Association Images
PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
“But it’s actually outside the football like the travelling which is completely different. Last week we were away from home for three games in a row so we flew from Denver to Orlando which is nearly three hours and then we went from Orlando to Kansas City which was another two/three hour flight and then to Houston and back to Denver.
“So you’re away from home for eight days, playing in all different time zones and weather.”
It means Doyle is becoming accustomed to spending hours on end travelling from city to city so making the hop across the Atlantic to report for international duty is something that won’t deter him.
“Obviously I don’t pick the squad, but I’ll do my best to try and get back involved but I want rule myself out when I’m over in America.
“You just have to realise like any sports person, you’re getting older and you’re not going to be involved forever. I would have still liked to be playing for my country every second month but I still have that opportunity if I can play well here and hopefully get some more caps.
“It’s something I enjoy doing but it’s not easy because there’s plenty of competition for places. I’d love to still be the number choice but if not, so be it as it won’t be for a lack of effort.”
'I was better off not flying home to probably sit on the bench but I want to get back involved'
KEVIN DOYLE INSISTS his move to America hasn’t marked the end of his international career and he still harbours hopes of playing for Ireland again.
The striker moved to Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids in May after an unsettled couple of seasons in England but was left out of Martin O’Neill’s squad for last month’s qualifier against Scotland.
Doyle’s last appearance for the Boys in Green came in the 7-0 rout of Gibraltar last October and he has only started two friendlies under O’Neill.
Speaking to Newstalk’s Off the Ball on Tuesday, the 31-year-old revealed he spoke to the Ireland manager before making the move across the Atlantic but said he’d already made his mind up to leave Wolves.
“I’d made the decision by myself to be honest,” he said. But I spoke to him [O'Neill] before the last two squads. I was only out here a week at that stage and we just felt it was unlikely I was going to play in either of the games because I hadn’t played a club game in six months.
“Hopefully I can play some games between now and the next qualifiers and get back involved. That’s my aim.”
Doyle, who has scored one goal in seven outings for his new club, admitted he could have stayed in England but the offer to head to the MLS was too good to turn down at this stage of his career.
The Wexford man says he’s now fully settled in Denver after moving into a new house with his wife and kids.
“It’s a pretty cool place,” he continued. ”It’s a lovely city. Obviously, America’s a fantastic country and an opportunity to see it. Every second week, we’re in a different city so there’s somewhere new every second week. It’s been fun so far.
“I could of stayed in England, which would have been the plan, but it would have been the same grounds, same players, same everything like a merry go round for another few years so I said why not to America.”
Doyle’s contract at Molineux was due to expire this summer but because the deal to move to Colorado was already agreed back in February, he didn’t even enter negotiations with any clubs closer to home.
Having played in the top three tiers of English football in as many years, Doyle says the MLS is noticeably more tactics-based with an emphasis on a technical style of play.
“It’s different but football’s football. It’s quite technical as there’s a lot of South American players.
“But it’s actually outside the football like the travelling which is completely different. Last week we were away from home for three games in a row so we flew from Denver to Orlando which is nearly three hours and then we went from Orlando to Kansas City which was another two/three hour flight and then to Houston and back to Denver.
“So you’re away from home for eight days, playing in all different time zones and weather.”
It means Doyle is becoming accustomed to spending hours on end travelling from city to city so making the hop across the Atlantic to report for international duty is something that won’t deter him.
“You just have to realise like any sports person, you’re getting older and you’re not going to be involved forever. I would have still liked to be playing for my country every second month but I still have that opportunity if I can play well here and hopefully get some more caps.
“It’s something I enjoy doing but it’s not easy because there’s plenty of competition for places. I’d love to still be the number choice but if not, so be it as it won’t be for a lack of effort.”
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American adventure Colorado Rapids Kevin Doyle