SHAY GIVEN CELEBRATES his 36th birthday today and because we’ve eaten the cake, this will have to do as his birthday present.
We’re not sure he’ll appreciate it as much as though.
1. Ireland, 1996
Image: INPHO/Billy Stickland
2. Newcastle, 1997
Image: INPHO/Patrick Bolger
3. Ireland, 1998
Image: INPHO/Billy Stickland
4. Newcastle, 1998
Image: INPHO/Allsport
5. Newcastle, 2002
Image: INPHO/Allsport
6. Newcastle, 2002
Image: INPHO/Getty Images
7. Ireland, 2005
Image: INPHO/Donall Farmer
8. Not a jersey but we’re including it just because we love it
Image: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
I could get over them having wanted to play for England if they were going in fully committed, but the way Bamford seems to be yanking McCarthy’s chain has me seriously questioning him. In or out ffs. We’ve always been technically weaker than other teams but team spirit and commitment has generally been what’s bridged that gap. It can’t be under-valued or taken for granted. If he’s this non-committal, odds are he’s not going to give 100% when he comes in. That’s not to say being born and raised in Ireland is any guarantee of this. Just compare Jon Walters and Stephen Ireland. Bamford really not endearing himself though by ignoring Mick’s calls and the like.
@ScewMadd: totally agree! Whether you like Bamford for not he does have links to Ireland but the “I’ll consider my options” stuff is getting really old.
@ScewMadd: he’s had serious injuries. If Leeds lost him now then it would be disastrous for their promotion bid. Bamford stalling for the moment makes perfect sense. Leeds fans would never forgive him if an injury for Ireland against Gibraltar cost them the promotion they crave
@Stanley Baggins: completely agree I don’t want him near that Ireland squad until the season is over for Leeds.
I agree with Kevin Kilbane that Patrick Bamford’s first choice was England, but Ireland aren’t in a position to be picky right now. He’d be a very good addition to the Ireland squad at the moment.
@James Clancy: Spot on,yesterday’s squad announcement showed the squad needs to be supplemented with quality.
@James Clancy: not buying it, your either Irish or English, not just Irish when your not good enough for England
@emmetnichol: reality is vast majority of players would pick England over Ireland if they’ve been born and raised there. Its a more natural choice and u have your agent in your ear telling you how many more zeros on your career earnings it’ll make. Kilbane is the exception. He was immersed in Irish culture since birth.
Clinton could have played for the mighty Jamacia but he decided on us..legend
Granny rule players used to declare for Ireland because it put them in the shop window. If they nutmegged Baggio in a game then that often resulted in a move to Liverpool or Everton a few weeks later.
Today players even in the championship are on such nice money that they don’t need International football anymore to retire wealthy…. So when a great player wants to play International football for us where we pay nothing to them in return, even if they only decided at 25 years old to join, then we should still welcome them with open arms.
Sweet god… do we ever learn. Laughing stock..
You can only laugh at the very small minority who knock granny rule players when we’ve just named a squad containing the likes of Glen Whelan and Padraig Amond. No disrespect to those two at all who are wonderful professionals but they’re hardly Aldridge, Townsend, Houghton etc
Another Clinton Morrison, albeit a lot more talented
@Seán Ó’Sionúir: The Clint did very well for us.
@Seán Ó’Sionúir: you should watch the sky YouTube interview of Clinton on playing for Ireland. He’s was 100% committed to the irish setup from the outset, unlike wasters Bamford, Rice, Grealish, Noble, Nolan etc
@Facundo: you should leave Noble out of that list, he was approached and did the honourable thing and said he felt English so he wouldn’t declare for us.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
@Panch Murphy: Yeah and he also went out of his way to have a whisper in rice’s ear about declaring for England, along with rats John Terry, gold and sullivan, swaying his decision. Beautiful human beings, all 4 of them
Quality will improve by picking Irish players over English players starting at under age level