Gavin Cooney reports from Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar
IRISH CAPTAIN SEAMUS Coleman has hailed the retiring Jon Walters as an “inspiration” for both erstwhile teammates and future Irish stars.
35-year-old Walters announced his retirement on social media earlier today, forced to call time on his career because of an Achilles injury. Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Gibraltar, Coleman paid a rich tribute to Walters.
“As long as he and I have been in the squad, he has been nothing short of an example to all of us. The pride: every time he has played for his country he has been an inspiration to all of us.
“These new lads that are in the squad in the next few years, he is a real example and he will be missed.”
Walters scored 14 times in 54 appearances for Ireland, and messaged Mick McCarthy last week to ask were it possible for him to visit the squad in Abbottstown this week. McCarthy phoned back to invite him in and learned of Walters’ decision.
Walters told the rest of the Irish players in camp this week.
“It is sad to see him go. It happens to all of us. He was an inspirational player for Ireland and it’s sad when you lose those kinds of players”, said McCarthy.
“It is sadder still that it’s for an injury. I wish him well in whatever he chooses to do.
“I’ve known for the best part of a week.
I’m sad I never had a chance to work with him. He is always someone I admired, and I think he has been inspirational for Ireland and for any club he has played for.
“It’s sad we are losing him.”
Of Walters’ 14 goals, his double against Bosnia in the second leg of the Euro 2016 play-off were arguably the most important.
“Unfortunately he got injured before the Euros in 2016 so it didn’t go as well as he would have liked”, said Coleman, “but I feel he nearly carried us there, the night he scored two against Bosnia.
“He will be remembered for that.”
Murray Kinsella and Andy Dunne dissect Ireland’s disappointing Six Nations campaign, and discuss the pros and cons of rugby’s new law proposals in the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
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Mad to think Denmark scored more in the Aviva than South Africa in the rugby
Though there were mistakes throughout by management, anyone who thinks the solution is to bring in a new messiah and to try and play attacking football is not looking deep enough. Of any of the fifty or so possible starters for an Irish team, the only one who could play that style is arter.
Dublin has a much lower population of GAA players than soccer, yet produces Diarmuid Connolly and Ciarain Kilkenny, both players who are wonderful passers of a football, with vision and attacking creativity. Soccer in Dublin produces no such players.
Irish soccer needs an overhaul similar to the one Belgium had in 2000, Spain had in 94, and Germany had in 2002. The style has to change from the age of six. Otherwise, it’s a long freewheel downhill from here
@Chucky Arlaw: the FAI have an awful lot to answer for. Useless
@Chucky Arlaw: are u saying the only player in the panel capable of playing good football is Arter?? Is that correct or have I misunderstood something?
So if McCleans shot goes in and the dynamics of the game change, and we hold on for an hour, we have no such problems in our game anymore? Give it a rest you bore it’s one game we got smashed cos of 2 sloppy goals in 3 minutes which was effectively the game ender. Put the fossil brush and magnifying glass away you pretentious aul eejit.
The North were brave when they appointed Micheal O’Neil and were rewarded. A league of Ireland manager who was progressive, on an upward curve in his career not winding his career down.
Why not take a punt on Stephen Kenny, he’s shown that he can coach players of a certain standard to perform well past expectation and win games against teams with vast superior resources.
The lack of preperation and lack of belief in the players ability means its time for a change at the helm. Would give anything to see Chris Hughton given a go
The north and south join up now stop this silly politics
@Aidan O: pour one bucket of muck into another bucket of muck, you just end up with a big bucket of muck.
@Aidan O: We already have players from the North; Duffy, McLean, O’Kane etc
European championship failure!
Not to worry. We still have John Delaney.
More failure on other international stages.