Irish players on the move (3 Viewers)

[Richie]

Dunno what to make of that, feels disappointly like he's throwing in the towel by going for what is basically a big money retirement gig when he probably has 2-3 years at the top level if he wanted.. His big wage demands seem to be the major obstacle for any side that would want him at this stage making an offer. You could contrast it with what Damien Duff did a couple of years back by cutting his wage to resurrect his career at Fulham. Not wanting to be unfair to the standard of the MLS but we're probably talking Championship level at best and League 1 at worst, right? Not too worried about how it will affect his Ireland form, besides the transatlantic travelling and the period of their season, just that it feels like he's letting his career fizzle out when he could have a bit left in him yet.

 

[Cormcolash]

I'd expect nothing more from Robbie - let's face it, he might score loads of goals for us, but he's blatantly a wee shitebag that only gives a shit about how much he's getting paid when it comes to playing club football.

 

[Cormcolash]

Steven Reid ? completely forgot that he existed.

Sure did you not see him scoring that fucking class goal for United at the weekend?
Actually he set up Long's goal - maybe they could get something going there.

 

[Hector Grey]

the joke is that robbie would go on about how he used to dream about playing for l.a. as a boy in tallaght...and he fucking did too. i always dreamed of playing in the mls? did you fuck, robert. the season is different over there. i wonder will that affect his turning out for ireland? if we qualify for euro 2012, he'll have to do a becks and get a loan move somewhere cos his season is over in march.

 

[Unicron]

He'll be brilliant out there, yes he's scored important goals in big games for us but he's always been the type that has eaten bad defences alive at international level. And the MLS standard out there can't be all that high.

 

[rettucs]

I'd expect nothing more from Robbie - let's face it, he might score loads of goals for us, but he's blatantly a wee shitebag that only gives a shit about how much he's getting paid when it comes to playing club football.

he very much gives a shit about that but I wouldn't say its all he gives a shit about. I think hes a dick but to be fair to him I always got the impression that playing for his country always meant more to him than playing for any club ever did (and hes certainly always played better for Ireland than for any of his clubs, Wolves aside perhaps). Theres a handful of lads there with the same attitude and the national side would be fucked without them.

Hes done remarkably well for himself given how limited he is. If he was English he wouldn't have done nearly as well for himself.

But yea, hes still a bit of a shit.

 

[Unicron]

Hes done remarkably well for himself given how limited he is. If he was English he wouldn't have done nearly as well for himself.

I don't think that's fair on him, he's a very good footballer, maybe not a top 4 club prem player but certainly top 8. He was always really streaking when it came to goal scoring too.

For what it's worth he was also consistantlty good when he was at Coventry.

 

[washingcattle]

The season or so where him and Berbatov played up front for spurs he was excellent. I blame Rafa for Keanes decline, and more specifically I blame his attempted back heel against Athletico Madrid in the CL group stage and Rafas throwing the toys out of the pram reaction for his decline.

 

[rettucs]

The season or so where him and Berbatov played up front for spurs he was excellent. I blame Rafa for Keanes decline, and more specifically I blame his attempted back heel against Athletico Madrid in the CL group stage and Rafas throwing the toys out of the pram reaction for his decline.

actually thats it. It was never about his ability. It was more about his confidence. Getting such sporadic game time won't do much for building the confidence. But overall it is the money that ruined him. To play somewhere where he'd be guaranteed a first-time spot he'd have to take a sizeable wage-cut. Easy for me to say, but he should have done that. I can't imagine his bank-account wouldn't see him right for about 5 lifetimes over, so once settled financially he should have put more focus into getting himself right on the field again.

Going to america is more or less an admission that hes all done. Its tantamount to some has-been actress doing a spread for playboy or some Z-list celebrity doing big brother. Good man Robbie.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I think it's an amusing move. I think its shows he cares about money, the bright lights, his own notion of of inflated self worth, national football, and club football, in that order.

Just keep banging them in for Ireland and all will be fine.

 

[Cormcolash]

Haha yeah as long as he keeps scoring the shittest goals ever for Ireland, who cares really?

That fucking comedy though - "It's a boyhood dream" - hahahaha what a fucking spastic!

 

[Hector Grey]

it really does seem like a cop out. if robbie gets called up, will caleb folan?
now there's a question.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I doubt it. Folan's lack of call up is more to do with not good enough, given the array of choices we now have, than being in the States (which granted wouldn't help his cause).

 

[Hector Grey]

i take your point, except for the fact that paul green has played in the interim, so being good enough clealy isn't a criterion for trap.

 

[Cormcolash]

Folan is a good player - as good as Andy Keogh if you ask me

 

[Jerry Twig]

He is better than Keogh alright, but Keogh shouldn't be there!
Folan won't get the nod cos we have at least five, maybe six strikers who are better (Doyle, Keane, Long, Cox, Walters, Best) then three or four others who could be equivalent.

 

[Hector Grey]

still not sold on walters or cox, tbh.

 

[Cormcolash]

Yeah I like the look of Cox, especially Long Cox, but Walters is totally meh, I'd take Folan over him.

 

[Richie]

I like Walters, although he'd probably be 5th in the pecking order at the moment, with repeatedly not turning up for friendlies not helping his cause. Our highest scorer in the Premier League last year, wasn't he? Or maybe it was Best.. When did Ireland last have this many (fairly decent) strikers to choose from? Wasn't so long ago it was Keane, 'Clinto' and Stephen Elliott and that was about it.

 

[Hector Grey]

i don't think cox will be good enough for a big game, like russia or germany. he hardly plays at premier league level, and he's fairly slow. great technique though, but without the movement to upset a really organised defence. walters, i still don't even know what he is. leon best is much more straightforward. you don't have to be good if you're gonna be big. it helps of course, but he can upset defences just by being burly and useless. long and doyle are great at just running around. robbie can finish a chance if it comes his way. we have all the ingredients for a great striker, just spread out over 4-5 ordinary ones.