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Given going nowhere fast  As
the cycle of hysteria continues at Newcastle, Shay Given’s prospects
of winning silverware are growing increasingly slim…
Given wasting his time at Newcastle
IF Shay Given wants to finish his career without winning any major trophies
then he is certainly right in sticking with Newcastle.
In many ways the Magpies remind me of the English soccer team. The players
are over-paid, over-rated and over-hyped, the fans are over-optimistic
and over-excitable; the reality is that between them, they have not won
a trophy in nearly 100 years yet come the start of any season or qualification
campaign success is not so much craved but demanded.
And if the required success is not forthcoming, what do they do? Sack
the manger of course!
Without Shay Given between the sticks for Ireland we lack our one world-class
player. Remember it was Paddy Kenny in goal when we were stuffed 5-2 by
Cyprus and Given who has saved us from being on the end of other embarrassing
defeats.
A player of Given’s quality should be playing Champions League football
and challenging for league titles every season, however he finds himself
on the end of 6-0 thrashings and languishing in a poor mid-table side.
With Jens Lehmann due to exit Arsenal before the end of the January transfer
window it would be great if Mr Wenger splashed some cash and rescued Given
from his Newcastle nightmare.
However it is likely that Damien Duff and Shay Given will be involved
in the next ‘revolution’ in the North East. Let the cycle
of hysteria begin if Shearer is installed as manager.
Keano’s shopping Basket cases
Roy Keane got the reaction he wanted after his side’s woeful display
in the cup against Wigan.
The 2-0 win against Portsmouth kept the Black Cats hot on the tails of
Wigan, Birmingham and Bolton in the battle to stay up.
Keane has spent £40million since he took charge of Sunderland and
has been promised a further £20million in the transfer window.
When Keane took over from chairman Niall Quinn in the Sunderland hot-seat
I was intrigued to see who he would sign.
I have been surprised by his acquisitions this season, in particular his
midfielders.
Keane dictated games for club and country, demanding the best from himself
and those around him so I was shocked when he signed Dickson Etuhu as
his midfield enforcer. Etuhu is distinctly average, he is a big lump of
a man but his first touch is shocking and well below the required standard.
Keane’s management style was openly questioned for the first time
in public by Irish international Clive Clarke.
Clarke, who is still recovering from heart surgery, revealed how Keane
would not talk to certain players and regularly kicked chairs around.
Any chance of Clarke playing for Keane again are well and truly over and
he has also stated that he will listen to offers for Ross Wallace, David
Connolly, Greg Halford, Graham Kavanagh, Stephen Wright and Ian Harte.
I was shocked when Keane signed Harte, I thought: Roy, you played with
him!
A relegation-threatened side or possibly a move to the Championship will
likely be his next destination or maybe he will pitch up at his hometown
club Drogheda, time will tell.
Potential is just that...
Irish fans should take note of Keane’s words about Anthony Stokes,
saying he has potential but not to expect too much immediately.
It figures, because we have seen so many youngsters of great potential
fall by the wayside.
I get to a lot of games in West London and most recently popped down to
Griffin Park to see Brentford beat Chesterfield 2-1.
Chesterfield included 18-year-old Brendan Maloney in their team. I was
impressed by the young Dubliner, on loan from Nottingham Forest. He looked
very composed on the ball, rarely losing possession, defensively he looked
solid and was eager to get forward.
Having represented Ireland at under-19 level, the full-back is likely
to get a chance at Forest who have built up strong links with clubs in
Ireland.
During my time as a student in Nottingham, I visited the City Ground most
Saturdays. During that time Andy Reid was just breaking into the first-team
and several other Irish players were expected to follow.
Chesterfield goalkeeper Barry Roach is one of those who came through the
Forest academy alongside the likes of Jermaine Jenas and Reid.
Of all those promising youngsters, Reid is the only one who has gone on
to play in the premiership and win senior caps for Ireland, the other
Irishmen involved in that FA Youth Cup-winning side have dropped through
the leagues. Brian Cash and Keith Foy are now on the books of Sligo Rovers
and John Thompson is at Oldham.
Brentford are enjoying a decent run of form under new manager Andy Scott
and at the heartbeat of the Bees’ team is former Ireland under-21
International Kevin O’Connor.
O’Connor like myself has roots in Achill Island, Co. Mayo and will
be looking to help the club into the play-off positions come May.
Mick feeling the heat
Clinton Morrison is in the form of his life at the moment and piled the
misery on to Mick McCarthy’s toothless Wolves, whose hopes of promotion
are fading after eight games without a win.
Morrison opened the scoring with a fantastic volley, his 10th in 12 league
games as Palace continued their march up the table. His celebratory dance
is unlikely to win any awards though.
While Wolves have been on the slide, the Eagles have soared from second
bottom to the play-off places in a 14-match unbeaten run.
At the heart of that revival is 17-year-old Sean Scannell. I was watching
my beloved Super Hoops blow yet another lead when young Scannell made
his Palace debut at Loftus Road in December.
From the off he caught the eye. Scannell is quick, lightning quick and
the QPR defence could not handle him that night.
Neil Warnock held him back for a while, bringing him on in the latter
stages of games but the nippy frontman has seized his opportunity and
is now a regular in the starting XI.
Against Wolves Scannell scored his second palace goal, a real poacher’s
finish from close range and an under-21 call up to face England in Southampton
in February would be much deserved after his fine start in the professional
game.
I think Clinton is likely to be selected for the the Brazil friendly in
February, although he has never really impressed me in the green jersey.
Any player who turns up wearing white boots needs to be some player and
Clinton, although looking the part, is no good at International level.
I hope he proves me wrong but I think Scannell is more likely to make
the grade if he can continue to progress.
For those of you who are heading down the bookies to put a wager on the
next Irish manager you might also want to take a punt on Sean lining up
alongside his brother Damian in the green of Ireland. Damian made his
debut for Southend at the weekend after his move from non-league Eastleigh.
Ireland set for shock move to Liverpool
Stephen Ireland may be heading for the exit door at Manchester City.
Ireland is set to join Liverpool in a sensational move that will see Peter
Crouch move in the opposite direction.
Ireland has made a significant impact in his 56 games for city but Sven
Goran Eriksson is a long-term admirer of Crouch.
The 21-year-old Cobh man was a substitute in the 1-0 defeat to Everton
fuelling speculation on Merseyside that he is on his way. |
