The real reason why Ireland won’t play one of their most talented players
Posted by Cathal Breathnach on September 25, 2009 | 10 Comments
Ask the majority of Sunderland fans who their player of the season has been so far this year and chances of are, some will say either Lee Cattermole or Darren Bent, however one name you will hear mentioned time and again is that of Andy Reid.
The 27-year old has been in superb form this campaign for his club, however Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni continues to ignore him in terms of an international recall. Many have claimed that Reid’s weight issue is the reason behind it all, however last week, as I travelled by taxi to Dublin airport ahead of my weekend away in England, the taxi driver, who happened to go to school with the former Tottenham midfielder, told me the real reason.
He told me that Reid’s fondness of an oul sing-a-long got him into trouble with Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady. Reid and a few of his Ireland team-mate’s were having a drink at a bar in Germany following the side’s World Cup qualifying victory over Georgia. Brady told th lads at the bar to go to bed, however Reid decided to tell Brady where to go and as they say, the rest is history.
I don’t care what anyone says, Reid is without doubt one of Ireland’s most talented players at the moment. It is a real shame that he is not in the set-up because I have no doubt that with him in the Green jersey, Ireland are a far better outfit. Judging by today’s news that Reid has once again, unsurprisingly, been left out of Trapattoni’s squad to face Italy and Montenegro for next month’s qualifiers in Dublin, it’s not looking good for Andy’s international future.
Although I would love to say that Reid will one day pull on the Ireland jersey again and earn his 28th international cap, I just can’t. As long as Liam Brady is part of the set-up, Reid will continue to impress for Sunderland and continue to be ignored by his country. Shame.
What do you think? Comments below please.
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10 Responses to “The real reason why Ireland won’t play one of their most talented players”
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September 25th, 2009 @ 11:11 PM
This guy is like kaka compared to whelan and andrews, even i’m better than whelan and andrews. God help Ireland if they get to the world cup and have to ace a major nation, they will get hammered with the current midfield. The only current hope is Steven Reid coming back.
September 25th, 2009 @ 11:27 PM
Surely, Trapatonni is his own man….if Andy Reid is the best man in his position for Ireland and promises not to tell Liam Brady where to go again, then he has got to play, it’s not as though there is a big pool to select from.
September 25th, 2009 @ 11:33 PM
Sunderland supporter here – this man has had weight problems since arriving at the club. However, he’s lost an immense amount over the summer and the improvement is amazing. To say it’s like signing a new player is an understatement. He has been absolutely outstanding and if it’s true that he’s out of the Ireland squad because of a squabble with Brady, it’s a massive loss for the international team and a bit pathetic, really. Both parties should be able to rise above their differences and consider what’s best for the team. Reid’s form would get him into almost any Premier League team and it’s Ireland’s loss at the moment.
September 26th, 2009 @ 12:36 AM
Great post….and it answers a question I have asked for a while! Just the fact that they are bringing in uncapped players from the Championship over him shows that there is an underlying problem! We do miss him in the fold, he could only add to the team even if it is just off the bench!
I also hope to see him again in an Ireland Jersey!
September 26th, 2009 @ 3:38 AM
He’s been hugely over-rated (just like every fringe Ireland player that doesn’t get picked and becomes the answer to all our problems in the eyes of the media and fans) thanks to crusading from the likes of Eamon Dunphy but I agree that it’s time to have him in the squad now. Would certainly prefer to have him in as a backup option over the likes of Liam Miller anyway. The fact that he was a sub for Sunderland for most of the last year and finally got into shape over the summer pretty much justifies Trap’s lack of faith in him, even if it was down to a disciplinary bust-up originally. He needs to consistently show this form though, a handful of promising showings against League One teams and the likes of Hull or Burnley is all well and good but Sunderland will have much tougher tests in the coming months.
September 26th, 2009 @ 8:04 AM
if it is true that it is all about brady and reid , then the only course of action is get rid of brady, after all it is the team that counts, is it not
September 26th, 2009 @ 9:50 AM
Andy Reid is probably the most talented player on our books no sense at all not selecting for his country smacks of pettyness bit like England with Shack or Rodney Marsh.
September 26th, 2009 @ 2:32 PM
Cut your nose off to spite your face!! I am a sunderland fan and can confirm Andy Reid’s transformation this season is astonishing. He is slim, fast and skillful all in one. He really is like a new signing for us and we thought he was great before he lost the weight. I thought the Irish were catholics and all for forgiveness, well someone should remind Brady of that and get him in the team.
September 26th, 2009 @ 3:11 PM
Shows what type of bloke Liam Brady is if that all that Reidys omission from the squad is about……
Letting your hair down after qualifiying FFs.. I bet the Jocks would jump at the chance.
September 27th, 2009 @ 12:37 PM
its a disgrace that trap wont call andy reid up hes clearly better than whealan and andrews…..hes lost weight and is playing superb..he told brady to f**k off..every1 makes mistakes he deserves a second chance and trap should what is best 4 de country