Stephen Reid out for the rest of the season.

Limerick Dude

Bollox.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11676_4347597,00.html

Juan Pablo

Terrible news. Now we need Ireland back in midfield more than ever.

Limerick Dude

Looks like whelan/gibson is going to be the partnership from now on.....*rolls eyes*

Insect Overlord

That's really bad news, both for Irish soccer and for Reid himself. He was making such a good impression recently. Hopefully he'll do a Ronaldo and recover quickly from the surgery.

Edit: @ Limerick_Dude, ye'd love to have Gibson at the Toon!

JimiTime

Nooooooooooooooooooooo.

What an unfortunate lad. Irelands campaign hangs in the balance. At least S.Reid could create as well as defend.:(:(:(

Gary ITR

Terrible news for the player himself. Hopefully he'll be back when we get to the business end of the campaign and that this surgery will fix his knee once and for all

DeadSkin

Yeah, feel sorry for the dude. Great player with an excellent attitude to the game. Luck does not like this dude.
Must find a replacement for him in me fantasy team

~Rebel~

poor chap..could have had a really fantastic career if it wasn't for injuries. Its a credit to him that he's even gotten as good as he has with all the setbacks.

Magic Pips

devastated for both the player and Ireland...

I haven't seen the cyprus game, impossible to get Ireland matches down here :mad:

But by 90% of reports it panned out the way i guessed, ireland hung on (thanks to Shay and the honey monster) based on having an inexperienced midfield instead of putting the game away.

Bring carsley back into the fold, forget and Stephen Ireland, he's a gifted individual but also a messed up kid with the IQ of a swamp rat*. The ireland team needs to move on, maybe use Andy reid as the typical italian number 10 in the latter stages of a match - put him on for Keane, leave doyle up front or put on fresh legs...

We will not qualify with a midfield of Gibson and Whelan.











* may not be tru

leninbenjamin

bollocks. feel really sorry for the guy, knee injuries are a bitch. hope he makes a swift recovery.

Malice

I was very sorry to read that earlier. Hopefully, as others have said, this will sort out his injury problems once and for all.

Vokes

Fcuk it. Thats bad luck.

Looks like we need S. Ireland back now more than ever. Just hope that Trap doesn't go crawling to him.

Dolph Starbeam

Ahhh scrud......

flanzer

I afraid to say it, but with all these injuries in such a short space of time, I think he may be one of the unfortunate players who may have to call time on his career earlier than expected. I think we maybe lucky to get 2 more years from him

djpbarry

Juan Pablo wrote: »

Now we need Ireland back in midfield more than ever.

SofaK wrote: »

Looks like we need S. Ireland back now more than ever.

Trap won't play Andy Reid in the middle, but he'll stick Stephen Ireland in there?

Feel sorry for Steven, but it's not the end of the world for us. Expect to see Lee Carsley back in the squad. Also be interesting to see how Keith Andrews gets on against Poland.

shane86

djpbarry wrote: »

Trap won't play Andy Reid in the middle, but he'll stick Stephen Ireland in there?

Feel sorry for Steven, but it's not the end of the world for us. Expect to see Lee Carsley back in the squad. Also be interesting to see how Keith Andrews gets on against Poland.

Im wary of Andrews. Havent seen much of him but tbh you have to be cautious re a player in his late 20s who makes the leap from league 2/1 to the prem only because his manager took him with him, and who never had a senior cap before.

Carsley still had it in him even in the Stan days, so here is hoping. What about Morrison? Try him and Keane up front, Doyle servicing in behind, Hunt try out Reids position, could work IMO.

Mr.Nice Guy

I'm disappointed to hear about this but I'm more gutted for Reid himself because he's had a rotten time of things with injuries. Such a shame.

As has been touched on already, this really is a golden opportunity for Stephen Ireland to return to the fold and give the country a boost. If he decided to make himself available for the Poland game he'd be given a great welcome. I don't see this happening but I'd love it.

Carsley does deserve to be in the squad in my view. I've read a few Birmingham fans saying he is their buy of the season and gives them plenty of heart.

Ultimately I don't think Reid's woes are a hammer blow to our qualification hopes but they are unfortunate, especially on the guy himself. I hope he can get a luckier run when he returns.

Xavi6

djpbarry wrote: »

Trap won't play Andy Reid in the middle, but he'll stick Stephen Ireland in there?

Yes because Ireland can defend.

Feel sorry for Steven, but it's not the end of the world for us. Expect to see Lee Carsley back in the squad. Also be interesting to see how Keith Andrews gets on against Poland.

Andrews is nothing more than a lower league hatchet man who is too slow and crap for top level football.

zAbbo

Sorry for Steven, out for 'another' season

What's the deal on Carsley, why was he not included in recent squads?

JimiTime

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yes because Ireland can defend.

No better than Reid IMO. I've seen A.Reid grafting alot more than S.Ireland tbh. Its neither here nor there anyway, he's not an Ireland player. Might as well be talking about Gerrard.

darkskol

terrible news about reid hope his injuries don't turn him into another keith o'neill.

ctrl-alt-delete

darkskol wrote: »

terrible news about reid hope his injuries don't turn him into another keith o'neill.

He already is another Keith O'neill, if it were football manager his injury proneness would be 20,

Im a Blackburn fan and i've already gotten use to not seeing him for Blackburn so it won't be that difficult in terms of Ireland.

The other Reid can defend just as good as Stephen Ireland, i wouldn't be surprised if tabloid reports of little bust up are true.

djpbarry

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yes because Ireland can defend.

You havin' a laugh?

Xavi6 wrote: »

Andrews is nothing more than a lower league hatchet man who is too slow and crap for top level football.

An understudy for Carsley so.

Haven't seen much of him myself, but Trap obviously reckons he could be useful.

Xavi6

djpbarry wrote: »

You havin' a laugh?

How many City games have you watched in full this season?

yabadabado

has carsley called time on his ireland career?just have a feeling he doesnt wanna be called up any more.

eagle eye

I'm a Blackburn fan also. Its horrible to see this happen Steven Reid yet again. Hopefully this is the last one, he has had such a horrendous run of injuries. Its cruel.
He is a huge loss for Ireland after the way the played in the first two games.

On Keith Andrews, he is terrible and he is not up to the standard for either international or premiership football. He mistimes tackles and has been lucky to stay on the pitch twice in three games for Rovers. He is also terribly one footed and has a bad first touch. I still don't understand why Ince brought him to Blackburn. His history before that is bad too, he failed to make the grade at Championship and eventually settled with MK Dons in League Two where he was impressive by all reports. But thats League Two and he has looked out of his depth at Blackburn.
Just while on the subject of Irish Rovers. We also have Keith Treacy there, he has gotten a start recently after a couple of impressive substitute performances, he will play for Ireland in the future on the left side of midfield. He is better than Hunt and probably better than McGeady as well. He needs a bit more exposure at Blackburn first so that Trap gets to see him play.

eirebhoy

This news bloody ruined my day. We really need a playmaker in midfield for this team to be able to string 20 passes together. So far the central midfielders that played under Trap are more worried about doing their job in his system than anything else. Reid has the intelligence to know when and where to move without worrying about upsetting the system.

eagle eye - Treacy is nowhere near the level of those 2 players yet. I've seen quite a bit of him for the U21s.

eagle eye

eirebhoy wrote: »

This news bloody ruined my day. We really need a playmaker in midfield for this team to be able to string 20 passes together. So far the central midfielders that played under Trap are more worried about doing their job in his system than anything else. Reid has the intelligence to know when and where to move without worrying about upsetting the system.

eagle eye - Treacy is nowhere near the level of those 2 players yet. I've seen quite a bit of him for the U21s.

They have been playing him up front a lot. If you get a chance to see him in the Premiership you will see a different player. In a good system he operates very effectively. He has great ball control, a good first touch and he delivers a great cross.
Imo he is well ahead of Hunt as a left sided midfielder. McGeady is tricky and flashy, but he doesn't deliver that final ball.
To be fair to both of them they work their socks off, but Treacy would do that as well I'm sure.

eirebhoy

eagle eye wrote: »

They have been playing him up front a lot. If you get a chance to see him in the Premiership you will see a different player. In a good system he operates very effectively. He has great ball control, a good first touch and he delivers a great cross.

He plays left side of a 4-3-3/4-5-1 for the U21s. Obviously he has a lot of potential but he's nowhere near McGeady's level yet. McGeady's a much better crosser than people think and plays a very good through ball. He has set up plenty of chances in Ireland's 3 qualifiers so far as much as he has crossed the ball to an opposing player a lot too. I'm not Hunt's biggest fan but he certainly has end product.The most assists in England this season (9) and scores a few too. Anyway, wrong thread for this.

Nalz

Xavi6 wrote: »

andrews is nothing more than a lower league hatchet man who is too slow and crap for top level football.

Spot on

estebancambias

I think Andrews is suffering from a lot of stereotypes to be honest.

He is decent at passing, but doesn't have the physical attributes to succeed at the highest level tbh.

I feel for Steven Reid so much for himself way more than I do for Ireland. How unlucky can you be? I read a lot of bad reviews about him by Blackburn fans but ffs that many injuries would hinder the most gifted of footballers let alone Steven Reid.

Get well soon Stephen.

Mr.Nice Guy

yabadabado wrote: »

has carsley called time on his ireland career?just have a feeling he doesnt wanna be called up any more.

Apparently he's still interested...

IRELAND'S forgotten man Lee Carsley has reassured Irish supporters that he's still keen to play for his country and wants to play a part in the bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

Carsley has not played, or even made it into an Ireland squad, since Giovanni Trapattoni took over in May -- his last cap was in the friendly against Brazil earlier this year.

The Birmingham City man was not called into the squad for last week's World Cup win over Cyprus as he had reportedly undergone surgery on a knee problem, but his club have stated that Carsley is fully fit and in line to play for Alex McLeish's high-flying team against Burnley tomorrow.

With Steven Reid out injured and Stephen Ireland still in self-imposed exile from the national team, some fans wondered if there should have been a role for veteran Carsley (34) for the qualifier against Cyprus, especially as the Irish central midfield of Darron Gibson and Glenn Whelan had so little experience at international level and very little game-time with their clubs this season.

Desire

And the player has today stated that he hopes to keep his international career alive and will make himself available for selection for next month's friendly against Poland -- if picked.

"I am still available and still keen to play for Ireland, my desire to play international football has never gone away," Carsley told the Evening Herald.

"I know there is a four-month break before the next qualifier now, but we have a friendly in Dublin next month and I will be on a plane over to Dublin if I am picked. I want to play for my country again.

"I feel I can still contribute and play a part, I would not hang around otherwise. I have said all along that I will not stand in the way of younger or better players.

"I think we have a great chance of qualifying for South Africa and I will play a part if I am needed.

"I don't know if I will still be around when the finals take place, it's a long way off, but if I can play a role in helping the lads to get there, then I am happy to do it.

"I don't know how my club situation will be, Birmingham have started the season well and we have a good chance of promotion, so we'll see how things are in a year's time. But I feel I can still contribute with Ireland."

Confusion has surrounded Carsley's non-appearance in the Irish squad for the Cyprus game.

He was not named in the original 22-man squad by Giovanni Trapattoni, and when there were doubts over the match fitness of Liam Miller and Glenn Whelan on top of Steven Reid's absence, Carsley's name was touted for a late call-up.

At a press conference in Dublin last week before the 'B' game against Nottingham Forest, the Ireland boss suggested that Carsley was injured and had undergone an operation, as the player came off early in the second half of Birmingham's win over QPR the previous week.

But Birmingham have since stated that Carsley had suffered only a knock on his knee and was back in training a few days later.

For his part, Birmingham boss Alex McLeish -- a former Scotland manager -- is glad that Carsley is not playing international football.

"From a selfish point of view, I'm delighted he's not playing for them [Ireland] because we can save him for Birmingham," McLeish said.

"He's got so much experience that he could play without it being a huge burden on his fitness levels, especially if it was in a five-man midfield. His performances have been very good for us and I hope that continues.

"But for his sake, if Lee still has a desire to play international football, I find that very refreshing and I would only encourage it."

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/internationals/carsley-im-still-keen-to-play-for-ireland-1501778.html

Fair play to him. I admire his attitude.

Tomthepost

Carlsley should be back and straight into the first 11 beside ANDY REID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on Trap try it for the Poland game!!!!!

PHB

Feel terrible for Reid Carsley isn't good enough. I'd prefer Gibson or O'Shea to him there. Ireland is who we need.

eirebhoy

PHB wrote: »

Ireland is who we need.

Don't agree. Ireland in a team that dominates would be class but in Wednesday's team that conceded 56% of the possession I don't think he'd have improved us. He's not the type to dictate the play like the 2 Reid's. He's only as good as his teammates tbh. Capable of playing with the best of them though.

Martin Petrov's injury should make up for Reid's when we play Bulgaria anyway. In fact, I'd have traded that one. Bulgaria without Petrov are way below even Montengro's standard in attack.

vincenzo1975

Very bad luck on Stephen Reid and bad news for ireland, hopefully he will make a good recovery and be there for next season.

On a lighter note, this could open the door for one of ireland lost sons who is tearing it up stateside....

Yes, the one and only ex-Juventus superstar Ronnie O Brien.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_O'Brien