Good article on Shane Supple from Tribune

bobbysands81

http://www.tribune.ie/sport/gaelic-football/article/2010/jan/17/supple-happy-on-road-less-travelled/

Supple happy on road less travelled

The Dubliner is returning to his roots after giving up the security of a career in soccer

Ewan MacKenna

New goals: Shane Supple was once tipped to be Shay Given's successor for Ireland, but now he has his sights set on breaking into the Dublin GAA team They were the most challenging and rewarding couple of days Shane Supple had stumbled upon during his young career. When Roy Keane took Ipswich Town for some pre-season training with paratroopers in July, the goalkeeper reveled in each exercise and every challenge. At night, the squad had to sleep under dark and dreary clouds; in the day they had to scurry through the mud of the obstacle courses and race to move heavy arms and other military equipment; in the evening they had to kill their own dinner or go hungry. Yet despite the enjoyment of the two-day stint, and his age of just 22, Supple knew his career was already over.

For a couple of years the Dubliner had doubts about the life he had once dreamt about while playing back home. They began as soon as he departed an underage set-up that had carried Ipswich to the 2005 FA Youth Cup, beating a Southampton team that included Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott. By 17 he had made his senior debut but a quick look around the dressing room at Portman Road told him it was only a matter of time before he walked away.

"All along you are with a bunch of young lads whose ambition is solely to get to the first team but when you get there, ambitions change. You want to win things and achieve things but others are different. Some people are happy to just be there. It wasn't what I expected. You can't begrudge someone for their motives but ideally you want people there because they love the game and want to win things. But a lot just do it for money and the lifestyle. I didn't want to be stuck in England for the rest of my life not happy, surrounded by that."

It was that same attitude he saw back in July during his time in the Colchester garrison. With the squad split into teams, his group had planned to work hard and win each task over the military proving ground. In the end they did, but the competition wasn't sniping away right behind them. "Maybe I enjoyed it more than some of the other players. A few lads weren't too happy with the situation, with the phone being taken off them and stuff like this. A few lads were broken come the end of it, but I liked the toughness. Maybe it showed the difference between me and some of the others even more."

The next step was into Roy Keane's office. He had hoped the Cork man's appointment would help him shed his negativity towards the game but soon found it wasn't the manager or the club. It was soccer in general. He was nervous telling Keane and the shocked look on the manager's face didn't ease his tension but when Supple left and closed the door behind him he felt a sense of relief that it was finally all over.

"It can be an empty existence and I was glad to end it. I don't think Roy knew how close to quitting I was and I think that's what shocked him. I just got on with things, didn't say anything, trained away as if nothing was wrong and hoped it would get better. He told me to take time and think more about it but I said, 'There's no point gaffer. This is what I want to do. It's not something new that's come into my head, it's been building for a long time. There's no one that can talk me out of this now'.

"It was tough enough to go into someone's office and tell them you are retiring at 22. But when I had it done I was just happy I made the right decision. I guess it's the business side of things that has ruined football and probably taken the heart out of it. It's a funny game and it'd be great if you could just play and that'd be it, but there's a lot more that goes with that. You need people around to push you on and sometimes you can't trust people and it's difficult to know who can be trusted."

Supple wasn't the first to run from a life in professional soccer. A year before the 1970 World Cup, for which he had an outside shot at a place in the England squad, Wolves' Peter Knowles quit to become a Jehovah's Witness. Dubbed the Scottish Franz Beckenbauer, George Connolly turned up to Celtic at 26 and muttered, "Ah, f**k it. I'm away". And more recently Tottenham and Norway goalkeeper Espen Baardsen quit the game in 2003 aged just 25. But none had left so young or with so little.

"The money is great," says Supple. "I signed a new contract when Roy came in thinking it might change my view and even in the Championship, you don't have to worry about a thing financially. I've never worked out how much money I stand to lose though. That didn't interest me. I could have set myself up very healthily for the rest of my life but I wasn't happy and was lucky I was still young and had the chance to do something else. I know it will be hard but I have got time and am prepared to do the work, I have no other choice."

These days he's back living with his parents, spending his days at home studying for a Leaving Certificate he plans to sit in June. In the evenings he's turning out for St Brigid's GAA club, on Thursday he plays for his old school St Declan's as they celebrate 50 years by playing Dublin in both hurling and football and in the medium term he plans to become a county player. "But no matter what I do now, people will always ask why I did it and if I regret it. It's hard to explain but I just know I've made the right decision and I'll never miss it."

Now that he's chosen a different and more difficult path, he hopes that it takes him on a more rewarding journey.

St Declan's Jubilee Celebrations: St Declan's All Stars v Dublin, Thursday, Russell Park, 7.00

everdead.ie

Good article it humanises footballers a little more at a time when exorbitant wages have dehumanised them & shows maybe it's not all about the money to some people.

OhNoYouDidn't

What a cop out. Dublin GAA are welcome to his mental frailty and lack of ambition.

Don't like the bling and vacous nature of English football - move elsewhere.

GavRedKing

Good read, it must be hard to have all that talent and then decide to give it all up. He wasnt happy and he made a tough choice that most professionals wont have to make until in to there 30's.

Drummerboy2

I think he is a very brave young man. It takes courage to give up such financial security and return to recession hit Dublin. I hope it works out for him. Even if it doesn't he could go back across water in a year or two.

OhNoYouDidn't

gavredking wrote: »

Good read, it must be hard to have all that talent and then decide to give it all up. He wasnt happy and he made a tough choice that most professionals wont have to make until in to there 30's.

But was he unhappy with football or the specific club and players he found himself in?

The spin is that he got fed up with the bling and didn't want to be stuck in England surrounded by that. So why didn't he come home and earn a couple of grand a week at Rovers or Bohs and stay a pro with a decent living and remove himself from the diamond earrings and Bentley brigade? It doesn't stack up.

Roberto Sands, I understand that you are trying to make some point that your beloved Gah has a lure that millions of pounds a year can't beat, but be honest. Do you think this guy has the mental strength to be an addition to the Dublin gaelic set up? Can he handle the media hype and fan pressure? Or is he simply a lonely guy who wants away from the spotlight who togged out for his local Gah club and now the media have their claws in?

everdead.ie

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

But was he unhappy with football or the specific club and players he found himself in?

The spin is that he got fed up with the bling and didn't want to be stuck in England surrounded by that. So why didn't he come home and earn a couple of grand a week at Rovers or Bohs and stay a pro with a decent living and remove himself from the diamond earrings and Bentley brigade? It doesn't stack up.

Roberto Sands, I understand that you are trying to make some point that your beloved Gah has a lure that millions of pounds a year can't beat, but be honest. Do you think this guy has the mental strength to be an addition to the Dublin gaelic set up? Can he handle the media hype and fan pressure? Or is he simply a lonely guy who wants away from the spotlight who togged out for his local Gah club and now the media have their claws in?

How doesn't it stack up he's going to play free with the GAA now instead he's still playing as a keeper maybe he'd be happy to live on the average industrial wage

OhNoYouDidn't

Drummerboy2 wrote: »

I think he is a very brave young man. It takes courage to give up such financial security and return to recession hit Dublin. I hope it works out for him. Even if it doesn't he could go back across water in a year or two.

He is joining the Guards.

Zero chance of him going back to England after a couple of years out of the game. Professional sport doesn't work like that. And thats before you look at the fact that Ipswich own his contract, so if he kicks a ball in the Phoenix Park, compensation has to be arranged.

OhNoYouDidn't

everdead.ie wrote: »

How doesn't it stack up he's going to play free with the GAA now instead he's still playing as a keeper maybe he'd be happy to live on the average industrial wage

I presume he is playing Gah because he can't play football for free because he is under contract at Ipswich.

Obviously he is willing to live on a cops wage, thats what he is going to have to do. If thats what he feels happiesty with, its his call and who am I to judge. But I still call it a waste of talent, a dreadful lack of ambition and I would question the idea that he can handle the pressures of being a guard if he couldn't hack the pampered world of millionaire professional footballer.

Dodgykeeper

I have to admire his honesty he had a dream and when the dream was realised he realised it was not what he wanted, how many people are seemingly living the dream and in reality they are living through hell, Lots of young men bottle up their feelings and go with the flow to appear normal, sometimes having disastrous consequences!

stovelid

Think there is more to it than meets the eye. Maybe he's just made, as implied already, a political(?) decision to abandon 'sacair' and life in Britain for life here and Gaelic sports.

His choice of course, but something about the selfless walking away from millions for inner peace angle doesn't quite ring true.

A Primal Nut

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

He is joining the Guards.

Zero chance of him going back to England after a couple of years out of the game. Professional sport doesn't work like that. And thats before you look at the fact that Ipswich own his contract, so if he kicks a ball in the Phoenix Park, compensation has to be arranged.

According to Wikipedia, Ipswich agreed to cancel his contract. Nevertheless, its very strange. The problems he will face in the Guards or any other job massively magnify the ones of being a professional footballers - "oh, my teammates are too bling for my liking" - jaysus, some people have problems alright. Sounds like he got sick of being in the bench which is fair enough but there were a couple of other teams he could have joined and played regularly.

Dodgykeeper

A Primal Nut wrote: »

According to Wikipedia, Ipswich agreed to cancel his contract. Nevertheless, its very strange. The problems he will face in the Guards or any other job massively magnify the ones of being a professional footballers - "oh, my teammates are too bling for my liking" - jaysus, some people have problems alright. Sounds like he got sick of being in the bench which is fair enough but there were a couple of other teams he could have joined and played regularly.

"oh, my teammates are too bling for my liking"

Did he say that!

He didnt like what he was doing so he changed it, I didnt like being a Chef and changed that, my wife didnt like the pressure of working in a large multi national and changed that, just because he was playing pro football doesnt mean he enjoyed it, as i said before one mans dream is another mans nightmare.

To the outsider it seemed that Darren Sutherland was living the dream, now it has become obvious that he wasnt, i am glad that Shane had the courage to walk away ffrom a situation that made him unhappy, and for people on the internet to criticise him for it is just wrong!

OhNoYouDidn't

Dodgykeeper wrote: »

"oh, my teammates are too bling for my liking"

Did he say that!

He didnt like what he was doing so he changed it, I didnt like being a Chef and changed that, my wife didnt like the pressure of working in a large multi national and changed that, just because he was playing pro football doesnt mean he enjoyed it, as i said before one mans dream is another mans nightmare.

To the outsider it seemed that Darren Sutherland was living the dream, now it has become obvious that he wasnt, i am glad that Shane had the courage to walk away ffrom a situation that made him unhappy, and for people on the internet to criticise him for it is just wrong!

Its quite clear from the article that he didn't like the culture in Ipswich and didn't want to stay there with all the bling merchants. So why didn't he change job and move somwhere else.

I'll ask again, if flaunted wealth and England were the issues, as implied in the article, why not move to Rovers or Bohs where he could have still turned over a nice living and been pushing for honours? Or off to Scotland?

I stand over my belief that the lad simply lost his bottle and there is no way in Gods green earth he will get near the Dublin gaelic intercounty cup side if his mentality is that fragile.

grenache

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

What a cop out. Dublin GAA are welcome to his mental frailty and lack of ambition.

Don't like the bling and vacous nature of English football - move elsewhere.

He didn't want to remain a professional footballer, its nothing to do with lack of ambition, its merely a change of career. The bling culture is just as prominent in other countries like Spain and Italy so i doubt that moving abroad would have made much of a difference. He fell out of love with the game, its not a weakness on his part.

OhNoYouDidn't

grenache wrote: »

He didn't want to remain a professional footballer, its nothing to do with lack of ambition, its merely a change of career. The bling culture is just as prominent in other countries like Spain and Italy so i doubt that moving abroad would have made much of a difference. He fell out of love with the game, its not a weakness on his part.

Hold up - quitting as a proffesional sportsman, no matter what the field, when you are not required to by injury etc is by definition a lack of ambition.

He is changing career to be a cop. Not wanting to disparage the boys in blue, but I doubt many of them would turn down millions as a pampered footballer to be spat at by junkies on a daily basis. Its very difficult to reconcile hs decision with the reasons he gives for making it.

He will regret this, I have no doubt about it.

flahavaj

OhnoYouDidn't in tiresome anti-GAA rant shocker. Yawn.

keane2097

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Hold up - quitting as a proffesional sportsman, no matter what the field, when you are not required to by injury etc is by definition a lack of ambition.

What dictionary told you that?

Cool Running

Dodgykeeper wrote: »

To the outsider it seemed that Darren Sutherland was living the dream, now it has become obvious that he wasnt, i am glad that Shane had the courage to walk away ffrom a situation that made him unhappy, and for people on the internet to criticise him for it is just wrong!

Excellent point, sometimes people who seem to be living the dream or so unhappy as we so tragically found out with Darren.

I have to say fair play to the lad. If he despised it then he was right to get out. I know people are questioning why he didnt just move club, but if Roy Keane cant get the best of out your team mates then he probaly felt that this was the attitude all over professional football in England. Would like to see him play LOI but thats probaly down to is contract as other posters talked about.

I certainly dont think he's taking the easy way out as going to do your leaving cert at 22 cant be easy. Hope it goes well for him and if he has enough ambition he should make the Dublin GAA team within the next few years

Seaneh

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

What a cop out. Dublin GAA are welcome to his mental frailty and lack of ambition.

Don't like the bling and vacous nature of English football - move elsewhere.

your posts have a way of making me want to deck you.
Self righteous much?

bobbysands81

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Roberto Sands, I understand that you are trying to make some point that your beloved Gah has a lure that millions of pounds a year can't beat...

No, I'm not trying to make any such point in this thread, not by a million miles.

I merely admire the strength that this fella has.

He found his heart no longer in the game and as a result he decided not to defraud fans and the club so he came home where he felt he could be happier - by coming home he is following his dreams.

bobbysands81

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Hold up - quitting as a proffesional sportsman, no matter what the field, when you are not required to by injury etc is by definition a lack of ambition.

Don't think so pal.

You can give something up because you don't like it and don't want to do it - doesn't mean you lack ambition.

stovelid

Seaneh wrote: »

your posts have a way of making me want to deck you.
Self righteous much?

Make underhand threats to other posters much?

OhNoYouDidn't

Seaneh wrote: »

your posts have a way of making me want to deck you.
Self righteous much?

Go for it then. PM me. Or are you just playing the internet hardman?

OhNoYouDidn't

bobbysands81 wrote: »

No, I'm not trying to make any such point in this thread, not by a million miles.

I merely admire the strength that this fella has.

He found his heart no longer in the game and as a result he decided not to defraud fans and the club so he came home where he felt he could be happier - by coming home he is following his dreams.

I see your point, but what Supple did was not 'strong'. No professional footballer 'dreams' of being a guard. If he quit to coach disadvantaged kids you might be onto something.

Surely you agree he has walked away from a dream lifestyle and wasted his talent over nothing? If he didn't like the culture at Ipswich, he could have handed in a request.

OhNoYouDidn't

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Don't think so pal.

You can give something up because you don't like it and don't want to do it - doesn't mean you lack ambition.

It means he lacks football ambition.

Why train for years and go through the apprentice and loaned out phase to walk within months of getting the big contract? Doesn't make sense.

Look, who am I to judge, but its baffling and his stated reasons make it even more so.

flahavaj

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

It means he lacks football ambition.

Why train for years and go through the apprentice and loaned out phase to walk within months of getting the big contract? Doesn't make sense.

Look, who am I to judge, but its baffling and his stated reasons make it even more so.

LOL.:rolleyes:

Seaneh

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Go for it then. PM me. Or are you just playing the internet hardman?

I didnt say I would deck you. I said your posts make me want to.
I have some self restraint after all.

OhNoYouDidn't

Seaneh wrote: »

I didnt say I would deck you. I said your posts make me want to.
I have some self restraint after all.

So it is just an internet hardman routine.

Don't make threats you are unwilling to back up.

K-9

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I see your point, but what Supple did was not 'strong'. No professional footballer 'dreams' of being a guard. If he quit to coach disadvantaged kids you might be onto something.

Surely you agree he has walked away from a dream lifestyle and wasted his talent over nothing? If he didn't like the culture at Ipswich, he could have handed in a request.

I don't think the problem was just Ipswich. The lad seems like he was sick of the attitude that many professional footballers have, so the whole point is it wasn't a dream lifestyle to him.

To continue would have been wasting his life and selling himself out. He could have chose to coach youngsters, he didn't. He went home as I'd say home sickmess was part of it.

OhNoYouDidn't

K-9 wrote: »

I don't think the problem was just Ipswich. The lad seems like he was sick of the attitude that many professional footballers have, so the whole point is it wasn't a dream lifestyle to him.

To continue would have been wasting his life and selling himself out. He could have chose to coach youngsters, he didn't. He went home as I'd say home sickmess was part of it.

So why not come home and play for Rovers? He would have made a decent wedge and not had to deal with the bling element. That way he was still playing professional ball, still had a decent lifestyle and was in Dublin, seemingly the issues he had.

Beats being a cop.

None of this makes sense.

darsar

He can't just click his fingers and become a member of the Gardai either. I think his father is in the Gardai but still he would have to go through the same proceedures as everybody else.

I thought I heard a while back on the news that the last class at Templemore had began and no more happening until the country is sorted out. I may be wrong but I remember hearing that I think

flahavaj

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

So why not come home and play for Rovers? He would have made a decent wedge and not had to deal with the bling element. That way he was still playing professional ball, still had a decent lifestyle and was in Dublin, seemingly the issues he had.

Beats being a cop.

None of this makes sense.

Now I'm getting it.:pac:

Seaneh

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

So it is just an internet hardman routine.

Don't make threats you are unwilling to back up.

Where did I make a threat?

Did I say "I'm going to hit you?" no, no stop being such a fu*king muppet.

OhNoYouDidn't

Seaneh wrote: »

Where did I make a threat?

Did I say "I'm going to hit you?" no, no stop being such a fu*king muppet.

You said you wanted to give me a slap. Someone else called you on it before I saw it. I told you to come on ahead and you backed down fairly lively. Stop digging, that sort of toughguy routine impresses no-one.

OhNoYouDidn't

flahavaj wrote: »

Now I'm getting it.:pac:

But there is a valid point to be made. He lists two things as annoying him. Bling and living in England. So the logical place to go to avoid either of those things is Dublin, where he could still make it as a pro and sort out his head in a less pressured environment and then decide if what he really wants is to be a cop.

flahavaj

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

But there is a valid point to be made. He lists two things as annoying him. Bling and living in England. So the logical place to go to avoid either of those things is Dublin, where he could still make it as a pro and sort out his head in a less pressured environment and then decide if what he really wants is to be a cop.

But who are you to judge?:pac:

Drummerboy2

People got to realise that not everybody puts money before happiness. I think the kid has more bottle that most. He was highly thought off. He wanted to win things but found he was in a dressing room with people only interested in the money. Most guys playing LOI are just in it for the money too, so there wouldn't be much difference if he had went LOI.

As regards the Dubs, I think Cluxton may have something to say about giving up his jersey.

stovelid

What's the crack with money anyway if he was playing for a decent GAA club in Dublin and at county level? I know it's amateur, but I assume there would some incentive, even if it's just "expenses".

K-9

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

So why not come home and play for Rovers? He would have made a decent wedge and not had to deal with the bling element. That way he was still playing professional ball, still had a decent lifestyle and was in Dublin, seemingly the issues he had.

Beats being a cop.

None of this makes sense.

Considering he didn't do that which he easily could have, it looks like there was more to it.

OhNoYouDidn't

Drummerboy2 wrote: »

People got to realise that not everybody puts money before happiness. I think the kid has more bottle that most. He was highly thought off. He wanted to win things but found he was in a dressing room with people only interested in the money. Most guys playing LOI are just in it for the money too, so there wouldn't be much difference if he had went LOI.

.

Whereas guards do it because they love catching robbers?

Iago

keep the personal abuse and threats, implied or otherwise, out of the posts please gentlemen

K-9

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Whereas guards do it because they love catching robbers?

Maybe he thinks being a Guard is a more worthwhile job? Mad notion that it is.

flahavaj

K-9 wrote: »

Maybe he thinks being a Guard is a more worthwhile job? Mad notion that it is.

Either way, as a guard he'll see plenty of Rovers.:pac:

Kirnsy

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Whereas guards do it because they love catching robbers?

NEWSFLASH = Some people dream of being doctors, some of being sports stars, some of being news reporters and some of being guards. Each to their own.

Ask at the emergency services forum.

You seem to have taken it really personally that he has quit to do his own thing. any reason in particular? What is it about the whole affair that annoys you so much?

stovelid

flahavaj wrote: »

Either way, as a guard he'll see plenty of Rovers.:pac:

Dublin-born guards do run the unfortunate risk of being posted to desolate outposts like Sligo, it must be said.

event

its threads like this and posters responses that has the SF the way it is at the minute

OhNoYouDidn't

Kirnsy wrote: »

NEWSFLASH = Some people dream of being doctors, some of being sports stars, some of being news reporters and some of being guards. Each to their own.

Ask at the emergency services forum.

You seem to have taken it really personally that he has quit to do his own thing. any reason in particular? What is it about the whole affair that annoys you so much?

NEWSFLASH. Not all cops, doctors, news reporters do it for love of the job. Many do it just for the money. So when he realises that will he storm out of the Gardai too?

Kirnsy

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

NEWSFLASH. Not all cops, doctors, news reporters do it for love of the job. Many do it just for the money. So when he realises that will he storm out of the Gardai too?

I know. But obviously for him he does not feel the money was worth doing something he didn't enjoy?Surely that's something to be admired in someone?

I just don't understand why you are angry at a lad who has decided on a new career albeit a less lucrative and glamorous one?

Gavin "shels"

Was strong rumours of Supple moving to Waterford Utd for a few matches last season when they were having a keeper crisis.

Ferris_Bueller

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I see your point, but what Supple did was not 'strong'. No professional footballer 'dreams' of being a guard. If he quit to coach disadvantaged kids you might be onto something.

Did you somehow manage to conduct a survey of every professional footballer world wide, or how did you come to this assumption?

Maybe he thought that being a guard, helping people on a daily basis is a more rewarding job than playing football with a bunch of prima donnas who are just playing for the money and image.