Jamie O'Hara will he play for Ireland?

The Highwayman

Before the world cup there was a lot of talk about him, not much since. He has been injured all season I know. Anyone have any info on him declaring?

cson

Probably been said before but he hasn't committed to the Euro 2012 Qualifiers so fuck him. And Stevie Fuckface too.

markesmith

I like O'Hara, he's a handy player and really gives his all, he'd get in our first eleven. Not really suited to Spurs current set-up of anchorman/Modric in central midfield, so he'll likely get shipped on. He's got a back injury at the moment anyway.

MickShamrock

Assume he's still holding out hope of making England squad.

Dots1982

I follow him on Twitter, he'll be back from injury soon, he's training with the first team. He clearly feels more english than Irish given his tweets during the world cup. I think we should forget about anyone who doesn't declare once asked. If they don't declare rightaway it speaks volumes.

LowOdour

Dont see why people bother raising this question....its obvious that he wants to play for england. And anyway, if he was so talented then he would have been a consistant first team player at spurs before his injury instead of always being rumoured with a loan deal to club x, y and z

roryc

I'll take what we can get to be honest. We've had English players in the team for years, why turn our back on them now?

If he wants to try and make the English team first, fair play to him. If he decides that its in his interests to declare for the Irish team we should be welcoming him. Regardless of whether he'd make the first team, one major thing we lack is strength in depth.

Need all the players we can get imo (barring of course 'Stevie F**kface')

tonycascarino

Useful player and I hope he plays for us. Would be a great addition when fit. He's is streets ahead of the likes of Green anyway.

OhNoYouDidn't

roryc wrote: »

I'll take what we can get to be honest. We've had English players in the team for years, why turn our back on them now?

Two reasons.

One: The English guys we have had were either all diaspora or jumped at the chance. He hasn't. He cleary doesn't identify himself as Irish

Two: Unlike the Charlton days we are now producing the talent at home and have less of a requirement for non-Irish players. Westwood and Greene have hardly scorched for Ireland. Murphy and Fahey / Meyler are far better prospects

roryc wrote: »

If he wants to try and make the English team first, fair play to him. If he decides that its in his interests to declare for the Irish team we should be welcoming him. Regardless of whether he'd make the first team, one major thing we lack is strength in depth.

No we shouldn't. I know its a cliché, but its an honour to play for your country. We shouldn't demean the shirt by holding it for someone who doesn't want to be there.

A bit of pride please

LeeroyJones

With the likes of Meyler, McCarthy, Gibson and even young Conor Clifford coming through over the next few years I would much prefer them lining out for us than O'Hara.
If he wants to come and join the squad then great-we can never have too much depth... but I wouldn't be making any further pleas for him to come

Dots1982

roryc wrote: »

If he wants to try and make the English team first, fair play to him. QUOTE]

He'd be completely deluded to think he has any chance of being a regular england international. If they don't declare with a month of being asked we should forget about them. We've got to have a little self respect.

major bill

we are a pathetic side at times chasing people that dont wanna play for us. He wants to play for england and im sure 1 english cap would mean so much more to him than 50 ireland caps.

kryogen

O Hara has said he wants to play for England, there shouldnt really be any discussion about him playing for Ireland until he says something to change that

LeeroyJones

Dots1982 wrote: »

roryc wrote: »

If he wants to try and make the English team first, fair play to him. QUOTE]

He'd be completely deluded to think he has any chance of being a regular england international. If they don't declare with a month of being asked we should forget about them. We've got to have a little self respect.

Really? I think I would disagree.
Gerrard and Lampard are no spring chickens anymore and while Wilshire and Jordan Henderson look like the real deal for future years, it's still a little too early for them. That leaves O'Hara and Milner to stake a claim for themselves, and despite the Milner hype of last season I think O'Hara has what it takes to fight it out with Milner.

I'm not trying to suggest that Gerrard and Lampard are past it, but rather their age, 30 and 32 respectively, is something that Cappello will need to begin thinking about with regards his WC2014 plan.

roryc

I dont see anyone begging them to play. You ask if they want to declare, they weigh up their options. Shouldn't be any time limit on making a choice other than a FIFA imposed one.

And how do you know if a player considers himself more English than Irish, perhaps he might just want to play for England as its a better choice professionally.

Im 100% in agreement with having pride in playing etc, but we're a small country. If we want any chance of qualifying for a major championship we need all the help we can get.

To be honest a bigger worry is that Trappatoni hasn't been giving game time to rising starts like Coleman and Clifford.

tonycascarino

Huddlestone, Rodwell, Henderson, Milner, Wilshere, Muamba, Cattermole etc. and there's another few years left in Gerrard, Barry, Lampard, Carrick etc. Can't see how O'Hara is going to break in there any time soon. Anyway it's up to himself at the end of the day.

davocesque

like others have said, whats point on taking players who take a long time do

decide if they're going to be committed or not?! I personally, think its time we

stopped looking at taking other nations rejects (dont get me wrong, some plastic

paddies have served the country amazingly), and look to develop our own

brand of football and produce our own players to suit it, one step back, two

steps forward and all that!

stovelid

I wouldn't be the hugest international fan these days and am kinda boycotting the games although I do support Ireland and was a regular for years.

I'd rather a team of nobodies (Irish-born or English-born) get thrashed regularly than a bunch of more talented but mecenary players that jumped on board at the last minute because they didn't get make the grade elsewhere.

Same with Stephen Ireland (not starting a debate about him, just mentioning): it's a shame to debase yourself as a supporter and devalue what it is to play for your country just to pimp the international team to people who view it as a second-choice or last resort.

ironbluedun

this lad can f off. i will only play for ireland if england dont want me, what a load of old b..............ks

AgileMyth

We have quality center midfield players coming through. No need for O'Hara at this stage, he missed his chance at international football.

OPENROAD

roryc wrote: »

I dont see anyone begging them to play. You ask if they want to declare, they weigh up their options. Shouldn't be any time limit on making a choice other than a FIFA imposed one.

And how do you know if a player considers himself more English than Irish, perhaps he might just want to play for England as its a better choice professionally.

Im 100% in agreement with having pride in playing etc, but we're a small country. If we want any chance of qualifying for a major championship we need all the help we can get.

To be honest a bigger worry is that Trappatoni hasn't been giving game time to rising starts like Coleman and Clifford.

And vice versa I'm sure you will agree

tonycascarino

Interesting interview from him today :

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/sports-breakfast/blog/2011-02-21/ohara-ill-consider-playing-republic-ireland

Asked about international future :

"Yeah, I mean I don't know what the scenario is to be honest because, em, I mean they asked me before and there was something where I couldn't play and then its been changed recently, eh, something to do with playing in the Under 21's and you know I think the rules been changed. So I'm not sure whats been going on, obviously I've been injured for a while so I haven't really thought about it. But you know if I get a phone call then obviously its something I'll have to think about and discuss with my family because obviously everyone wants to play on the international stage. So I'm not sure whether I can play, I'm not 100% on the situation but I will definitely be interested."

Asked would he like to play for Republic of Ireland :

''Yeah, I mean obviously all my family are Republic of Ireland, all live in Wicklow, so I've got a big Irish Family and they are always phoning me up, saying, come play for Ireland. But obviously through the young stages, I've always played for England, so you know I didn't want to be disrespectful and say I play for Ireland and I'm not 100%. Now I think the opportunity has come, I'm 24 years old. I'm playing Premier League football, hopefully on a regular basis so If I get the phone call then its something I'll look at.''

partyndbs

its weird hes actually much more irish than the likes of mcgeady but the decision is much harder for him

IRISHSPORTSGUY

If O'Hara declares, and McCarthy and Meyler soon to join the senior team (one would think) the 2008 - present central midfield crisis is approaching an end.

Hoki

It hasnt if Trap persists with Green & Whelan

The_Kew_Tour

No thanks, I would rather a player who wants to play for us then someone who not bothered.

dreamers75

AgileMyth wrote: »

We have quality center midfield players coming through. No need for O'Hara at this stage, he missed his chance at international football.

Doesnt mean they will get their game.

We have good creative players we just dont play them.

Frogdog

Heard it on the sports news on the radio this morning.

I'd say go get him, at the very least he'll give us an extra option in midfield, which is no bad thing.

If we wanted to mess with him though we could give him a meaningless cap and then never pick him again!

IRISHSPORTSGUY

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

No thanks, I would rather a player who wants to play for us then someone who not bothered.

Look at it at this way - we're much more likely to qualify for an international tournament with Jamie O'Hara rather than Glenn Whelan or Paul Green in our midfield.

And qualifying for a Euros/World Cup would make kids in this country more interested in football and more of a chance of them picking football over the egg chasers and Gaelic.

The_Kew_Tour

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Look at it at this way - we're much more likely to qualify for an international tournament with Jamie O'Hara rather than Glenn Whelan or Paul Green in our midfield.

And qualifying for a Euros/World Cup would make kids in this country more interested in football and more of a chance of them picking football over the egg chasers and Gaelic.

He's a fine player but if he not too bothered about playing for us, who to say he give 100% for us too.

If he did want play for us I be only too delighted to see him wear the Green Jersey, but not the way he going about it.

FatherTed

In a perfect world, we would have 20 top quality players born around Ireland to represent us. But it's not a perfect world and sometimes we need to swallow our pride and let someone like O'Hara in. If he can help us qualify for the Euros or the WC I have no problem with it. Every other country bar (Brazil and Argentina who don't need to) has done it. We've done it before with the likes of Townsend etc.

parker kent

I'm just wondering when he will tog out for Rathnew in the Wicklow county championships :pac:

I don't think he'll play under Trap. Maybe if a new manager came in, it would give it a new momentum.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

---

Given

Foley - Dunne - O'Shea - Clark

Coleman - O'Hara - McCarthy/Meyler - Duff/McGeady

---

Keane - Doyle

Westwood
Cunningham
St Ledger
Hunt
Duff/McGeady
McCarthy/Meyler
Long
Best
Stokes

We might have a half decent team soon, whisper it quietly. But you what - I really, really wouldn't be surprised if Trap considers McCarthy and O'Hara too attack-minded and persists with Whelan and even worse... Green. :eek:

tonycascarino

Friendly coming up against Uruguay. Perfect chance to call O'Hara in.

Corholio

Id have McCarthy and Meyler in midfield ahead of O'Hara. I'm all for good players playing for Ireland, O'Hara definitely fit's that description, but I hate when we have to wait months and months for players to make decisions. I'd rather move on to be honest if that's the way they were.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

tonycascarino wrote: »

Friendly coming up against Uruguay. Perfect chance to call O'Hara in.

If I think I know how Trap thinks, I reckon he'll speak again soon about the whole family mentality stuff again and return to his usual selections. We're talking Whelan + one of Andrews/Green/Gibson and Lawrence ahead of Coleman. Plus he has already indicated Kilbane will return to the squad for Macedonia, he'll probably be conservative and pick him to start for his 'experience' and roll Clark out again for the second half against Uruguay.

Hope I'm wrong!

flahavaj

"I'm hopeful he'll be in the next Irish squad."

Liam Brady on RTE just now.

Panthro

if he plays for Ireland and scores on the debut, we will all be happy campers

MickShamrock

This O'Hara deal reminds me of the whole Kevin Nolan situation a few years back.

tonycascarino

Richard Stearman of Wolves apparently very interested in playing for us too according to a Kevin Doyle interview in the paper.

Jim

tonycascarino wrote: »

Richard Stearman of Wolves apparently very interested in playing for us too according to a Kevin Doyle interview in the paper.

Jesus. Half of Wovlerhampton will soon be Irish internationals.

Jim

Jim wrote: »

Jesus. Half of Wovlerhampton will soon be Irish internationals.

Make that 7 from their first team and bench ><

Diabhal Beag

Hope that if he does play that we never see Green again.