Shay Given Retires From International Football

Helix

aidan24326 wrote: »

You're exaggerating his weaknesses. He may not have been Schmeichel-esque at commanding his area (who is?) but he was by no means as bad as you're making out.

he was as close to being as bad as im making out as he was to being a world class keeper

Xavi6

Kirby wrote: »

You mean like Lloris? Or Casillas? Or Reina? Or De Gea? Or Hart? Or Buffon? Or Valdes?

All of which are terrible under crosses and rarely come through a crowd of players because of it. Doesn't stop them being good Keepers.

That's just incorrect.

Honestly, if you are saying Given wasn't World Class in his prime because he had a few weaknesses, you are an idiot. Ronaldo has weaknesses. Messi has weaknesses. Everyone does.

Given had a nightmare euro's. He's allowed an off period. He was brilliant in his prime.

The term 'world class' is almost redundant these days, and this talk on Given is further proof of that.

He wasn't ever 'world class', he was however a very good keeper. No debate on that.

aidan24326 wrote: »

You're exaggerating his weaknesses. He may not have been Schmeichel-esque at commanding his area (who is?) but he was by no means as bad as you're making out.

He was though, it's one of the reasons he didn't last at City (as much as people will try point to pro-English bias towards Hart). The defenders played a lot deeper because of his tendancy to stay on his line, or his ability to drop crosses when he did come for them.

Also his kicking is very average.

Kirby

Xavi6 wrote: »

That's just incorrect.

.

No it's not. I still rate Hart as a good keeper as he is excellent at 1on1's and I think he is a very good shot stopper. He is quick and agile. But I think you are letting your city bias blind you to his deficiencies.

He looks very shakey and spills far more than he should. His handling is poor and he is not good under crosses.

Hoki

Goalkeepers bread & butter is stopping shots & Shay Given was one of the best around during his prime at that. Like whats been previously said some of the keepers out there today who are considered " world class" have their flaws such as being "weak" at commanding their box.

Xavi6

Ah yes, it could only be 'City bias', not from actually watching a player week in, week out :rolleyes:

Kirby

Well it hardly comes as a shock that a City fan who watches him week in and week out thinks he's the business. Which is why opinions from fans should be taken with a pinch of salt. Emotional attatchment and all that. It's hard to be objective when it's "your" club.

I watch him week in, week out too.....but with the caveat of not caring if he does well or not. So I can judge him objectively. Hart has handling issues. He has also stopped coming for alot of crosses unless they had huge hang time. It's noticable he is not comfortable claiming crosses.

Kirby

Hoki wrote: »

Surely everyone on this forum has some sort of an emotional attachment to him considering he's been our countries goalkeeper for the last 10+ years.

I was referring to Hart. Whos english dontchaknow. Sky won't let us forget it .

But I take your point about Shay being Irish and our opinions on him being clouded somewhat. But I do think some people are worse than others.

For example, I can cheer Ireland on and celebrate like a moron when Keane scores for us. But I still recognise he has lost all his pace, is a diver, will never be a clinical finisher, moans to the ref constantly and is probably past his best.

Captain buzzkillington to the rescue!

Kirby

Sorry, double post. forum is mental!

Hoki

Kirby wrote: »

I was referring to Hart. Whos english dontchaknow. Sky won't let us forget it .

But I take your point about Shay being Irish and our opinions on him being clouded somewhat. But I do think some people are worse than others.

For example, I can cheer Ireland on and celebrate like a moron when Keane scores for us. But I still recognise he has lost all his pace, is a diver, will never be a clinical finisher, moans to the ref constantly and is probably past his best.

Captain buzzkillington to the rescue!

Yea only copped after i posted you were talking about Hart hence my ninja delete, obviously not ninja enough

eire4

Not a surprise to see Shay make it official. But sad all the same. The man has been a true all time great for Ireland over the years.

niallo27

the realpigiron wrote: »

Go ahead, you don't appear to have much better to be doing. You are spending a lot of your time making disparaging comments about a keeper who was in the top tier of his position in the EPL in his prime - that is undisputed - and now happens to be playing for the club you say you support now. Weird.

I dont think that is fair on him, he was responding to the comments saying shay was world class and he gave his reason for it. I would say he was just below the top tier myself still a great keeper for us.

the realpigiron

niallo27 wrote: »

I dont think that is fair on him, he was responding to the comments saying shay was world class and he gave his reason for it. I would say he was just below the top tier myself still a great keeper for us.

In his prime he was top tier. He was in the top 3 to 5 keepers in that league. He was linked with Man U and Arsenal, but both went for more inexpensive options, because in his prime he was an expensive player. He was also voted best goalkeeper of the season in the EPL twice.

In the league he played in, during his prime, he was top tier in his position; that much is indisputable.

Father Damo

How many European countries can the doubters think of where Given would not have been the first choice goalie for the national side in the last ten years?


Spain, Italy and arguably Holland is all I can come up with.

Felexicon

Father Damo wrote: »

How many European countries can the doubters think of where Given would not have been the first choice goalie for the national side in the last ten years?


Spain, Italy and arguably Holland is all I can come up with.

Isreal!!!!!!
Do you remember that shítcúnt of a goalkeeper they had. Can't remember his name, constantly rolling around on the ground wasting time

niallo27

the realpigiron wrote: »

In his prime he was top tier. He was in the top 3 to 5 keepers in that league. He was linked with Man U and Arsenal, but both went for more inexpensive options, because in his prime he was an expensive player. He was also voted best goalkeeper of the season in the EPL twice.

In the league he played in, during his prime, he was top tier in his position; that much is indisputable.

I keep hearing this linked thing, kevin doyle was linked with Arsenal that doesnt make him world class, im sure if ferguson really wanted him he would paid the money, didnt he pay 20 million for de gea.

G.K.

niallo27 wrote: »

I keep hearing this linked thing, kevin doyle was linked with Arsenal that doesnt make him world class, im sure if ferguson really wanted him he would paid the money, didnt he pay 20 million for de gea.

He did, and a certain poster then wanted Given instead... :pac:

StephenHendry

should trap tempt paddy kenny out of retirement, i think paddy retired way too early

Felexicon

StephenHendry wrote: »

should trap tempt paddy kenny out of retirement, i think paddy retired way too early

No.
Westwood is the best choice on current form. Kenny was poor for large chunks last season

noodler

Felexicon wrote: »

No.
Westwood is the best choice on current form.

Devil's advocate here but what form is that?

Westwood hasn't played for Sunderland since December.

Felexicon wrote: »

Kenny was poor for large chunks last season

I cannot confrim or deny this but he was playing (at least) for a club battling relegation until the last day of the season.

Felexicon

noodler wrote: »

Devil's advocate here but what form is that?

Westwood hasn't played for Sunderland since December.



I cannot confrim or deny this but he was playing (at least) for a club battling relegation until the last day of the season.

Fair point. Thought he looked solid in his appearances last season compaired to Kenny

noodler

Felexicon wrote: »

Fair point. Thought he looked solid in his appearances last season compaired to Kenny

Well, he played two fine games for Ireland against Macedonia and Hungary (half game actually) so I mean I really hope Westwood turns it around.

Kenny's 34 as well and will likely lose his place this year anyway due to QPR signing Robert Green.

G.K.

Kenny plays for Leeds.

noodler

G.K. wrote: »

Kenny plays for Leeds.

Yeah, plays for Leeds as of July 11th..i.e. a month ago.

But your point is taken.

devotional1993

Lets be honest, we all want shay back providing he's fully fit and playing well, especially if he is in great form this season. This was obviously a hard decision for him. The guy loves playing for Ireland.

HalloweenJack

Felexicon wrote: »

Isreal!!!!!!
Do you remember that shítcúnt of a goalkeeper they had. Can't remember his name, constantly rolling around on the ground wasting time

Dudu Awat. Eight years later and I still hate him.

bullvine

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Dudu Awat. Eight years later and I still hate him.

That was the closest I think Lansdowne ever came to a pitch invasion to attack a player, he was just horrible.

adamski8

Muff_Daddy wrote: »

Club football is bread and butter for a professional footballer. It's not hard really to see why a player coming to the end of their career would choose to retire from internationals (an extra 8-10 games a season + the travel) can take a bit extra out of a player.

Plus, we don't know his reasons for retirement. Prehaps he feels that the team would be better off if he was to step aside, and give Westwood the chance to establish himself, as he could be our number 1 for the next decade potentially. The earlier he's given the No. 1 jersey the bettter in that regard.

Shay Given has given 16 years of loyal service and has been absoloutly magnificant every minute he has played for Ireland. As has been said, he owes absoloutly nothing, and I wish him a good few more years at Villa.

To the people who think Bonner was better than Given........no, just no!

sorry to reply so late to this post, but an extra 8-10 games a season when your training at club level to be fit 100% all of the time? not such a big deal! And as a goalkeeper you usually don't do much during the game (unfortunately he has had to do much more in an ireland jersey :pac:)

Travel being an issue??? come on now? to dublin most of the time is less than he has to travel every second week playing in england.

I agree with you we dont know his exact reasons but I think he still owes ireland to play until he can no more (unless its going to actually impact on his health or something!) He could as is generally agreed as a GK be able to continue playing for the next two international campaigns.

I think stepping aside for henderson is a BS arguement, thats an issue for the management and probably henderson having more time learning from given would be more beneficial for him.

I dont get this arguement just because he has been great X amount of years doesnt mean he doesnt owe us anything, HE DOES! he is irish and our greatest keeper ever, why not continue! there is no reason not to continue playing for us and he is so vital to our team his retirement could be the difference in us qualifying for the next WC!!!!!!

Helix

adamski8 wrote: »

I dont get this arguement just because he has been great X amount of years doesnt mean he doesnt owe us anything, HE DOES! he is irish and our greatest keeper ever,

so because he's good he owes ireland something? nonsense. if one was to pursue that logic then surely it would be the opposite, and you could say that ireland owes given his retirement BECAUSE he was good for the country

SantryRed

adamski8 wrote: »

Muff_Daddy wrote: »

Club football is bread and butter for a professional footballer. It's not hard really to see why a player coming to the end of their career would choose to retire from internationals (an extra 8-10 games a season + the travel) can take a bit extra out of a player.

Plus, we don't know his reasons for retirement. Prehaps he feels that the team would be better off if he was to step aside, and give Westwood the chance to establish himself, as he could be our number 1 for the next decade potentially. The earlier he's given the No. 1 jersey the bettter in that regard.

Shay Given has given 16 years of loyal service and has been absoloutly magnificant every minute he has played for Ireland. As has been said, he owes absoloutly nothing, and I wish him a good few more years at Villa.

To the people who think Bonner was better than Given........no, just no!

sorry to reply so late to this post, but an extra 8-10 games a season when your training at club level to be fit 100% all of the time? not such a big deal! And as a goalkeeper you usually don't do much during the game (unfortunately he has had to do much more in an ireland jersey :pac:)

Travel being an issue??? come on now? to dublin most of the time is less than he has to travel every second week playing in england.

I agree with you we dont know his exact reasons but I think he still owes ireland to play until he can no more (unless its going to actually impact on his health or something!) He could as is generally agreed as a GK be able to continue playing for the next two international campaigns.

I think stepping aside for henderson is a BS arguement, thats an issue for the management and probably henderson having more time learning from given would be more beneficial for him.

I dont get this arguement just because he has been great X amount of years doesnt mean he doesnt owe us anything, HE DOES! he is irish and our greatest keeper ever, why not continue! there is no reason not to continue playing for us and he is so vital to our team his retirement could be the difference in us qualifying for the next WC!!!!!!

Having a couple weeks breaks during the season will be huge to Shay and won't put as much stress on his body.