Post by Tangerine Sherlock on Apr 21, 2011 9:50:46 GMT 1
Interesting item on Andy Reid and his career so far.....
AT 28, Andy Reid should be at his peak. Instead he finds himself exiled from the Ireland squad and fighting relegation with Blackpool.
Having made just three appearances for the Tangerines since moving to Bloomfield Road in January, the likeable Dubliner didn’t even make the bench for the 3-1 defeat to Wigan Athletic at the weekend.
Sadly, Reid’s current lack of vigour is a worryingly familiar story amongst Irish players who burst onto the scene showing great potential only to nosedive into mediocrity.
I’ve followed Reid’s career since the 02/03 season, when I was living in Nottingham and a regular at the City Ground. Forest had a number of Irish players at the time such as Keith Foy, Barry Roche and John Thompson. Reid, though, was the cream of the Irish crop.
Reid, clearly at ease playing alongside seasoned professionals like Des Walker and David Johnson, was never shy about demanding the ball and when he got it, displayed a great range of passing skills. This, coupled with the ability to go past players and a natural awareness of space, made him vital to Forest’s promotion push that season.
Forest boss Paul Hart had brought Reid up through the academy and was something of a father figure when Reid missed the birth in Dublin of his daughter on the morning of a youth cup match. He was 16. Reid was pining to be with his girlfriend and new baby Saoirse, but Hart convinced him that he would be better able to look after his family if he kept his focus, worked hard, and made it to the first team.
Obviously any loving father would want to be with their new child, let alone such a young man away from his parents and siblings, but the separation for Reid was about more than just family ties — aside from his football, Reid is a talented musician with a keen love of Irish poetry, literature, Ireland and its folk tradition. In fact far from being a typical pro footballer, Reid is a true man of the people, which he proudly displays through his admiration for James Connolly and the Che Guevara tattoo on his forearm. He hasn’t lost touch of the fact that he is just a regular bloke who happens to be talented at football.
In 2003, I watched a disastrous Ireland performance against Switzerland at the Nottingham Irish Centre. Reid walked in like a regular punter and joined us for the game, and joking like one of the lads. After witnessing a poor 2-0 defeat someone commented that the game might have gone better if Reid had been in the green jersey. Reid smiled wryly, obviously knowing what was on the cards.
A month later he made his senior Irish debut against Canada with a display of excellence which suggested he would become a regular in the Ireland squad. Both Brian Kerr and his successor Steve Staunton agreed as Reid’s 27 caps were won during their respective terms at the helm. But following a late night incident with a guitar and a newspaper, Reid has found himself on the wrong side of Giovanni Trapattoni, who, regardless of public and media pressure, refuses to bring back the Crumlin native.
In fact Reid’s love of life off the pitch, rather than Trapattoni’s rejection, has been his major downfall. Although he is trying to get back on top, with numerous unsuccessful transfers around England, Reid has failed to find anything like the home or the form he had in Nottingham.
At Sunderland, whilst popular with fans, Reid’s belly became more famous than his feet, with fans chanting: “Andy Reid, Andy Reid, running down the wing. Andy Reid, Andy Reid, been to Burger King. He might stuff his face, but he’s still f***ing ace, Andy Reid, Andy Reid, Andy Reid.”
Such mockery helped to drive Reid’s massive efforts to get back to peak fitness, but a series of niggling injuries mean he’s missed so many games this season that he is fast becoming the forgotten man of Irish football.
I can only hope that the emergence of younger talents like James McCarthy and Keith Treacy doesn’t rob Reid of the will to dig deep and produce some of his old magic.
With just five matches remaining of the Premier League season, and time ticking untilReid turns 29 in July, he is battling to avoid being ranked with players like Stephen McPhail and Keith O’Neill who started out great but never quite reached the heights we had hoped for. Good guys don’t have to finish last — time to prove it Reidy.
AT 28, Andy Reid should be at his peak. Instead he finds himself exiled from the Ireland squad and fighting relegation with Blackpool.
Having made just three appearances for the Tangerines since moving to Bloomfield Road in January, the likeable Dubliner didn’t even make the bench for the 3-1 defeat to Wigan Athletic at the weekend.
Sadly, Reid’s current lack of vigour is a worryingly familiar story amongst Irish players who burst onto the scene showing great potential only to nosedive into mediocrity.
I’ve followed Reid’s career since the 02/03 season, when I was living in Nottingham and a regular at the City Ground. Forest had a number of Irish players at the time such as Keith Foy, Barry Roche and John Thompson. Reid, though, was the cream of the Irish crop.
Reid, clearly at ease playing alongside seasoned professionals like Des Walker and David Johnson, was never shy about demanding the ball and when he got it, displayed a great range of passing skills. This, coupled with the ability to go past players and a natural awareness of space, made him vital to Forest’s promotion push that season.
Forest boss Paul Hart had brought Reid up through the academy and was something of a father figure when Reid missed the birth in Dublin of his daughter on the morning of a youth cup match. He was 16. Reid was pining to be with his girlfriend and new baby Saoirse, but Hart convinced him that he would be better able to look after his family if he kept his focus, worked hard, and made it to the first team.
Obviously any loving father would want to be with their new child, let alone such a young man away from his parents and siblings, but the separation for Reid was about more than just family ties — aside from his football, Reid is a talented musician with a keen love of Irish poetry, literature, Ireland and its folk tradition. In fact far from being a typical pro footballer, Reid is a true man of the people, which he proudly displays through his admiration for James Connolly and the Che Guevara tattoo on his forearm. He hasn’t lost touch of the fact that he is just a regular bloke who happens to be talented at football.
In 2003, I watched a disastrous Ireland performance against Switzerland at the Nottingham Irish Centre. Reid walked in like a regular punter and joined us for the game, and joking like one of the lads. After witnessing a poor 2-0 defeat someone commented that the game might have gone better if Reid had been in the green jersey. Reid smiled wryly, obviously knowing what was on the cards.
A month later he made his senior Irish debut against Canada with a display of excellence which suggested he would become a regular in the Ireland squad. Both Brian Kerr and his successor Steve Staunton agreed as Reid’s 27 caps were won during their respective terms at the helm. But following a late night incident with a guitar and a newspaper, Reid has found himself on the wrong side of Giovanni Trapattoni, who, regardless of public and media pressure, refuses to bring back the Crumlin native.
In fact Reid’s love of life off the pitch, rather than Trapattoni’s rejection, has been his major downfall. Although he is trying to get back on top, with numerous unsuccessful transfers around England, Reid has failed to find anything like the home or the form he had in Nottingham.
At Sunderland, whilst popular with fans, Reid’s belly became more famous than his feet, with fans chanting: “Andy Reid, Andy Reid, running down the wing. Andy Reid, Andy Reid, been to Burger King. He might stuff his face, but he’s still f***ing ace, Andy Reid, Andy Reid, Andy Reid.”
Such mockery helped to drive Reid’s massive efforts to get back to peak fitness, but a series of niggling injuries mean he’s missed so many games this season that he is fast becoming the forgotten man of Irish football.
I can only hope that the emergence of younger talents like James McCarthy and Keith Treacy doesn’t rob Reid of the will to dig deep and produce some of his old magic.
With just five matches remaining of the Premier League season, and time ticking untilReid turns 29 in July, he is battling to avoid being ranked with players like Stephen McPhail and Keith O’Neill who started out great but never quite reached the heights we had hoped for. Good guys don’t have to finish last — time to prove it Reidy.