Kevin Foley’s Euro 2012 exclusion in quotes
Every media outlet in Ireland is running with the story about Kevin Foley being left out of the Republic of Ireland Euro 2012 squad this morning, and all have their own take on it. Here are the exact quotes to come out, with no biased analysis. More will be added if and when they emerge.
Kevin Foley
“Words can’t really describe how I feel. I’m just gutted. It was tough, you know. The lads have been great with me, but it’s just happened. What’s happened has happened and there’s nothing I can do about it now. Of course I wish the lads well. I hope they go on and do really well in the tournament. I’ll be their number one fan watching from home. Of course I’ll be watching. I’ll try and take a holiday. I’m going home tomorrow.
“But it’s hard to take, you know. I sort of feel betrayed, you know. I don’t want to go into too much detail. I just feel betrayed, that’s all I want to say. I said that to the manager. I obviously wasn’t happy. It’s just one of those things. I didn’t shed a tear. Listen, I’ve got something to look forward to and that’s to go back and see my family and that’s it.
“I wanted to play tonight, I wanted to prove a point: -that I was fit to play. From what I understood I could have trained last week on Thursday and Friday and been involved in the game [on Saturday], but he said that there was no rush, that they could wait for me to train in Italy. So I trained in Italy for two days and felt great and then all of a sudden he pulls me in this morning just before the end and told me I wasn’t in the squad. That was hard to take.
“I’ve done everything I can. That’s all I can do. I could have trained last week and been involved in the game. If someone had said to me that I had to train Thursday and Friday to prove my fitness or else I wouldn’t be in the squad, then I would have bitten his hand off and started the game. I was just under the illusion that I could take my time, train in Italy, prove my fitness and then be in the squad.”
On his future with Ireland:
“I don’t really want to talk about that now. I just want to go home. It’s a lot take in one day.”
Giovanni Trapattoni
“We thought very hard about what was the best and most appropriate decision for the team. We based our decision on the fact that the centre defenders, Dunne, O’Shea, O’Dea, they all have problems. We are not sure if they will be one hundred percent. This morning Paul McShane did a careful medical check and we decided to include him in the 23. The reason behind this is that we need one more central defender and we know they are more subject to bookings.
“I spoke to Kevin this morning and with regret I communicated my decision to him. Obviously, he was clearly upset. Also me, also me. But I have a responsibility to our team and the nation, the Irish nation. It’s my duty to take this decision, disregarding personal feeling.
“It was very difficult because we have a lot of esteem, a lot of respect for Foley. This morning I spoke to Richard Dunne about his muscular problems, and then St. Ledger who has not been right for a few days. The defenders are likely to get bookings. We must decide about what defenders we bring. I said to him [Foley] ‘We are happy if you decide to stay with us’. He said ‘Ok I think about it’. Obviously he is a little bit sad. That’s normal he is a man, maybe he could decide tomorrow or after the friendly against Budapest. I let him speak to his wife. I told him we have great respect for him, he plays well. He can go back immediately or after we play in Budapest. It is a selfish decision to ask him to stay, but I understand if he wants to go. It’s not easy for him, for me, not easy to say this. I am also sensitive.
“It was a very difficult decision to make. Marco and I thought about it for a very long time and I am sorry for Kevin but in the end I have a duty both to the team and the country.”
Paul McShane
“I wouldn’t say thrilled because I know Kev and he’s a good friend of mine. I’ve not been jumping around the place celebrating. I just tried to keep an even keel. I am happy obviously to be in the 23 and I didn’t expect to be in it. I am happy deep down, but I do feel for Kev. I was happy but the minute I got told I thought of Kev straight away because it is disappointing. Football is a cruel sport sometimes. He’s been disappointed but he is a good lad. He has got a bit about so he won’t get too down about it. I think he’ll bounce back from it.
“I can play both positions and I feel comfortable there. Wherever is needed. If there is an injury I am ready to step in. I just turned up the squad and I didn’t expect anything out of it. I just turned up because I was called upon and I wanted to come and train with the lads. I’ve started against Bosnia and been put in the 23. I never really expected it but I was always preparing for it mentally, just in case I did get called upon. I am happy to be there but disappointed for Kevin. If I was sat by the phone or waiting for the call it might not have came so I went about my business. The call came.”
Related posts:
Im really gutted for Kev. As a Bedfordshire boy myself, I took great (if not bias) pride in his inclusion in our setup. I don’t think I’d be in too much of a hurry to return to play under Trap if I was him. Some may call it spoilt behaviour but the way ‘it sounds’ as if he was treated is terrible and utterly dishonest.
I disagree. What was Trapp supposed to do he needed a centre back? What happens if Dunne and O’Dea don’t recover and can’t play? Who does he stick in centre? Foley? I think not… Now, don’t get me wrong I detest McShane and I think he’s a liability but he had no choice. We have cover on the wings: Kelly, Ward, O’Shea. I think it would be pety of Foley not to understand and not return for WQ Campaign.
I’d feel more comfortable with Foley for defensive cover than McShane. Yet another example of Trapattoni mistreating a good Irish player. James McCarthy, Andy Reid, Steven Reid, Stephen Ireland, Ciaran Clark, Seamus Coleman. Need I go on? The tea leaves say that somehow, in someway McShane will be at fault for a goal that causes our exit from the Euros and we’ll all be on here saying I told you so.
There seems to be a degree of miscommunication here.. It looks like Foley thinks he was excluded for fitness reasons whereas the management team are saying it was a tactical decision to bring in more centre-half cover. The ‘betrayal’ aspect is that Foley thinks that if he’d trained and demonstrated his own fitness last week they’d be keeping him in the squad, but it doesn’t look like this is true.
He’s very unlucky in that he’s apparently been the victim of a series of injuries to other players. I’d regard him as a better right back than McShane but I’ve never seen him play at centre half and that appears to be the crucial issue. Feel very sorry for him for the way this has happened and I hope he bounces back from this and gets more chances with Ireland in the future. The naming of the final 23 man squad ahead of time was presumably done to avoid exactly this kind of situation with disappointed players leaving the camp but the defensive injury crisis has forced Trap’s hand.
That’s right, Richie. It would explain the feelings of ‘betrayal’.
Trap was always against naming an expanded squad, but it may have been a better way to get the most out of the players. If McShane, Foley and Green had been involved up to the Hungary game, they would all have had a chance to prove themselves and challenge for the 23.
As Eamon Dunphy said McShane is a disaster waiting to happen. He’ll play ok like against Bosnia but you’re always on the edge of your seat when the ball comes his way expecting some kind of a calamity to happen. He falls on his ass a lot, he gets turned too easily, sometimes he jumps for headers and totally misses the ball, he’s prone to under hitting passes, he’s not much of a goal threat from set pieces, he tends to gallop forward on occasion, lose the ball and then get caught out of position. I mean what was he doing in Paris. He let Henry run around and get to the ball, instead of shielding the ball out of play or if Henry was getting goal side of him give him a shoulder out over the end line. Then when Henry got in front of him he stood off him with his hand behind his back. It’s not like he was tired, he’s only come on with 20 minutes to go in regular time. Henry had over 100 minutes of football played that night. There’s a reason that not even any Championship clubs want McShane. I hope he doesn’t read the greenscene because all these posts won’t do his confidence any good. Come to think of it I wonder if any of the Irish players read these posts. I’m sure some do. There’s not too many sites dedicated totally to Irish football after all.
Reality bites home… just one of a number of Irish players who are not good enough to be in the Euro Squad. Kevin is just one of all the Irish Wolves who had a substandard season. Apart from Kevin Doyle (only on board on the basis of he could not be as bad as the season OR TWO he has had at Wolves)I Would have left all the Wolves boys behind >>> For average players you have achieved a lot.. Yes McShane is a disaster waiting to happen but this is Clap Trap in action. . Coleman, Duffy, Wilson, Clarke are common sence inclusions ..a mixture of the old and new. He only took McShane because everyone in Ireland and SKY Sports kept shouting his name…. Resiged to shouting on the boys in green whatever or whoever.
McShane should read McClean
Paul McShame. Paul Green. Trap likes to call up guys who’s names he finds easier to pronounce and remember. Those two will easily be the 2 worst players at the Euros from any team.
I almost cant believe it is really happening. Paul Mcshane and Paul Green both going to the European Championship. Unbelievable. God help us if they see game time.
I’m not too angry about Foley’s omission, though it is yet another managerial mishap in a long line of managerial mishaps from Trapattoni.
Green’s inclusion on the other hand, if I seen him on the street, I would eat his face.
With the zombie apocalypse upon we may not need to worry about Green or McShane playing.
http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3934/euro-2012/2012/06/01/3142038/buffons-bank-transfer-was-for-20-rolex-watches-and-not
@ Forza Prandelli
Read that before you come on here patronising us, criminals. Serie A and Italian football is in the gutter.
On one hand, I am pleased that Given, O’Shea, Dunne and Keane have stayed fit (so far), as have O’Dea, St Ledger, Kelly and Gibson. On the other hand though, the omissions of Foley and Fahey and the subsequent inclusions of Paul McShane and Paul Green really show up our lack of depth.
I was getting a bit excited about getting out of the groups at least but the McShane and Green call ups were reality checks. If they get game time, which is likely after McShane jumped several people in the pecking order and Trapattoni hinted at Green starting in the Spain game, we are royally screwed.
McShane is a pretty terrible player. For all the good performances, several bad ones follow and he could play well for 85 minutes and then have a crucial lapse in concentration. As for Green, he has no redeemable qualities whatsoever.
I do believe that Green will start the Spain game, because Whelan or Andrews will be rested and Gibson will likely come on as an attacking option after we go 2 or 3-0 down after 30 minutes.
There is nothing intimidating about Croatia, moreso after the enforced omission of probably their best cb Dejan Lovren. Italy are shooting themselves in the foot because of their intrinsic link to matchfixing/betting/general organised crime. Spain are a fantastic team from the midfield up.
We can get out of the group but I fear that if even one of our spine gets injured, particularly Dunne and if McShane and/or Green play, we are f***ed.
Ward on one flank and O’Shea/Kelly on the other is fine but Ward and McShane? That would worry me. St Ledger playing without Dunne to babysit him? That would worry me even more.
So many irritatingly shortsighted decisions. The terrible man-management with Wilson/Foley/McCarthy and others. Not trying out new formations and tactics in friendlies. Not trying out new players in friendlies. Leaving out too many PL players. Including useless lumps like McShane and Green..
This is a good one. Deciding Kelly is a cb when he has been one of Fulham’s most consistent players at rb, where he plays on the same flank as Duff. Where he has been one of the Irish players to actually play regularly all season. Has he ever played cb other than the Uruguay match anyway??
If McShane plays ahead of him, I’ll be f***ing furious.
Paul Green versus the Spanish midfield. Gold help us. I’m sure none of the Spanish players have even heard of him. My excitement has also died off. I knew Green and McShane would weasel their way into the squad and I’m sure at some stage onto the field. Disgraceful.
https://twitter.com/No1shaygiven/status/208199464253521920/photo/1
Any chance we could swap?
Russia hammered Italy 3 – 0 in Italy. My confidence has risen.
Buffon got a shoulder injury. Italy are confident that he will be fit. His replacement conceded all three goals.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/euro2012/article-2153547/Euro-2012-Killer-instinct-Kevin-Kilbane-recalls-end-Ireland-career.html
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