Aiden McGeady

Could never take to McGeady

 

He’s been more loyal to Sunderland than he ever was to Celtic.

 

I think the ‘it’s no my job to tackle the winger’ line sums up why his career was pretty mediocre despite his undoubted talent. On the right side of a 4-3-3 you absolutely should be offering some defensive cover to the full-back.

 

I’m torn in all of that, I love him, Lennon AND Strachan.

i have always been fascinated by the McGeady and Strachan relationship

 

McGeady would have never got away with attitude under Ange. Tbh him Lennon and Strachan all come across as *

 

I never liked him as a player for that reason.

His attitude problems were well known.

Even going as far back as his time under Willie McStay in the reserves and U20s.

 

Three people with massive egos. Was always going to end up in tears.

 

“Its not my job” lazy * was getting a fortune to play for Celtic

 

He was some player for us but he’s incredibly unlikeable.

 

3 people who refuse to take any ounce of responsibility for their own failings.

 

McGeady was talented. But I dont think he was ever as good as he thought he was. If he had been he would have pushed on while he was at Everton....maybe got a move to an EPL top four club. He didnt though. He held onto the ball for too long at times. Frustrated his own centre forwards no end

 

"I was getting booed in every away ground in Scotland every time I touched the ball."

Aiden McGeady still smarts when asked about the reception he got for choosing Republic of Ireland during his days with Celtic.

Now 36 and out of contract with Sunderland this summer after their promotion from League One, he made 93 international appearances, scoring five goals, and played at two European Championship tournaments.

The Scots-born winger qualified through his grandparents and had made the decision long before his first cap in 2004.

When a rule preventing young Celtic players from representing Scotland's schoolboys led Pat Bonner to invite him to train with the Republic's Under-15s, it felt like a an easy choice -one he would not be comfortable going back on.





"I made the decision when I was 14," he told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound. "It's not like I did it at 18.

"Scotland had those rules that you couldn't play for your school team, but Ireland didn't. 'Packie' Bonner knew my dad and my grandparents and asked if I wanted to play for Ireland.

"I just went with Ireland and that was it. I knew all of the boys and I liked the set up.

"It was when I got in the first team, it was like 'oh my * how is this guy not playing for Scotland?' But that was why. It's not as if I'd just made the decision.

"I'd get it everywhere I went off the park too; 'traitor, turncoat, Judas'.

"It's just small-minded individuals, that's all it is. Other players did the same, like Scott Arfield [Canada] or Brian McLean [Northern Ireland] and they didn't get the abuse I got. Was it because I played for Celtic, because I played for Ireland?

"In a way, it's a compliment because, if they didn't think you were a good player, they wouldn't bother."

Celtic 'regret' but not right time
While McGeady has no regrets over his international career, there is a pang about missing out on the chance to play for Celtic again.

After almost 200 matches, three league titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups, he was sold to Spartak Moscow in 2010.

Following three seasons without a trophy in Russia, he moved to Everton, where he was used sparingly and had loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End before his 2017 move to Sunderland.

"When I was at Everton, I had the chance to go back," says McGeady, who is currently studying for a masters degree in sporting directorship and already has a B license in coaching.

"At the time, I was probably being fed things by the manager that I was eventually going to play more often, plus I did think 'if I go back now, that's me almost turning my back on England'. I still thought deep down 'I can play here'.

"The circumstances just weren't quite right. Ronnie Deila was the manager, I was looking at the team and the way they were playing and I thought 'I'm not really sure I want to go back just yet'.

"Obviously I would have loved to have gone back at another time, when it was right for everybody, but that opportunity never came up again.

"I regret that it meant I didn't get to play for Celtic again, but at the time, no."

 

It’s shows how bad the problem is when McGeady asks the question 2/3 times and the interviewer knows the answer but doesn’t want to say it.

 

I dont understand the negativity towards him.

One of the best players the club has produced in my life time, also supports the club.

An exciting winger, who carried the team in Strachans last season and Mowbray season.
On his day was unplayable, even in the champions league.

Left the club for our record transfer fee at the time . The Clun practically forced him to move to Russia.

Some people are bitter as * for no reason.

 

Cracking player for us. Jota and Roberts (for about 6 months) are the only wingers we've had since he left who are real entertainers, with end product.

Unless I'm missing someone...

 

Shows the interviewer is complicit in the racism when he cannot even bring himself to admit the patently obvious fact that the abuse McGeady got was 100% anti Irish racism.

 

This! Some people just are bitter, miserable and useless in life they have nothing else to do.