STEPHEN KELLY’S INTERNATIONAL future was thrown into doubt today after Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni slammed his “play or go home” attitude.
Kelly was not included in the squad for last night’s friendly win against Poland, though Trapattoni said at the time that the Reading defender was being rested.
Now it appears that his chances of making a return for next month’s crunch qualification double-header are slim after Trapattoni let loose in a press conference earlier today.
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Kelly, 29, has not played competitively for Ireland since November 2011 and his place in Trap’s plans has been in the balance since a training ground row with assistant Marco Tardelli ahead of the trip to the Faroe Islands last October. Kelly then reportedly refused to board the plane and only relented when convinced by Trapattoni and senior FAI officials.
“You know why this situation happened with Kelly,” Trapattoni said today (listen here) when asked if he would be considered for the games against Sweden and Austria. “He said, ‘I play or I go home.’ Go home.
We need a squad. Paul Green was called at the last minute for injury and came with great enthusiasm on the pitch. That is the Irish players. They must be happy to come for his country, for his shirt.
He added: “It’s important that our players are available when they come in. Not ‘I am available if I play’ because only 11 players play.
“We have a squad, we have a team. They don’t say in their club ‘I’m going home if I don’t play.’ Why? Why not in England? I ask you – why only here?”
Asked to clarify Kelly’s status, Trap said:
I don’t know now because we have choices. We have Coleman. We have other players. Maybe yes, in the squad, or no.
There was also some uncertainty about the international future of Darron Gibson, who declined a late call-up this week due to fitness concerns.
Gibson, who has only started one game for Everton since returning from a thigh strain, has been in self-imposed exile from international football since Euro 2012 but Trapattoni accepted the midfielder’s explanation for refusing this week’s call.
“He played only one game after one month out with injury. He wasn’t ready for this situation.”
Paul Green is bound to jump at any opportunity he gets sure he must pinch himself that hes a professional footballer let alone playing for a country he decided he was from aged 27. Worrying how many players Trap has turned away or just refused to pick in the past because of vendettas etc. Its a small player pool so why make its even smaller and why push away quality when he should be pleading with them to play.Kiely, the 2 Reids,Stokes,Finnan,Gibson,Foley,Joey O’Brien and now Kelly are just a few names that Trap more or less exiled over the years and the ikes of Clark,McCarthy,Hoolahan,Coleman and now it seems Westwood are lads that have been mistreated, but its them rather than the likes of the shite like Whelan,Ward,Sammon,Keogh,McShane,Green,Cox and O’Dea that are getting over looked simply down to personal preference.Baffling
Who does Stephen Kelly think he is? He threatened to leave the squad if he didn’t start. He’s not committed. It’s not Trap’s fault for that.
Similar arguments after the Harte rant. The man is a 35 year old has been. His time has come and gone.
Darron Gibson is another one who was the architect of his own demise. He never bothered his hole showing up at friendlies or the end of season breaks. Then has the nerve not to show up for a competitive game. Again, not Trap’s fault.
You can blame Trap all you want, but stop acting like the players aren’t to blame. There’s a reason Whelan, Green, McShane etc. get called up every time. It’s because they are committed, work hard and don’t have ideas above their station.
Somebody mentioned Andy Reid. That man is a terrible pro. He’s a fat overrated lump.
Players that get dropped seem to become the next Messi.
Have to agree aswell. I remember the reaction to the Kevin Foley situation prior to the euros. Who the hell is Kevin Foley? You would have sworn it was a key player refusing to turn up. Not some nobody from a Wolves team that had 24 points last christmas and finished the season with 25 in May.
Agree on everything bar the andy Reid comment. Have a look at his play at forest this season, by far their most creative midfielder. One of the best passers of a ball around. Ten times the player green or whelan ever will be…
Kelly may not be a first XI player but Trap has a nerve questioning his loyalty or pride in playing for Ireland – he has always been among the best attendees, when most of the time he had no chance of getting a game. His Reading team mate may have said it more succinctly… we shouldn’t be blinded by Trap’s good fortune in getting a team that is interesting enough to watch by accident
Washing laundry in public is not professional and not good for team morale. Trap’s arrogance makes him inflexible and reluctant to experiment or adapt to different situations. Sometimes managers gain their reputations not through their own ability but through the skill and quality of the players, as Charlton did. Trap is simply another Charlton.
@John. Nail on head there. Jack was a great character and a likeable guy but he tried to play ugly long ball football when we actually had some quality footballers who could pass it about.
Who does Kelly think he is Pele or Stephen Ireland maybe? He wouldn’t get near my squad after seeing him blouse out of a 50/50 header in the box some years ago which the opposition scored from. Not what you want from a defender. No Bottle! F*** off!
@ Declan. Yes Georgia sounds about right. Now that I think about he was favourite to win the ball but knew he was gonna bang his head and pulled out. Lost all respect for him after that game.
I’m glad I’m not the only person who remembers this. Fair Play.
In fairness while I am no fan of Trap who is Stephen Kelly to demand to play and threaten to go home if he doesnt. I think that Trap has alienated players in the past but you cant blame him for this one. That said I think that Kelly is a really good player and I hope they sort something out.
Trap is dead right. Playing for your country is a privilege. Kelly can go home and take his medicine now for a few months. The people using this as yet another stick to beat Trap with are getting tiresome now. The kind of morons who would be on here slamming Trap if he had started Kelly after making such outrageous demands.
It’s hard to have commitment when your being messed about.Trap is a dinosaur.he should have gone after the euros and the FAI should have sacked him after the stuffing we got from Germany.
The reason Gibson won’t play for him is fairly obvious after he was the only outfield player not to get a game at the euros.
Trap out.please,please,please.he’s dragging Ireland back into the dark ages of football and any fool can do that
Should we be taking Trap’s word as gospel on this? Not saying that’s he’s lying, but things have been lost in translation on numerous incidents in the past where the manager is concerned. Duff making a comeback? The case of mistaken identity with regards to Marc Wilson?
Trap has form for shooting his mouth off in these instances. In fact, it’s almost always the manager who seems to be airing his grievances in public. And when has Kelly ever being anything other than professional during his career. Yes, he wants to play – that much is clear by the fact that he has moved clubs or gone out on loan when his chances have been limited, often to smaller clubs. Is that not what you want from your players – an appetite for game time on the pitch?
The first half last night was appalling. The second half not much better, except for a goal against he run of play and a piece of magic from the one player that Crappatoni is doing his utmost to ignore…but had to consider because of pressure from the FAI. This is all going to end in tears after the next two matches hopefully. We may not have the most skilled players in Europe but he’s not even picking the most skilled ones we have or else he’s fallen out with them….he has to go..it’s sad to watch how appalling we are.
You are everything that’s wrong with sport. You want your team to lose because you don’t like the manager. You are also very childish name calling Trap.
We may play well and win, we may play rubbish and lose, but get behind the team. If you can’t do that, shut your mouth and keep watching your Sky Sports.
Who knows, we might someday go back to the world beaters we were recently…oh
I do not dislike the manager, It’s plain to anyone with a grain of intelligence however that he’s not doing a very good job, and as a result I want him to go. I do want the team to lose but they’re are on a hiding to nothing if we persist with this senile fool. And if you think I am “everything that’s wrong with sport” you obviously pay much attention to what’s going on around you…Lance Armstrong.?!…match fixing ?!?
You cheer away there if you want to, but don’t expect to doing it at the Brazil world cup
Paul mcshane was the worst player on the pitch last night. Anytime he ran at someone he lost the ball and anytime he attempted to win a ball he failed. I can’t believe he’s still getting selected but with such a limited selection on full backs fair enough. I’d still like to see Stevens, carruthers and pilkington get a run out. And with Greg Cunningham getting a cap, why not give brendan Moloney a game at right full!
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I’d have Kelly over McShane any day! Trap needs to go!
Paul Green is bound to jump at any opportunity he gets sure he must pinch himself that hes a professional footballer let alone playing for a country he decided he was from aged 27. Worrying how many players Trap has turned away or just refused to pick in the past because of vendettas etc. Its a small player pool so why make its even smaller and why push away quality when he should be pleading with them to play.Kiely, the 2 Reids,Stokes,Finnan,Gibson,Foley,Joey O’Brien and now Kelly are just a few names that Trap more or less exiled over the years and the ikes of Clark,McCarthy,Hoolahan,Coleman and now it seems Westwood are lads that have been mistreated, but its them rather than the likes of the shite like Whelan,Ward,Sammon,Keogh,McShane,Green,Cox and O’Dea that are getting over looked simply down to personal preference.Baffling
I like the cut of your jib fellah..
The Irish fans are muppets.
Who does Stephen Kelly think he is? He threatened to leave the squad if he didn’t start. He’s not committed. It’s not Trap’s fault for that.
Similar arguments after the Harte rant. The man is a 35 year old has been. His time has come and gone.
Darron Gibson is another one who was the architect of his own demise. He never bothered his hole showing up at friendlies or the end of season breaks. Then has the nerve not to show up for a competitive game. Again, not Trap’s fault.
You can blame Trap all you want, but stop acting like the players aren’t to blame. There’s a reason Whelan, Green, McShane etc. get called up every time. It’s because they are committed, work hard and don’t have ideas above their station.
Somebody mentioned Andy Reid. That man is a terrible pro. He’s a fat overrated lump.
Players that get dropped seem to become the next Messi.
Spot on. If he said he wanted to play or is going home, then screw him.
Have to agree aswell. I remember the reaction to the Kevin Foley situation prior to the euros. Who the hell is Kevin Foley? You would have sworn it was a key player refusing to turn up. Not some nobody from a Wolves team that had 24 points last christmas and finished the season with 25 in May.
Fat? How do you become a professional footballer if your fat? But your the type off “football expert” who would say Rooney is fat or Gazza was fat
Agree on everything bar the andy Reid comment. Have a look at his play at forest this season, by far their most creative midfielder. One of the best passers of a ball around. Ten times the player green or whelan ever will be…
Kelly may not be a first XI player but Trap has a nerve questioning his loyalty or pride in playing for Ireland – he has always been among the best attendees, when most of the time he had no chance of getting a game. His Reading team mate may have said it more succinctly… we shouldn’t be blinded by Trap’s good fortune in getting a team that is interesting enough to watch by accident
Not like Trap to fall out with a player. It’s a good thing we have an abundance of quality premiership players to pick from. #trapout
Washing laundry in public is not professional and not good for team morale. Trap’s arrogance makes him inflexible and reluctant to experiment or adapt to different situations. Sometimes managers gain their reputations not through their own ability but through the skill and quality of the players, as Charlton did. Trap is simply another Charlton.
@John. Nail on head there. Jack was a great character and a likeable guy but he tried to play ugly long ball football when we actually had some quality footballers who could pass it about.
This has to implode eventually.
Who does Kelly think he is Pele or Stephen Ireland maybe? He wouldn’t get near my squad after seeing him blouse out of a 50/50 header in the box some years ago which the opposition scored from. Not what you want from a defender. No Bottle! F*** off!
Paul McShane played last night!
He said “some years ago”. I believe he’s referring to a goal against Georgia.
@ Declan. Yes Georgia sounds about right. Now that I think about he was favourite to win the ball but knew he was gonna bang his head and pulled out. Lost all respect for him after that game.
I’m glad I’m not the only person who remembers this. Fair Play.
Trap has no right to question Stephen Kelly’s Loyality, wait for the truth to come out people
In fairness while I am no fan of Trap who is Stephen Kelly to demand to play and threaten to go home if he doesnt. I think that Trap has alienated players in the past but you cant blame him for this one. That said I think that Kelly is a really good player and I hope they sort something out.
Football- what a sh1te sport you would never see this article written about a rugby player they play with pride for the jersey!
Trap is dead right. Playing for your country is a privilege. Kelly can go home and take his medicine now for a few months. The people using this as yet another stick to beat Trap with are getting tiresome now. The kind of morons who would be on here slamming Trap if he had started Kelly after making such outrageous demands.
It’s hard to have commitment when your being messed about.Trap is a dinosaur.he should have gone after the euros and the FAI should have sacked him after the stuffing we got from Germany.
The reason Gibson won’t play for him is fairly obvious after he was the only outfield player not to get a game at the euros.
Trap out.please,please,please.he’s dragging Ireland back into the dark ages of football and any fool can do that
Should we be taking Trap’s word as gospel on this? Not saying that’s he’s lying, but things have been lost in translation on numerous incidents in the past where the manager is concerned. Duff making a comeback? The case of mistaken identity with regards to Marc Wilson?
Trap has form for shooting his mouth off in these instances. In fact, it’s almost always the manager who seems to be airing his grievances in public. And when has Kelly ever being anything other than professional during his career. Yes, he wants to play – that much is clear by the fact that he has moved clubs or gone out on loan when his chances have been limited, often to smaller clubs. Is that not what you want from your players – an appetite for game time on the pitch?
I read all of Trapattoni’s quotes in an Italian accent.
The first half last night was appalling. The second half not much better, except for a goal against he run of play and a piece of magic from the one player that Crappatoni is doing his utmost to ignore…but had to consider because of pressure from the FAI. This is all going to end in tears after the next two matches hopefully. We may not have the most skilled players in Europe but he’s not even picking the most skilled ones we have or else he’s fallen out with them….he has to go..it’s sad to watch how appalling we are.
You are everything that’s wrong with sport. You want your team to lose because you don’t like the manager. You are also very childish name calling Trap.
We may play well and win, we may play rubbish and lose, but get behind the team. If you can’t do that, shut your mouth and keep watching your Sky Sports.
Who knows, we might someday go back to the world beaters we were recently…oh
I do not dislike the manager, It’s plain to anyone with a grain of intelligence however that he’s not doing a very good job, and as a result I want him to go. I do want the team to lose but they’re are on a hiding to nothing if we persist with this senile fool. And if you think I am “everything that’s wrong with sport” you obviously pay much attention to what’s going on around you…Lance Armstrong.?!…match fixing ?!?
You cheer away there if you want to, but don’t expect to doing it at the Brazil world cup
Who will Crap Trap alienate next Tardelli?
Well said emmo
Trap is right about attitude and fair play to him for sticking to his guns. However, Paul Green, Paul Mcshane !!! Say no more!!!
Paul mcshane was the worst player on the pitch last night. Anytime he ran at someone he lost the ball and anytime he attempted to win a ball he failed. I can’t believe he’s still getting selected but with such a limited selection on full backs fair enough. I’d still like to see Stevens, carruthers and pilkington get a run out. And with Greg Cunningham getting a cap, why not give brendan Moloney a game at right full!
Can’t see what the big deal is, Kelly’s not good enough anyway. That said neither is Trap, time to go and get Liam Brady and/or Martin O’Neill.
*dont want the team to lose*