Silvio Dante Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 As per title.. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Thought he would play for NI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 7 minutes ago, Super said: Thought he would play for NI. He switched allegiances a while back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterstoke toad Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Good for him Personally think he’s played well considering he’s not a wing back . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid in the Riot Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 35 minutes ago, Super said: Thought he would play for NI. Former Northern Ireland youth star Mark Sykes opens up on Republic of Ireland switch - Belfast Live 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Good luck Sykes. You'll need all the luck of the Irish against Haaland & Co, but it should be easier to make the Maltese cross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxjak Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Blimey.............Ireland must be desperate? Sorry Mark, no offence intended? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Skin Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Congratulations Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 2 hours ago, maxjak said: Blimey.............Ireland must be desperate? Sorry Mark, no offence intended? Interesting isn’t it. He probably had a better start to last season than he has done since he’s been with us. Wonder why he didn’t get selected last year when he was playing better? Couldn’t be anything to do with a bias toward players at a higher level, surely. Can’t pick a player who’s doing well in league 1, but can pick him when he’s being average to poor in the championship. Anyway, best of luck to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocking Red Cyril Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Yeah good luck my babber 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curr Avon Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 17 hours ago, Davefevs said: He switched allegiances a while back. It's the luck of the Irish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Not unusual for players born in the North to represent the Republic & pretty sure the GFA guarantees the right for them to choose, but Sykes is extremely unusual for a Belfast born player to do so. First one in over 50 years apparently. My guess re his call up is it is more due to others’ withdrawals from the squad than to his current form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 I hope he has a good tournament and gets some confidence back. Started the season brilliantly , I was surprised how good and how comfortable he looked stepping up a level. The last few months he's looked a shadow of that player, not sure why. Hopefully just the call up will give him a boost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_BCFC Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 1 hour ago, 1960maaan said: I hope he has a good tournament and gets some confidence back. Started the season brilliantly , I was surprised how good and how comfortable he looked stepping up a level. The last few months he's looked a shadow of that player, not sure why. Hopefully just the call up will give him a boost. What tournament is he playing in? He is good at getting into crusading positions but final ball is terrible. Not the best defensively either. Jury is out. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 2 hours ago, 1960maaan said: I hope he has a good tournament and gets some confidence back. Started the season brilliantly , I was surprised how good and how comfortable he looked stepping up a level. The last few months he's looked a shadow of that player, not sure why. Hopefully just the call up will give him a boost. Didn't he get injured and when he came back he never has looked as good. Could be confidence, could be he has just been coached into our way of playing (he won't be the first this has happened to over the years) or maybe he is still carrying an injury of some sort? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Red Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 19 hours ago, maxjak said: Blimey.............Ireland must be desperate? Sorry Mark, no offence intended? Yeah.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyderInACan Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 2 hours ago, Alex_BCFC said: What tournament is he playing in? He is good at getting into crusading positions but final ball is terrible. Not the best defensively either. Jury is out. Well there's a phrase I've not heard before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 2 hours ago, Alex_BCFC said: What tournament is he playing in? I should read what I write before posting , of course they are Friendly matches. 2 hours ago, Alex_BCFC said: He is good at getting into crusading positions but final ball is terrible. Not the best defensively either. Jury is out. I would say you're not wrong on recent form, but early season he was very good. Beat players, put some great balls in and the one thing he's has done ok recently is help his FB out. He does look way down on what he showed early in the season. 48 minutes ago, RedM said: Didn't he get injured and when he came back he never has looked as good. Could be confidence, could be he has just been coached into our way of playing (he won't be the first this has happened to over the years) or maybe he is still carrying an injury of some sort? Not sure about any injury, I don't remember anything though I could be wrong. His form dropped off after his ban, but I don't think it was straight away. It did seem more gradual. Could be confidence , whatever we could really do with him finding his early season form. That or Wilson to have a miraculous recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nongazeuse Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Fair play to Mark for being selected but is he really of international standard currently? I thought the bar was set fairly low when O'Dowda was chosen regularly but he looked the more exciting / skillful player although ultimately under performed for us. Hopefully Sykes will gain confidence from the experience and prove me wrong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 2 hours ago, CyderInACan said: Well there's a phrase I've not heard before Judging from The Crusades, it means going quite a long way from your usual position, but then being beaten and having to retreat rapidly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 2 hours ago, CyderInACan said: Well there's a phrase I've not heard before LJ in disguise ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-S-M Seagull Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 7 hours ago, GrahamC said: Not unusual for players born in the North to represent the Republic & pretty sure the GFA guarantees the right for them to choose, but Sykes is extremely unusual for a Belfast born player to do so. First one in over 50 years apparently. My guess re his call up is it is more due to others’ withdrawals from the squad than to his current form. Yea anyone born in the North has the right to be either British or Irish or both. Fair play to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_BCFC Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 6 hours ago, CyderInACan said: Well there's a phrase I've not heard before Me either crossing ffs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendip City Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 The RoI squad doesn’t include Max O’Leary. He seems to have spent a number of games sitting on the bench for them. Wonder whether he’s chosen to focus on us rather than drag himself around Ireland/Europe not getting a game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Robin Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Mendip City said: The RoI squad doesn’t include Max O’Leary. He seems to have spent a number of games sitting on the bench for them. Wonder whether he’s chosen to focus on us rather than drag himself around Ireland/Europe not getting a game? Max O'leary is 4th choice at best for Ireland behind Bazunu, Kelleher and Travers. Any recent call ups have been down to withdrawals from others. With all 3 keepers fit this time he, unfortunately for him, didn't make the cut rather then choose to focus on Bristol City 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Red Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 Sykes is on the bench against Norway tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppyDAZE Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 8 minutes ago, Northern Red said: Sykes is on the bench against Norway tonight. Cheers, just switched it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Red Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 Fair play to him for getting a call up - i do always get that feeling though that as soon as a player who can qualify to play for the ROI hits championship level and plays a run of games irrespective of it the player is mediocre or not will have a shout with the national team.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppyDAZE Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Bris Red said: Fair play to him for getting a call up - i do always get that feeling though that as soon as a player who can qualify to play for the ROI hits championship level and plays a run of games irrespective of it the player is mediocre or not will have a shout with the national team.. Ooh look, there's one right now, taking a throw-in. Number 17. Edited November 17, 2022 by AppyDAZE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppyDAZE Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 17, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Red Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 15 minutes ago, AppyDAZE said: Ooh look, there's one right now, taking a throw-in. Number 17. I'm not even watching and I know who you're talking about! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppyDAZE Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 1 minute ago, Northern Red said: I'm not even watching and I know who you're talking about! To be fair, he's playing well tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Red Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 Sykes didn't come on, but the set-piece defending for both of the goals Ireland conceded will have left him feeling right at home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocking Red Cyril Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 O' Dowda had ok game while on. Seemed to be better with crosses and corners than I remeber 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted November 20, 2022 Share Posted November 20, 2022 Made his debut tonight, he got the last 5 minutes in a 1-0 win in Malta. Incredibly the BBC match report says he’s the first Belfast born player to play for the Republic since 1946. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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