Alex Pearce interview euro 2012

[pea]

James Mclean is no better.

Agreed, stick Pearcey on the wing Trappatoni!

[Terminal Boardom]

The racist and drugs cheat will not be around for ever. If Pearce has a solid start to next season, why shouldn't he force himself into contention? It would be a bit of a turn around from the "accident waiting to happen" and "turning circle of an oil tanker" comments to decsribe him when he first got into the team. And I have used both to describe him. Goes to show what I know about football

[cmonurz]

I don’t disagree that he could appear on the radar with a decent start to the season, if John Scales can play for England then Pearce can, in fact I can. But with (by my reckoning) 11 names to force himself past at this moment, nevermind anyone else who emerges in the mean time, I can understand why Pearce would look at other options. Right now I’d say Pearce was as likely to play for England as Nedum Onuoha or Anthony Gardner (again).

Edit: Stephen Caulker. 12.

[Franchise FC]

Where Lescott and Jagielka any better at this level than Pearce has been this season?

In answer to your question - Wolves and Sheff Utd

[cmonurz]

Let's make it 11 after Terry's 'performance' last night.

[Forbury Lion]

Like Pearce I have Irish grandparents and I would have no issue at all about representing Ireland

I'm English and would love to see you representing Ireland.

It is a tough one though.

Owen Hargreaves - Welsh mother, English father, born in Germany, grew up in Canada, speaks with a Canadian accent, learn't to play in Germany. In that situation I'd say he qualified to play for England or Wales but equally if he'd opted for Germany then that's fair enough.

Carlo Cuddicini (spelling mistake?) - Intalian, uncapped, qualified for British citizenship on account of the fact he lived/played here so long. I would feel uncomfortable with him being picked for England on this basis.

All those English based players who suddenly became Jamaican after Jamaica qualified for a tournament (no thanks to them) at the expense of those who actually earn't the spot in the tournament. I have a problem with this.

Tony Cascarino 88 appearances for ROI, was turned down for an Irish passport and was never eligable as he admitted in an interview - I have a problem with this, as did the Irish!

I also have a problem with sports persons who play one sport for one nation and another sport for another.

[melonhead]

All those English based players who suddenly became Jamaican after Jamaica qualified for a tournament (no thanks to them) at the expense of those who actually earn't the spot in the tournament. I have a problem with this.

for me i guess that depends how jamaican they felt- whether jamaican culture played a big part in their lives etc. family, history, culture is a big thing for many west indian yoofs

[cmonurz]

I think Forbes meant that their Jamaican heritage didn’t play such a part in their lives until their country of origin qualified for a World Cup.

[Forbury Lion]

I think Forbes meant that their Jamaican heritage didn’t play such a part in their lives until their country of origin qualified for a World Cup.

Exactly.

Not good enough to play for England, Not wanting to play for Jamaica - particularly with all that foreign long distance travel to places like...er Jamaica.

[skipper]

Where Lescott and Jagielka any better at this level than Pearce has been this season?

In answer to your question - Wolves and Sheff Utd

I think he meant were...

I don't think so IMHO - but then I can't actually remember much of Lescott...

[SCIAG]

Jagielka mostly played in midfield when Sheffield United were promoted. Lescott was at a similar level to Pearce.

[Royalee]

Quite incredible that Pearce hasn't been picked...also what the hell has Simon Cox done to warrant a place in front of Noel Hunt this season? Same with St Ledger and o'Dea with Pearce.

[shaka's shorts]

I can't believe Alex Pearce wasn't picked ahead of any of that Irish defence tonight!

[Gordons Cumming]

I can't believe Alex Pearce wasn't picked ahead of any of that Irish defence tonight!

You think he'd have done better?

[strap]

the Irish link has always been there -- my dad's mother was from Dublin,

"Thankfully I have everything sorted in terms of the paperwork -- I have my Irish passport -- ."

Obviously not for this board, but I am intrigued ... I married an Irish lady in 2005, and yet I have been denied an Irish passport. I have to live in Ireland for 5 years and "prove" I am a "worthy citizen", before I can even apply for a passport. Yet should we have any children, (and at my age I shudder at the prospect!!), they would be eligible for one without ever having lived in the country.

So presumably because he has a grandparent born there he qualifies for a passport? I have a grandmother born in Germany, and a great-grandfather born in Latvia, (or somewhere in Eastern Europe probably called something different when he was actually born), yet I would never consider myself anything other than English, (and I was born in Australia and have an Aussie passport as well as a UK one!).

Probably explains why I am so mixed up!!

[pea]

I can't believe Alex Pearce wasn't picked ahead of any of that Irish defence tonight!

You think he'd have done better?

It wouldn't have changed the result but he's definitely a better player. Would've thought that you'd want Ian Harte's set piece ability as an option at a tournament like this as that Ireland team won't score many from open play

[fruits]

"I can't believe Alex Pearce wasn't picked ahead of any of that Irish defence tonight!"

I agree it was terrible, Ward had a shocker. The Spanish press and tv think Spain has the Cup won, do n´t think they realise how poor Ireland was. I blame Given for a couple of the goals, couple of feeble punches straight to Spanish players. Think Doyle should have played he can at least keep hold of a ball for more than 5 seconds, he will not add much to your chances of scoring but at least he could have taken some pressure off the Irsh non existant defence.

[pea]

"I can't believe Alex Pearce wasn't picked ahead of any of that Irish defence tonight!"

I agree it was terrible, Ward had a shocker. The Spanish press and tv think Spain has the Cup won, do n´t think they realise how poor Ireland was. I blame Given for a couple of the goals, couple of feeble punches straight to Spanish players. Think Doyle should have played he can at least keep hold of a ball for more than 5 seconds, he will not add much to your chances of scoring but at least he could have taken some pressure off the Irsh non existant defence.

Agreed, and given the impact Long made when he came on in warmup games I can't understand why he chooses Walters ahead of either of them...

[From Despair To Where?]

Tony Cascarino 88 appearances for ROI, was turned down for an Irish passport and was never eligable as he admitted in an interview - I have a problem with this, as did the Irish!

Though the issue with Cascarino was that after he finished his career he found out that the bloke with the Irish mother that he thought was his dad, wasn't after all, therefore retrospectively making him ineligible.

Not sure Roy Keane would be a good choice for Ireland, not a very good manager, and I'm not sure he'd be that good for Pearce's chances of being called up. Wasn't part of his rant in 2002 based around McCarthy not being Irish enough?

[Forbury Lion]

I can't believe Ian Harte wasn't picked - He wouldn't have done any better in defence but at least he would given them a chance of a goal if there was a free kick.