Shay Given Retires Again

dixiefly

Shay Given has announced his retirement from international football for the second time.

Cannot see him reversing it this time. Thanks to Shay for all the great displays over the years.

Cant help but feeling that David Forde was done out of a deserved trip to the Euros tho.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2016/0728/805558-shay-given-calls-time-on-international-career/

keeponhurling

Our best keeper ever, he really did make some miracle saves over the years.
Thank you for everything, Shay.

Harsh on Forde to not make the Euros, as he had been in every other squad for the whole qualifying campaign, but on the other hand he wasn't playing any games for his club. Maybe management just didn't fancy throwing in the deep end if we got injurues during the Euros.

After the French game, Given and Robbie Keane made a point of stepping away from the rest of the players, kissing ther crests and waving goodbye. So I wonder why he announced it now?

duffman13

He should not have come back, great keeper for us but retired slightly to early but shouldn't have come back in my opinion.

Hopefully he gets a few games this season at Club level, really likeable guy and an absolutely fantastic servant to irish football along with Robbie.

That_Guy

He really had little business in coming back to the Ireland fold in my opinion. His best years were clearly behind him.

Easily one of our best keepers (I say that as an Ireland and a Newcastle fan) and a very likable guy no doubt. He'll be remembered fondly for some of his heroic shot stopping.

enzo roco

Its a big criticism I have of O'Neill that he gave Given more call ups.
Why o why couldnt he gave youth a chance???

I remember O'neill gave him a game against Oman in a friendly, and said Shay needed game time as he hadnt played much with villa. What a complete joke.
I dont blame Given, Im sure he loves playing for his country, and if he says hes available for selection, it doesnt mean he is going to be picked.
He got about 10-15 caps too many. I blame the manager for that completely...

He was excellent for Ireland, he was a world class player.

Billy86

Easily our best ever keeper, and quite possibly our best player full stop during the decade 2002-12. 134 total caps in which you could pick the bad ones out with the fingers off one hand (maybe less) and might need to add a few fingers and toes to count up the borderline-MOTM performances.

A bit like the Yanks we tend to have a pretty good representation at GK because of crossovers of other sports that use hands (not a rock solid theory but makes sense to me), but we may never have it as good between the posts ever again.

Obviously Buffon, VDS, Kahn and perhaps Casillas were the top keepers of the generation, but Given while not quite on their level... had them all beat when it came to split-second reaction saves. And for Ireland's defense (and Newcastle's too!) over his career, that was more needed than anything else.