Sykes called up by Ireland

[Silvio Dante]

As per title.. 

 

[Super]

Thought he would play for NI.

[Davefevs]

7 minutes ago, Super said:

Thought he would play for NI.

He switched allegiances a while back.

[Winterstoke toad]

Good for him

Personally think he’s played well considering he’s not a wing back .

[Kid in the Riot]

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 

[Bazooka Joe]

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.

 

 

[maxjak]

Blimey.............Ireland must be desperate?   Sorry Mark, no offence intended?     

[Red Skin]

Congratulations Mark.  

[Harry]

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. 

[Rocking Red Cyril]

Yeah good luck my babber

[Curr Avon]

17 hours ago, Davefevs said:

He switched allegiances a while back.

It's the luck of the Irish.

[GrahamC]

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.

[1960maaan]

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.

[Alex_BCFC]

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. 

[RedM]

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?

[Northern Red]

19 hours ago, maxjak said:

Blimey.............Ireland must be desperate?   Sorry Mark, no offence intended?     

Yeah....

[CyderInACan]

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

[1960maaan]

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.

[Nongazeuse]

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.  

 

[Red-Robbo]

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. 

[BigTone]

2 hours ago, CyderInACan said:

Well there's a phrase I've not heard before

LJ in disguise ?

[W-S-M Seagull]

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. 

[Alex_BCFC]

6 hours ago, CyderInACan said:

Well there's a phrase I've not heard before

Me either crossing ffs 

[Mendip City]

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? 

[Irish Robin]

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 

[Northern Red]

Sykes is on the bench against Norway tonight.

[AppyDAZE]

8 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Sykes is on the bench against Norway tonight.

Cheers, just switched it on.

[Bris Red]

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..

 

[AppyDAZE]

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

[AppyDAZE]

17, sorry.