BOF Posted September 6, 2018 Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2018 52 minutes ago, Zatman said: Granny rule is OK but if you have committed to a country that should be it. Jack and Rice have played under 21 for Ireland and McClean and Shane Duffy has played for Northern Ireland should be no going back after that I still think the Granny rule is a problem. It allows people with potentially no affinity for a country to get themselves into this position in the first place. The representation question above is another discussion (u21, competitive etc), but that one happens after initial eligibility is sorted. For me going back to the parents is enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Linked with summer move to PSV in recent days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 On 06/09/2018 at 14:35, BOF said: I still think the Granny rule is a problem. It allows people with potentially no affinity for a country to get themselves into this position in the first place. The representation question above is another discussion (u21, competitive etc), but that one happens after initial eligibility is sorted. For me going back to the parents is enough. Didn't cascarino qualify to play for Ireland cus he had a pint of Guinness once 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Quote He is not the first young player to leave the Premier League and head abroad in search of first-team football. Two years ago Daniel Crowley, released by Arsenal and unable to get a move to another team in England because of his "bad" reputation, ended up at Willem II in the Dutch top flight. He may not have caught the eye in quite the same way fellow young English export Jadon Sancho has at Borussia Dortmund just yet. But on Sunday, the 21-year-old midfielder has the chance to shine - and win the Dutch Cup in his first major final and the biggest game of his career. Standing in his and Willem's way are treble-chasing Ajax - conquerors of Real Madrid and Juventus this season, and victors at Tottenham in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. "A lot of people think if you go out to Holland 'that is him finished, he will never come back'. They think it is not a great league," he tells BBC Sport. "But on Sunday they will see me playing against Ajax in a final. It is a massive moment - it could change my career." In a wide-ranging interview, Crowley discusses his early "troubles", his decision to play for the Republic of Ireland and first, how on earth he and his team-mates plan to stop Ajax. "Try and stop Frenkie de Jong getting into his rhythm and you have your chance," says Crowley, who has already been on the end of two Ajax defeats this season in the Eredivisie. Ajax beat Tottenham 1-0 in midweek in their Champions League semi-final, with the second leg in Amsterdam on Wednesday, just three days after they play Willem. Crowley says defensive midfielder De Jong, who has signed for Barcelona for £65m, is Ajax's key player, alongside 19-year-old centre-back and captain Matthijs de Ligt. "De Jong is one that keeps them ticking. You can't get near him, and if you do, he is clever enough to get out of it, play a one-two around you," he says. "As an attacking player you do not want to be worrying about him, that's why it is so difficult and frustrating [to play against]. "De Ligt is a beast. I've not faced a defender like him, he has everything. He's really good on the ball, he is massive. And then you have Donny van de Beek, Hakim Ziyech, Dusan Tadic... "I think we just have to make it as little like a football match as possible - slow the game down, try to get free-kicks, press them. If we just sit off them, it is just a matter of time before they score. Little fouls, nothing major, but just get them out of their rhythm, get them annoyed and frustrated." Crowley's only previous experience of a final was as a substitute for Aston Villa Under-19s in the NextGen Series final victory against Chelsea in 2013. On Sunday, he will play in front of 50,000 at Feyenoord's stadium with the rest of Europe watching on and has invited 20 of his family and friends along. While Ajax chase the league, cup and Champions League treble, underdogs Willem, eighth in the Dutch top flight, are aiming for their first major trophy since 1963. "We have a respect for Ajax, they have put the Dutch league back on the European map," he says. "It is great for us, playing against Champions League players. We want them to do well, but we are fully focused on winning the final. "Already this season we have shown we can surprise people and ourselves." Crowley started his career at Villa and by the time he signed for Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2013 he was being touted as the "next Jack Wilshere". "When I was younger I liked it a bit," he says. "I looked up to Jack as a player, he is my kind of footballer and is [now] a really good friend." Wilshere himself tweeted about Crowley in 2013, posting: "Trust me when I say this kid is a player! Big future." Crowley says then Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was influential in him joining the Gunners, promising the chance of first-team football. But it did not work out and after three loans spells at Barnsley, Oxford United and Go Ahead Eagles, he was released by Arsenal without making a first-team appearance. "I went back to pre-season and spoke to [transfer negotiator] Dick Law and asked him what his plans were for me, what did the boss want? He said ' I think you should leave'." Crowley admits he had "troubles" at Barnsley and Oxford, with issues over his professionalism. But he believes his time in the Netherlands has shown he can be trusted and he has started every match this season. "There was no interest in me [in England]," he says. "Managers could not trust me, they did not like what they heard. "I went through a lot of crap when I was younger, I did have a bad name. People forget I was just a kid. To go through that as a young lad, it is tough. "That is why I came to Holland, to get a new start, change my reputation in England and in Holland where no one knows me. Now I can go back to England and say 'there have been no problems'. "I have shown I have matured and grown up and hopefully I will get a chance back in England one day. "I want to play in the Premier League, I want to be noticed again and taken seriously and I think I am now." Crowley is following in the footsteps of De Jong, Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, ex-Manchester United defender Jaap Stam and former Arsenal winger Marc Overmars in playing for Willem. But, ultimately, moving to the Netherlands was about playing first-team football regularly. "My first under-21s game was at Villa when I was 15," he says. "So to be playing in that league, the same competition for three or four years, I needed the next step." He is part of a new generation of young players who have gone abroad, such as former Arsenal team-mates Reiss Nelson (on loan at Hoffenheim), Chuba Akpom (PAOK), Stephy Mavididi (Juventus) and Sancho, who left Manchester City for Dortmund. "I have seen a few boys on holiday. We are in the same boat, it is frustrating," he says. "But our age-group has a belief in ourselves. You need to be playing. "Under-21s means nothing, but here you are playing for bonuses and your family. You are thrown into the deep end and find out about yourself as a person. I needed to mature and go into the men's world to do that. "I used to play for myself, I was not interested in the team, I would not work hard enough. It sounds crazy, but I was young and that was my mindset. "But my defensive work rate has improved a lot. I do not want the feeling of not playing again and if I don't work hard, I don't play." The number 10 adds: "I love players like Christian Eriksen. Without him Spurs would not score as many goals or play football the way they play. I base my game on that and help the team tick." https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48111164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 In advanced talks with Small Heath apparently. Thought he was doing well enough in Holland to get a better move than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Has made some strange decisions throughout his career it must be said, good signing for them mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Is it? Pretty average player. If he was that good he wouldn't be going to sty andrews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 good player, bad attitude by the sounds of it what was his name from palace who got his big move to spurs and then ended up booted out of various league 2 loans because they didn't want him? ended up in the MLS I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Crowley and Gary Gardner. Could sign Fonz and Harry Forrester for the Villa youth team tribute act 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 2 hours ago, villa4europe said: good player, bad attitude by the sounds of it what was his name from palace who got his big move to spurs and then ended up booted out of various league 2 loans because they didn't want him? ended up in the MLS I think Is that the Bostock fella? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 17, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted July 17, 2019 His career has officially hit rock bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 35 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said: Is that the Bostock fella? thats the badger, 27 playing for his 12th club after failed stints in league 1, the championship, MLS, Belgian leagues 1 and 2, Turkish and the French leagues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Has now officially signed for Small Heath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_avfc Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 1 hour ago, useless said: Has now officially signed for Small Heath. Looks like a good signing on paper for Small Heath. Can't say I've seen much of him but he was a highly rated youngster and he's now got over 40 appearances in the Eredivisie. Surprised they've been able to pick him up and looks good value. Unusual for them to have done something positive to be fair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Another poor move for him. If they were stable, if they were still managed by a decent coach it would have been decent. They are an utter shambles, do they even have a manager. Will the new guy rate him or play a style that would suit him. They could appoint Pulis tomorrow ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewieGriffin Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Poor lad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulaziz1 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 On 17/07/2019 at 11:15, villa4europe said: good player, bad attitude by the sounds of it what was his name from palace who got his big move to spurs and then ended up booted out of various league 2 loans because they didn't want him? ended up in the MLS I think It seems the proper place for him then. I haven't followed him though to know his attitude anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan4Life Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 (edited) On 17/07/2019 at 09:15, villa4europe said: good player, bad attitude by the sounds of it what was his name from palace who got his big move to spurs and then ended up booted out of various league 2 loans because they didn't want him? ended up in the MLS I think John Bostock? Went from Palace to Spurs.... Played on loan from Spurs for a few clubs (Brentford, Hull City, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town) also then went on loan at Toronto FC!! He went to Belgium permanently played for 2 clubs (Royal Antwerp then OH Leuven) then went to Lens (France) then to (Bursaspor in Turkey) now playing in France for Toulouse.. he's only 27!! but released by almost every club. He has a poor attitude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bostock Edited July 19, 2019 by Villan4Life 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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