Hourihane starts for Ireland. Was always going to happen after he left. Not playing half as well as he was pre move.
Ridiculous really isn't it? He's been good enough all season, yet it took a move to a bigger club to get him in the side. Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
Getting rave reviews from Villa fans since their upturn in form. One local media outlet branded him a 'fan favourite' last week. I do take your point though and agree that he's now only getting a game because he's at a fashionable club. Sent from space using satellites and things
pisses me off. absolutely made up for the guy obviously, but it feels like an insult to the Club and an insult to Hecky. i don't accept that since his move to Villa, he's suddenly shot up in class. if anything, his stats and performances so far with Villa haven't been as good as when he was with us.
This is a definite pattern and not an imagined lot of fan bias. It must wind players like Watkins and Davies up no end and can't do much for our chances of keeping them at Oakwell. Mawson got selected for the U21s before he'd got into the first team at Swansea purely because he'd got a big move. Holgate and Stones' first England call-ups were as Everton reserves. No doubt Bree will soon get a youth level cap. It's actually no small problem if potential signings and our own lads don't see us as a shop window for international scouts.
It just shows how blinkered and short sighted some managers are. To pick a player just because of the club they play for is ridiculous, more so when the current club and last club are in the same division and when the former club is above the new club in the league.
Conor was getting rave reviews with us, his stats were as good as any other midfielder in the league and he was called up only to be sent home as surplus to requirements. They knew about him so I'm not sure it's all down to the influence of the coaches at Villa.
He would never have played for Eire whilst he still plays for us as O'Neill still bears a grudge over the Ashley Ward transfer.
He's been getting rave reviews for the past few weeks. A quick look on the Villa forum at the Hourihane thread and they're now commenting on how good he is and how well he's been playing. At a recent press conference Bruce was singing his praises responding to a reporters question with "he's a very good footballer isn't he".
Agree with every word so I'll just add this link.... https://www.villatalk.com/topic/16032-conor-hourihane/?page=55 I don't think a friendly against Iceland is the biggest game of his career to date when he's captained us to two Wembley victories in a matter of weeks for our first trophy in over 100 years and promotion.
He must have had a good game, he just got pulled off. Only ever got an energy drink whilst he was at Barnsley.
Same happened with Mick McCarthy. No chance of a cap with us but straight in the Irish team once he got his move to Maine Road
