Settling in at Shamrock Rovers
Credit:
First of all l I'd like to start my column, which is in association with www.column10.com, by saying that I am delighted to get the chance to write for Extratime.ie and express my opinion on not just Shamrock Rovers and the League of Ireland but all things football.
The last two weeks have been a really good experience for me and for my career. It's a pleasure to be a part of a club like Shamrock Rovers and to be able to be involved in all it is doing right now. It's a squad that has done so well to get the club into the Europa League while they still keep fighting in the league and the cup and I'm really enjoying every minute of it.
Many of you are probably wondering how I ended up at Rovers and let me tell you, it wasn't just plain sailing to get here. I went on trial with a few clubs and did well but negotiations broke down for various reasons. Come deadline day I had the option to join Paul Tisdale's Exeter City but my agent, Paolo Vernazza, (who worked in conjunction with Graham Barrett, two former team mates of mine at Arsenal) gave me a call and said 'Look, Shamrock Rovers are interested in you, but the money wouldn't be as good.' He explained the opportunity that was on hand to me and my mind was made up. It was just across the water, the team were fighting for things and they were in the Europa League. It was a no brainer really.
Money wasn't a major factor in my move. Sure I could have gone to other clubs and made more money, but I'm playing European football. Don't get me wrong, just like everyone else I still want to earn well but look at what we as a club are doing here. We are fighting for a league title, a cup and playing against teams like Tottenham in the Europa League. There are players who are playing in the Championship who can't say that.
Living in Ireland has been great so far. It's similar to living in the UK but I haven't really lived there since 2008. I love living here, I have lots of Irish friends from when I was young – some of them actually live five minutes down the road from me in Tallaght! It's a bit ironic really.
Where I'm living is great too, everything is close to me so it's very convenient. Ryan Thompson, Conor McCormack and Richard Brush are my housemates and the boys are really easy to get along with – they're great cooks too. Ryan is a good cook but Conor makes a great spaghetti bolognese. Brushy hasn't cooked yet and neither have I but I can't wait to give it a shot – I think I'm a bit more creative than the lads. Maybe I'll organise a cook off with Conor and Billy Dennehy, he is supposed to make a great pasta too. I'd fancy my chances though.
I didn't know too much about the other teams in the league when I first came here but the lads gave me some tips in the lead up to the games. For example when we played Sligo, they let me know that they were a good footballing side, which they certainly proved the night we played them. We will be taking them on again on Monday night in the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup and it should be a great game. I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully for all of our Rovers army travelling down, we can get a win and be in the draw for the semi-finals.
The last two weeks have been a really good experience for me and for my career. It's a pleasure to be a part of a club like Shamrock Rovers and to be able to be involved in all it is doing right now. It's a squad that has done so well to get the club into the Europa League while they still keep fighting in the league and the cup and I'm really enjoying every minute of it.
Many of you are probably wondering how I ended up at Rovers and let me tell you, it wasn't just plain sailing to get here. I went on trial with a few clubs and did well but negotiations broke down for various reasons. Come deadline day I had the option to join Paul Tisdale's Exeter City but my agent, Paolo Vernazza, (who worked in conjunction with Graham Barrett, two former team mates of mine at Arsenal) gave me a call and said 'Look, Shamrock Rovers are interested in you, but the money wouldn't be as good.' He explained the opportunity that was on hand to me and my mind was made up. It was just across the water, the team were fighting for things and they were in the Europa League. It was a no brainer really.
Money wasn't a major factor in my move. Sure I could have gone to other clubs and made more money, but I'm playing European football. Don't get me wrong, just like everyone else I still want to earn well but look at what we as a club are doing here. We are fighting for a league title, a cup and playing against teams like Tottenham in the Europa League. There are players who are playing in the Championship who can't say that.
Living in Ireland has been great so far. It's similar to living in the UK but I haven't really lived there since 2008. I love living here, I have lots of Irish friends from when I was young – some of them actually live five minutes down the road from me in Tallaght! It's a bit ironic really.
Where I'm living is great too, everything is close to me so it's very convenient. Ryan Thompson, Conor McCormack and Richard Brush are my housemates and the boys are really easy to get along with – they're great cooks too. Ryan is a good cook but Conor makes a great spaghetti bolognese. Brushy hasn't cooked yet and neither have I but I can't wait to give it a shot – I think I'm a bit more creative than the lads. Maybe I'll organise a cook off with Conor and Billy Dennehy, he is supposed to make a great pasta too. I'd fancy my chances though.
I didn't know too much about the other teams in the league when I first came here but the lads gave me some tips in the lead up to the games. For example when we played Sligo, they let me know that they were a good footballing side, which they certainly proved the night we played them. We will be taking them on again on Monday night in the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup and it should be a great game. I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully for all of our Rovers army travelling down, we can get a win and be in the draw for the semi-finals.
