Paddy McCourt

[rosnarun]

great news if hes headed to celtic .
one of europes finest zoltan gera out on a free transfer to fulham and them waste €150K on kevin kilbane MK 2. WTF
west bom definrtly out wonder will he end up staying put? looks like they were looking to strenten their reserve team
http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1330938,00.html

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

This is gas.

They ink isn't dry on his contract and people want him to 'switch' to play for the 26 county side.

Is there a magic portal over the Irish sea that turns a LoI player into an international talent as soon as they pass through it?

€1,000 says he is in the next NI squad as well.

I simply asked, would he still be able to "switch" if he wanted/got the chance??

And I simply commented as to why. You hadn't heard of him last week.

I have watched McCourt playing for City in the Brandywell and know of him for quite a while, now you obviously don't have the decency to answer the question and are doing what you normally do on this board and try to antagonise and wind people up. Sad little man.


Thanks Main Street, thats all I wanted to know. 

[T Fearon]

Lads, with all due respect to a lad who is a flair player in the Eircom League, he is another "Paul Byrne" as far as Celtic are concerned. He will undoubtedly play about 9 first team games, score a brilliant goal against Rangers, then leave on a free transfer to Southend or someone like that.

Lets face it he's not the calibre of player that wil take the Bhoys beyond the last 16 of the Champions League or anything like that.

[GalwayBayBoy]

David Friel
CELTIC Football Club have tonight completed the signing of highly-rated Derry City winger Patrick McCourt.

The 24-year-old Northern Ireland internationalist agreed a three-year deal with the SPL champions after finalising his transfer on Thursday. He will join up with Gordon Strachan's squad for the start of pre-season training next month.

Speaking exclusively to www.celticfc.net, McCourt admitted he was overwhelmed to be given the chance to play for the club he has always supported.

"I'm thrilled and it still hasn't quite sunk in yet to be honest," he smiled, just seconds after signing on the dotted line for his beloved Hoops. "This is a dream come true for me.

"There was interest from a few clubs but as soon as I found out that Celtic were in for me, my mind was made up. I have always been a Celtic supporter and there was only one choice to make. It's an honour to join one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"It's been a whirlwind 24 hours, but I'm just delighted to get everything sorted out. To sign for this club is a dream and when I get back home tonight, it might all finally sink in. It's just been an incredible day."

McCourt, who began his career in England with Rochdale as a teenager, also had a spell with Shamrock Rovers before moving to hometown club Derry City in 2005. He has been capped by Northern Ireland at under-21 and senior level.

Comfortable on the right and left flanks, McCourt is a former FAI Young Player of the Year and earned rave reviews for his performances last season. Celtic beat off strong interest from a host of top clubs to land his signature.

McCourt said: "I'm joining one of the biggest clubs in the world. Celtic have won the SPL title three times in a row and compete in the Champions League every season. What more could you ask for?

"My first target is to get a good pre-season under my belt and then take it from there. The quality in the Celtic squad is unbelievable but I'll be trying to push my way into the manager's plans as soon as possible. I can't wait to get started."

[MW]

David Friel
CELTIC Football Club have tonight completed the signing of highly-rated Derry City winger Patrick McCourt.

The 24-year-old Northern Ireland internationalist agreed a three-year deal with the SPL champions after finalising his transfer on Thursday. He will join up with Gordon Strachan's squad for the start of pre-season training next month.

Speaking exclusively to www.celticfc.net, McCourt admitted he was overwhelmed to be given the chance to play for the club he has always supported.

"I'm thrilled and it still hasn't quite sunk in yet to be honest," he smiled, just seconds after signing on the dotted line for his beloved Hoops. "This is a dream come true for me.

"There was interest from a few clubs but as soon as I found out that Celtic were in for me, my mind was made up. I have always been a Celtic supporter and there was only one choice to make. It's an honour to join one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"It's been a whirlwind 24 hours, but I'm just delighted to get everything sorted out. To sign for this club is a dream and when I get back home tonight, it might all finally sink in. It's just been an incredible day."

McCourt, who began his career in England with Rochdale as a teenager, also had a spell with Shamrock Rovers before moving to hometown club Derry City in 2005. He has been capped by Northern Ireland at under-21 and senior level.

Comfortable on the right and left flanks, McCourt is a former FAI Young Player of the Year and earned rave reviews for his performances last season. Celtic beat off strong interest from a host of top clubs to land his signature.

McCourt said: "I'm joining one of the biggest clubs in the world. Celtic have won the SPL title three times in a row and compete in the Champions League every season. What more could you ask for?

"My first target is to get a good pre-season under my belt and then take it from there. The quality in the Celtic squad is unbelievable but I'll be trying to push my way into the manager's plans as soon as possible. I can't wait to get started."

Hope he proves and asset on the first team at club and international level!

Three Old Firm players in the 'broader' NI squad now

[the green man]

Three Old Firm players in the 'broader' NI squad now

Come on MW, you know McCourt wont ever be called back into the NI squad now

[MW]

Three Old Firm players in the 'broader' NI squad now

Come on MW, you know McCourt wont ever be called back into the NI squad now

I think he's a fair bit more likely today to be called up than he was yesterday.

[Dannymcfella]

Have seen him play a few times and he looks a decent player but honestly can't see him being more that a bit part player at Celtic, and only playing in SPL games when maybe they can afford to rest a few players. But if he does make any sort of an impact at Celtic then he will have to get a call up. There  has been calls for him to be included in the squad for the past few years, and as already said would give the temporiarily occupied 6 counties team a chance to show the Neil Lenonfiasco is a thing of the past.

Goin to be singing from the Lisbon Lions stand next year
'He's here, he's there
He's got f*cking crazy hair
He's Pat McCourt, Pat mcCourt!!

[nrico2006]

I would class McCOurt as better than Doyle ever was in the League of Ireland and he has succeeded in the Premier League so who is to say McCourt won't be a big hit in the 'easier' SPL.

[corn02]

Figure meant to be around £400,000 according to the newsletter.

[ziggysego]

How come this only got lip service on UTV, whereas Kyle Lafferty was the Headline Sports News, with a long segment?

[Solomon Kane]

How come this only got lip service on UTV, whereas Kyle Lafferty was the Headline Sports News, with a long segment?

Lafferty went for £3m and is an established NI international, whereas McCourt went for 3-400,000 and only came on once for NI in a friendly. Both of them could have made smarter moves IMO.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

How come this only got lip service on UTV, whereas Kyle Lafferty was the Headline Sports News, with a long segment?

Lafferty went for £3m and is an established NI international, whereas McCourt went for 3-400,000 and only came on once for NI in a friendly. Both of them could have made smarter moves IMO.

Bollix to both your points, money aside, they were both six counties boys, and if anything McCourt coming where he came from should have got bigger media attention then Laugherty.
As for both of them making smarter moves - catch yourself on, your dislike of the glasgow teams is evident in your post, both players now have the possibility of playing champions league football this coming season.

[Chrisowc]

How come this only got lip service on UTV, whereas Kyle Lafferty was the Headline Sports News, with a long segment?

Lafferty went for £3m and is an established NI international, whereas McCourt went for 3-400,000 and only came on once for NI in a friendly. Both of them could have made smarter moves IMO.

Bollix to both your points, money aside, they were both six counties boys, and if anything McCourt coming where he came from should have got bigger media attention then Laugherty.
As for both of them making smarter moves - catch yourself on, your dislike of the glasgow teams is evident in your post, both players now have the possibility of playing champions league football this coming season.

Bollix to your point about who's move should get more press.

It's a good move for both players btw.

[Solomon Kane]

How come this only got lip service on UTV, whereas Kyle Lafferty was the Headline Sports News, with a long segment?

Lafferty went for £3m and is an established NI international, whereas McCourt went for 3-400,000 and only came on once for NI in a friendly. Both of them could have made smarter moves IMO.

Bollix to both your points, money aside, they were both six counties boys, and if anything McCourt coming where he came from should have got bigger media attention then Laugherty.
As for both of them making smarter moves - catch yourself on, your dislike of the glasgow teams is evident in your post, both players now have the possibility of playing champions league football this coming season.

Your hole (apart from my dislike of the Glasgow teams). My dislike of them has nothing to do with it - quite the opposite. God forgive me but I actually agree with Fearon about Paddy McCourt. I don't think Lafferty has the quality YET either. I'm worried that both may be lucky to make the bench next season which is no good for Northern Ireland. Like it or not, at least up until now few people outside LOI followers or some Northern Ireland fans would have heard of McCourt. Lafferty, while not exactly a household name has been the subject of a lot of press speculation over the last six months or so. Lafferty would have been better in the Championship for another season, with Wolves being a likely option as he had burned his bridges with Burnley. McCourt would have been better going to one of the real Scottish clibs like Hibs were he would have been guaranteed first team football. I hope I am wrong here BTW.

Old Firm fans really do have strang ideas about their teams place in the scale of things.