Shay Given retires from international football.
Irish keeper uses Twitter to announce end of his international career. Shay Given has announced his retirement from international football.
The Hot Press Newsdesk, 13 Aug 2012
Okay, it isn't a music story – but it sure is showbiz! Given chose Twitter as the vehicle for the announcement, emphasising an apparent breakdown in communication ewith Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni. The Italian was quoted today as having insisted that his senior players would make the Kazakhstan game – with Given included in a list that also included Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and Damien Duff.
"After a lot of thought and consideration, I have made the most difficult decision to retire from international football. It's been a great honour and privilege to play and on occasion captain the team.
I shall remain a huge fan of the team as I have been all my life and I wish them every success for the future.I wish to thank all the players,managers,staff & most importantly the most wonderful fans in the world
Finally I would like to thank my wife Jane, my 2 amazing kids and my entire family for their unwavering support over the 16 years & 125 caps"
The loss of Given is clearly a blow for Trapattoni. While he did not have a great tournament at Euro 2012, there is no doubt that he still has a lot to offer at international level. Clearly disillusioned, however, he had made the decision to quit ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifying process.
Traapattoni had gone on the record to suggest that Given was no longer the No.1 choice – a statement that must have rankled with the veteran Donegal man. Why Trapattoni decided to make this statement public is impossible to understand – Ireland is not sufficiently weighed down with goalkeeping options to make dispensing with Given's services an option that any manager who has the best interests of the country in mind would wish for.
Now however the deed is done – and Given has brought down the curtain on his career apparently without reference to the manager.
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