Kasey McAteer makes case for Republic of Ireland future with goal on first start after Leicester City setbacks
KASEY McATEER is determined to ensure that he cannot be ignored for neither club nor country.
The winger marked his first Ireland start with a goal
2
Kasey McAteer scored on his first Republic of Ireland start against Senegal on Friday
2
Kasey McAteer is eager to become a regular starter for Ireland
And he is determined to build on increased minutes for
McAteer is planning to stay with the Foxes despite interest from Sunderland, despite believing it can be sometimes harder for a player who has come through the ranks as he has done.
He said: 'It doesn't matter. That's the plan.
read more on football
'I mean, I've been at Leicester since I was eight years old, so I'd never turn my back on the club. It's a club where I've grown, I've loved, I've supported.
'For now, I'm fully focused on Ireland. I'll get away in the summer, get a holiday, refresh, regroup and start preseason for Leicester fighting and get us back into the Premier League, where we deserve to be.
'Recently I have been given the chance to play and I felt like I've grown every week.
'And you only get better playing football when you're playing every week -- that's a fact.
Most read in Football
"So hopefully I'll keep getting games on my belt. Get back to pre-season, after our rest, and then, yeah, hit the ground running, hopefully.
'There's a lot of senior players at Leicester and I respect that. Being home-grown sometimes it is easy to overlook players like myself but I've never stopped fighting.
Former Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal launches scathing attack on old side while heaping praise on bitter rivals
I've kept banging down the door to get in the team.
'I got in the team, my first Premier League goal and a few good results. It wasn't enough because we were already relegated but I can personally look back with a lot of pride.
'In the Championship there will still be 25 players in that squad wanting to play so I've to be fit and strong in pre-training. I know what levels I can get to at my best so they can see me at my best.'
McAteer was reluctant to be drawn on whether boss
The atmosphere around the club turned sour with the pair unable to spark an improvement in results following their arrival in December.
He said: 'It's not nice playing in a stadium when there's a lot of animosity and boos. They pay their hard-earned money, watching us weekly home and away, but for myself it's about taking it and learning.
'Whatever happens with the management is up to the club to decide. All we can do as players is back the manager who is in charge.
'The gaffer didn't give up on us even when we were relegated. We all tried every week. As manager, we'll fight for him so let's see what happens in the future.
Brian is a top guy. I texted him on Thursday night to say I was starting. He said good luck and he'd be watching. It's great to have a fellow Irishman at the club.'
Right now, the manager he is most concerned about impressing is Hallgrímsson having found himself in and out of the squad as his club fortunes fluctuated.
But, with Sammie Szmodics, Chiedozie Ogbene and Mark Sykes all absent, he staked his claim.
McAteer said: 'I hadn't started before and I got on the scoresheet. You want your name being thrown about in conversations around team selections. I wanted to create a ruffle. Hopefully I've done that.
'They're all top players f but I know the qualities that I have. I need to believe in myself.
'Those are top players and friends of mine so we'll all be pushing each other for a spot. Sometimes in this game, it can be everyone for themselves but I'm sure whatever happens the squad will be strong.
'The manager just said: 'Play your game.' I mean, I know at my best, I can hurt teams, and I tried to do that. I got some good balls down the side.
'Afterwards, in the dressing room, he said I've created a bit of a stir. So hopefully I can keep that going on and get myself in the starting XI.'
CLUB AND COUNTRY
On his previous omissions, he said: 'It was explained to me that it's because I'm not playing at my club, that obviously the boys who are playing for their club every weekend, they deserve to play for their country.
'And I understand that. Obviously I didn't take it well, I wanted to be here. I want to play, play as many games as I can.
'I've regular contact with him, not just when squads are being announced.
"But when I'm not playing, when I am playing, to see how I'm doing and stuff. And that's really good to get from a manager that's obviously behind me wanting to do well.
'When the gaffer told me I was starting I was really, really happy. And I just hoped that I would prove my best to this team, and to get my first start, my first goal gives me massive confidence.
'Hopefully, I can take that in my stride and keep growing.'
His goal came after Matt Doherty and Dara O'Shea had gotten in each other's way trying to get on the end of Will Smallbone's corner before the ball was recycled by
He said: 'I think it was flicked on by Nathan, I managed to keep myself onside, flicked it towards the goal. To be fair to the 'keeper, he's made a great save, but luckily for me, it's rebounded back into my path.
'I just took the touch and thought: 'Put my foot through the ball.' That's what I did. And, yeah, great to see that net bulge.'
McAteer had his back to goal for the rebound meaning he had to swivel before shooting but he shrugged: 'I knew if I got the touch right, I'd be shooting in a nearly empty net.
'There was too much pace on it for the defender to keep out of the goal. So yeah, I'm really happy.
'My Mum and Dad were here so it was good to see them score my first goal on my first start. That's a moment that I'll cherish forever and they'll cherish forever, no doubt about that.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Arsenal ‘approach Rodrygo for transfer but face Premier League competition as star makes TWO demands to stay at Real'
ARSENAL reportedly face competition from Premier League rivals for Rodrygo. The Gunners are targeting an 2 Real Madrid's Rodrygo is a summer target for Arsenal Credit: AP 2 The Brazilian has two demands before negotiations can take place Credit: Getty The club are already attempting to land prolific striker And Madrid's Brazilian winger According to READ MORE ON ARSENAL The forward has been at the Bernabeu since joining in 2019 from Santos. He has scored 68 goals in 267 games for Los Blancos. The outlet claims Rodrygo won't enter negotiations until he has spoken to Madrid and new boss Rodrygo "wants to feel important" if he is to stay as part of Alonso's future project in the Spanish capital. Most read in Football BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK The Brazilian has spent much of 2025 watching on from the bench. He also wants to operate more on the left wing, after being deployed on the right side for much of the past two seasons. David Raya reveals Arsenal career changed overnight following two-hour meeting The tally was 22 less than the 91 they managed in 2022/23. As well as Sesko, the Gunners are still pursuing Sporting Lisbon striker ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest rumours from the Emirates But The Athletic Bilbao winger racked up 10 goal contributions in 29 LaLiga games last season. Williams wants to become one of the biggest earners at the Emirates should he make a move to the Prem.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Darragh Ó Sé: Galway, Dublin and Derry have only themselves to blame for their troubles
For Dublin , Galway and Derry , this is the weekend when the chickens come home to roost. One of them will be gone out of the championship on Saturday night. They'll only have themselves to blame, as well. You can cry all you like about the tough draw and being in the Group of Death but that's only looking for excuses. For one thing, it doesn't seem to have caused Armagh a lot of bother. They started out with the same fixture list as the other three but they're going into the last weekend in total control of what they want to do. That's your main job when you're navigating leagues and group stages and all the rest of it. Whatever it takes, you make sure you're not going into the last day depending on someone else to do you a favour. Get your business done early and get out the gap. Armagh can do what they like this weekend. If I was Kieran McGeeney, I'd be resting fellas and getting a serious test into the panel players. I keep going back to the fact that the All-Ireland is going to be decided by three games in four weeks and there's bound to be extra-time somewhere along the way. Everyone is going to be needed. READ MORE The flipside of that coin, though, is that Armagh can take out a contender here. McGeeney knows that whatever happens, his team are going to be in the last eight. He'd be happier if Galway weren't one of the other seven. This is like the bit in Saving Private Ryan where they let the Nazi go and send him off into the wild. You don't want him coming back to pick you off in the final battle. Whatever way Armagh go about it, they will have the luxury of suiting themselves. They have earned that right and more power to them. The other three have created their own mess. When Galway's Damien Comer is on the pitch, they know they have a leader who will do anything to get on the ball and force a score. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho Let's take Galway first. They shouldn't be in this predicament. They have been in position to win against both Dublin and Derry and haven't seen it out. I thought after the Dublin game that it wasn't the worst thing in the world for them to get caught because at least they had their warning now. But that's not much use if you go out and get caught again the next day. Once is a warning. Twice is a pattern. Three times and you're in the pub on the Monday bitching about another year gone down the drain. Galway are an established team. They've been to two All-Ireland finals in three years. Pádraic Joyce is an established winner and they look like they have a very professional set-up there. So why are they going into the last game fighting for their lives? To my mind, it comes down to leaders. I get the sense that sometimes they're looking around at the end of games and not being reassured by the leaders they have around them. When Damien Comer is on the pitch, they know they have a leader who will do anything to get on the ball and force a score. But who had he with him the last day? Shane Walsh, Paul Conroy and Cillian McDaid were all on the bench by then. John Maher was still giving it everything, to be fair to him. But otherwise, they're lacking those leaders who make everyone else go, 'we're okay here' when the game is at boiling point down the stretch. I don't know if they can do much about it at this point either. It's very late to be trying to find leaders. That's what the league is for. Or the Connacht championship. Or the last four or five years. Now Galway are like a fella I knew once, standing at the bar in the airport trying to get the barmaid to hurry up. 'We're running to catch a plane,' he said. 'So is everybody else!' she replied. Dublin manager Dessie Farrell will probably get it in the neck if it all goes wrong this weekend. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Galway only need to look at the team they played the last day to know the truth of that. Derry hit rock bottom a good while ago and they look like a team that's on the rise again. A good few of the injuries have cleared up. They've stopped the freefall. In their last two games, they finished strong against Armagh and Galway. Look at who was driving them on. Conor Glass and Brendan Rodgers have been showing Derry the leadership that Galway have lacked. Against Armagh, Glass scored their first goal and Rogers set up the second. Glass scored 1-3 against Galway, Rogers chipped in with 0-3. In the very last play of the game, it was Glass who put Conor Doherty in the clear for the equaliser. Now you look at Derry coming in to play the Dubs and they're nearly in bonus territory. After everything that has gone wrong for them over the last year, they're in with a shot of putting Dublin out. They're still living. They're looking forward to the next game as an opportunity. Can you say the same about Dublin? For the first time in a long, long time, I wouldn't bet on it. They're not putting performances back-to-back. They were good against Galway in the league and the championship, but they struggled to beat Wicklow, lost to Meath and were well beaten by Armagh the last day. They have enough quality to still be favourites going up to Newry on Saturday, but a lot will depend on whether or not Con O'Callaghan can play. Dessie Farrell will probably get it in the neck if it all goes wrong but at this stage, it's down to players. That's how I always saw it anyway. When the skin and hair were flying in the last 10 minutes, it wasn't Jack O'Connor or Páidí Ó Sé or Pat O'Shea who was in charge – it was down to us, on the pitch, to go and solve the problem. My feeling is Dublin still has the players and leaders to see it out, even if O'Callaghan isn't playing. But Derry are dangerous and if the Dubs lose, they need Galway to lose as well. One way or the other, one of them is done for the year on Saturday night. Whoever it is will have no excuses.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'You'd love another crack at it' Limerick's Cian Lynch penalties v replay debate
Cian Lynch had no idea that last Saturday's Munster final would go to penalties and admitted that he would have welcomed a replay instead. Limerick relinquished their grip on the Mick Mackey Cup that they had held since 2019 as they lost a shootout 3-2 after they and Cork couldn't be separated after extra time. Albeit two Ulster football finals have been decided in this fashion, the concept of penalties to decide major inter-county games is a relatively new one in the GAA, and it was only after Darragh Fitzgibbon's late, late 65 levelled the game yet again at the end of extra time that Lynch realised that the tie would be decided in his fashion. It was the first time that it had happened in a top tier Championship game in hurling. The Limerick captain said: 'I suppose in my own head initially, you think there's going to be an extra five minutes each half. Because that's the way it was before, wasn't it? 'But I suppose when it's said it's penalties, you just accept that and that's obviously the way it is.' Still, if the prospect of a replay rather than penalties was put to Lynch at the end of the 90-plus minutes, he would have gladly taken it. 'Yeah, of course you would. Sure you love playing the sport. I suppose the pros and cons to either. 'I suppose it's not for me to make a point or make a comment on what's the right thing to do but you'd love to have another crack at it. Any team would. 'But for us, it's just about accepting that that's in the past now. We unfortunately didn't win and Cork did.' Lynch was gone off the field before the full-time and so he wasn't eligible to take part in the shootout - not that it's something he would have put his hand up for anyway. 'If you were asked to take one, I'm sure 100% you'd do anything you can to help the team, but I wouldn't be someone that's known to stand over a free or a penalty, to be honest with you. 'The five guys, obviously our guys, the five Limerick lads, the same as Cork obviously and Nickie, to step up, that takes some courage. After playing 70 to 90 minutes of hurling, to have it based on standing over a penalty, that is tough. That is some responsibility. 'But great credit to the guys, great credit to Nickie [Quaid] and so on. Just the way it is.' Limerick now go on to play either Dublin or Kildare in the All-Ireland quarter-final the weekend after next, and Lynch said they won't be looking for an out in the fact that they didn't lose the Munster final in regulation or extra time. 'No, it's still a defeat,' he insisted. 'Obviously, you look at the time played and so on, neither team won and it went to penalties and that's just the way it was. 'You obviously are disappointed. You see an opposition collecting a trophy and celebrating with their fans and stuff. That's tough to take. 'You just have to dust yourself off, regroup, process that feeling and try to drive on again.'
