logo
Watch Robbie Brady aim hilarious dig at Ireland teammates after winning Player of the Year award

Watch Robbie Brady aim hilarious dig at Ireland teammates after winning Player of the Year award

The Irish Sun3 days ago

ROBBIE Brady won Ireland's Senior Men's Player of the Year award - and then delivered the one-liner of the year.
In recognition of the 33-year-old getting himself back into the international picture
Advertisement
3
The Preston North End left back/winger expressed his surprise at winning it
Credit: @IrelandFootball
3
His highlight over the past 12 months was surely his late winner away to Finland in the Nations League
3
The FAI always holds its annual awards in June, hence the unusual timing
Asked to say a quick few words upon receiving his trophy he smirked before unleashing a punchline very much in the sad but true variety.
He quipped: "It shows how s*** youse have all been if I'm winning this!"
The whole room erupted with laughter as it's not lost on Irish players or fans nowadays how low of an ebb the men's team has reached.
Reacting online, Dean commented: "I love how he basically calls them out for being s*** but doing it in a way where everyone can laugh."
Advertisement
Read More On Irish Football
Similarly, Cathal added: "Obviously joking but at the same time he's actually right..."
Lastly, Eddie reckoned: "Only with Irish humour could this be possible! It wouldn't happen with the French."
Ireland are in camp this week ahead of
Yesterday,
Advertisement
Most read in Football
Over the 2024/25 season,
And he hit the net twice for the Boys in Green during the 2024-25 campaign compared to a solitary strike in the English top tier, which he scored for Brighton last October against Wolves.
John Obi Mikel on wild Chelsea nights out in central London and his hilarious friendship with Salomon Kalou
His fortunes in front of goal failed to improve after joining West Ham on loan in February and he is now back at the Seagulls.
But O'Shea has no doubt that Ferguson can put last season's disappointments behind him.
Advertisement
He outlined: 'The coaches spoke about it in terms of how he has trained the last couple of days.
"He showed the type of player we know he is and hopefully he'll get the chance to show that in the next couple of games as well.
'It's just a case that you can't sit and sulk about it.'
The
Advertisement
'You have to be at it and on it every day possible, doing everything you can. That's what you have to do to get that place in the team, stay in the team.
'If you're doing that, if you're applying yourself as best you can and the manager's not picking you for some reason, then you can look yourself in the mirror and say I've done everything I can.
'But if you're doing that and it is happening for you, you know why. And the way Evan's been training this week, hopefully there'll be lots of good things to come.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Will Smallbone reveals historic Ireland trait that is ‘going to get us to the World Cup' after draw against Senegal
Will Smallbone reveals historic Ireland trait that is ‘going to get us to the World Cup' after draw against Senegal

The Irish Sun

time27 minutes ago

  • The Irish Sun

Will Smallbone reveals historic Ireland trait that is ‘going to get us to the World Cup' after draw against Senegal

WILL SMALLBONE believes Heimir Hallgrimsson is pointing Ireland in the right direction — and towards the World Cup. The Advertisement 2 Will Smallbone in action against Ismaila Sarr Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile 2 Ireland were held to a draw by Senegal Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile But Smallbone felt it was a giant step in the right direction — as Hallgrimsson's directions were followed down to a tee. The 'I was only in Heimir's first camp so that was very new for everyone and I missed the next three camps. 'To then come back into it was very similar messages but it all seems very clear and concise. Advertisement Read More on Ireland MNT 'That makes it easier as a player when you know exactly what the manager wants from you and you just have to go out and do your best to deliver it.' And he believes that, even though qualifiers . Smallbone added: 'I think he wants to create a winning habit and you see the way he talks about getting to the World Cup. 'It's obviously the aim for everyone. Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive 'Winning is the only way we can get there. So it is about coming out on top in games in the past we maybe would have lost by a goal to switch it the other way to win by a goal. 'He put an emphasis on set-pieces and making sure we're a threat whenever we get one. Heimir Hallgrimsson gives first call-up to four Ireland players in squad for friendlies vs Senegal and Luxembourg 'If you look at Irish teams in the past, they've always been built very big on set-pieces and making the Aviva a really tough place to come to. 'So I think that's what we've to get back to. Advertisement 'The more I play football , the more I go into my career and see that winning is what gets remembered. 'It is ultimately what is going to get us to the World Cup. I think if the game is scrappy and it's a one goal game, we need to make sure it's us that gets the goal.' 'DISAPPOINTING' Ireland were not far off that against Senegal — a team ranked 19th in the world who are now on a 21-game unbeaten run. Hallgrimsson's men dominated the first half and looked on course for a win even as they rode their luck in the second half before Advertisement Midfielder Smallbone added: 'The goal for every game is to win, at times performances have been good but winning has not been there. So the main thing is just winning. 'Maybe in the past we've got good performances but we need to make sure we're winning to get to these tournaments. 'So obviously a draw is disappointing but Senegal are a top nation so I think it is a step in the right direction. 'I think it's a good result against a strong team that has been unbeaten for such a long time. Advertisement 'I think we can come away from it with lots of positives but a few things we need to improve on. 'I think these summer camps have been a bit of a struggle sometimes, where we've had a long time off and we've been coming in and been trying to get up to speed. 'I've noticed a real high quality and high intensity throughout the whole week. 'And I think that it was showing in the performance.' Advertisement

Five killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine
Five killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine

RTÉ News​

time32 minutes ago

  • RTÉ News​

Five killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine

Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early this morning, killing five people as it retaliated for a brazen attack on air bases days earlier. The Kremlin has accelerated its attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, while the latest ceasefire negotiations have failed to broker an end to the three-year war. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired 206 drones and nine missiles and added that "the air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces". In Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov counted 48 Iranian-made drones, two missiles and four guided bombs before dawn and said the attack was unprecedented. The northeastern city of some 1.4 million residents is located less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border. "Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the beginning of the full-scale war," Mr Terekhov posted on Telegram around 4.40am (2.40am Irish time), adding that drones were still buzzing overhead. The Russian strikes pummelled homes and apartment blocks, killing at least three people and wounding 17 more, the mayor said. A woman was also pulled alive from the rubble of a high-rise building. Kharkiv region Governor Oleg Synegubov said the wounded included two children. "Medical personnel are providing the necessary assistance," he wrote. Kharkiv was already reeling from an attack on Thursday that wounded at least 18 people, including four children. In the southern port city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed a couple and damaged two high-rise buildings, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Sergiy Lysak said Ukrainian forces had repelled 27 drones and two missiles overnight, but two women aged 45 and 88 were injured. Rescuers in the western city of Lutsk, near the Polish border, meanwhile discovered a second fatality from yesterday's strikes, describing the victim as a woman in her 20s. This morning's attacks come a day after Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, killing at least six people as powerful explosions reverberated across the country. The attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via US President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky said three emergency responders were killed in the missile and drone salvo against the capital while two died in an attack on the northern city of Chernihiv and at least one more in the northwestern city of Lutsk. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out the strike on military and military-related targets in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia. "They gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday, when asked about how Ukraine's earlier drone strikes had affected the conflict. Mr Zelensky said 80 people nationwide had been injured in the attacks yesterday, which also struck several other towns and cities. He said residents could still be trapped under rubble. In Chernihiv, the national emergency services said two bodies were recovered from the rubble of a wrecked industrial enterprise. In Lutsk, the body of a man was found in the ruins of an apartment block, while emergency crews kept searching for his wife. Thirty people were hurt in the city, where educational institutions and a government building were also hit. Russian forces also struck industrial facilities and infrastructure in the western city of Ternopil, leaving parts of it without power, Mayor Serhii Nadal said. The regional administration said the attack had injured ten people and asked residents to temporarily stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire. Hopes of ceasefire dim The Kremlin said yesterday the Ukraine war was "existential" for Russia. The comments are Russia's latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting. "For us it is an existential issue, an issue on our national interest, safety, on our future and the future of our children, of our country," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Trump on Thursday comparing Russia and Ukraine to brawling children. Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. Mr Putin had told Mr Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack. Mr Putin has issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, and a ban on Ukraine joining NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the demands as old ultimatums, questioned the purpose of more such talks and called for a summit to be attended by him, Mr Putin and Mr Trump.

Support, don't star: rethinking the Arts Council's role
Support, don't star: rethinking the Arts Council's role

RTÉ News​

time43 minutes ago

  • RTÉ News​

Support, don't star: rethinking the Arts Council's role

Theatremaker Dan Colley asks: Has the Arts Council of Ireland taken on too much 'main character energy'? I would like to propose a gear shift with the appointment of the next Director of the Council. The next Director should reorient the Arts Council into the role of supporting character in the story of the arts. It will take a really adept leader not to try and fix everything that's wrong with the organisation from within, but instead to follow. From the outset I want to acknowledge the many dedicated public servants who work at the Arts Council - people who care deeply about the arts and have served tirelessly through periods of huge change. Not least among them Maureen Kennelly, the outgoing Director of the Arts Council, who enjoys widespread support and respect among the community. Her commitment to artists, particularly during the pandemic, has been felt and appreciated. The Arts Council is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. The money it gets from Government to fulfil that mandate has gone from €75 million in 2019, to €140 million in 2025. An 86.5% increase in six years. It's a credit to the people at the Arts Council, and to the volunteer advocates at the National Campaign for the Arts, that they have helped bring greater public and political understanding of the arts—not just as an economic or reputational asset, but as an essential part of Irish life and a foundation of a healthy society. So why, when the Arts Council has more money than ever before, does it feel harder than ever to make theatre? I'm a theatre maker, and that question brought a group of my peers together last year - trying to make sense of an increasingly precarious sector. Theatre funding has effectively stagnated - rising only 5.8% since 2008 - an increase that's been outstripped by inflation. And yet the Arts Council more than doubled its staff since 2020. While additional capacity at the Arts Council may have been necessary, the lack of parallel investment in their clients has created a gulf between the people who produce art and the agency that manages the funding. No theatre has doubled its staff. No plays have doubled its cast. Over 800 artists signed an open letter calling for emergency investment in the sector which was delivered in December 2024. The feeling was widespread: theatre in Ireland is struggling, not because there's no funding, but because of how it's being distributed. The problem is not about people. It's about systems. The Arts Council is a public body with a wide remit, serving everything from festivals to literature, music, venues, visual art, as well as the more nebulous idea of 'promoting the arts in Ireland'. But its most essential function - getting funding to artists and the people who connect art with the public - is not working. If the Arts Council were truly attuned to the interests of artists, it would see the current delays in funding decisions as an organisational crisis. Radical measures would be considered - like redeploying staff or drastically simplifying processes - to get investment to artists in time. If it were more attuned to artists' interests, the fact that only 15% of eligible theatre applications are funded wouldn't be brushed off as "the competitive context." It would be treated as an emergency. The next Director should make the Arts Council a supporting character - one that enables, rather than directs. If it were aligned with artists' interests', the Council's budget submission to Government would not be built around what it thinks it can get, or what looks tidy on paper, but on the real cost of funding all the applications it has already judged to be worthy. They would base it on the real demand, no matter how big that number is. These are questions I've been asking, along with many others, not out of hostility, but out of necessity. These failures are not moral ones. They are systemic. Systems respond to power and, as it stands, the Arts Council responds most clearly to the pressures it is most exposed to - be they departmental, political, or bureaucratic. The artist's voice is still too faint in that chorus. That's why I've been part of a group that formed the Theatre Artists Assembly - an attempt to give the arts practitioners a unified, democratic voice. Not to shout louder, but to speak more clearly and together about what we need to do our work. I would like to see assemblies like this being integrated into Arts Council decision-making processes. I would like to see artist and practitioner-led groups taking power and responsibility over the decisions that affect them. Yes, even the difficult and unpopular decisions. We have seen in citizens' assemblies how groups of people can come together and, when provided with the facts, expertise, and time to digest them and come to a conclusion, they do so with remarkable civility and clarity. I think this could be an experiment in co-creation of state policy. This could be a way of making institutions work in ways that reflect the interests of its stakeholders. It could be something we so acutely need; a form of democracy that happens between elections. This approach could strengthen and renew the principle of the Arts Council's 'arms-length' from Government. This is the principle, established in the Arts Art, that keeps decisions about what kind of art to produce and who to fund to do it, out of the realm of party politics. This could be a way of affirming that distance from the political system, while establishing community-voice and democratic responsibility. The next Director should make the Arts Council a supporting character - one that enables, rather than directs. They should build models for democratic decision-making - not merely "consultation" but real decision-making power. It will take a deft leader to resist the urge to fix everything from within, and instead recognise that real leadership often means creating space for others to shape the path. In short, they should lead by following.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store