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RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'Happy to help, ready if needed' - Max O'Leary eyeing Ireland debut
Patience is deemed a most virtuous trait; tolerance, however, has not yet reaped its reward - Max O'Leary has been waiting six years. The Bristol City keeper was first called into the squad at the end of the 2018-19 season to train alongside Darren Randolph and Sean McDermott ahead of Euro 2020 qualifying games against Denmark and Gibraltar. But as the goalkeeping guard changed over the next couple of years, O'Leary found himself on the periphery as the emerging trio of Caoimhín Kelleher, Gavin Bazunu and Mark Travers brought a serious level of competition for a place in the squad. O'Leary was called up again in March 2022 and has been knocking around for the past three years, consistently reporting for duty without seeing any minutes on the pitch. There is, however, a sense that this might change during the upcoming doubleheader against Senegal and Luxembourg. "Of course, it's something I've wanted to do," said O'Leary, when asked was he desperate for his first cap. "I've been around a while now and seen a few managers. Hopefully, I'll get my opportunity soon. "I'm ready to go and if I get that chance, I'll be happy to take it. I've put in the hard work, and it'd be a great honour. "I think it's been a similar sort of situation as the past. Keep doing well at club level and hopefully, you'll get a chance to play. Obviously, these are friendlies in this camp, so there might be a chance there. I'm ready if needed." O'Leary comes into camp off the back of an impressive season as club level, helping Bristol City reach the Championship play-offs, and he has now been an ever-present in the starting XI for over two seasons – he has played 125 league games in a row for the club. And the 28-year-old believes that his game has progressed over the past few seasons playing consistently, which has helped him to mature into the role. "I have definitely matured and you get into a rhythm of playing, especially with the volume of the Championship," said O'Leary. "And feel like I have done well over that longer period of time. Obviously, there are going to be mistakes in there, but the consistency I am really happy with. "Nigel Pearson was the manager at the time [of breaking into the team], and he just said 'go and express yourself, you are going to make mistakes. I don't care. I am going to back you'. "And I think just having that confidence to try and express myself and help the team when I can really helped at the start and just carried it on." O'Leary was asked was it tough to always play the back-up role for Ireland, however, he explained that he remains happy to help out in whatever way possible. "You prepare the same whether you're playing or not playing," he said. "I had my time of not playing when I was younger. Whatever I can do to help who is playing, I know I'd want the same if I was playing, so just to have that good environment in training, pushing each other and just making sure we get everything we need for the games is always the most important thing. "Putting whoever's playing first rather than yourself has been good, whether that's Caoimhín, I know Gav's played before when I've been here. Whoever it is, I'm happy to help."
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Six years of call-ups and still no cap - the Irish star stuck in purgatory
Max O'Leary is hoping to finally break his international duck this week - six years after first being called up by Ireland. The Bristol City keeper has been knocking on the Ireland door since May 2019 when Mick McCarthy brought him in as cover for Mark Travers. But since then there have been two managerial changes - plus an interim boss - but still no cap for the English-born keeper who qualifies for Ireland via his Kerry-born grandfather. O'Leary, 28, said: 'I've been around a while now and seen a few managers. Hopefully, I'll get my opportunity soon. 'I'm ready if needed. I have always been happy to come across and hook up with the players in camp and have enjoyed it every time. 'The atmosphere is great. I'm ready to go and if I get that chance, I'll be happy to take it. It's something I've wanted to do and I've put in the hard work. This is just another thing to tick off, and it'd be a great honour.' Since he first got called into the Ireland squad, O'Leary has played 125 games straight in the Championship, maturing into a much better keeper than the 22-year-old version of himself. He says: 'You get into a rhythm of playing, especially with the volume of the Championship, you get to know your body. And feel like I have done well over that longer period of time. Obviously, there are going to be mistakes in there, but the consistency I am really happy with. 'With Bristol City, I had to bide my time and be patient which was how I ended up going out on a few loans. I know I wasn't ready to make that step up. 'Nigel Pearson was the manager at the time and he just said 'go and express yourself, you are going to make mistakes. I don't care. I am going to back you'. 'And I think just having that confidence to step up.' Now he is seeking the next step with the Boys in Green who play Senegal and Luxembourg this week. O'Leary said: 'If asked, I will be ready.'
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Max O'Leary ready for lift-off with Republic of Ireland after six-year wait
MAX O'LEARY qualifies for Ireland through his late grandfather Seán from Farranfore, best known for Kerry Airport. And the Bristol City keeper is hoping his international career can finally take flight, six years after he was first named in an Ireland squad. 2 Bristol City's Max O'Leary during is hoping for his Republic of Ireland debut against Senegal 2 Max O'Leary qualifies for Ireland through his late grandfather Seán from Farranfore, best known for Kerry Airport O'Leary has been called in, but never played, by Mick McCarthy, But with O'Leary said: 'I'm ready to go and if I get that chance, I'll be happy to take it. It's something I've wanted to do and I've put in the hard work. 'This is just another thing to tick off, and it'd be a great honour. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL 'I've been around a while now and seen a few managers. Hopefully, I'll get my opportunity soon.' The 28-year-old admitted he has spoken to managers about what he needed to do to get picked, having sat on the bench 17 times, and often not even made the squad when He said: 'I think it's been a similar sort of situation as the past - keep doing well at club level and hopefully, you'll get a chance to play. 'Obviously, these are friendlies in this camp, so there might be a chance there. I'm ready if needed. I enjoy it every time I come here, it's great. Most read in Football 'You prepare the same whether you're playing or not playing. I had my time of not playing when I was younger. 'Whatever I can do to help who is playing, I know I'd want the same if I was playing. Germany vs Portugal Nations League clash DELAYED as players are forced to protect themselves from hailstones "So just to have that good environment in training, pushing each other and just making sure we get everything we need for the games is always the most important thing. 'Putting whoever's playing first rather than yourself has been good, whether that's Caoimhin, I know Gav's played before when I've been here. Whoever it is, I'm happy to help. 'Caoimhín is a great 'keeper and a great lad as well. We have a good time when we come away. I think it's a good move for him. "To be playing regular football is what he wants. It looks like he can get that opportunity now.' Whilst Kelleher has moved to Brentford after finding his path to the Liverpool first team blocked by Alisson, Bazunu and Travers both went out on loan in the season just finished in search of regular football. Travers - second choice at Bournemouth - linked up with Middlesbrough with Bazunu going to Standard Liege having been unable to reclaim his spot at Southampton after his recovery from an Achilles tear, only for another injury to curtail his stay in Belgium. Tottenham prospect Josh Keeley, also in this squad, has gained valuable experience with Leyton Orient. But minutes have not been an issue for O'Leary who has started 125 consecutive Championship games since October 2022. He said: 'It is all about timing sometimes. I had to bide my time and be patient, went out on a few loans. 'I know I wasn't ready to make that step up. So, a bit like what Josh has done this year. He's gone out and played really well. 'So, I just had to be patient and wait for an opportunity, just try and take it and stay in. "To be fair, I had been in for five or six games when I went in first, picked up a little knock and missed the rest of the season. After that, I think I got in after 15 games and played the rest of the season. "Nigel Pearson was the manager at the time and he just said 'go and express yourself, you are going to make mistakes. I don't care. I am going to back you'. 'And I think just having that confidence to try and express myself and help the team when I can really helped at the start and just carried it on.' And that run of games means O'Leary feels he is a much better keeper when he was first called up by Ireland in May 2019 when Darren Randolphh was still the country's no 1. He said: 'I have definitely matured and you get into a rhythm of playing, especially with the volume of the Championship, you get to know your body. 'And I feel like I have done well over that longer period of time. Obviously, there are going to be mistakes in there, but the consistency I am really happy with.' He played his part in getting the Robins to the play-offs but they were well beaten by Sheffield United in the semi-finals and there is speculation boss Liam Manning may be on his way out. BRISTOL BOSS O'Leary said: 'He's been great with me, the last 18 months that he has been in, has been really good. The culture has shifted and what he built this year was really, really good. 'If he does go, it will be a huge miss for me. But that's football, people come and go. "I have been at Bristol City long enough now, have seen a few managers come and go, and it moves on fairly quickly. 'People come and go, staff and players and you just have to move on. You just have to get on with it.' And he is confident that, whoever is at the helm, that their squad can again push for the top flight next season. He said: 'We did well this season, obviously we didn't have any additions in January and had that small, tight-knit squad. 'A lot of the lads played a lot of minutes, I think we had the least players used in the league. 'We have lads coming back from loans, a good variety of younger players with more experienced ones. But the core group, if we can keep that, it should be a good year.' A key component of that squad is Jason Knight with O'Leary believing he has grown into his role as club skipper. He said: 'I think for him, it was a big step up at the beginning of the year, being made full-time captain. To see him grow into that role has been really good. 'I think he's been a bit more vocal around the Ireland camps, and he's really stepped up on the pitch for us this year at club level. I know he can bring those performances here as well.'
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Max O'Leary ready for Ireland debut after years of patience
Ireland's goalkeeping cohort doesn't fit the stereotype of being brash and loud. Between Caoimhín Kelleher, Gavin Bazunu, Mark Travers and Max O'Leary, none would be renowned for raising their voice. Their predecessors Shay Given and Darren Randolph could be heard far and wide, on and off the pitch, especially within the team hotel base. O'Leary has been around the squad for six years but there's mitigation to his silence. Primarily, he arrived on the international scene just as a generation of rivals were emerging from the underage ranks. First came Travers, then Kelleher and Bazunu in quick succession – five years between them in age – and they've each amassed Premier League experience. O'Leary was two games away from joining them in the top-flight when Bristol City made the Championship playoffs but differed in being the first-choice of his employers. What he doesn't have to his name is a cap. The 28-year-old from Bath declared in 2019 through his late grandfather Sean O'Leary, who emigrated from Farranfore, Co Kerry to England. Bazunu and Travers are not part of the squad for the summer friendlies and though Kelleher will start Friday's first against Senegal, there will be scope by the end of Tuesday's in Luxembourg to rotate between the posts. 'It's something I've wanted to do - I've been around a while now and seen a few managers – so hopefully I'll get my opportunity soon,' he said in his first appearance before the media. 'I've always prepared the same, whether playing or not. 'Whatever I can do to help who is playing, I know I'd want the same if I was playing, so just to have that good environment in training, pushing each other. 'Putting whoever's playing first rather than yourself has been good, whether that's Caoimhin, Gav or Mark. 'I've had my time not playing at club level when I was younger so I know what it's like'. Not anymore. He's been with the Robins since his early teens and had to be patient to become No 1 since 2023. 'Nigel Pearson was my manager at the time and he told me to go and express myself,' explained O'Leary about his breakthrough. 'He knew and didn't care that I'd make mistakes because he was going to back you regardless. 'I have definitely matured in my goalkeeping. You get into a rhythm of playing, especially with the volume of the Championship, and feel I have done well over that longer period of time.' His manager Liam Manning has just left for Norwich City and while Kelleher has also moved clubs they're still working together within the Irish set-up. 'He's a great 'keeper and a great lad as well,' he said of the Corkman, whose transfer from Liverpool to Brentford for an initial £12.5m fee was completed during this week.' 'We have a good time when we come away to the Ireland camp. 'I think it's a good move for him. To be playing regular football is what he wants. It looks like he can get that opportunity now.' O'Leary will be glad of his over the next five days.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Norwich have done to us what we did to Oxford'
We asked you for your views on Liam Manning leaving his role as Bristol City's head coach to join Championship rivals Norwich you for all your replies and here is a selection of the thoughts of Robins - Disappointed to lose him and felt we were starting to build something. Hope the likes of Jason Knight and Mark Sykes don't follow him out the - Good luck to him but not sad to see him go. His football was pretty stale - sideways and backwards. In the second leg of the play-offs at 3-0 down you would think he would put three up front and have a go! Rob Edwards to come in for - I think it's a mix of emotions for everyone involved. Last season was a complete rollercoaster, both on and off the field. I would've liked to see Manning have another season at it. However, I respect his decision and that of his family, and I'd like to thank him for all his hard work. He definitely brought belief and excitement back into the - Can't complain as Norwich have done to us what we did to Oxford! Wish Liam all the best, especially after all he has been through this - The fact we've had our manager taken by a team that finished seven places below us is awful. The fact the Norwich board have managed to convince LM that he'll be better backed than he will be at City is disgraceful on our for Lansdown to either put his hand in his pocket and really build around Jason Knight and the new manager or sell the - Personally, I've not got a problem with his departure as the hierarchy can't see his potential. They should have given him the financial backing needed to push on from a pretty good gave the club what they asked for but has been let down by them. Next up? For me it has to be Gary O' - Can't blame him for leaving when you have an owner who won't give him a budget to move the team forward. He performed a miracle to get us into the play-offs. Norwich will back Manning and have a stronger squad and Manning knows that.
