Romania Preview

Alan Blayney gets his debut and Thompson & Shiels get their first starts. Big G also starts with Michael Ingham, Colin Murdock, Steve Jones and Jeff Hughes dropping to the bench.

Let’s hope that Blayney can put in a performance like in his Southampton debut 2 years ago. He was later awarded ‘Save of the Season’ by Sky for his stop from Alan Shearer.
NORTHERN IRELAND: Blayney, Duff, McAuley, Craigan, Capaldi, Sproule, Davis (capt), Clingan, Shiels, Quinn, Thompson.
Romania were beaten 2-0 by Uruguay on Wednesday, so if that means anything we should win.
The match kicks off at 2am Saturday morning our time, but no-one can find any live streams showing it thus far.
Michael Ingham would probably have been hoping for another start, but Sanchez has opted for ex-Saints keeper Blayney. Here’s Ingham in a recent interview explaining why he chose to drop down 3 divisions so he could play regular first team football:
“I had other options but the key was I knew I was going to be playing week in, week out for Wrexham. What matters to me is playing matches not sitting on the bench. That’s why I was prepared to go on loan to various clubs so I could get a game and some experience. It paid off as well. I was noticed by Northern Ireland and by Denis Smith. He has built up my confidence and I feel as though my game has improved no end. If I do slip up, the manager does not have a go at me. He usually just puts his arm around my shoulder and has a comforting word.”
“This tour is an opportunity for some of us to stake a claim in the team and that is something you have to relish. Every time a squad is named I am just thrilled to be in it. This is where I want to stay.”

Baird makes comeback and is still desperate for Saints’ chance

Northern Ireland right back Chris Baird made his comeback from injury last night for Southampton reserves, and despite ever-present interest from ‘Championship’ clubs is still desperately trying to get himself back in the Saints’ first team.
Agent Gary Williams:
“Chris was very positive going into his comeback game against Charlton and is fully focused on getting fit. Chris is moving into a new house in the area and will become a father for the first time in December and it’s Southampton, Southampton, Southampton for him now. The next step is to get into the first team squad. That is also very important for his international hopes.”
“There is still a lot of interest in Chris from other clubs but first and foremost Southampton is his priority,” Williams added.
“A lot of clubs are watching to see how he goes when he comes back because he is highly rated. Colin Lee and Ray Lewington, who were in charge at Walsall and Watford when he was on loan, both said he did absolutely brilliantly. Lewington has even gone as record as saying if it wasn’t for Chris they would have been relegated. I saw Colin Lee on Monday night and he was raving about Chris and he reckons he should be a Premiership player.”
Another of Williams’ clients is U23 keeper Alan Blayney, who can’t even make the Southampton bench this season, despite winning Sky’s ‘Save of the Season’ last time round. Williams again:
“Alan was very surprised not to be included in the first team squad at the start of the season.
“But there has been a change of management now and he is buckling down and working hard to get there. If that doesn’t happen then he’ll be looking to go out on loan.”

Baird blow, Blayney boost

Just weeks after rejecting offers from numerous other clubs and signing a new two year deal with Southampton, Northern Ireland right back Chris Baird has been left out of their pre-season tour to Sweden. Being handed the number 32 shirt when the squad numbers were released 2 days ago will hardly fill him with confidence either.
Saints manager Paul Sturrock has included Alan Blayney in his 23 man squad however, at the expense of keeper Paul Smith. Blayney’s performances when called upon at the end of last season appear to have elevated him to second choice at the club.

Monday’s Saturday Update

Due to Institute becoming the Irish League Supporters 5-a-side Champions on Saturday, what may be the last Saturday update of the season had to be delayed.
As expected, Alan Blayney continued in goal for Southampton as they lost 2-1 to Charlton at The Valley. Blayney was joined by his fellow Ulsterman Chris Baird, who joined the action on 13 minutes after Anders Svensson got injured. It was Baird’s first appearance for Southampton since they recalled him from Watford 3 games ago. Blayney put in another good performance for the Saints, and pulled off a superb one-handed save from Paul Konchesky, who curled a free kick round the wall from 18 yards.
Maik Taylor returned for Birmingham City against Blackburn Rovers after his suspension, and they were glad of his presence as he was forced to pull off a string of second half saves to keep Birmingham in the game, after being beaten by Andy Cole from 18 yards in the first. Damien Johnson, who had an effort saved by the feet of Enckelman in the first half, supplied the cross for City’s equaliser on 83 minutes, with Stern John heading home.
In the other First Divison Play-Off semi-final first leg, Jim Magilton’s Ipswich beat Steve Lomas’ West Ham 1-0.

Blayney to keep place

Alan Blayney is due to continue in goal for Southampton for their match away to Charlton on Saturday. First choice Antti Niemi is still struggling with a virus and Paul Smith is still out with an arm injury.
Maik Taylor is set to return for Birmingham on Saturday after his suspension. The Blues will take on Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Blayney Man of the Match

Alan Blaney tonight became the third Northern Irish keeper to play in the English Premiership this season, and in doing so helped ensure that Aaron Hughes and Newcastle will not be playing ‘Champions’ League Football next season.
Blaney remained unbeated for only 7 minutes of his debut before some comical Southampton defending (serve them right for recalling Baird and then not even including him in the squad for two games in a row) let in Ameobi to score for Newcastle. The Saints struck back on 19 minutes when the Republic of Ireland’s Shay Given spilt a shot to the feet of James Beattie who gleefully hit it into the net.
Newcasle took the lead again through a thunderous shot from Lee Bowyer that gave Blaney no chance, however Southampton were soon level after an own goal from Titus Bramble, a player Aaron Hughes is sentenced to spend most Saturdays playing alongside.
Newcastle knew that they had to win to have any chance of taking the fourth Champions league spot and they piled forward in the second half in search of a winner. Blayney however, was having none of it. He made an unbelievable save from Alan Shearer who had a free header from 3 yards out – Steve Claridge said “I’ve never seen a better save than that”.
The Belfast-born stopper wasn’t finished, and went on to make another magnificent save from Lee Bowyer, from 6 yards out. Spurred on by this save, Southampton raced up the pitch and Griffit scored the goal that ended Aaron’s chance of playing in the Champions League next season.
Newcastle rescued a point with basically the last kick of the game when Blayney was beat from 25 yards by Ambrose, but it wasn’t enough for them and nothing that could take away from this “magnificent debut”. He was deservedly named Man of the Match.
Edit: Let’s just hope he wasn’t listening to 606 after the game, renowned football expert ‘DJ Spoony’ just said that his save from Shearer was better than Gordon Banks. Wouldn’t want him to get big headed!

Blayney to make Southampton debut

Young Northern Ireland keeper Alan Blayney will make his full Southampton debut tonight against Newcastle as the Saints’ first and second choice keepers are injured. Blayney, 22, joined Southampton in the summer of 2002 and has had loan spells at Stockport and Bournemouth. He played the first half of Northern Ireland’s recent U23 0-0 draw with Serbia and Montenegro at Mourneview Park and made one particularly good save before being replaced by Alan Mannus.