Aiden McGeady

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Aiden McGeady
Aiden McGeady 3260.jpg
Personal information
Full name Aiden McGeady
Date of birth (1986-04-04) 4 April 1986 (age 27)
Place of birth Denny, Scotland
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current club Spartak Moscow
Number 8
Youth career
2000–2001 Queen's Park
2001–2004 Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2004–2010 Celtic 185 (31)
2010– Spartak Moscow 58 (10)
National team‡
2004– Republic of Ireland 57 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 May 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 November 2012
Aiden McGeady playing for Celtic against Dinamo Moscow
Aiden McGeady opening Gweedore Celtic's new pitch

Aiden McGeady (born 4 April 1986) is a Republic of Ireland international footballer who plays as a winger for Russian club Spartak Moscow. He started his career at Scottish Premier League club Celtic before moving to Russia in 2010 for £9.5 million making him the most expensive player to be sold by a Scottish club.

McGeady was born in Scotland but chose to play internationally for Ireland. He qualifies to play for them as his grandparents are Irish.[1][2] He was part of the Irish squad that played in the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.[3] His father, John McGeady, was also a professional footballer.[4]

Contents

Club career [edit]

Celtic [edit]

McGeady played with the youth and reserve teams of Scottish Premier League club Celtic. His senior debut was on 24 April 2004 aged 18 in a league game against Hearts at Tynecastle late in the 2003–04 season. He started the match and scored a goal after 17 minutes. He made his UEFA Champions League debut the next season in a game against Italian side AC Milan and made the breakthrough into the first-team that same season, with 27 appearances in the league as Celtic finished runners up in Martin O'Neill's final season with the club.

McGeady's 2005–06 season was hampered by a persistent knee injury and he struggled to secure a starting place ahead of Shaun Maloney and Shunsuke Nakamura, but still managed to make 19 appearances over the course of the season as Celtic won the league title.

The 2006–07 season saw Maloney leave Celtic for Aston Villa in January 2007, giving McGeady an opportunity to secure a regular starting place. He played regularly from that point in the Celtic team that again won the SPL championship and also qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time in club history, defeating Manchester United, Benfica and Copenhagen in the group stage before losing 1–0 to eventual champions AC Milan in extra time.

The 2007–08 season was McGeady's annus mirabilis, earning him praise from the media, fans and fellow players.[5] One of his most memorable performances came against Aberdeen, scoring a goal and setting up three, including a second goal for striker Scott McDonald with a 360-degree turn and cross. He continued to provide goals for his team, most importantly Scott McDonald's equalising goal against rivals Rangers, a match that Celtic went on to win 3–2 which proved to be crucial in Celtic's successful defence of their title. Throughout the season, he contributed a total of eight goals and 24 assists and was awarded the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year on 20 April 2008, only the second player ever to receive both awards in the same season (the first was Shaun Maloney in 2006), as voted by his fellow players. The club reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for a second consecutive season and won the league title for the third year in a row, overhauling Rangers with one week left and winning at Dundee United on the final day of the season to clinch the trophy.

McGeady entered in 2008–09 as Celtic's star player but his performances suffered as Celtic endured a poor second half to the season. On 16 December 2008, after a much-publicised dressing room row with manager Gordon Strachan, McGeady was fined two weeks' wages and suspended for two matches,[6] although Strachan later denied any fall-out between him and McGeady.[7] Celtic finished runners up to Rangers on the final day of the season and Strachan resigned soon after.

2009–10 began well for McGeady as he scored two goals against Aberdeen on the opening day of the season. Under new manager Tony Mowbray, the team's form was poor for much of the season, which led to Mowbray being sacked in March. McGeady enjoyed an improved season, staying injury-free while contributing seven goals and 16 assists in 34 appearances. Former teammate Neil Lennon took over as interim manager after Mowbray's departure. Ross County knocked Celtic out of the Scottish Cup and Celtic ended the season trophyless for the first time since 2003, having finished in second place in the SPL.

Spartak Moscow [edit]

In early August 2010, Celtic accepted an offer of around £9.5 million from Russian side Spartak Moscow and McGeady travelled to Moscow for talks.[8] On 13 August, McGeady completed his move to Spartak, signing a four-and-half-year contract.[9] The move made McGeady the most expensive export in the history of Scottish football.[9] On 11 September, McGeady made his league debut against Saturn in a 2–1 win.[10] On 24 September, he scored his first goal for Spartak in a 2–2 draw at home to Amkar.[11] In the last game of the season, McGeady was sent off for a late challenge on Marcin Kowalczyk in the derby against Dynamo Moscow.[12] On 9 December 2010, the Russian Football Union named its list of 33 top players, placing McGeady as second best right winger[13] despite joining the club mid-season.

International career [edit]

McGeady played for Scotland Schools while at Queen's Park. He played in an under-13 World Cup tournament in Paris.[14] After Queen's Park he joined Celtic, who had a policy of not permitting their youths to play for their school teams due to conflicting kick off times. Scotland had a rule which would not permit a player who did not play for their school team to be considered for a call-up to Scotland Schools selects.[15]

The Republic of Ireland had no such rule preventing a player from being selected and instructed former Celtic player Packie Bonner, who knew of McGeady's Irish heritage, to invite McGeady to play for the Republic of Ireland Under-15 Schoolboys team. McGeady qualifies for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, who hail from the Gaeltacht area of Gweedore, County Donegal.[16][17] McGeady accepted the offer and joined the Irish youth setup. McGeady was later named in a Scotland under-16 squad, but declined, citing his experience of the Irish set up, despite attempts to persuade him to do so by Scotland head coach Berti Vogts.[14][16] This decision has led to jeering from fans of Glasgow Rangers as "that wee traitor from Castlemilk" in the controversial Famine song.[18]

McGeady made his full debut for the Republic of Ireland in July 2004 against Jamaica.[19] He has made over 40 appearances for Ireland, being called up by manager Giovanni Trapattoni in each of his squads and featuring often. However, he lost his place in the starting line-up during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.[20]

On 26 March 2011, McGeady scored his first goal for Ireland in the Aviva Stadium against Macedonia in Euro 2012 qualifier, with Ireland winning 2–1.[21] On the 7 October 2011, McGeady scored his second international goal against Andorra thanks to a defletion off the Andorra defender to make the game 2–0.[22] In the first leg of the UEFA Euro 2012 play-off against Estonia, McGeady provided the assist for the first goal when his cross found the head of Keith Andrews who scored. The game finished 4–0 to Ireland.[23]

McGeady was named in Trapattoni's 23 man squad for the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.[24] McGeady set up Ireland's first and only goal of the tournament from a free-kick, converted by Leicester City's Sean St Ledger in the 3-1 defeat to Croatia.

International goals [edit]

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 March 2011 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland  Macedonia 1–0 2–1 Euro 2012 qualifying
2 7 October 2011 Estadi Comunal d'Aixovall, Andorra  Andorra 2–0 2–0 Euro 2012 qualifying

Career statistics [edit]

Club [edit]

As of 6 May 2013
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
App Goals Assists App Goals Assists App Goals Assists App Goals Assists App Goals Assists
Celtic 2003–04 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2
2004–05 27 4 7 5 0 1 2 1 3 3 0 0 37 5 11
2005–06 20 4 6 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 24 4 7
2006–07 34 5 8 4 0 3 2 0 2 6 0 0 46 5 13
2007–08 36 7 16 4 0 4 1 0 0 10 1 4 51 8 24
2008–09 29 3 6 3 1 2 4 2 2 4 1 0 40 7 10
2009–10 35 7 15 4 0 1 2 0 0 9 0 1 49 7 16
Total 185 31 60 21 1 11 13 3 7 33 2 5 252 37 83
Spartak Moscow 2010 10 2 6 0 0 0 – 6 0 0 16 2 6
2011–12 32 3 10 3 1 2 – 6 1 0 41 5 12
2012–13 16 5 3 1 0 0 – 5 0 3 22 5 6
Total 58 10 19 4 1 2 – 17 1 3 79 12 24
Career Total 243 41 79 25 2 13 13 3 7 50 3 8 331 49 107

International [edit]

Year Apps Goals Assists
2004 2 0 0
2005 1 0 0
2006 5 0 1
2007 8 0 1
2008 6 0 2
2009 9 0 1
2010 6 0 2
2011 9 2 3
2012 11 0 4
Total 57 2 14

Honours [edit]

Club [edit]

Celtic

Minor [edit]

  • Reserve Scottish Premier League (3): 2002, 2003, 2004
  • Under 19 Scottish Premier League (2): 2003, 2004
  • Scottish Youth Cup (1): 2003

Individual [edit]

  • Celtic FC Young Player of the Year (3): 2005, 2006, 2007
  • Celtic FC Fans Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • Celtic FC Players' Player of the Year (2): 2008, 2010
  • SPFA Players' Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • SPFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • SPFA SPL Team of the Year (2): 2007-08, 2008-09
  • Russian Football Union Top 33 (2): 2010, 2011-12
  • BBC Sportsound Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • Clydesdale Bank Young Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • Scottish Premier League Player of the Month (3): December 2004, November 2007, February 2008
  • Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month (4): March 2005, November 2005, August 2006, September 2006
  • Eircom Republic of Ireland Young Player of the Year (1): 2009

References [edit]

  1. ^ St Anthony (12 November 2011). celticunderground http://celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=800:well-done-aiden-mcgeady&catid=47:season-2011-2012&Itemid=83 |url= missing title (help). Retrieved 3 june 2012. "Aiden with dual Scots-Irish nationality and had we became professional footballers we would have had a similarly difficult decision to make." 
  2. ^ Hal LaRoux (10 March 2011). "McGeady To Juventus?". balls. Retrieved 3 june 2012. "Aiden has obtained an Irish passport because of his grandfather in the military" 
  3. ^ http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/euro-2012/2012/0603/323472-trapattoni-happy-with-team-selection-policy/
  4. ^ http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishpost/news/scottishtalentirishallegiance.asp
  5. ^ Chick Young's View BBC Sport (11 February 2008)
  6. ^ McGeady handed Celtic suspension BBC Sport, 17 December 2008
  7. ^ Murray, Ewan (11 May 2009). "Gordon Strachan denies playing personality games with Celtic team selection". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2010. 
  8. ^ "Celtic's Aiden McGeady returns from Spartak talks". BBC Sport. 5 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  9. ^ a b "Aiden McGeady completes record move to Spartak Moscow". BBC Sport. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  10. ^ "McGeady delighted after setting up winner on debut for Spartak". The Scotsman. 13 September 2010. 
  11. ^ "Aiden McGeady shows stomach for first Spartak goal". The Scotsman. 25 September 2010. 
  12. ^ "Video: Red mist descends on Aiden McGeady in Moscow derby". STV Sport. 29 November 2010. 
  13. ^ "33 ЛУЧШИХ ФУТБОЛИСТА РОССИИ 2010 – Российский Футбольный Союз" (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 
  14. ^ a b Who's to blame in sorry tale of the one that got away? Sunday Herald, 2 May 2004
  15. ^ Bhoy who would be king Times Online, 4 April 2004
  16. ^ a b The Big Interview: Aiden McGeady Sunday Times, 1 May 2005
  17. ^ Aiden McGeady on Celtic and Ireland YouTube
  18. ^ The Racist Famine song
  19. ^ Aiden McGeady[dead link] 4TheGame
  20. ^ "McGeady furthers his footballing education". Irish Independent. 22 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010. 
  21. ^ "Rep of Ireland 2–1 Macedonia". BBC Sport. 2010-03-26. Retrieved 2011-03-29. 
  22. ^ "Republic on course for Euro 2012". skysports.com (SkySports). 7 October 2011. 
  23. ^ "Republic of Ireland on verge of Euro 2012 as Keane helps thrash Estonia". guardian.co.uk. 12 November 2011. 
  24. ^ "Euro 2012 squad". irishtimes.com. 8 May 2012. 

External links [edit]

FC Spartak Moscow – current squad
Republic of Ireland squad – UEFA Euro 2012
Republic of Ireland
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