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Football

21st Feb 2016

Damien Delaney ready to “do the right thing” and come out of international retirement for Euro 2016

Would you take him back?

Conan Doherty

Interesting.

Damien Delaney is said to be keen on a return to the Republic of Ireland team.

The Crystal Palace centre half announced his international retirement back in August but he has since gone on to start and finish 20 Premier League games so far in this campaign.

Only Glenn Whelan and Seamus Coleman have appeared more times in the list of Irish men playing in the top flight of English football and the Palace ever-present has had increasing backers suggesting he should be included in Martin O’Neill’s squad.

The 34-year-old has featured nine times for his country before but his form of late has intrigued the Irish public and impressed his club manager.

Crystal Palace v Watford - Premier League

 

And Alan Pardew has said that he thinks the Cork native would like to travel with his country to Euro 2016.

“I think he would,” Pardew is quoted in The Sunday Times. “I think he is big enough and bold enough to swallow his pride and do the right thing.

“Delaney is a maverick player. He is not of a norm. They all come with different ingredients and you have to make sure you hit the right buttons with them players.”

His defensive partner at Palace, Scott Dann, also echoed those sentiments.

“I’m sure deep down he would want to play at the Euros,” Dann told The Sunday Times. “He’s good enough to play for Ireland. If he was asked to question, I know what the answer would be.”


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