JOHN O'SHEA: GENIUS OR JOURNEYMAN
Genius: a personification or embodiment especially of a quality or condition
When John Francis O'Shea made his full Manchester United debut in a West Ham he was hailed as the next potential star to graduate from the much lauded Old Trafford academy.The man who would breathe new life into a stagnating Irish midfield, the eventual successor to Roy Keane's throne. O'Shea seemed to have the footballing world at his feet, after a nomination for PFA Young Player of the Year in 2003 (only to lose out to Newcastle's Jermaine Jenas). Playing at full-back he possessed the confidence, ability and skill to rampage up the field, a New Age Celtic marauder in the Denis Irwin mould.
Although he conceded a late penalty on his international debut for Ireland against Croatia (the beginning of an error ridden international career, which makes it all the more surprising that he has so far amassed over 40 caps and says little of Ireland's strength in depth.) his stature increased as he was marked as one for the future.
With each passing month he proved to be an extremely versatile asset to Alex Ferguson's side, appearing on the left wing, at full back, centre back and central midfield. The '02/'03 season was as successful a full debut season as any young defensive player can hope to have, particularly at a club of the size and stature of the Manchester giants, ending it with a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination, as well as the audacious nutmegging of Portuguese legend Luis Figo during a Champion's League match against the galacticos of Real Madrid
Since that golden debut season, O'Shea has flattered to deceive with a series of inept and lacklustre performances only periodically showing glimpses of the form that originally brought him to prominence. The arrival of Argentinean left back Gabriel Heinze and French full back Patrice Evra has put further pressure on O'Shea who in 2005 was one of the Man Utd players famously lambasted by then captain Roy Keane for his performance in a match against Middlesbrough.
O'Shea's "utility man" tag may be the problem. While his versatility is seen as an asset by his managers at both club and international level, with Alex Ferguson commenting in December 2004,
"For two and a half years we played him all the time in different positions, sometimes with injuries, simply because we had to."
It has also been a curse with the 26 year old Waterford native unable to nail down a single position to call his own. This irony was not lost on O'Shea himself when he said in 2004.
"I began my career as a midfielder, but made my first team debut as a centre-half and it looked like I would stay there…… then I was used at left-back, now I'm in midfield again…… but I have to pin down one position sooner or later or I might not be in the side at all"
But John O'Shea is not the first player to suffer detrimentally from the "utility man" tag. Aston villa skipper Gareth Barry's versatility as a centre-back, left-back and left-sided midfielder seem to have hindered his quest for a regular place in the England squad, despite the fact the left side of midfield has been a problem position for England for a number of years. In contrast to O'Shea however, Barry seems settled in a left midfield position only occasionally filling in at left-back when injuries dictate. His performances of late have grown from this and he earned a recall to the national team for the recent friendly against Spain at Old Trafford.
However is this entirely the fault of O'Shea? The quality coming through the ranks of Man Utd youth set up are not near the quality of the group of player that graduated in the early to mid nineties, Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Neville, the names alone deserve to be respected for what each has achieved in the red of Man Utd. In may 2000 Alex Ferguson admitted as much.
"We had a dry spell for a couple of years…..at some stage you have to let the system unchoke and allow it to breathe again……we are pleased at the standard that is coming through, we are back on track a little bit…….the likes of the Stewarts, O'Sheas, Roches and Fletchers look like they could get into the first team eventually"
This proved to be a false dawn however, Stewart and Roche have moved on and while Fletcher is a member of the first team squad he like O'Shea is struggling to hold down a regular starting place. The fact that Utd's three most talented players under 26 are all imports, Wayne Rooney from Everton, Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon and Park Ji Sung from PSV Eindhoven at a cost to the club of almost €70million, tells it's own story.
So too of O'Shea, a false dawn, he seems to have settled for a bit part role for now and there is many a player in the Premiership who would quickly swap places with him. Come June, O'Shea will have added another league title, perhaps another FA cup and, made another appearance in the semi-finals of the if the Champions League, as well as closing in on his 50th cap for his country. Not bad for a cameo performer struggling for form.Perhaps O'Shea will rethink his position in the summer, before he reaches his prime lest he spends it as a bit actor scrapping for bit part roles.
Journeyman: an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer especially as distinguished from one who is brilliant or colourful.