Gary Breen

{{Short description|Ireland international footballer (born 1973)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gary Breen

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Gary Patrick Breen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|12|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hendon, London, England

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}{{cite book |editor-last=Sewell |editor-first=Albert |title=News of the World Football Annual 1996–97 |publisher=Invincible Press |location=London |date=1996 |page=401 |isbn=978-0-00-218737-4}}

| position = Centre back

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Charlton Athletic

| years1 = 1990–1991

| clubs1 = Charlton Athletic

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1991–1992

| clubs2 = Maidstone United

| caps2 = 19

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1992–1994

| clubs3 = Gillingham

| caps3 = 51

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1994–1996

| clubs4 = Peterborough United

| caps4 = 69

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1996–1997

| clubs5 = Birmingham City

| caps5 = 40

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 1997–2002

| clubs6 = Coventry City

| caps6 = 146

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2002–2003

| clubs7 = West Ham United

| caps7 = 14

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2003–2006

| clubs8 = Sunderland

| caps8 = 107

| goals8 = 7

| years9 = 2006–2008

| clubs9 = Wolverhampton Wanderers

| caps9 = 59

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2008–2010

| clubs10 = Barnet

| caps10 = 47

| goals10 = 0

| totalcaps = 552

| totalgoals = 13

| nationalyears1 = 1996–2006

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland

| nationalcaps1 = 63

| nationalgoals1 = 7

| nationalyears2 = 1992–1995

| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U21

| nationalcaps2 = 9

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2009–2010

| managerclubs1 = Barnet (assistant)

}}

Gary Patrick Breen (born 12 December 1973) is a former footballer who made more than 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League. A centre back, Breen played for numerous clubs over a 20-year career, including more than 100 appearances each for Coventry City and Sunderland. Born in England, he won 63 caps for the Republic of Ireland. He played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring in Ireland's 3–0 victory over Saudi Arabia.

Club career

Breen was born in Hendon, London, and began his professional career as a youth player at Charlton Athletic, but never made a first-team appearance for the club. Instead, he moved to Maidstone United where he played his first league game at age 17. After one full season with the club he joined Gillingham where he eventually became a first-team regular, prompting a £70,000 bid from Peterborough United.[http://www.punditarena.com/football/english-football/jkeogh/now-gary-breen/ Where Are They Now? – Gary Breen, Pundit Arena ]

He only had one full season at Peterborough United, but did well enough to draw attention from First Division Birmingham City, who paid £250,000 for him in February 1996. Less than 12 months after arriving at Birmingham, he was on the move again, to Premier League Coventry City in a £2.5 million deal. He played for five full seasons at Highfield Road, four in the top flight.

Following the 2002 World Cup, Breen was signed on a free transfer by West Ham United by manager Glenn Roeder,{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:TND1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=132A8FD7A73B1358&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Roeder's ability persuades Breen to join West Ham |author=Pierson, Mark |newspaper=The Independent |date=30 July 2002 |access-date=4 November 2013}} but left the club after relegation from the top flight and only 18 appearances in all competitions.{{cite web|url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=767&united=Gary_Breen |title=Gary Breen |website=westhamstats.info |access-date=4 November 2013}} He was signed on a free transfer by his old Ireland manager Mick McCarthy for Sunderland.

Breen was subsequently signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers in a two-year deal, reuniting him again with McCarthy. He played almost all the club's games as they reached the play-offs in his first season at Molineux, scoring once, against Luton Town.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6392561.stm |title=Luton 2–3 Wolverhampton |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 March 2007 |access-date=5 February 2010}}

He was made Wolves' club captain for the 2007–08 season,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6934697.stm |title=Wolves name Breen as club captain |publisher=BBC Sport |date=7 August 2007 |access-date=4 November 2013}} but ended up missing several months through injury. He was involved in an after-match confrontation with his manager in March 2008.{{cite news |title=McCarthy and Breen in bust-up |newspaper=Express & Star |place=Wolverhampton |date=6 March 2008 |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/2008/03/06/mccarthy-and-breen-in-bust-up/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501233518/http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/03/06/mccarthy-and-breen-in-bust-up/ |archive-date=1 May 2009}}

In December 2008, he joined Barnet as a player-coach.{{cite news |title=Bees land Breen |publisher=Sky Sports |date=1 December 2008 |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11750/4577150/ |access-date=4 November 2013}} In July 2009 Breen signed a new contract to become player/assistant manager at the club.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8141960.stm |title=Breen named Barnet assistant boss |publisher=BBC Sport |date=9 July 2009 |access-date=4 November 2013}}

On the Goals on Sunday programme on 6 September 2009, Breen revealed that he had agreed to move to Inter Milan after the 2002 World Cup, but failed a medical.{{cite web |url=http://bigredbench.blogspot.com/2009/09/gary-breen-and-inter-milan.html |title=Gary Breen and Inter Milan |date=7 September 2009 |access-date=14 July 2010}} Breen had also been linked with a move to Barcelona.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/feb/21/newsstory.sport1 |title=Gary Breen: Uppity of Upton Park? |date=21 February 2003 |access-date=14 July 2010 |location=London |work=The Guardian |first=Dan |last=Rookwood}} Breen left Barnet in June 2010.{{cite news |url=http://www.times-series.co.uk/sport/8224006.Gary_Breen_leaves_Barnet/ |title=Ex-World Cup star departs Underhill for new challenge |newspaper=Barnet & Potters Bar Times |date=17 June 2010 |access-date=4 November 2013}}

Breen was appointed first-team coach of Peterborough United in June 2013.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22758956 |title=Peterborough United: Gary Breen becomes first-team coach |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 June 2013 |access-date=4 November 2013}}

International career

Breen's form at Birmingham won him a call-up to the Republic of Ireland national team. On 29 May 1996, he made his debut when he replaced Alan Kernaghan in the 88th minute of the 1–0 friendly defeat against Portugal at Lansdowne Road.{{cite news |title=Keane's apology is little comfort |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/keanes-apology-is-little-comfort-1349872.html |work=Independent.co.uk |publisher=The Independent |date=30 May 1996 |access-date=30 June 2014}} Three days later, Breen made his first start in the 2–2 friendly draw with Croatia, he played 74 minutes before being replaced by Tony Cascarino.{{cite news |title=Irish hold Croatia to end losing streak |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/irish-hold-croatia-to-end-losing-streak-1335210.html |work=Independent.co.uk |publisher=The Independent |date=3 June 1996 |access-date=30 June 2014}} He scored his first goal for his country two days later, he opened the scoring in the 3–1 defeat to the Netherlands at De Kuip in Rotterdam.{{cite news |title=Zimbabwe recall Ndlovu brothers for World Cup qualifier |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/zimbabwe-recall-ndlovu-brothers-for-world-cup-qualifier-1335745.html |work=Independent.co.uk |publisher=The Independent |date=6 June 1996 |access-date=30 June 2014}}

Breen's form at Coventry cemented his place in his national side and he played at the 2002 FIFA World Cup as Ireland made the second round under Mick McCarthy. He scored in Ireland's 3–0 group win against Saudi Arabia.{{cite news |title=Ireland stroll into last 16 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/matches_wallchart/saudi_arabia_v_rep_of_ireland/default.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 June 2002 |access-date=30 June 2014}}

Honours

Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 Football League Championship{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4475213.stm |title=Sunderland/Wigan dominate line-up |website=BBC Sport |date=24 April 2005 |access-date=14 January 2023}}

References

External links

{{Soccerbase}}
{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070323191806/http://www.uptheposh.com/people/1141/ Profile]}} at {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205233152/http://www.uptheposh.com/ UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database]}}

Category:1973 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Barnet

Category:People from Hendon

Category:English men's footballers

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:Republic of Ireland men's international footballers

Category:Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers

Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players

Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players

Category:Maidstone United F.C. (1897) players

Category:Gillingham F.C. players