Is rejuvenated Foran the man for
Stan?
 By John
Carey
Given Ireland’s poor record in front of goals in recent months
manager Steve Staunton could do worse than looking north towards Motherwell’s
26-year-old Richie Foran for cover up front.
The former Carlisle United and Shelbourne striker has resurrected his
career at Fir Park already netting six goals for the struggling outfit
this season.
After signing for Carlisle United for £100,000 in August 2001 Foran’s
career took a nose dive as he combined bouts of brilliance on the field
with controversy off it.
The Dubliner has come a long way since his switch from Shelbourne where
his rap sheet included five sendings-off in his first season and a six-game
ban. A £150,000 move to Aberdeen collapsed when he was sent home
from a Republic of Ireland Under-21 excursion for breaking a curfew which
incensed manager Don Givens.
Givens said at the time: “Richie has a lot of talent but that baggage
that comes with him is hard to take and in this instance it was too much
for me. I’ve shown a lot of patience with Richie. He also has a
bad disciplinary record on the pitch and has been someone who lives on
the limit. I hope the penny has finally dropped with Richie that he let
everyone down.
“I will never select him again and Mick McCarthy (senior team manager
at the time) who has given me full authority agrees. I’m not in
the business of ruining young players’ careers. Richie’s doing
a good enough job on his own. Richie has ability of that there is no doubt
but that’s balanced out by a chunk of baggage he could do without.
I honestly don’t know if he can change.”
Initially after signing for Carlisle Foran impressed Roddy Collins and
helped in the club’s annual relegation battle. However his persistent
injury problems and scrapes with officialdom meant that his time in the
north-east of England was short lived. Foran also faced a charge for actual
bodily harm after an incident in a Carlisle nightclub as his career teetered
on extinction.
The move to Motherwell came as an unlikely lifeline. Now more focused
and prolific his goalscoring record in the Scottish Cup so far this season
has caught the eye of some bigger clubs north and south of the border.
Foran scored twice in the first quarter-hour to help Motherwell to a CIS
Insurance Cup victory over First Division side Partick Thistle and he
also scored a hat-trick, his first in British football, which sent Queen’s
Park crashing out of the CIS Scottish Cup.
His exploits have been hailed by manager Maurice Malpas who said: “Richie
always goes back for more chances, when he plays well no-one gets the
ball off him and I would like to see more of that.”
Richie also helped in Motherwell’s recent five-goal win against
Kilmarnock when he scored a sensational goal after only 15 minutes which
helped his side gain valuable Premiership points.
Now settled in Scotland Foran is enjoying his football and has integrated
well even writing a weekly article for the Daily Record newspaper.
Foran said once in 2001: “I have been built up to be a bit mad in
the head but I’m not that bad. I know I have to cop on, though.
I do bring trouble to myself. I have to get my head down and work hard.”
Maturing with every passing season and now valued at almost £1million
in some sectors it seems Foran has learnt from his mistakes. Is now the
time for Steve Staunton to bring him back in from the international wilderness?
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