Shay Given Natasha Mac A'bháird
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Shay Given ISBN 978-1-78849-258-4 eBook ISBN 978-1-78849-299-7 Natasha Mac a’Bháird Teaching Guide By Peter Heaney RATIONALE & THEMES Cup final, Shay’s dad used his contacts to for an Irish goalkeeper and a stellar career at alert the Premier club scouts and ensure the top tier in the Premier League. This is an exciting story following a young they attended to watch Shay play. boy from the small Donegal town of Lifford APPROACH who dreams of keeping goal for Ireland. His Shay impressed and received offers of journey takes him to the heights of European apprenticeships from Scottish and English This biography highlights the determination and World Cup qualification and recalls the clubs. needed for any sporting skill to develop and ‘glory days’ when Irish footballers and their With his dad’s advice, the decision to leave illustrates how participation in sport can fans challenged the giants of the game. school early and pursue a football career encourage resilience. Shay collected trophies in a long and was made and he accepted an offer to go It appeals generally and provides many successful playing career in the English to Glasgow Celtic. However, after two years opportunities for discussion around the Premier League, where his achievements and unfavourable terms to sign for the club, pivotal points in the story. Shay left to return to Lifford. and skill matched the best in the world. The themes sit firmly within the remit of the The themes explored are: His return home was short lived and another SPHE and PDMU guidelines. offer took him to Blackburn Rovers, followed Dedication and commitment Development can be more effectively quickly with a call to join the national squad Winning and losing facilitated with small-group discussion. Making choices just as Mick McCarthy took over from Jack The guide has been divided into three Sportsmanship Charlton as manager. sections to reflect the development of the Loyalty The beginning of McCarthy’s tenure was story. Choosing priorities disappointing for the team with a string of Dealing with disappointment mediocre results and Shay was unable to Rivalry hold on to the first-choice goalie position on Section 1 Dishonesty a regular basis. A Young Footballer Team spirit Another club move took Shay to Newcastle Pages 7 - 55 SUMMARY and a famous night in the Champions League when they beat Barcelona. However, SUMMARY Shay was born to be a goalkeeper. Brought disappointment brought him back to earth The prologue describes a torrid night in up playing with his three brothers, football when they finished runners-up to Arsenal in Tehran when Ireland qualify for the World was as natural for him as breathing. With the FA Cup. Cup in Japan. his front garden as a stadium, he imagined In Saipan, Shay watched incredulous as the himself saving thundering shots from all his The story proper opens when Shay is a child. infamous dispute between the captain and Premier club heroes. The Given household is lively for young Shay the manager unfolded and their campaign and his brothers and football is always their Shay was only fifteen years old when he was was derailed again. first choice for entertainment. selected to play in goals for Lifford Celtic, his Injury began to define Shay’s career and local senior team. His dad, also a goalie, was Shay’s dad is also a goalie and it is his when he moved to Man City, he finally got delighted and predicted that Shay would support that helps to direct Shay to follow an FA Cup medal as the reserve keeper. play for Ireland before he reached twenty. in his footsteps. International heartbreak struck again with At school, Shay kept goal for the school teams. Travelling to watch Ireland play in Dublin the hand of Thierry Henry and Shay’s During the All-Ireland U-18 final he had a their dad arranges for them all to meet the playing career entered its endgame when he terrible game and suffered the humiliation Irish team and Shay is thrilled to meet his retired from international duty. of being substituted. The following week in hero Packie Bonner, imagining himself the U-16 final he redeemed himself with a Martin O’Neill, the new Irish manager, repeating the famous penalty save that took terrific performance and the school lifted the persuaded him out of retirement, however, Ireland into the 1990 World Cup quarter trophy. time was not on his side and he stepped finals. aside into a coaching role at Derby County When Lifford Celtic played the FAI Junior Later at a local summer soccer school, Packie after a record number of international caps Shay Given 1 Teaching Guide gives the first indication of Shay’s potential. completely. Parents on the sidelines can do when you leave school. What ambitions This is followed by an invitation to play for be a problem when they disagree with would you like to achieve before your the local senior side Lifford Celtic. a coach’s decision. How can this affect twentieth birthday? Still only fifteen, Shay plays striker for his the team? Who has the final say and how Create a short list illustrated in cartoon style school team, however, when the regular should a complaint be dealt with? of your ambitions explaining how you think goalie is injured Shay is moved into goal and that you’ll achieve them. ACTIVITIES makes the role his own. 6. M.O.T.M. (Read p45) When the school reach the All-Ireland U-18 1. Respect (Read pp7-8) His school are All-Ireland U-16 champions final, Shay makes an early mistake and is The Iranian fans behave terribly and show no and Shay has been awarded M.O.T.M. (Man substituted. His dad is incandescent and respect for the Irish players. Their experience of the Match). threatens to withdraw him from the team. of Tehran is one that they will never forget. The U-16 final is the following weekend His dad is delighted, but particularly pleased and Shay is allowed to play, pulling off a The team decide to write a letter to complain with the comments that are attached to the spectacular save that secures the trophy for to the Iranian Football Association about award. their fans’ intimidating behaviour. the school. Make a copy of the report that was included Lifford Celtic have made it to the finals of the What should they say and how strong should with the award. FAI Junior Cup and his dad uses his contacts the tone of the letter be? 7. Scouts (Read pp47-49) to ensure that Premier League scouts attend. Can you help them to write the letter? His strategy is successful and Shay is offered scoilnet.ie/uploads/resources/36391/36193. Although Lifford Celtic lose, Shay’s a number of apprenticeships. pdf performance is impressive and the Premier League scouts who attended the match Accepting an invitation to train with the team theredcard.ie/teachers/ email their reports to their clubs. on a visit to Dublin, the decision is made to 2. The Game (Read p12) join Glasgow Celtic as an apprentice and at Shortly afterwards, offers of apprenticeships Shay and his brothers have created a football sixteen years of age, Shay leaves for Glasgow arrive for Shay. game to suit the number of players they with his dad’s prediction ringing in his ears, Make a copy of three of the reports. Try to have. that he will be playing for Ireland before he make the language and tone different for is twenty. In groups, create a new football game for an each of them, while making it clear their ODD number (<10) of players. impressions of Shay and his potential. DISCUSSION POINTS Create an exciting, illustrated poster, (Read p9): When Shay saves the shot explaining the rules and scoring. You’ll have Section 2 from Karim Bagheri, he believes it to to decide on an appealing name for it. be a pivotal moment. What is a pivotal Saipan moment in a game? How would you 3. The Keeper (Read p16) Pages 56 - 119 recognize one and what effect would it Soccer and Gaelic players need a range of have? Give an example and explain how skills; however, a goalkeeper needs an extra SUMMARY a pivotal moment affected a game that set for moving, handling the ball and reading Despite his school’s advice to finish his you were playing. the game. education first, his dad encourages him to (Read pp17-20): Shay’s brother Liam In groups, identify five extra mental and accept Celtic’s apprenticeship offer and is a fan of The Smiths and decides to physical skills that the goalie needs and Shay sets off for Glasgow. change his appearance to look like Elvis. rank them, with an explanation, in order of Why do we copy our heroes? Is this a He finds Glasgow a challenge and is importance. healthy thing to do? How easily can we homesick and after two years, when Celtic wikihow.com/Be-a-Soccer-Goalie be influenced by what our heroes do or offer him unattractive terms to join them as a assets.ngin.com/attachments/ say? How can you make sure that your player, he decides to return to Lifford. document/0040/3453/7_Skills_a_ decisions are truly your own? webwise.ie/ Goalkeeper_Really_Should_Master.pdf He doesn’t have to wait long for other clubs teachers/lockers-lesson-5/ to show interest and when Blackburn offer (Read pp34-35): Shay is not really 4. Family (Read pp19-21) him a contract, he accepts.