Fulham defender Steve Finnan may not be a household name yet but he has
come a long way since a rejection from Crystal Palace almost dumped him
on football's scrap heap nine years ago.
The 25-year-old has been in sparkling form for the Premiership side this
season and his assured performances have attracted appreciative glances
from several managers. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, for
example, is thought to rate the rightback highly. He has made no approach,
but is said to want him to replace Phil Neville, probably his team's weakest
link.
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Steve Finnan has won his way through from
the Conference to being a top Premiership and Eire defender
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Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy also appears to be on the verge
of making him his first choice in that position for his country's World
Cup finals campaign this summer.
But as Finnan prepares to press his case for the Irish in their friendly
against Russia at Lansdowne Road in Dublin tomorrow, he knows how lucky
he is to have got this far.
He said: "I was with Palace as a boy but they released me at 16 and
I thought that might be my last chance of doing anything in the game. "If
Welling had not been starting their first year of taking on YTS players
then I don't know what I would have done. "They were my last option
and if it had not come off with them I'd have probably gone to college and
got a trade."
As it was, Finnan learned his trade amid the rough and tumble of the Conference.
He was playing as a midfielder then and caught the eye of bargain-hunter
Barry Fry, who signed him as a teenager for Birmingham for £100,000
in 1995. The move didn't entirely work out and Finnan was loaned out to
Notts County and eventually earned himself a £300,000 transfer in
1996.
During his stay at the County Ground, the Limerick-born player was called
up for Ireland's Under-21 squad. At the time he thought nothing of giving
up his qualification to play for England, where he has lived most of his
life, as his chances of doing so seemed slim.
He was playing in Division Two and could not have predicted that he would
be transferred to Fulham during one of their most exciting periods. Finnan
made that £600,000 move in 1998 when Kevin Keegan was in charge and
after helping them achieve two promotions, he has been converted into a
right-back by manager Jean Tigana. In his new role he has proved safe defensively,
dealing well with the Premiership's top wide men including Ryan Giggs, Harry
Kewell and Robert Pires, and been impressive going forward.
Had he retained his qualification to play for England it might not have
been just Ferguson looking to him as the way of improving his defence.
But Finnan said: "I was 19 when I was called up and it was a great
chance for me. I have never regretted my decision. "I have never once
thought that if I had waited I could have played for England, even though
people have mentioned it to me."
Even as a young Second Division player, Finnan says he always believed
he was capable of doing well but the success he is experiencing now was
something he only dreamed about.
A lot of credit must go to Tigana for converting him into a full-back
but a knee injury to Tottenham's Stephen Carr also opened the way for
him to claim a place in Ireland's squad heading for Japan and South Korea
in May.
Finnan added: "You concentrate on your club football at this stage
of the season but as the finals get closer there is more talk about it and
it is in the back of your mind. "The thought of playing in the World
Cup can give you that bit extra in your game but the main thing is to look
after yourself and stay in form."