Gary Breen

Football player infobox
playername = Gary Breen


fullname = Gary Patrick Breen
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1973|12|12
cityofbirth = Hendon, London
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=1
currentclub = Unattached
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs = Charlton Athletic
years = 1990–1991
1991–1992
1992–1994
1994–1996
1996–1997
1997–2002
2002–2003
2003–2006
2006–2008
clubs = Charlton Athletic
Maidstone United
Gillingham
Peterborough United
Birmingham City
Coventry City
West Ham United
Sunderland
Wolverhampton Wanderers
caps(goals) = 000 (0)
019 (0)
051 (0)
069 (1)
040 (2)
146 (2)
014 (0)
107 (7)
059 (1)
nationalyears = 1996–2006
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 063 (7)
pcupdate = 12:25, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

Gary Patrick Breen (born December 12, 1973 in Hendon, London) is an Irish footballer. He is currently without a club, having been released by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Career

Breen 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.

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. His form here won him a call-up to the Ireland team, and he made his international debut on 2 June 1996 in a 2-2 friendly draw with Croatia.

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, and cemented his place in his national side, playing at the 2002 World Cup as they made the second round under Mick McCarthy. He scored in their 3-0 first-round win against Saudi Arabia, and played every minute of their campaign.

Following the World Cup, Breen joined fc|West Ham United on a free transfer, but left the club after relegation from the top flight and only 14 appearances. He was signed by his old Ireland manager Mick McCarthy for Sunderland, where he was later to become captain. Here, he won promotion to the Premier League as champions in 2004/05, having lost in the play-offs the previous season.

However, they were swiftly relegated and club captain Breen was released by the club. This relegation with Sunderland, meant Breen held the distinction of being relegated with three different Premier League teams (Coventry, West Ham, Sunderland).

Breen was subsequently signed by Wolves in a two-year deal, reuniting him with Mick McCarthy. He played almost all the club's games as they reached the play-offs in his first season at Molineux. This season also saw him end his international career after 63 caps, as he retired after not being selected for a friendly against the Netherlands in August 2006 by recently-appointed manager Steve Staunton.

He was made Wolves' club captain for the 2007/08 season, but ended up missing several months through injury. He was involved in an after-match bust-up with his manager in March 2008 [cite web | title = McCarthy and Breen in bust-up | publisher =Express & Star | date =2008-03-06| url =http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/03/06/mccarthy-and-breen-in-bust-up/] and was released at the conclusion of the season as the club missed out on the play-offs on goal difference.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=949|name=Gary Breen
* [http://www.uptheposh.com/people/1141/ Profile] at [http://www.uptheposh.com/ UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database]