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Wes Hoolahan Announces Interna...

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Wes Hoolahan Announces International Retirement

SPIN 1038
SPIN 1038

11:53 8 Feb 2018


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Wes Hoolahan has announced his retirement from international football.

The Norwich City midfielder insists the time is right to step away from the Republic of Ireland set up with his 36th birthday just three months away.

"It wasn’t an easy decision to make, to retire, but I feel it’s one I had to make," Hoolahan told The Herald.

"I will be 36 soon, I’ll be 38 when the next Euros come around, so it’s time to move aside."

In 2008, the former Shelbourne player earned his first call up to the senior side under Giovanni Trapattoni.

In the Italians second game in charge, he gave the then 26 year old Hoolahan his first international cap as he came off the bench against Colombia.

It would be almost five years until we saw Wes score his first international goal.

In his 3rd appearance, Hoolahan sealed the win against Poland in a world cup qualifier:

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Wes would earn 42 caps for the Republic of Ireland over 10 years, with many feeling his talents were criminally underused.

Two of his undoubted highlights in green came during the 2016 European Championships.

First, a moment of magic against against Sweden:

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The second a sublime cross to set Robbie Brady up for the winner against Italy, which allowed the Republic to progress to the last 16 of the competition:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vQX8Aw_BJF0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 


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