Gary Breen facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Patrick Breen | ||
| Date of birth | 12 December 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Hendon, London, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Charlton Athletic | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1990–1991 | Charlton Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | Maidstone United | 19 | (0) |
| 1992–1994 | Gillingham | 51 | (0) |
| 1994–1996 | Peterborough United | 69 | (1) |
| 1996–1997 | Birmingham City | 40 | (2) |
| 1997–2002 | Coventry City | 146 | (2) |
| 2002–2003 | West Ham United | 14 | (0) |
| 2003–2006 | Sunderland | 107 | (7) |
| 2006–2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 59 | (1) |
| 2008–2010 | Barnet | 47 | (0) |
| Total | 552 | (13) | |
| National team | |||
| 1996–2006 | Republic of Ireland | 63 | (7) |
| 1992–1995 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 9 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2009–2010 | Barnet (assistant) | ||
|
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Gary Patrick Breen is a former professional football player. He was born on December 12, 1973. Gary played as a defender, specifically a centre back. He played over 500 games in his 20-year career. He played for many clubs, including Coventry City and Sunderland. Gary was born in England but played for the Republic of Ireland national team. He played 63 games for his country. He even scored a goal in the 2002 FIFA World Cup!
Contents
Gary Breen's Club Journey
Gary Breen started his football journey as a young player. He joined Charlton Athletic but didn't play for their main team. His first professional game was at age 17 for Maidstone United.
Moving Up in Football
After one season, Gary moved to Gillingham. He became a regular player there. His good performance caught the eye of Peterborough United. They paid £70,000 to sign him.
Gary only played one full season at Peterborough United. But he played so well that Birmingham City wanted him. They paid £250,000 for him in February 1996.
Less than a year later, Gary moved again. He joined Premier League team Coventry City. This was a big move, costing £2.5 million. He played for Coventry City for five full seasons. Four of those seasons were in the top football league.
New Teams and Challenges
After the 2002 World Cup, Gary joined West Ham United. He moved for free, meaning no transfer fee was paid. He played 18 games for them. However, he left when the team was moved down to a lower league.
His old Ireland manager, Mick McCarthy, then signed him. Gary joined Sunderland also on a free transfer.
Later, Gary joined Wolverhampton Wanderers. He signed a two-year deal, again reuniting with manager Mick McCarthy. He played almost every game in his first season. The team even reached the play-offs. He scored one goal against Luton Town.
Gary became the captain for Wolves in the 2007–08 season. However, he missed several months due to an injury.
Later Career and Coaching
In December 2008, Gary joined Barnet as a player and coach. In July 2009, he signed a new contract. He became a player and assistant manager at the club.
Gary once shared an interesting story. He said he had agreed to join Inter Milan after the 2002 World Cup. But he didn't pass the medical check. He had also been linked with a move to Barcelona. Gary left Barnet in June 2010.
In June 2013, Gary Breen became the first-team coach for Peterborough United.
Gary Breen's International Career
Gary's great playing at Birmingham City led to him being called up for the Republic of Ireland national team. On May 29, 1996, he played his first game. He came on as a substitute in a friendly match against Portugal.
Three days later, Gary started his first game for Ireland. It was a friendly match against Croatia. He played for 74 minutes. Just two days after that, he scored his first goal for his country! It was against the Netherlands.
Gary's strong performances at Coventry City helped him keep his spot in the national team. He played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Ireland made it to the second round of the tournament. Gary scored a goal in Ireland's 3–0 win against Saudi Arabia during the group stage.
Honours
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 Football League Championship
See also
In Spanish: Gary Breen para niños
- List of Republic of Ireland international footballers born outside the Republic of Ireland
