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) | ||
| Position(s) | 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) | |
| International career | |||
| 1996–2006 | Republic of Ireland | 63 | (7) |
| 1992–1995 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 9 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009–2010 | Barnet (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gary Patrick Breen (born December 12, 1973) is a former professional footballer. He played as a centre back (a defender) for many different clubs. Over his 20-year career, he played in over 500 games. He was a key player for clubs like Coventry City and Sunderland. Even though he was born in England, Gary Breen played for the Republic of Ireland. He represented his country 63 times. He even scored a goal in the exciting 2002 FIFA World Cup!
Contents
Gary Breen's Club Journey
Gary Breen was born in Hendon, London. He started his football journey as a young player at Charlton Athletic. However, he didn't play any first-team games there.
Early Career and First Steps
Instead, Gary moved to Maidstone United. He played his first league game at just 17 years old. After one full season, he joined Gillingham. There, he became a regular player in the first team. This led to Peterborough United offering £70,000 to sign him.
He only spent one full season at Peterborough United. But he played so well that Birmingham City, a team in the Football League First Division, bought him for £250,000 in February 1996.
Playing in the Premier League
Less than a year after joining Birmingham, Gary moved again. This time, he joined Premier League club Coventry City in a big £2.5 million deal. He played for five full seasons at Highfield Road, Coventry's home ground. Four of those seasons were in the top league.
Later Club Moves
After the 2002 World Cup, Gary Breen joined West Ham United for free. He played 18 games for them. He then moved to Sunderland, where he reunited with his former Ireland manager, Mick McCarthy.
Gary later signed a two-year deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He joined McCarthy again there. He played almost every game in his first season as the team reached the play-offs. He scored one goal against Luton Town.
He became the captain for Wolves in the 2007–08 season. However, he missed several months due to an injury.
Player-Coach Role
In December 2008, Gary joined Barnet as a player-coach. In July 2009, he signed a new contract to become a player and assistant manager at the club.
Gary Breen left Barnet in June 2010. In June 2013, he was appointed first-team coach of Peterborough United.
Gary Breen's International Career
Gary Breen's good performances at Birmingham City earned him a call-up to the Republic of Ireland national team.
Debut and First Goal
On May 29, 1996, he made his debut. He came on as a substitute in the last minutes of a friendly game against Portugal. Three days later, Gary started his first game for Ireland in a friendly match against Croatia. He scored his first goal for his country two days after that. He opened the scoring in a game against the Netherlands.
World Cup Heroics
Gary's strong play at Coventry City helped him keep his spot in the national team. He played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup under manager Mick McCarthy. 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.
Awards and Recognition
Individual Awards
- PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 Football League Championship (This award means he was chosen as one of the best players in his league that season.)
See also
In Spanish: Gary Breen para niños
- List of Republic of Ireland international footballers born outside the Republic of Ireland
