Glenn Whelan facts for kids
Whelan with the Republic of Ireland squad at UEFA Euro 2012
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Glenn David Whelan | ||
| Date of birth | 13 January 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||
| Playing position | Defensive Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Wigan Athletic (first team coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2001 | Cherry Orchard | ||
| 2001 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2004 | Manchester City | 0 | (0) |
| 2003 | → Bury (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | → Bury (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2004–2008 | Sheffield Wednesday | 142 | (12) |
| 2008–2017 | Stoke City | 291 | (5) |
| 2017–2019 | Aston Villa | 68 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | Heart of Midlothian | 15 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Fleetwood Town | 34 | (0) |
| 2021 | Wythenshawe Amateurs | 4 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Bristol Rovers | 43 | (0) |
| Total | 610 | (19) | |
| National team | |||
| 2000 | Republic of Ireland U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2002–2005 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 19 | (2) |
| 2007 | Republic of Ireland B | 1 | (0) |
| 2008–2019 | Republic of Ireland | 91 | (2) |
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Glenn David Whelan (born 13 January 1984) is a former professional footballer from Ireland. He played as a defensive midfielder, a player who helps protect the defense. Glenn also proudly represented the Republic of Ireland national football team. Today, he works as a first-team coach at Wigan Athletic.
Whelan began his career at Manchester City. He only played one game for them in the UEFA Cup. After a short loan spell at Bury, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday. There, he helped the team get promoted to the Championship in May 2005.
In January 2008, Whelan joined Stoke City for £500,000. He helped Stoke get promoted to the Premier League. It took him a little while to become a regular player under manager Tony Pulis. But by 2009, he was a key part of the team. He even played in the 2011 FA Cup final, where Stoke lost 1–0 to his old club, Manchester City.
Glenn Whelan played for Stoke for nine years, appearing in 338 games. After leaving Stoke, he joined Aston Villa in July 2017. Then, he moved to Hearts in August 2019.
Contents
Early Life in Dublin
Glenn Whelan was born in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up in an area called Clondalkin. He went to St. Lorcan's Boys' National School as a child.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Manchester City
Whelan started his football journey with Manchester City in 2001. He joined them from an Irish youth club called Cherry Orchard. He played only one game for Manchester City. This was in the UEFA Cup in August 2003.
After that, he went on a one-month loan to Bury in September 2003. He later returned to Bury for another loan spell. In total, he played 15 games for Bury. His performances caught the eye of Sheffield Wednesday's manager.
Success at Sheffield Wednesday
Glenn Whelan joined Sheffield Wednesday for free in the summer of 2004. He played his first game for them in August. In his second match, he helped set up a goal and earned praise from his manager. He scored his first goal for Wednesday in a league game against Walsall.
In the 2004–05 season, Sheffield Wednesday finished 5th in their league. They won their play-off games to reach the final. Whelan was named "man of the match" in the final against Hartlepool United. He scored the winning goal, helping Wednesday get promoted!
After promotion, Whelan sometimes acted as captain. He played 46 games in the 2005–06 season, helping Wednesday stay in the Championship. In 2006, he was briefly put on the transfer list, but the new manager, Brian Laws, kept him. Whelan then had a great season, scoring seven goals and winning several "player of the year" awards for the club.
In January 2008, Sheffield Wednesday received a £500,000 offer from Stoke City for Whelan. They accepted the offer.
Becoming a Star at Stoke City
Whelan joined Stoke City on January 30, 2008. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract. He played his first game for Stoke in February 2008. He scored his first goal for Stoke in April 2008. Whelan played 14 games in the 2007–08 season as Stoke finished second and were promoted to the Premier League.
He started Stoke's first Premier League match. At first, he didn't play much, but he worked hard to get back into the team. By December 2008, he was linked with other clubs, but he wanted to stay at Stoke. He became a very important player in Stoke's fight to stay in the Premier League.
Whelan scored a last-minute goal against Aston Villa in March 2009. He signed a new four-year contract with Stoke in September 2009. He scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season against Tottenham Hotspur, giving Stoke a 1–0 win. He also scored against Manchester City.
He played his 100th game for Stoke in January 2011. Whelan played a key role in Stoke reaching their first FA Cup Final. He played in the 2011 FA Cup Final, where Stoke lost to Manchester City.
Whelan scored a rare goal for Stoke in the UEFA Europa League in August 2011. In January 2012, his manager, Tony Pulis, said he wanted Whelan to sign a new contract. Pulis praised Whelan's determination. Whelan signed a new contract, saying he was "loving life" at the club.
In March 2012, Whelan played his 37th international game for Ireland while at Stoke. This meant he had played more international games than any other Stoke player, beating Gordon Banks' record. Stoke signed new midfielders in 2012, but Whelan kept his place in the team. He played 34 games in the 2012–13 season.
When Mark Hughes became manager in 2013, Whelan hoped the team's style of play would help them score more goals. He quickly became a regular player under Hughes. Whelan played 36 games in the 2013–14 season, which he called his best for the club.
In October 2014, Whelan fractured his leg while playing for Ireland. He returned to the team in December 2014. He signed a two-year contract extension in January 2015. Whelan played 30 games in 2014–15. His teammates praised him as the team's "unsung hero."
Whelan continued to be a key player in the 2015–16 season, playing 42 games. He also filled in as captain when the regular captain was injured. He played his 300th game for Stoke in March 2016.
Before the 2016–17 season, Whelan signed a one-year contract extension. He played 31 games that season. He was honest about the team's performance, saying they were "disappointed" with giving away "sloppy goals."
Moving to Aston Villa
Glenn Whelan joined Aston Villa on July 20, 2017. He signed a two-year contract for £1 million. He scored his first goal for Aston Villa in February 2018. Whelan played 35 games in the 2017–18 season. He helped Villa reach the play-off final, but they lost.
He played 38 games in the 2018–19 season. Villa reached the play-off final again and won this time, beating Derby County 2–1. At the end of the season, Villa did not renew his contract.
Short Spells at Hearts and Fleetwood
On August 14, 2019, Whelan joined Scottish Premiership team Heart of Midlothian (Hearts). He left the club in January 2020 after a new manager took over.
Whelan then signed a short-term deal with League One club Fleetwood Town on January 24, 2020. He stayed with them until the end of the season.
Final Playing Days at Bristol Rovers
On September 4, 2021, Whelan joined League Two club Bristol Rovers. He signed a one-year deal. He made his debut for the club on September 11, 2021.
The 2021–22 season ended with Whelan earning his fourth career promotion! Bristol Rovers won 7–0 on the final day of the season. This amazing win moved them into an automatic promotion spot. He was released at the end of the season but returned a few weeks later as a first-team coach. He was also registered as a player if needed.
Whelan played his final game as a professional footballer on the last day of the 2022–23 season. He was substituted off to a standing ovation from the fans. He then continued his role as a full-time coach at the club.
International Career
Glenn Whelan played for the Republic of Ireland's youth teams. In October 2000, he played for the Under-16 national team. He also played for the Republic of Ireland Under-20 team in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. He was captain of the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team many times, playing 19 games for them.
He made his debut for the senior Republic of Ireland team in May 2008. He scored his first international goal against Georgia in September 2008. Under manager Giovanni Trapattoni, Whelan became a very important player for the national team.
He scored his second goal for Ireland against Italy in October 2009. It was a spectacular shot from almost 25 yards! Whelan played in both games when Ireland was controversially knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers by France.
Whelan was a constant presence in Ireland's midfield during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying games. He helped the team qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. He was part of the 23-man squad for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Ireland had a tough tournament and lost all three of their group games.
Whelan earned his 50th cap for Ireland in August 2013 against Wales. He also represented the national team at Euro 2016. There, Ireland lost to France in the round of 16.
In October 2019, Whelan earned his 90th cap against Switzerland. This made him the ninth most capped Irish player of all time.
Coaching Career
In October 2022, Glenn Whelan joined the coaching team for the Republic of Ireland Under-16s. This was for the Victory Shield competition.
After coaching at Bristol Rovers, Whelan left the club in December 2023. This happened after a new manager was appointed.
In September 2024, he was named the new first-team coach at EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Personal Life
Glenn Whelan grew up in Dublin and was a fan of Liverpool Football Club. His football hero was Paul McGrath. When he lived in Dublin, he often watched games of League of Ireland team St Patrick's Athletic. He says Paul Osam was his favorite player from that team and inspired him to play football.
Glenn is married to Karren. They have a daughter named Abbie and a son named Jack. The family lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
Honours
Sheffield Wednesday
- Football League One play-offs: 2005
Stoke City
- Football League Championship runner-up: 2007–08
- FA Cup runner-up: 2010–11
Aston Villa
- EFL Championship play-offs: 2019
Bristol Rovers
- EFL League Two third-place promotion: 2021–22
Republic of Ireland
- Nations Cup: 2011
Individual
- Sheffield Wednesday Player of the Year: 2007
- FAI Under 21 International Player of the Year: 2004
See also
In Spanish: Glenn Whelan para niños
