Lamar Neagle has a football association keeping a close eye on him. No, it's not Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States. It is the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and Martin O'Neill that has their eyes on the Seattle Sounders midfielder/forward. The Irish manager admitted last Sunday that he has spent the last few months searching for potential new recruits on the back of capping three English-born players in Rob Elliot, Cyrus Christie, and David McGoldrick.
You may be asking how Neagle can play for Ireland. Well Neagle possesses an Irish passport through his mother, Bridget. Neagle confirmed to MLSsoccer.com on Friday that he did talk to an Irish scout on one occasion and that the connection stems from his grandmother.
"My grandma is from Ireland, and so when I was in college I wasn’t going to the combines, I wasn’t recruited, so [playing in Ireland] was an option,” Neagle said. “My mom filed for her Irish passport and she filed for me to get mine. If they do [give me the opportunity], that’s cool. That’s awesome. I’d love for the opportunity. ... It’d be a credit to the consistent progress that I’ve had over the years. A little late for a guy to be getting his first shot at any national team, but it’s definitely flattering to hear.”
Neagle, 27, is coming off a 2014 season that saw him score nine goals to go along with nine assists in 32 games. He has been a steady producer for the forward/midfield heavy Sounders over the last few years. A call-up to the Irish national team is unlikely to come until after next month’s UEFA European Championship qualifier.
Neagle also knows that any chance to play on the international stage would only benefit him in MLS. “Experience in any other league is going to transfer over,” Neagle said. “Experience anywhere, getting games, training and traveling. That’s why we play this game, to play as many games as possible.”
Nothing is final but it will be something for Sounders fans to keep an eye on this coming year. If Neagle was to receive a call-up and take it, he would add to the list of Sounders players playing on the international state. He would join Clint Dempsey, Marco Pappa, Brad Evans, Obafemi Martins and former Sounder DeAndre Yedlin as players that are currently or have recently played for their respective countries.