| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Patrick Breen | ||
| Date of birth | (1973-12-12)12 December 1973 (age 51)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hendon, London, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] | ||
| 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) | |
| 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 12 December 1973) is a formerfootballer who made more than 500 appearances inthe Football League andPremier League. Acentre back, Breen played for numerous clubs over a 20-year career, including more than 100 appearances each forCoventry City andSunderland. Born in England, he won 63 caps for theRepublic of Ireland. He played in the2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring in Ireland's 3–0 victory overSaudi Arabia.
Breen was born inHendon, London, and began his professional career as a youth player atCharlton Athletic, but never made a first-team appearance for the club. Instead, he moved toMaidstone United where he played his first league game at age 17. After one full season with the club he joinedGillingham where he eventually became a first-team regular, prompting a £70,000 bid fromPeterborough United.[2]
He only had one full season at Peterborough United, but did well enough to draw attention fromFirst DivisionBirmingham City, who paid £250,000 for him in February 1996. Less than 12 months after arriving at Birmingham, he was on the move again, toPremier LeagueCoventry City in a £2.5 million deal. He played for five full seasons atHighfield Road, four in the top flight.[2]
Following the 2002 World Cup, Breen was signed on a free transfer byWest Ham United by managerGlenn Roeder,[3] but left the club after relegation from the top flight and only 18 appearances in all competitions.[4] He was signed on a free transfer by his old Ireland managerMick McCarthy forSunderland.[4]
Breen was subsequently signed byWolverhampton Wanderers in a two-year deal, reuniting him again with McCarthy. He played almost all the club's games as they reached the play-offs in his first season atMolineux, scoring once, againstLuton Town.[5]
He was made Wolves' club captain for the2007–08 season,[6] but ended up missing several months through injury. He was involved in an after-match confrontation with his manager in March 2008.[7]
In December 2008, he joinedBarnet as a player-coach.[8] In July 2009 Breen signed a new contract to become player/assistant manager at the club.[9]
On theGoals on Sunday programme on 6 September 2009, Breen revealed that he had agreed to move toInter Milan after the 2002 World Cup, but failed a medical.[10] Breen had also been linked with a move toBarcelona.[11] Breen left Barnet in June 2010.[12]
Breen was appointed first-team coach of Peterborough United in June 2013.[13]
Breen's form at Birmingham won him a call-up to theRepublic of Ireland national team. On 29 May 1996, he made his debut when he replacedAlan Kernaghan in the 88th minute of the 1–0friendly defeat againstPortugal atLansdowne Road.[14] Three days later, Breen made his first start in the 2–2 friendly draw withCroatia, he played 74 minutes before being replaced byTony Cascarino.[15] He scored his first goal for his country two days later, he opened the scoring in the 3–1 defeat to theNetherlands atDe Kuip inRotterdam.[16]
Breen's form at Coventry cemented his place in his national side and he played at the2002 FIFA World Cup as Ireland made thesecond round underMick McCarthy. He scored in Ireland's 3–0group win againstSaudi Arabia.[17]
Individual
