Glenn Whelan is a bit of an enigma.
You can’t mention his name without dividing the room. Fans split immediately at the mere mention of his surname: either he does nothing or we don’t understand his effect.
But the Dubliner has taken that much abuse in recent years that he has developed some principles, particularly around the press. He played well in Ireland’s Euro 2016 opener and suddenly everyone wanted a chat with Whelan when they were quite happy to let him walk on by in the past.
‘There was an interesting moment in the press area after Ireland’s draw with Sweden,’ the report read back in June.
‘Glenn Whelan has probably left changing rooms for years without so much as a glance in his direction but, on Monday night, the media wanted a piece of him.
‘The same lad who has been questioned on so many occasions by so many people was being chased for interviews now. People who wouldn’t even have the Stoke player in their team – people like me – suddenly saw the value of having his words in their articles.
‘Whelan is more consistent in his life than yours truly though so he politely just walked on by without so much as a reaction to the cries of his name. No-one is there for him at his worst time, he’s not there for us at his best.’
Whatever you think of Glenn Whelan, he has played 77 times for his country and Premier League managers see the value in him.
So do journalists based in Stoke.
We've spoken to a BBC Radio Stoke journalist about what we're missing with Glenn Whelan https://t.co/msbU6W9F3H pic.twitter.com/pnbBrLAjAW
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 12, 2015
So do some of the best defensive midfielders ever.
We spoke to @DietmarHamann who is a big fan of Glenn Whelan https://t.co/ntSg43ztJ2
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 17, 2016
So the 32-year-old is still a confident lad whatever is said or written about him. Even his team mates think Arsenal could do with a Roy Keane-esque character like him.
“If I’m stood beside Glenn Whelan and I’ve done something wrong, he’ll dig me out,” said Charlie Adam of his midfield partner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXqGIc364Fs
Own goal or not then, the Irishman isn’t fazed. He can actually laugh.
Michail Antonio and Glenn Whelan combined to score West Ham’s only goal in their 1-1 draw with Stoke on Saturday.
They both went up but it was Whelan who directed into the near post past his ‘keeper.
And don’t you dare try to take it away from him.
“I’ll take that now. I haven’t scored in a while so I’m definitely claiming it,” Whelan joked on Today FM’s Premier League LIVE.
“I think everyone would say that was a great finish. I’ll take it. It’s better me having it than Antonio.”
And he went on to preview the World Cup qualifier against Austria in typical Whelan fashion: ribbing his team mates and preparing for war.
“I don’t think Austria will really want to play us because we’ve got some decent results and we’re going well,” he said.
“I’ve been slagging Marko [Arnautovic] a bit that he took the yellow card last week to keep himself fresh for the game against Ireland.
“It’s all good and it’s proper banter in the dressing room but, come next week, don’t worry, we’ll be both be professional and we’ll be both trying to kick lumps out of each other.”
Listen to the full interview below. It’s not often you get to hear him speak.
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