Rory Delap attained celebrated status within the Premier League community due to his prowess in executing long throws during his time with Stoke City – and now, his offspring is demonstrating talent in the same elite league.
Liam is getting ready to embark on his initial Premier League journey representing Chelsea, following a noteworthy period in the upper division while playing for Ipswich Town last season – the budding forward marked his introduction to the Blues at the Club World Cup earlier this year, an event that culminated in his new squad securing victory.
The 22-year-old athlete has proudly donned the England jersey across various youth levels internationally, yet it’s also widely known that the Republic of Ireland harbors a strong desire to enlist him into their fold.
Father’s pride
Rory, the father, was born within England’s borders yet proudly represented Ireland in 11 matches during his own career as a player, a privilege he gained because of his Irish lineage through his parents.
Both Liam and his younger sibling, Finn, who presently plays for Burton Albion, are also eligible to represent Ireland on the international stage; however, Rory conveyed to FourFourTwo that he intends to respect their personal autonomy in making such crucial decisions.
“I have always consciously tried to avoid influencing their decisions,” he expressed. “Liam has been actively involved with England’s youth setup since the age of 13 or 14. They have consistently shown their belief in him and supported him, notably when he suffered an injury around the age of 14, I believe.”
“He has engaged in discussions with representatives from both football associations; nonetheless, his primary commitment has been to England, progressing through to the under-21 level. Ultimately, the choice rests solely with him.”
“Should he seek my perspective, I am prepared to offer it exclusively to him. Similarly, Finn also qualifies for both nations. If he faces a similar decision, the ultimate responsibility lies with him, and I will provide guidance if he requests it.”
“I generally refrain from providing unsolicited advice, unless they specifically ask for it. Liam has, on occasion, sought advice over the years, and so have Finn and my daughter, Neve.”
“It is more beneficial for them to cultivate their own problem-solving skills, but we all require assistance at times. I hope they understand that I am always available to offer support and guidance, either through a phone call or a direct conversation.”
Rory has derived immense pleasure from witnessing the growth and development of his children and makes every effort to attend Liam and Finn’s matches whenever feasible.
“I am exceptionally proud of each of them,” he shared. “My daughter, my wife, and I journeyed to America to support Liam in the Club World Cup, an unforgettable experience.”
“I have been fortunate enough to watch Finn’s matches this season and recently travelled to Tranmere to see him play, although the game was unfortunately cancelled due to a power outage! While it is not always glamorous or ideal, it is profoundly rewarding.”
Leaving the Champions League
Delap recently made the decision to resign from his position with the Hungarian team Ferencvaros in order to dedicate more time to his family and attend his sons’ games. He had served as Robbie Keane’s assistant manager, and together they led the team to victory in the league the previous season. Prior to this, they had also jointly secured the Israeli league title while at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Keane continues to manage Ferencvaros, and during the same evening that Delap was present at Tranmere for a postponed Carabao Cup match, the Hungarian side triumphed over Ludogorets Razgrad, advancing to within one round of the Champions League’s league stage. Ferencvaros is positioned as a seeded team against Qarabag in a two-game playoff.
“It was a difficult decision to leave, especially with the Champions League qualifiers underway, where they’ve performed exceptionally well. They now face a playoff to secure a spot in the Champions League group stage, so it wasn’t an easy choice,” Delap explained.
“However, I had been living away from home for almost two years, and this was a primary factor in my decision. Family must come first at times.”
Delap made these remarks to FourFourTwo after joining forces with William Hill for Final One Standing, a prediction-based game inviting participants to select a Premier League squad for an opportunity to secure a portion of a £500,000 jackpot on a weekly basis. Progress to subsequent rounds requires one’s selected team to win.
“It’s been an enjoyable experience to participate, though I must admit my own prediction abilities are quite poor – surprisingly bad!” he chuckled. “I often faced teasing from my companions during my time with Stoke. When we were scheduled to play against one of the leading teams, they typically anticipated our defeat. Yet, at Stoke, we distinguished ourselves by defying those very predictions!”
Additional insights from Delap regarding his career will be featured in an upcoming edition of FourFourTwo magazine.
You can find out more about Final One Standing here.
