Since first bursting onto the international stage at underage level, Stephen McPhail has been likened to a young Liam Brady.
Born in Queens, New York, McPhail moved to Ireland with his Irish parents as a child and after playing schoolboy football in Dublin, he joined Leeds United.
When David O'Leary initially took over, McPhail was one of the players given an opportunity in the first team, but an Achilles injury kept him out for most of the 2000/01 season, though he did earn a place in Ireland's US Cup squad. The young midfielder didn't feature for Leeds in 2002, and under the management of Terry Venables, he failed to hold down a regular place in the side.
Loan spells with Millwall and Nottingham Forest have had differing results though he has regained a regular place in the Ireland squad.
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