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Shea extends Barnsley loan until April

BrekSheaBarnsley1 (Barnsley)

By DAN KARELL

Brek Shea has decided to extend his stay with Barnsley for another two months instead of returning this week to Stoke City.

After two league starts for Barnsley and a goal in a friendly match, the club announced that they have extended Shea’s loan from Stoke City for two more months, up to April 3. Sources tell SBI that five different teams in the League Championship were interested in adding Shea, including Birmingham and Charlton, but Shea chose to stay with Barnsley in order to help the club fight relegation.

Barnsley are currently in last place in the 24-team division, five points from safety. However, the club is coming off a 2-0 victory over Blackpool and are at home in two of the next three matches. The Tykes have 14 more games during the duration of Shea’s loan deal.

Since moving to Stoke City in January 2013, Shea has made just five appearances (one start) for the club in all competitions. Shea moved to Barnsley on loan in a bid to receive playing time in the hopes of making the U.S. Men’s National Team squad at the 2014 World Cup.

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What do you think of this news? Glad to see Shea extend his stay with Barnsley? Would you have rather seen him move to another team?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Happy that he’s found his level, but I can’t see our MNT counting on him for anything. He’s a boom or bust type of player and he hasn’t been on the boom side of the equation for a while (unless you count friendlies against inferior competition).

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  2. And he’s in their Starting XI for their game today. This is a good move for him. Since he seems to be one of Klinsi’s darlings, I’d say this opportunity means he’s going to Brazil. He’s proven that he adds a big spark off the bench for the USMNT, and I think that justifies his inclusion in the 23 this summer.

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  3. too bad i was really looking forward to him back on Stoke’s bench..

    na good for him. he could use the PT & threat of League One relegation.

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    • As everyone on SBI knows, we need our star players cemented to the bench at high quality teams, not in MLS or the lowly Championship. How else are we going to compete at this year’s Wordl Cup? Derp.

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  4. “Five different teams in the League Championship were interested in adding Shea”…. sounds like he has made a solid impression.

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  5. Lots of potential upside here. Stay with Barnsley, get consistent 90 minutes, score a few goals and save them from relegation.

    Interesting that he chose to stay with Barnsley rather than another team in the C-ship.

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    • If the idea is to simply play someplace halfway respectable, and he knows Barnsley will do it, why risk anywhere else?

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    • Somewhere I was reading that Stoke players have in the past gone to Barnsley on loan. So perhaps it’s more about there relationship then where Shea might have chosen. I think Shea just wanted to play and didn’t much care where.

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    • Guy barely sees the pitch for months and people ask why he didn’t try another club? He’s probably happy just have the chance to be playing against a team in a different shirt than his own in a real match.

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  6. For potential USMNT players all that matters right now is getting playing time. Starting and playing well with their club teams will get them into form needed to compete in the summer tournament.

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  7. Good for Shea’s development… being in a relegation battle will help him understand the English game a little better… the Championship is a tough league with good players. I hope he becomes a team savior for Barnsley

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