INTERVIEW: Soccer hero Keane to impress at World Cup

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic found space in the Southampton defence and headed home the goal that secured a 3-2 victory for Manchester United in the English League Cup final at Wembley last week nobody was more delighted than Thomas Winters.

From Manorlands in Trim, Thomas, you see, is a huge United fan; arguably one of the most passionate in Ireland.
The 20-year-old has supported the Red Devils just about all his life - and, like many followers of the club, he came to greatly admire Roy Keane and the way he was able to terrorise opponents and dictate play from midfield.
More than that Thomas has met the Corkman in no less a place than the august surroundings of Old Trafford itself.
It was at a United game some years ago when Keane was United’s skipper: it was a red letter day for the young Trim man.
Like Keano, Thomas has also played soccer for Ireland. Still does and these days he’s working hard on his sharpness - and for good reason. Thomas and the other boys in green have the little matter of a World Cup coming up.
Thomas will answer his country’s call in the 2017 Federation Internationale de Powerchair Football Association World Cup finals in Kissimmee, Florida from Wednesday 5th July to the Sunday 9th July - and there will be nobody more proud to wear the green jersey then the young Trim man.
Currently studying a computer course in the Cavan Institute of Education there is only one thing Thomas loves more than watching Manchester United win games - and that’s helping Ireland to success on the international stage.
It’s there, according to sources, he’s able to inflict damage on opposition defences with all the clinical dexterity of a Marcus Rashford or Wayne Rooney himself.
'It gives him complete freedom, it’s where he is happiest when he is out there on the court playing powerchair soccer,' says his sister Lynn Winters who herself knows a thing or two about international football having been capped for her country at u-16 and u-17 levels. Lynn also represented Meath in camogie and continues to turn out for Trim in the sport.
Lynn and Thomas are two members of the Winters clan that includes four sisters and four brothers as well as mother Ann and father Niall. Thomas is the youngest and in the early years of his life he was like any other fun-loving, active young lad.
He loved his sport, just about anything that involved a ball, and it may have been around that time when he was first beguiled by the footballers he saw on his TV screen who wore strident red jerseys?
From around four-years-of-age on young Thomas began to experience difficulties in walking. He couldn’t play his games as well as he once did. When tests were carried out it was discovered, much to the family’s shock, the youngster had muscular dystrophy.
More than that it had a specific name - ‘Duchenne muscular dystrophy’ - a very rare form of the disease that affects only boys and causes a weakness of the muscles. Typically muscle loss first occurs in the upper legs and pelvis followed by the upper arms. It’s caused by 'mutation in the gene for the protein dystrophin,' according to an on-line description of the condition.
'We just couldn’t understand it all because Mum had three boys before Thomas was born,' explains Lynn before going on to add that Thomas’s condition has brought challenges for the family but also an undoubted richness. 'There are eight of us in the family and there’s 11 grandchildren and when they were babies they would climb up on his wheelchair and he’d whiz them around. It’s a brilliant feeling when you walk into the house and everyone’s there.'
By the time he was eight Thomas moved around mainly by means of a wheelchair and his family rowed in behind him; making the necessary alterations to their home and transport arrangements so that Thomas could be brought to school, first to St Michael’s, Trim and later the Boyne Community School.
While Thomas unfortunately lost his mobility he, nevertheless, didn’t lose his love of sport in general - and the Red Devils in particular.
He also became involved in powerchair soccer and turned out for various clubs, was picked on the u-16 Irish team, matching the feat of his older sister. 'He was selected to play for Ireland in an u-16 tournament in France and I think it was there he realised he had found a game he could really enjoy,' adds Lynn.
Out there in the court Thomas found that he can be a Roy Keane, using his skills to impose himself on the ebb and flow of the game and bend it to his will. To be free.
Now Florida beckons but it’s not just a matter of Thomas and his Mum or Dad packing his bags, folding his wheelchair and flying across the wide Atlantic. The wheelchair he uses for playing soccer is not just any old model. It’s specially adapted ‘Strikeforce’ model designed to meet his requirements when he’s out there in the thick of the action.
Restricted to the movement of his hands, Thomas can press buttons on his ‘Strikeforce’ in bewildering movement of fingers to feint this way and that, so that the chair can be used to ‘kick’ the ball goalwards. Just as much skill is required as if he out there in the middle of the Aviva Stadium pitch - or Old Trafford - directing play.
The wheelchair is made in America and costs €10,000, with a special structure at the front to direct the ball which is bigger than the normal football.
Few people get an opportunity to play in the World Cup finals, in any sport - and Thomas is understandbly eagerly looking forward to playing his part. However, as is often the case in life there is a snag; the considerable cost involved in getting to Florida.
Added to his ‘Strikeforce’ Thomas must bring other equipment while travelling such as a second wheelchair for everyday use. Making a journey of any length can be a considerable logistical exercise - and expensive.
The Association of Irish Powerchair Football (AIPF) are holding their own fund-raising events around the country. Friends of the Winters family are helping out.
Among them is Trim resident Siobhan Payne, herself a source of immense inspiration having bounced back from cancer to participate in an ‘Ironman’ event some years ago.
She is the driving force behind a fund-raising event for Thomas Winters later this month. The target is €5,000 but if the goodwill of the local community is anything to go by more will be collected. A lot more.

 * The fund-raising headshave and waxing night for Thomas Winters’ World Cup journey will be held in Lenihans (Griffins) Trim on Friday, 24th March. For more information check out the Siobhan Payne Facebook page.