Underage squads: Best Prospects

Seems to have gone under the radar here, but Kenny's young fella Eoin is also in the squad, having previously been called up by the North

Good to see Sean Moore called up at U19 - right enough. 

Luis Amor Rodriguez wrote: Good to see Sean Moore called up at U19 - right enough.  However, out of a U19 squad of 36 home-based players, it's disproportionate to have only 2 that are based in the North. Potentially approx 20% of our home-based players should come from there (on a rough-take of demographics).   The FAI should really focus on getting more lads from the 6 counties involved at a young age.

Kelly has been involved with NI underage football since he was about 10, as has his West Ham colleague Callum Marshall who was with Linfield. He also knew another NI underage player now with West Ham-Michael Forbes, formerly of Dungannon Swifts. They helped persuade him to join West Ham. I don’t know if the FAI has spoken to him though he has already represented NI at under-19 level. He would be a very good acquisition if he did switch.

10 Box wrote: Ollie O'Neill loan to Derry. Good move.

Good that he'll be playing senior football for the rest of the season. Good half a season and could lead to a better loan move in the summer.

mully_85 wrote: Forbes at West Ham is from Ardboe area in East Tyrone and from a GAA background… wouldn’t take much persuasion from an approach from the FAI

mully_85 wrote: Forbes at West Ham is from Ardboe area in East Tyrone and from a GAA background… wouldn’t take much persuasion from an approach from the FAI

Edited by Eoink21 - 07 Feb 2023 at 6:34pm

Trying to make sense of that last paragraph. Anyone playing for NI is normally Irish, or a granny ruler, even if they have British passports. There’s been the odd exception like Maik Taylor who had nothing to do with Ireland, north or south. One player springs to mind-Alex Bruce, an Engishman-who got a couple of senior caps for both. There’s been various switchers over the years who have been motivated by career considerations rather than patriotism, these things happen. Re Michael Forbes at West Ham, I think he’s a centre half so playing in a position where getting a NI cap would look a less challenging proposition. I am hoping that the decisions of Sean Moore and recently Mark Sykes will help motivate other talented young players from the north to follow in the footsteps of Duffy, McClean, Wilson, Gibson, etc.

Edited by Green Cockade - 07 Feb 2023 at 7:10pm