Under-21 Euro 2021 Qualifying |
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Devrozex
Jack Charlton Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Location: Dublin Status: Online Points: 7676 |
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Yeah the new Spurs manager bate that out of him fairly pronto alright.
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The Huntacha
Roy Keane Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Location: Dubai Status: Online Points: 12779 |
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Idah is now showing that he can handle the physical aspects of the game, holding the ball up and bringing others in to play. His time with the senior squad at Norwich has benefited him in that sense, because he probably never had to worry about it too much before.
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Jimmy Bullard - "Favorite band? Elastic."
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Maccatacca
Ray Houghton Joined: 01 Jun 2016 Status: Online Points: 4216 |
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It’s very likely that we’ll get at least 6-7 full internationals out of this crop of 21s, but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t more.
In previous years we’ve had the likes of Conor Clifford doing well for club under age teams, but the majority of these lads are performing in senior football already. I had to laugh at the Eir Sport commentator trying to big the Swedes up yesterday - he said they were a better side than us because some of their lads were playing regularly in the Danish League. From this team: Collins has already captained Stoke and played several times. Molumby is a Championship regular. Knight is a regular squad player at Derby. O’Shea is a squad regular for one of the Championships top teams. Ronan is a regular in the Slovakian League. Obafemi has scored in the Premier League. Connolly has started several Premier League games in a row. Idah has played in the League Cup. Parrott has played in League Cup and for our senior team. Trevor Clarke has secured a decent League 1 move and seems to be impressing. Lee O’Connor is already a senior international but is a bit of a concern considering his position in the Celtic pecking order. Kelleher has played two League Cup games and has a Champions League winners medal. Gavin Kilkenny has played in the League Cup. Mark Travers has played twice in the Premier League. Luca Connell has played a number of Championship games. Keena is in the Hearts first team. Then you have Leahy, Mandriou, Scales and Elbezoudi who are all destined for greater things than the League of Ireland. The only players you fear might slip through the gaps at the moment are Masterson who has looked quite good for our 21s to be fair, Conor Coventry, although he looks brilliant and perhaps Kelleher just because it’s so hard to break through at Liverpool. It’s going to be quite unusual if many of the above lads don’t have decent careers at atleast Championship level considering where they are at right now. This squad probably has all round better potential than Keane, Duff and Dunne’s crop.
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The Huntacha
Roy Keane Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Location: Dubai Status: Online Points: 12779 |
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Think the job that Coventry does is very underrated, keeps the ball moving and breaks up play in an unspectacular way so he might not grab many headlines but there is a lot of potential there for a decent senior career.
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Jimmy Bullard - "Favorite band? Elastic."
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DeclanDaly
Ray Houghton Joined: 17 Oct 2013 Location: Boston, USA Status: Offline Points: 3254 |
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I’d agree. The spread of talent here is much more even than in previous U21s age groups. You could see several making good careers in the top flight, and a couple with real promise (“top-top”). In my own opinion, I think theres real promise in Lee O’Connor, Dara O’Shea, Jayson Molumby and Troy da Boi. There’s also something about Afolabi, Idah and Jason Knight that makes me think they could be standouts. Even half of those fulfill their potential and we have the backbone of a senior team
Let’s hope the stars align for all of them |
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Strazdas
Jack Charlton Joined: 17 Nov 2014 Status: Offline Points: 5483 |
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It's obvious that this is the most gifted u-21 Irish side ever by some distance.
You'd have to go back to Brian Kerr's u-19s of the late 90s to find a similar side (but I think this one is more attack minded).
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Left foot
Ray Houghton Joined: 16 Aug 2019 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 0 |
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A fair few of our u21s are still teenagers. I cant remember a better crop of players in our youth teams. That includes the Duff, Keane team.
But of course we've said a lot about players like conor Clifford etc and they weren't able to take the next spot up.
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Trap junior
Robbie Keane YBIG Minister of Doom & Gloom Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Location: Irish Riviera Status: Offline Points: 39833 |
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A lot are showing good potential but the reality is we will be lucky if 3 or 4 of them come through to be as good as the likes of Duff or Keane were. The odds are they wont. I think there are a few good pros in the making though that will play for the senior side. Still have my doubts about a few of the bigger names mentioned.
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Left foot
Ray Houghton Joined: 16 Aug 2019 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 0 |
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There are a few u21s that are already playing regularly and at a higher level than some of the regular senior team.
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PaddyDaCulchie
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 28 Feb 2018 Location: Manchester Status: Offline Points: 476 |
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Agree, 3 or 4 we be lucky. Obafemi scoring in premier league, we so did Michael Reddy, so did Anthony Stokes, Adam Rooney scored a hat-trick at 18. None made impact at senior level. Owen Garvan was a regular at 17 in championship, Chris McCann at 18 was a regular, they had 100 odd championship apps each by 20, way ahead of where Ronan, Molumby are career wise now but didnt make impact at senior level. Jason Gavin playing centre-half as teenager with boro in premier leg as teenager, way ahead of where Masterson, O'Shea are career wise when their age. He made no impact. Barry Quinn at Coventry had a bright start but didnt come to much, just like Miller, Healy etc. Keith Foy made 22 apps left back at 18 in championship, then went off the radar. There are no guarantees about this lot. Few apps here and there, few goals here and there mean nothing right now. People are over optimistic. Early success can go to players heads, they think they've made it and slack off or off field issues take over. Some will suffer injuries. Some will stay too long as bit part players on a good contract rather than drop down a level and play. Some just wont be good enough or consistent enough.
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Left foot
Ray Houghton Joined: 16 Aug 2019 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 0 |
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Statistically only a handful of players get to world class status. So if we do look at our u21s the odds are stacked against them.
However - ireland haven't had a top player come through since Roy keane, (you could probably add Duff and robbie here too) That's 15 or 20 years ago. Coleman has come closest. Surely we're due a few players now. |
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Maccatacca
Ray Houghton Joined: 01 Jun 2016 Status: Online Points: 4216 |
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We don’t need world class players. We just need some very good ones. Aaron Ramsey isn’t world class but he got Wales through last night. He’s a good player.
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Left foot
Ray Houghton Joined: 16 Aug 2019 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 0 |
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This is depressing paddy...
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PaddyDaCulchie
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 28 Feb 2018 Location: Manchester Status: Offline Points: 476 |
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Yeah and worst thing is you could make a full team of players who were regulars at 17,18, 19 in championship/prem last 10/15 years and disappeared by mid 20s. Shane Supple and Michael Quirke both made championship debuts in goal as teenagers but both gone from professional game by early 20s. Supple was even first choice for a bit. Tommie Hoban burst onto the scene as an 16 year old in championship, injuries destroyed his career, free agent at the min. Sean Murray and John Joe O'Toole had great first seasons as teenagers too at Watford before drifting down the leagues. I mentioned Owen Garvan and Supple already but Billy Clark was part of that successful youth team at Ipswich, scored 3 goals and got young player of the month at 18, linked with big moves but didnt score again that season and faded away. Michael Synott also made debut out of that group but injuries destroyed his progress. Sean Thornton also came on the scene as a teenager with Tranmere and got move to Sunderland. That was as good as it got. Evan Finnegan made debut at 17 for Doncaster, never played again and ended up at Cabinteely. Shane McFaul was regular in lge1 with Notts Co at 17, didnt progress. It is depressing how many players start off great and disappear. You could argue our best senior players were not even on the radar at 17/18. Coleman and Doherty were league of Ireland, Steven's was too at that age. Keogh was released by Stoke as not good enough, Duffy and Egan didnt make it first attempt at premier lge level but were highly rated but had to drop down few levels. It is highly possibly that a lot of our brightest prospects will fade away and our best players in 5 or 6 years might as yet be still under the radar. |
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Conan
Davey Langan I’m not very bright. Joined: 11 Mar 2015 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 939 |
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O'Connor and Coventry are not Under-19 eligible any more and none of the 5 will be eligible next year for that age group. Also Bazanu and Parrott are not eligible for Under-17 any more. Apart from that spot on
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Conan
Davey Langan I’m not very bright. Joined: 11 Mar 2015 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 939 |
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Its impossible to know at this point how any of these youngsters will progress, especially those whose only first team experience is the odd league cup game. I think its unrealistic anyway to expect them to be ready to make much of a difference at senior level until the next Euros campaign.
From when Kenny takes over, of our younger players though I would like and expect to see Molumby and Cullen take over starting spots in the midfield, and also Connolly, Obafemi, Knight and Parrot in the squad. Defence doesn't need mending, Doherty (another young prospect!) likely to start over Coleman from now. Anybody else is anyone's guess,just got to keep an eye on how they progress. You can't be expecting world cup qualification from lads playing reserve league football, sitting on the bench and championship clubs or on loan at mediocre Slovakian sides though.
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giveittochristie
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 21 Oct 2015 Status: Offline Points: 458 |
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Whoops. They are all relatively young to be playing U-21. Lets leave it at that and say no more
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mully_85
Davey Langan Joined: 15 Jul 2011 Location: Omagh Status: Offline Points: 797 |
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actually think we have a good chance vrs italy away... we were devastating on the counter in the 2nd half last nite
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