Ireland U21s - 2025 Campaign

Hopefully there's a few friendlies in June with the other lads from the U19s being available, and wouldn't mind seeing a three at the back experimented with.

From today's starting XI could have something like:

..................Brooks
......Curtis - Lawal - MacNulty
Festy - Hodge - Phillips - Roughan
.............Moran - O'Neill
.................Cannon


Edited by J89 - 26 Mar 2023 at 8:04pm

Eoink21 wrote: J89 wrote: Hopefully there's a few friendlies in June with the other lads from the U19s being available, and wouldn't mind seeing a three at the back experimented with. From today's starting XI could have something like: ..................Brooks ......Curtis - Lawal - MacNulty Festy - Hodge - Phillips - Roughan .............Moran - O'Neill .................Cannon The presence of Festy and Roughan means that you can do either 3 or 4 at the back with the exact same personnel. You could even have Curtis right wing back and Festy left wing back and Roughan the left centre half so there are many variations possible.  And with a better centre forward than we had for much of the last campaign (Kayode I'm referring to but I could refer to a very green Ferguson too I suppose) and very, very promising attacking midfielders in O'Neill and Moran that are technical and improving then we are very good going forward too. Hodge and an improving Philips is very different and arguably better than Coventry and Smallbone when that was the pivot too.  There is a lot of upside in this group. A lot.

Tbf Smallbone and Coventry only played once together and that was the 3-1 win over Montenegro I believe or Bosnia last June. They actually played well together and the midfield looked more balanced than usual.

Hodge and Philips I'd say will turn out to be a better partnership than Coventry and Kilkenny who were too similar in style to play together. Smallbone then was often pushed out wide right.

JoxerDaly wrote: Who is missing from the squad that could come in who isn't involved with the 19s ? Gilsenan, Costelloe, Odubeko and Lee Harkin are the only ones off the top of my head.

Think Odubeko could well struggle to get back into the team.

Darragh Burns was in recent squads so another player who could get a call up but he's not played much this season for MK Dons.

Harkin would likely be behind the likes of Burns and Costello for a squad place. 8 of his 15 U21 appearances have been from the bench and hasn't been in an underage squad since U16s. Gonna take something special for him to get a call up I'd say.

Cristiano Fitzgerald, Evan Caffery, John Joe Finn, Aidomo Emakhu, Jack Henry-Francis, Baba Adeeko, Glory Nzingo, and Calum Kavanagh are other 2003 born players. All bar Kavanagh made U19 squads last season though Fitzgerald and Finn only played in friendlies.

Edited by J89 - 26 Mar 2023 at 9:12pm

JoxerDaly wrote: J89 wrote: JoxerDaly wrote: Who is missing from the squad that could come in who isn't involved with the 19s ? Gilsenan, Costelloe, Odubeko and Lee Harkin are the only ones off the top of my head. Think Odubeko could well struggle to get back into the team. Darragh Burns was in recent squads so another player who could get a call up but he's not played much this season for MK Dons. Harkin would likely be behind the likes of Burns and Costello for a squad place. 8 of his 15 U21 appearances have been from the bench and hasn't been in an underage squad since U16s. Gonna take something special for him to get a call up I'd say. Yeah maybe a loan move back to Derry might kick start his career, we are a bit light on midfielders I feel maybe James McManus could step up soon or could try get Jack McGlynn to declare after the U20 World Cup.

Yeah wouldn't mind seeing Harkin get a loan back to the LOI for some experience. Edited the post above to include a list of 2003 born players.

From that list you've got Jack Henry-Francis who was injured for this window, Evan Caffery, Baba Adeeko, and John Joe Finn who play midfield.

Think Ed McJannet and James McManus will be two options that could receive call ups next season. McGlynn could definitely be someone that switches but think the thoughts are he'll only switch if it's for a senior call up.

Hodge will be a massive loss if he moves up and wonder if Crawford has thought about the possibility of Lawal in midfield with Abankwah playing CB rather than RB.

Edited by J89 - 26 Mar 2023 at 9:26pm

Yeah McManus would be well able for that level. 

J89 wrote: Eoink21 wrote: J89 wrote: Hopefully there's a few friendlies in June with the other lads from the U19s being available, and wouldn't mind seeing a three at the back experimented with. From today's starting XI could have something like: ..................Brooks ......Curtis - Lawal - MacNulty Festy - Hodge - Phillips - Roughan .............Moran - O'Neill .................Cannon The presence of Festy and Roughan means that you can do either 3 or 4 at the back with the exact same personnel. You could even have Curtis right wing back and Festy left wing back and Roughan the left centre half so there are many variations possible.  And with a better centre forward than we had for much of the last campaign (Kayode I'm referring to but I could refer to a very green Ferguson too I suppose) and very, very promising attacking midfielders in O'Neill and Moran that are technical and improving then we are very good going forward too. Hodge and an improving Philips is very different and arguably better than Coventry and Smallbone when that was the pivot too.  There is a lot of upside in this group. A lot.  Tbf Smallbone and Coventry only played once together and that was the 3-1 win over Montenegro I believe or Bosnia last June. They actually played well together and the midfield looked more balanced than usual. Hodge and Philips I'd say will turn out to be a better partnership than Coventry and Kilkenny who were too similar in style to play together. Smallbone then was often pushed out wide right.

Great performance and result after playing an hour of the match with ten men.