Looks like one for the future

He'd be doing very well to reach about 5'11 I'd say.

But is height really that important for centre halves in the modern game? 

We're seeing an abundance of so called ball playing centre halves these days, and if O'Connor has the technical ability to make up for his lack of height, then he'll be OK. 

There's lads like around at the moment like John Stones, or even that Christensen lad who played for Denmark against us. Both are fairly tall and good on the ball, but are pretty weak at defending aerial set-pieces.

Does O'Connor happen to have a GAA background? He doesn't look to shirk from tackles in any clips I've watched of him. 

 

I dunno what that is about. 

He was playing for our U19s last week in the elite qualifiers. 

http://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/24/2018/2023676?tab=report" rel="nofollow - http://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/24/2018/2023676?tab=report

😂😂your fully embracing blue Monday! 

Some players are late developers, too. There are a multitude of players who fit this category. Just look at Walters, Stevens and McGoldrick as a few examples.

True enough, but on the flip side of the coin, players like Lee O'Connor, Jonathan Afolabi and Armstrong Oko-flex can be built up solely on the basis of who they play/ed their youth team football for.

For every Robbie Brady, Paul McShane and Anthony Stokes who have respectable careers, you have Patrick Cregg, Conor Henderson and Sean McGinty who just about manage to eke out a career at the pro level.

There's far more of the latter.

https://m.thefootballnetwork.net/boards/read/s383.htm?730,16902620" rel="nofollow - https://m.thefootballnetwork.net/boards/read/s383.htm?730,16902620

No word why he wasnt in squad at weekend.  They also seem to think his wages at Celtic are 6k a week, which cant be right can it?

Lee is playing well. Taking to thw defensive midfield role like a young Glenn Whelan. 

Oh dear, he can always play at right back instead. 

He dropped into right back when Jay Spearing came on. Very impressive im both positions. Hopefully a start at Wembley and a few more league games. 

It'll be a great occasion for him to play a final at Wembley, regardless of what cup it is.

McGeady the only other Irish player playing which Kenny more or less ruled him out.

Hes injured

Hopefully AMc makes it a worthwhile mission 

I think you should do a quick check on whether a player is injured before your next "Irish player dropped" post. 

Hes been playing there quite a bit as a very mobile holding midfielder, I believe he's won a few MOTM for his performances there. 

That's the role he played today. Tranmere had Khan at right-back too, who I had previously seen as a winger for a couple of different clubs.

Apparently done well there this year. When he was coming through at United he played across the back and in midfield.

I think he’ll be a player for us. He has a lot of ability 

I remember reading on a Manchester United forum a couple of years ago that he was a cracking centre half but just never got the growth spurt he needed to play there as a senior. 

Bradford v Tranmere tonight.

Anthony O'Connor, Paudie O'Connor and Lee O'Connor all start. Surely the first time 3 Irish-born players with the same surname have started a game at that level or higher.

He obviously has footballing ability, composure and reads the game well so to me the most important thing this year was that he has been exposed to the physicality of lower league football and performed well week in week out. I think playing in a back 3 or else holding midfielder will ultimately be where he makes his mark but I think that will be in the championship and not with Celtic. 

He still looks too lightweight for senior football to me. Needs a summer in the gym, if they even have one at Lennoxtown (if they do they must have have never told Duffy where it was).

Did you see Scully was whipped at half time yesterday too? I just didn't see you post about it in his thread. Your last posts there were about senior call ups. 

Not judging O'Connor on goalscoring contributions as a defender obviously but he hasn't looked up to the standard of League 2 in general for the most part. Occasional glimpses that there's a player there, and he's certainly technically capable as he has shown at underage. But he has followed up a poor loan spell at Partick with an unconvincing one at Tranmere.

It's night and day between the two of them.

Hard to know where O'Connor goes from here at club level. Unlikely to be within a mile of the Celtic first team. Falls into that category of not good enough for the better divisions and not physical enough for the lower divisions. Also just doesn't look a good enough right back. Would be better focusing on playing as a defensive central midfielder I think. His better performances seem to have been in that position.

Nice to see him get such positive reviews if he keeps it up hopefully he might manufacture a League 1 move back at Tranmere or another club next season. He has a bit of potential in that CM position.

Signs a permanent deal with Tranmere. Glad to see him get out of Celtic.

https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2022/january/lee-oconnor-signs-permanent-contract/" rel="nofollow - https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2022/january/lee-oconnor-signs-permanent-contract/

Wonder if he'll still be deployed as a FB in our 21's for the rest of this campaign (his last at this level) or if he'll be competition for Kilkenny or Coventry in one of those midfield berths?

Good move for him, he's still young and if he impresses he can move up the levels.

Fozz wrote: greenshoots wrote: Signs a permanent deal with Tranmere. Glad to see him get out of Celtic. https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2022/january/lee-oconnor-signs-permanent-contract/" rel="nofollow - https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2022/january/lee-oconnor-signs-permanent-contract/ Good news. Wonder if he'll still be deployed as a FB in our 21's for the rest of this campaign (his last at this level) or if he'll be competition for Kilkenny or Coventry in one of those midfield berths?

Festy is playing 2 levels higher than O Connor and could be a huge player for us. its a complete no brainer to give him the nod going forward. 

True enough but it has to be a positive now he is with a team where he plays weekly.
They are also loooking good for a promotion push so a decent chance he'll be in L1 next season where he can test himself further.
Slow and steady progress if it happens and has to be a positive considing his career had tanked in Glasgow.

Lee went a very traditional route in terms of the clubs he joined as a young player - Man United and Celtic. Would probably have been the way to go for a developing Irish player in the 80s but these days the better moves tend to be to the likes of Stoke, Derby etc - "big clubs" but ones where first team chances are more gettable for younger players.

I would like to see the 21s play with wingbacks in a similar formation to the senior team. So Festy as RWB for me and we have a few decent LWB prospects, also have decent options at midfield and striker ... our wingers prospects aren't really great so 352/3412 for me.

I was just coming here to say the same thing. Great ball.

Yeah have liked the look of him whenever Ive seen him play but he has looked a far better player since stepping into midfield with Tranmere. Has a good range of passing and an eye to pick them out. Looks more than capable of playing at a level or two higher than he is currently. Suppose hes unlucky not to be after losing out in the playoffs last year.

Don’t think he started for them at weekend. Brought on at HT because they were losing and kept his place.

Hes a good player but as a young lad was a slightly small skinny lad, however he's started to grow a bit and looks stronger. 

Hes just turned 22 a few weeks back, needs to lock down his position, he's playing either a defensive midfielder or a right back. I'd say his best position is right back. 

Too slow as a right back in my opinion, it even stands out at u21 level. Has a lot of ability though, would be a shame if he didn’t make it (properly) as a senior international

He looks to be a useful player likely to have a decent career in the UK. He probably won’t be international class but there’s no shame in that. If he can become a L1 level regular in future then that is good going. 

Looked right at home on his senior debut almost 3 years ago at only 19, put in a quality ball to assist Robinson for his goal. I wouldn't dismiss him because of a poor career choices, plenty of time to make the grade.

I would agree with that. Also, there is plenty of time for him. We have been spoilt recently with players making their debut for us in their late teens and early 20s and becoming squad regulars. Not that long ago we were dependent on late developers (25-26 year olds) coming in to make their debut and win a place in the squad. 

Would like to see him develop as a defensive midfielder as that is where we will likely need cover. 

Players stock rise and fall. We could be having a very different conversation about O'Connor this time next year. 

Lacks the athleticism to be a full back and I'm not convinced he will be better than any of our youth midfield prospects.

I might be wrong but seems like his future international prospects hopes lie in people respecting his former clubs. 

To say he's not got the potential to play top flight football is a little premature in my opinion 

You could be right. Hopefully he becomes a mainstay for our Senior team. Time is on his side. 

Based on his efforts in competitive senior football he is a tidy, unspectacular lower division player and unless he kicks on massively at a later age than most, that seems to be where he will spend his career.

nvidic wrote: Was at Tranmere today, played quite well and locals seemed to rate him. Needless to say League Two is way off the pace of international football though.

Still only 23, plenty of time to make it. Lads like Egan, Stevnens, Hourihane were knocking around that level at that age before moving up the leagues and making their Ireland debuts in their mid to late 20s.

I've always been impressed by O'Connor didnt look out of place in the senior side when he played for us, shame he stalled his career by going up to Celtic and not getting a look in rather than a League One / Two club from go.