Potentially eligible players thread

[Olé Olé]

14 year old Cavan Sullivan has been named in a Philadelphia Union first team squad. He signed for them at the same time as agreeing to sign for Man City when he turns 18.

His brother Quinn is 20 and already plays for Philadelphia Union. However, he has younger twin brothers - Ronan and Declan.

In spite of the names, it doesn't look like Cavan is eligible. His grandfather, Larry, was Head Coach at Villanova University and was born in Philadelphia. The only hope is if Larry married an Irish born woman - she is named Kathleen...

https://www.backheeled.com/meet-the-sullivans-americas-next-big-soccer-family/

The Irish Americans do retain their Irishness longer than most, and definitely longer than the FIFA rules permit.

[Razors left peg]

I see that Jack Henry Francis has signed for Sligo on loan until end of season. While a potentially good signing for Sligo it again highlights why we shouldn't really worry too much about underage lads declaring for us or not.

[JR89]

Luke Pearce also with Sligo on loan after signing with Cardiff for their U21s this summer in a free transfer.

[samhaydenjr]

One to watch closely next season? Louie Barry may be going to Birmingham City: https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-birmingham-city-make-move-to-sign-aston-villa-forward-louie-barry/

[Eirambler]

He's certainly running out of road with England. Hasn't had a call up for a few years now and will be overage for their Under 21s after next summer's Euros (or sooner if England don't qualify). May not start for our Under 21s either but would likely make the squad based on his form in League 2 last season before he got injured.

If he was to start scoring regularly in League 1 next season Crawford should definitely be getting in touch.

[Diggs246]

He's certainly running out of road with England. Hasn't had a call up for a few years now and will be overage for their Under 21s after next summer's Euros (or sooner if England don't qualify). May not start for our Under 21s either but would likely make the squad based on his form in League 2 last season before he got injured.

If he was to start scoring regularly in League 1 next season Crawford should definitely be getting in touch.


Now is absolutely the time to get him, if he is doing the business for Birmingham forget the u 21s. HH should look at him directly

[Eirambler]

Would take a serious performance for a League 1 forward to make our senior squad these days. A lot of traffic playing at a higher level to get through to get picked.

Ferguson - Premier League
Szmodics - likely Premier League
Ogbene - likely Championship, possibly move back to Prem
Idah - likely SPL and Champions League with Celtic
Cannon - likely Championship loan or Prem squad player
Parrott - Eredivisie and Europa League with AZ
Armstrong - Championship
Emakhu - might be headed for the Eredivisie and CL also with PSV?!

Plus the likes of Obafemi, Keane and Robinson in the Championship as well as potentially Vata if he gets a run at Watford.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Barry was in that famous England U17 photo with Bellingham and Musiala, just for comparison of career projection.

I reckon we're his only real hope of a senior call up at this point. Pipeline for English strikers never stops churning.

[pineapple stu]

Now is absolutely the time to get him, if he is doing the business for Birmingham forget the u 21s. HH should look at him directly
He's never played higher than L1, and Birmingham are L1 also. Not sure there's anything there to fast track him into the senior team. Worth a call for the 21s though I think

[Diggs246]

He's never played higher than L1, and Birmingham are L1 also. Not sure there's anything there to fast track him into the senior team. Worth a call for the 21s though I think


Im just having flash backs to Jack Grealish and when he was with Notts county! strike while the iron is hot

TBH I have to confess I actually thought Birmingham were championship

[CraftyToePoke]

Im just having flash backs to Jack Grealish and when he was with Notts county! strike while the iron is hot

TBH I have to confess I actually thought Birmingham were championship

Grealish was 17 & rising, Barry is 21 & has been labouring a good while now & this is loan number six from Villa.

[Exgrad]

Would take a serious performance for a League 1 forward to make our senior squad these days. A lot of traffic playing at a higher level to get through to get picked.

Ferguson - Premier League
Szmodics - likely Premier League
Ogbene - likely Championship, possibly move back to Prem
Idah - likely SPL and Champions League with Celtic
Cannon - likely Championship loan or Prem squad player
Parrott - Eredivisie and Europa League with AZ
Armstrong - Championship
Emakhu - might be headed for the Eredivisie and CL also with PSV?!

Plus the likes of Obafemi, Keane and Robinson in the Championship as well as potentially Vata if he gets a run at Watford.

Not forgetting Mark O'Mahoney who has 3 premier league appearances for Brighton...our forward options look decent for next while all going well, with other underage prospects to follow.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Not forgetting Mark O'Mahoney who has 3 premier league appearances for Brighton...our forward options look decent for next while all going well, with other underage prospects to follow.
Goalkeeper, Defenders (bar a left back) and strikers are pretty much set for the next 10 years - its midfield players we need.

[OwlsFan]

Charlie McNeill (Irish grandfather) signs for Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester United.

[CraftyToePoke]

Charlie McNeill (Irish grandfather) signs for Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester United.

Scored twice inside the first ten minutes on his first start v Hull in the cup tonight. Played an hour.

[liamoo11]

Scored twice inside the first ten minutes on his first start v Hull in the cup tonight. Played an hour.

His loan last season was fairly poor I thought from.memory I was surprised he got the sheff we'd move. Good for him

[OwlsFan]

He actually looked good apart from the goals but we'll see. He's another year older on from those loan moves. Still only 20.

[liamoo11]

Tom.leahy a 20 yo striker is on millwall bench. He is a brother of Jack leahy who I think was involved with us at maybe 16s ?

[Strongbow10]

Random but a mate of mine lives in Stockport, been following them since he moved over when they were in the national league.

He raves about Louie Barry, reckons he's class. He's slight enough but added a bit of physicality this year apparently. No future at Villa long term but a good season in L1 and we should deffo be trying to get him onboard. Technical kind of forward that we lack, and was always going to take longer to adapt to English football give his diminutive stature.

[Eirambler]

Have long said that we should be trying to get him into the Under 21s. But then for all we know we might be trying and he just isn't interested. He wouldn't necessarily walk straight into our Under 21 team with Armstrong, Emakhu and Vata already there, but he'd certainly make the squad and add competition. Born in 2003 so this is his last season of eligibility for any underage teams, all the 2002s and 2003s go overage after this season.

[liamoo11]

Have long said that we should be trying to get him into the Under 21s. But then for all we know we might be trying and he just isn't interested. He wouldn't necessarily walk straight into our Under 21 team with Armstrong, Emakhu and Vata already there, but he'd certainly make the squad and add competition. Born in 2003 so this is his last season of eligibility for any underage teams, all the 2002s and 2003s go overage after this season.

This is the group Louie played with for ireland https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-30884733.html

[Eirambler]

Four of those still involved with Ireland at underage level and two have been capped at senior level, not a bad return for an Under 16 group.

Probably a more pressing one given our need in the position is Dennis Cirkin who has started and scored for Sunderland today. Maybe Alan Browne could have a word with him, he would be close to our senior squad at left back.

[Olé Olé]

This is the group Louie played with for ireland https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-30884733.html
Lee Harkin is a name I had to check out from that side. If I remember correctly he was doing well underage for Wolves and concerns about an NI defection when he wasn't called up past under 16 were voiced.

Signed for Coleraine last season but is now with Moyola Park AFC.

[JR89]

Probably a more pressing one given our need in the position is Dennis Cirkin who has started and scored for Sunderland today. Maybe Alan Browne could have a word with him, he would be close to our senior squad at left back.

Feel Cirkin might opt for Latvia over Ireland given the stronger connection he'd have with Latvia and his dad passing away recently. While he was born here they left when he was a baby and both his parents are Latvian.

[liamoo11]

Lee Harkin is a name I had to check out from that side. If I remember correctly he was doing well underage for Wolves and concerns about an NI defection when he wasn't called up past under 16 were voiced.

Signed for Coleraine last season but is now with Moyola Park AFC.

I was at a few of these games and though harkin was a lovely technical footballer but very small. Bradley was centremid for the North was a standout as was the winger for the North who has since played for rangers. The difference technically back then between Barry and armstrong appeared vast barry really seemed to have all the skills and a great attitude in terrible conditions but light in stature and armstrong seemed to be physically a man but really lacking in skillets. Just shows how difficult talent ID is even at when lads are 16 and playing at elite international level.

I remember they played egan Riley as a holding midfielder and he seemed uncomfortable with it , might be good to have him back in our set up been on bench so far for Burnley

[Jolly Red Giant]

Feel Cirkin might opt for Latvia over Ireland given the stronger connection he'd have with Latvia and his dad passing away recently. While he was born here they left when he was a baby and both his parents are Latvian.
From a purely selfish footballing point of view - he would be pretty much a shoe-in given our lack of full-backs, and playing for Ireland is still a much higher profile for an English based player. But things don't always work like that at international level.

[Diggs246]

From a purely selfish footballing point of view - he would be pretty much a shoe-in given our lack of full-backs, and playing for Ireland is still a much higher profile for an English based player. But things don't always work like that at international level.

It's vital we get him, the question is, when does HH make his move?
Because we need this guy, but don't want to blow it etc

We also need complete confirmation on Kasey Mcateer

[nigel-harps1954]

Lee Harkin is a name I had to check out from that side. If I remember correctly he was doing well underage for Wolves and concerns about an NI defection when he wasn't called up past under 16 were voiced.

Signed for Coleraine last season but is now with Moyola Park AFC.

Fionnan Coyle left Finn Harps after being persuaded by local GAA lads that his future was with them. Not sure he plays football at all any more and isn't in any county GAA squads either. That's what you're up against sometimes. Fantastic talent thrown away

[Razors left peg]

I have no idea about the strength of the links etc, but Jacob Devaney played for Man Utds Youth team tonight against Barnsley in the EFL Trophy. Barnsleys assistant manager is Martin Devaney, the father of Jacob.

A nice moment, but does anyone know more about their Irish links. The Irish twitter pages seem to think the connection is fairly strong but both born in England.

1826026852940657124

[SkStu]

His dad played for us underage. Both his parents were born in Ireland.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Devaney

[EalingGreen]

His dad played for us underage. Both his parents were born in Ireland.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Devaney
That's what Wiki says, but his Agent's page has it slightly differently:
"... internationally, he represented The Republic of Ireland in their under 16’s team due to his parents being of Irish descent."
https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/martin-devaney/

(And before anyone imagines I'm stalking him or something, I happen to have prior knowledge of the player, albeit tenuously :cool:)

[Eirambler]

Another for Louie Barry, lovely finish too.

1827320150179053599

[JR89]

Having his own goal of the season competition.

[elatedscum]

I would worry that both Liam Delap and Louie Barry might fall into that category of lads who didn’t have a passport / weren’t on the foreign births register when they played underage for England first.

Obviously Ryan Johansson got around it eventually - but it might not be straightforward for either.

Same with CJ Egan O’Reilly, Michael Golding etc.


Often lads with irish parents, grandparents etc play for the u16s without getting a passport sorted because it’s not competitive.

And until the Luxembourg FA put a protest in, no one knew it was an issue

[Eirambler]

Would agree in terms of Delap but it would have been straight up negligence to have Barry in at Under 16s and not got his passport sorted at that point. I think we have to work on the basis that he's eligible.

[JR89]

Liam Delap in particular could become ineligible if he plays another game for their U21s if his citizenship situation isn't sorted.

I know Barry is hitting form but their U21s have wingers getting minutes with PL teams and Dortmund. Don't see them calling Barry up and this is his last campaign at U21 level.

[Razors left peg]

Conor Gallagher signed for Atletico this week under an Irish passport to get around the non euro player rules. I wonder will agents advise dual eligible players to get the Irish passport early in case of a move to the continent, which might work in our favor the odd time

[elatedscum]

Conor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane - all playing in Europe with Irish passports to avoid non-EU caps

[Olé Olé]

Gallagher is going out with an Irish girl for a good while now too. He's well surrounded.

Delap might already be covered the way his father spoke previously about his - or his aspired - son's Irishness.

[elatedscum]

Would agree in terms of Delap but it would have been straight up negligence to have Barry in at Under 16s and not got his passport sorted at that point. I think we have to work on the basis that he's eligible.

Stuff like that does happen where they try make it as easy for the family agent etc initially. Just bring the kid along at 15s 16s and 18s if we think he’s good enough and we’ll worry about the paperwork and so on down the line.


Kinda why something like Taylor Garner Hickman happened

[CraftyToePoke]

Francis Turley, 18 midfielder. Long term contract at Celtic after an impressive pre season & off the bench today late on v St Mirren for his debut. This should be achievable & we should be on it.

[Olé Olé]

Francis Turley, 18 midfielder. Long term contract at Celtic after an impressive pre season & off the bench today late on v St Mirren for his debut. This should be achievable & we should be on it.

I dunno.

I would imagine Brendan Rodgers would have influence and that probably doesn't help.

On top of that, he's played in the 19s Euros for NI. He's probably well settled there.

I don't think the vast, vast majority these lads are keen to switch at all and few have, if you think about how many lads from Nationalist backgrounds or areas are in the NI squads.

Sykes' situation is quite unique given his background. I don't know enough about Sean Moore but I don't think he was well ingrained into the IFA system before his switch?

I could be well off here but are the Hale brothers and Stephen Mallon the only other young lads from Belfast/Antrim that have switched in the last 6/8/10 years? Daniel Kearns, Daniel Devine and a couple more came on the back of Marc Wilson's senior caps in the early 2010s. Other than that it's been Derry lads and the odd rumour of a flirt.

[Eirambler]

The other thing is that if he switches and plays for us at underage level there is no going back.

Realistically what are the odds that an 18 year old who has just got 5 minutes off the bench for Celtic against St Mirren when they're 3-0 up is going to end up being senior international quality for us? 1 in 10, 1 in 20? Celtic seem to produce maybe one to two genuinely international quality players from their youth teams per decade, the odds are that he won't be one of them. Whereas the north are short enough on full time professional players that they could probably cap him before the year is out.

I don't know anything about this lad, but unless he is rated as some kind of exceptional talent it's probably not in his longer term interest to rush into a switch at the first sign of interest from the FAI.

[CraftyToePoke]

I don't know anything about this lad, but unless he is rated as some kind of exceptional talent it's probably not in his longer term interest to rush into a switch at the first sign of interest from the FAI.

Went over from IL, Glentoran maybe, year & a bit ago. Got taken on pre season & a new improved four year deal came from that a few weeks ago. Now, he's made his debut. Now we often talk about Celtic & youth opportunities on here & this lad looks like he'll get a chance that Lawal / Connell didn't so that's interesting. What is also interesting is he's a midfielder & we could do with one or three of those. From the little I know, he's likely to be open to having the conversation at least.

No he shouldn't probably use his one switch but neither should we let our northern brothers cap him in the next ten minutes, which they will look to do. Talk to him, he didn't grow up dreaming of playing at Windsor.

[tetsujin1979]

Conor Gallagher signed for Atletico this week under an Irish passport to get around the non euro player rules. I wonder will agents advise dual eligible players to get the Irish passport early in case of a move to the continent, which might work in our favor the odd time
It could work the other way as well. Promising Irish players who are eligible to claim a UK passport to move over there before they turn 18

[Jolly Red Giant]

It could work the other way as well. Promising Irish players who are eligible to claim a UK passport to move over there before they turn 18
Wasn't that how Ferguson ended up with Brighton - his mother is English

[tetsujin1979]

Wasn't that how Ferguson ended up with Brighton - his mother is English
Yeah, he claimed a UK passport when he was 16 before he went over

[EalingGreen]

Francis speaking ahead of the Euro U-19 Finals, held in NI earlier in the summer:

https://www.facebook.com/northernirelandnationalteam/videos/826948782709358/?mibextid=iCjFHx&rdid=5512UEA5kSZrHXlW

[Joxerbrowne]

Francis speaking ahead of the Euro U-19 Finals, held in NI earlier in the summer:

https://www.facebook.com/northernirelandnationalteam/videos/826948782709358/?mibextid=iCjFHx&rdid=5512UEA5kSZrHXlW

This is the same lad who pulled out of the Euros squad on the eve of the competition even though he wasnt injured yeah ?

[EalingGreen]

This is the same lad who pulled out of the Euros squad on the eve of the competition even though he wasnt injured yeah ?Yep, same lad:

"Francis Turley is a late withdrawal from Northern Ireland's UEFA U19 Championship squad .
The Belfast native has stayed with his club after being included in Brendan Rodgers first team squad for the Hoops pre-season trip to America. It marks an incredible few days for the teenager after he made a goal scoring debut for Celtic coming off the bench to score in their friendly win over Queen's Park last week.
Whilst NI U19 boss Gareth McAuley is disappointed to lose the services of the talented teen, he is delighted to see Turley get his opportunity to impress at club level. “It’s great for Fra to be part of the Celtic first team, however it’s disappointing for us as he was coming to the fore to be a key player for us," said McAuley.
"But it’s all about the development of the players and we wish Fra all the best, and we’ll see him further down the line.”
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-starlet-francis-turley-late-29543349

Hardly the most difficult of choices for the lad. :cool: