Potentially eligible players thread

[Charlie Darwin]

He still appears to be uncertain (http://www.the42.ie/lukas-jutkiewicz-ireland-opinion-3167903-Jan2017/) himself. Suffice to say, he's had years to go and find out and hasn't bothered, so I doubt it'll happen at this stage.

[DeLorean]

Patrick Banford falls into the same category as Scott Hogan, He has had more than enough time to contemplate his imaginary International future and it's not with the Republic.

I don't think he falls into the same category as Hogan at all really, seeing as he hasn't been approached recently and his club form/situations would hardly have encouraged him to make contact himself. Bamford was very clear about this I felt, his first choice is England but he said he wouldn't rule anything out, meaning he's at least open to the idea of playing for us depending on how his career pans out.

I know this non-committal attitude riles some people but I would no issue with him accepting his second best option some day, if he's worthy of his place. As things stand, he has no decision to make anyway.

[Wangball]

Ethan Ampadu in the Wales squad for their Summer camp

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40041499

[Olé Olé]

Ethan Ampadu in the Wales squad for their Summer camp

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40041499
Still find this a strange one. His father is Irish and one would assume his father is his footballing influence. I wonder why he's going with his mother's side of Wales. Maybe his father's advising him that way too for one reason or another. It's disappointing because he seems a right prospect.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://m.devonlive.com/why-ethan-ampadu-s-inclusion-in-wales-full-squad-is-big-news/story-30353971-detail/story.html

This article has arguments for and against Ampadu's call up for Wales.

[bwagner]

http://m.devonlive.com/why-ethan-ampadu-s-inclusion-in-wales-full-squad-is-big-news/story-30353971-detail/story.html

This article has arguments for and against Ampadu's call up for Wales.

Northern Ireland called up Shay McCartan and had Conor Hazard (Celtic, GK) with them last week. Both ex GAA men. Looks like Mike doesn't want to lose any more players to us.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Contracts of Duffus and Hewelt extended by Everton.

http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/16-17/news/34943.html

[Charlie Darwin]

Saw Hewelt was on the bench there final day.

[gastric]

Northern Ireland called up Shay McCartan and had Conor Hazard (Celtic, GK) with them last week. Both ex GAA men. Looks like Mike doesn't want to lose any more players to us.

With a name like Hazard and being a goalkeeper, do we really want him?

[samhaydenjr]

With a name like Hazard and being a goalkeeper, do we really want him?

I always thought Eden Hazard sounded like the name of the heroine in one of the racier Harlequin romance novels

[Wangball]

Ampadu out of the Wales Squad

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40078871

[IsMiseSean]

Shane O'Neill promoted to the Eredivisie with NAC Breda over the weekend.
NAC-Breda return Eredivisie (http://www.football-oranje.com/nec-go-nac-breda-return-eredivisie/)

[CraftyToePoke]

Ampadu out of the Wales Squad

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40078871

The poster rather than the post is of interest here.

[DannyInvincible]

'You Boroughs In Green: Football in Irish-America': http://pogmogoal.com/republic-of-ireland/you-boroughs-in-green-football-in-irish-america/24910/


Ireland’s latest American adventure sees them take on Mexico this week. So, who are these supporters that continually show up in the New York when the Irish arrive? What is the status of soccer in the Irish-American community? And when will we see a player born and raised in the United States line out for the Boys in Green? asks Irish New Yorker Eugene O’Driscoll.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

A player linked with PL teams is eligible according to Rob Brennan.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RobBrennan82/status/869969785509031936

[mark12345]

'You Boroughs In Green: Football in Irish-America': http://pogmogoal.com/republic-of-ireland/you-boroughs-in-green-football-in-irish-america/24910/

He mentions the American players with Irish backgrounds (Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Michael Parkhurst) who could have pulled on a green jersey. I remember Parkhurst case well. He was a commanding defender with the New England Revolution who went on to play for US. I interviewed him for the newspaper I was working for at the time and he was gung ho to have the FAI contact him. Having contacted the FAI on his behalf this was followed by.....well.....crickets.

[CraftyToePoke]

Having contacted the FAI on his behalf this was followed by.....well.....crickets.

Did you mail the info@ email on the FAI page or did you put a bit more time into it & get hold of a person working in that area of the organisation ?

[Wangball]

The poster rather than the post is of interest here.

I'm interesting?!?!!?

[CraftyToePoke]

I'm interesting?!?!!?

Yeah man, I been looking through your bedroom window as you sleep for a good while now.

I mean your breaking the news on the Celtic lad, and then this about Ampadu and if perhaps there was more to it.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

He mentions the American players with Irish backgrounds (Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Michael Parkhurst) who could have pulled on a green jersey. I remember Parkhurst case well. He was a commanding defender with the New England Revolution who went on to play for US. I interviewed him for the newspaper I was working for at the time and he was gung ho to have the FAI contact him. Having contacted the FAI on his behalf this was followed by.....well.....crickets.

Are Dempsey and Donovan actually Irish-American?

They have Irish sounding surnames but I have never been able to find anything to suggest they are Irish and/or eligible apart from unsourced Wikipedia edits and IrishCentral (which is not very reliable).

[Olé Olé]

Are Dempsey and Donovan actually Irish-American?

They have Irish sounding surnames but I have never been able to find anything to suggest they are Irish and/or eligible apart from unsourced Wikipedia edits and IrishCentral (which is not very reliable).

The article states that Donovan had a grandmother from Kerry.

[DannyInvincible]

Limerick's Chiedozie Ogbene confirmed the other week that he would choose Nigeria over Ireland if an international call comes: https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/1069003/chiedozie-ogbene-left-cork-city-for-limerick-as-he-was-not-happy-with-place-on-the-bench/


Ogbene ultimately wants to move abroad and win international honours, having moved to Cork from Lagos, Nigeria 12 years ago after his father got a nursing job.

He added: "I’m still waiting for that international call, be it Nigeria or Ireland. It could happen some day, I’ll just keep believing and keep working hard, hopefully it will be happen. Obviously my heart belongs to Nigeria. One day I’d love to wear the Golden Eagle. Nigeria would be first for me."

Cork has been his home since 2005 — he has the accent and still lives there, commuting to Limerick for training.

[liamoo11]

Limerick's Chiedozie Ogbene confirmed the other week that he would choose Nigeria over Ireland if an international call comes: https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/1069003/chiedozie-ogbene-left-cork-city-for-limerick-as-he-was-not-happy-with-place-on-the-bench/

Fair play to him. Honest and proud I hope he gets chance to wear the Nigerian Jersey

[Olé Olé]

He shouldn't be pursued by Ireland. "Be It Nigeria or Ireland"... that should rule him out for us. Shodipe didn't "obviously" want to play for Nigeria firstly but best of luck to him.

[DannyInvincible]

He shouldn't be pursued by Ireland. "Be It Nigeria or Ireland"... that should rule him out for us. Shodipe didn't "obviously" want to play for Nigeria firstly but best of luck to him.

Has Olamide Shodipe spoken of possibly switching to Nigeria or have I misunderstood?

I honestly wouldn't get too hung up on Ogbene's words. What I mean is that I'd respect his wishes but wouldn't hold his words against him in the sense of excluding him for all eternity from possible future consideration for us. He's obviously proud of his Nigerian heritage and that's completely understandable and reasonable - it's where he was born and it's where his parents and family are from, even though he has spent most of his life to date in Cork, has a Cork accent (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fu2z5Hy_g0) and grew up playing GAA - but he would also be happy to represent his adopted nation (even if we're not necessarily his preference) and he previously (last December) stated the following (http://www.the42.ie/chiedozie-ogbene-cork-city-interview-3131347-Dec2016/) on the matter:


An [international] opportunity hasn’t come my way yet but when it does I have a difficult decision to make.

If he was ever considered good enough to play for us, I would have no qualms with the FAI making an effort to try and persuade him to declare for us. If it turned out to be fruitless, so be it; no harm done. Can we seriously expect that a lad who moved to Ireland in his youth, having been born in Nigeria, would lose all attachment to his homeland? It's to be entirely expected that he would have a split or dual sense of allegiance. It's only natural.

Even though he has spent his entire teenage life and footballing career to date in Ireland, I'd like to think that if he did declare for Nigeria over Ireland, in spite of being good enough to play for us, that we'd respect that and wish him no ill will. It would be hypocritical of us to harbour resentment in light of the fact we've been so happy down through the years to benefit from declaring dual national players who've spent their entire club careers playing in another country.

[Olé Olé]

There was speculation. I'm referring to the fact that Shodipe chose us over Nigeria who, by all accounts, were actively pursuing him.

Strawman stuff above, Danny. Nobody has mentioned anything resembling "ill will". It's all completely understandable.

I just think if he's stated his preference is Nigeria then he should pursue that and we shouldn't pursue him. It would be a waste of energy on a couple of fronts; if he's good enough for Ireland, he's probably not far off being of the level for Nigeria and, having seen him a couple of times, I'm not sure if he will ever be of the level required for either. Happy to be proven wrong on that front though.

[DannyInvincible]

Strawman stuff above, Danny. Nobody has mentioned anything resembling "ill will". It's all completely understandable.

Hadn't meant to direct that at yourself personally. I'm aware you wouldn't bear ill will towards a player in such a situation. I was making a more general reference, just based on how some Irish supporters reacted to, say, Jack Grealish deciding against playing for us.


I just think if he's stated his preference is Nigeria then he should pursue that and we shouldn't pursue him. It would be a waste of energy on a couple of fronts; if he's good enough for Ireland, he's probably not far off being of the level for Nigeria and, having seen him a couple of times, I'm not sure if he will ever be of the level required for either. Happy to be proven wrong on that front though.

Aye, it's hard to know. He's still relatively young, mind.

[DannyInvincible]

Video here of Paddy McEleney's amazing goal against Drogheda last Friday night: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0618/883703-watch-patrick-mceleneys-moment-of-derby-magic/


Dundalk produced a derby demolition at United Park as they romped to a 6-0 win against Drogheda, but it was Patrick McEleney's gorgeous solo goal that brought the house down.

The silky Derryman oozes class and he stamped it all over the Lilywhites' resounding win just before half-time.

Skipping past tackle after Drogheda tackle, McEleney capped his run with a beautifully judged chip over the despairing dive of Stephen McGuinness to put his team 3-0 up.

[samhaydenjr]

FC Cincinnati midfielder, Aodhan Quinn, qualifies and could be playing MLS next season if his team gets included in the expansion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aodhan_Quinn - his father, Brian, was born in Belfast and played 48 times for the US national team

Edit: Earliest FC Cincinnati could be given MLS Status would be 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npyJlUbKcpw

[Stuttgart88]

I can't wait to hear American commentators pronounce his name.

[tetsujin1979]

I can't wait to hear American commentators pronounce his name.
Guy I used to know called Aodhan went to Australia for a year, working on building sites. None of the locals could pronounce his name, so they called him Eamon! He was going out with a girl I shared a house with when I first moved to Dublin.
He was from Armagh, thickest northern accent I ever heard, knew him nearly two weeks before I could understand him.

Sort of related, Oxford tweeted a link on how to pronounce 'Fiacre': https://twitter.com/OUFCOfficial/status/876805095790456832
That's not how I'd pronounce it, it's closer to fee-uch-re than that example

[BonnieShels]

I knew of a fella called Aenghus Ryder... Poor b**tard

[nigel-harps1954]

Sort of related, Oxford tweeted a link on how to pronounce 'Fiacre': https://twitter.com/OUFCOfficial/status/876805095790456832
That's not how I'd pronounce it, it's closer to fee-uch-re than that example

What the hell? Who pronounces Fiacre like that? Who spells the name that way even? Seems wrong altogether to me.

[DeLorean]

I knew of a fella called Aenghus Ryder... Poor b**tard

I work with a Willie Cumming. You'd think he'd go by William as a damage limitation exercise but no, proud as punch.

He even has Willie on his work email signature. Fair play to him for embracing it.

[KrisLetang]

I can't wait to hear American commentators pronounce his name.

Well. lets not keep them in suspense. How do you pronounce it?

[Wangball]

AyoDawn

[Stuttgart88]

D sound or G sound? I'd pronounce it "Ay-gawn", but then I'm a southsider.

[nigel-harps1954]

I'd just have said it was a variation of 'Eoghan', and as such pronounced Owen.

[DannyInvincible]

Video here of another lovely Paddy McEleney goal this week to put Dundalk 3-0 up against Finn Harps: https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/878351474010488832

[Olé Olé]

A lot of talk about Trevor Clarke potentially leaving and Maguire actually leaving. There hasn't been anything about McEleney. I would have assumed he'd be on the radars of Championship clubs. He definitely has pushed on a level since the Peterborough close move.

[Charlie Darwin]

He was under a two-year contract last year so there was little chance of a move. I'd imagine there'll be talk come the summer.

edit: not summer, end of the season I mean

[tetsujin1979]

Both Martin O'Neill and Michael O'Neill are keeping tabs on Patrick McEleney: http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/martin-oneill-michael-oneill-keeping-10698028

[Olé Olé]

You would imagine Michael will be desperate to get McEleney into his squad.

[Olé Olé]

Ethan Ampadu has joined Chelsea. Good luck finding the opportunities there pal.

[DannyInvincible]

Paddy McEleney scored another cracker for Dundalk this weekend. This one was against Bray in a 3-0 win. Video here: https://www.facebook.com/SoccRepublic/videos/1187954724643607/

[DannyInvincible]

Balls.ie have compiled videos of six Paddy McEleney wonder-strikes from this season here: https://www.balls.ie/football/patrick-mceleney-goals-368233


There hasn't been anyone like Patrick, talent wise, in the league in the last 15 years.

[Closed Account]

Callum Robinson is eligible; Connor Mahoney is waiting for England.

https://twitter.com/RobBrennan82/status/833994937196769280

I'm sure we will hear about Robinson's interest (or lack of) in about three weeks time..
Connor Mahoney has signed for Bournemouth, his England ambitions progress.

[tetsujin1979]

off topic, but I noticed that Rob Brennan has switched his twitter to private

[BonnieShels]

What ya reckon about that so?

[Closed Account]

Dan Crowley made his debut, 14min off the bench for Go Ahead Eagles last night.
Reports that Dan Crowley has signed a 3 year contract with Willem II (2016–17 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016%E2%80%9317_Eredivisie) Eredivisie, 13th), pending a medical today.

http://www.bd.nl/willem-ii/willem-ii-bevestigt-komst-daniel-crowley~ac22f32c/

Tilburg - Willem II has confirmed the arrival of Daniel Crowley. The 19-year-old midfielder, who favored medical Wednesday, will sign a three-year contract with the Tilburg club. It is taken from Arsenal where he was a one-year contract.