Future of Irish international soccer

[Predator]

Hi guys,

Apologies if this has been done before but...

What kind of Ireland team do you see in the next 5 to 10 years? What kind of young players are impressing enough at under-age that would suggest they'll be future internationals. Who will replace Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Robbie Keane etc.?

It's clear to me that Trapattoni and Tardelli are less focused on the development of the youth, since their immediate goal is qualification for the World Cup, so are Don Givens and Seán McCaffrey doing the job at youth levels?

Off the top of my head, I can only think of a few promising Irish players that have been talked of extensively before.

Robert Brady (17?) - at United, touted as an exciting talent, recently won Player of the Tournament award at the Milk Cup in Co. Derry.

Séamus Coleman (20?) - at Everton, can hopefully push for a place ahead of Hibbert there and improve.

Eddie Nolan (21) - At Preston, already pushing for an international place.

Owen Garvan (21) - at Ipswich. Haven't seen much of him, but I'm told he's decent.

Shane Duffy (17) - at Everton, played with first team in pre-season, on bench versus Arsenal so is evidently valued. Is completely eligible to play for us, but hasn't been called up.

James McCarthy (17?) - we know all about this lad! Hopefully he'll mature into a solid player.

[youngirish]

Hi guys,

Apologies if this has been done before but...

What kind of Ireland team do you see in the next 5 to 10 years? What kind of young players are impressing enough at under-age that would suggest they'll be future internationals. Who will replace Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Robbie Keane etc.?

It's clear to me that Trapattoni and Tardelli are less focused on the development of the youth, since their immediate goal is qualification for the World Cup, so are Don Givens and Seán McCaffrey doing the job at youth levels?

Off the top of my head, I can only think of a few promising Irish players that have been talked of extensively before.

Robert Brady (17?) - at United, touted as an exciting talent, recently won Player of the Tournament award at the Milk Cup in Co. Derry.

Séamus Coleman (20?) - at Everton, can hopefully push for a place ahead of Hibbert there and improve.

Eddie Nolan (21) - At Preston, already pushing for an international place.

Owen Garvan (21) - at Ipswich. Haven't seen much of him, but I'm told he's decent.

Shane Duffy (17) - at Everton, played with first team in pre-season, on bench versus Arsenal so is evidently valued. Is completely eligible to play for us, but hasn't been called up.

James McCarthy (17?) - we know all about this lad! Hopefully he'll mature into a solid player.

I had a go at it earlier. Most of these players if good enough will be around in 10 years.

http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=121038

[DeLorean]

I had a go at it earlier. Most of these players if good enough will be around in 10 years.

http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=121038

Possibly the most thanked post in the history of foot.ie!! fair play it was a good one.

[Predator]

Ah, cool. Should these threads be merged then?

What would your ideal Ireland team be in say 5 to 10 years time then? I can't think of any outstanding goalkeepers or defenders!

[Colbert Report]

Whatever happened to Conor Clifford? Is he still at Chelsea?

[tetsujin1979]

yeah, should be looking to push on into the reserve side this season

[Crosby87]

Its funny I remember questioning if players like Robbie Keane and Duff would be around much longer a few months ago, and I got laughed out of the building people saying both will be around for the 2014 world cup...I dont think so.
Hopefully some of those people step up and make it.

[Dodge]

Whatever happened to Conor Clifford? Is he still at Chelsea?

He's only 17...

[eirebhoy]

Whatever happened to Conor Clifford? Is he still at Chelsea?
Captain of their youths afaik.

[Razors left peg]

Whatever happened to Conor Clifford? Is he still at Chelsea?

Seen him for the under 17s in Terryland last season and was really impressed with him

[tetsujin1979]

Captain of their youths afaik.
definitely captained them in pre season: http://www.cfcnet.co.uk/2009/07/18/youngsters-start-pre-season-with-win/

[Predator]

Are there any promising goalkeepers coming through?

What defenders are making breakthroughs?

The midfield seems to have the strongest potential group of players

Who's scoring goals?

I am actually struggling to pick a possible Irish team for 5 years time.

[Dodge]

I am actually struggling to pick a possible Irish team for 5 years time.

Thats because some of them are only 15/16 now, and some of the ones you've mentioned will fail


Calm down and let players develop at their own pace. If they're good enough, fine.

[Bluebeard]

I would expect that an Irish side in 2014 should include quite a few current established internationals, and I can see players like Given, Dunner etc. keen to playing on deep into their mid to late 30s if let. Plus, there is the impact of the granny rule, presenting Ireland with unexpected players at unexpected times and ages. Add to this the variations in the technical needs at youth and at adult level, the trends in tactics, and the positional issues needing sorting, leading to a player like Andrews getting his first cap at the age of 28, or the political issues which prevented Lawrence being capped before 27. As one can see, the progression gets seriously skewed.

Let's go all imperical: The players who excel at youths level are not that commonly the stars of the future look at the youths team that finished 3rd in the World Cup, a team that could be said to be truly: only two in the squad went on to be full internationals Duff and Crowe!

Let's look at the under 21 squad announced this month five years ago (in keeping with the time span) (I could only find it here! (http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=16445)) - the players available would have been less likely to be out injured from over playing (beginning of the season) and should be coming close to 25 now, so should be approaching their peak and making a significant impact on the squad at this stage. Compare this to the current squad named for the Australia game:
Those in the squad: Kelly, Foley, Whelan, Doyle, McGeady
Those fully capped: Henderson, Potter, Elliott
Were expected to make it: Murphy, Flood, Thornton, Tabb

Perhaps five of them (I am swapping Foley for Henderson) could be said to have "made it" at this stage - that is a pretty good return for any given U21 squad. There are 6 members of the squad for the Australia in the 24-25 year old bracket who were eligible for the U21s in August 2005 (McGeady was playing beyond his years, TBH, at 19, and had already made his senior debut some months before), of which Westwood, St. Ledger appeared from nowhere, thanks to the granny rule.

If the current crop listed here and in youngirish's excellent posts go on to produce five or six who go on to be full regular internationals in five years, I would be very pleased - many of those mentioned will only be realistically coming to their prime for 2016, so I wouldn't really worry for the time being.

[youngirish]

Of those players mentioned in my post Keogh, Foley, Gibson and until recently O'Brien already are regular members in the Irish squad.

I can see Ward getting a chance sooner rather than later considering our problems at left back.

I'd also be very surprised if McCarthy and McCann weren't regular starters for Ireland within the next 2 years as both are very likely to be regular starters in the Premiershiip ovthis season once McCarthy gets fit.

Of the rest if I was forces to hazard a guess I think Coleman will probably eventually be good enough to make the grade in the Premiership and therefore should be in the frame for Ireland in a couple of years. I'm not sure Dixon will ever get completely over his injury problems and would be more surprised than not if he fulfilled his early potential though I still hope he does so. Doran is too young to make a judgement call and as we've seen countless times before his career could easily go either way. Treacy and Judge should at least be good enough to forge careers for themselves in the Championship though I'm still unsure either can make the step up to become good Premiership players. I can see both leaving Blackburn permanently in the near future to try their hand elsewhere. Wilson will find it difficult with a struggling Portsmouth team this year and could easily find himself frozen out if a new manager and/or new players are brought in.

Howver in addition to the players I mentioned we also have Garvan, St Ledger, Nolan, Scannell, Yeates, Best, Davies, O'Toole and Long playing regularly in the Championship and O'Dea, Kurtis Byrne and Sheridan in the SPL (though Sheridan is now at Plymouth with Judge).

Considering the numbers involved and the fact that most are getting at least occasional games at their respective clubs then I'd be surprised if can't already see in there the main body of the future Irish team.