10 Best Irish Prospects 21 & Under

[Fizzer]

Gavin Kilkenny is on the bench for Bournemouth today.

[Olé Olé]

Whatever about Masterson and where his future could or should lie, it would have been an awful pity if Liam Scales had signed for Bristol Rovers during the summer. He looks like a lad far more suited to making it in a league in the continent.

[DeLorean]

Masterson is an excellent footballer great passer and makes midfielder s actually get on the ball cause he has the ability and desire to pass into tight midfield areas. He has to develop his physique but he must be at leas 6foot 4 so he will be a beast as he develops.

Just over 6ft according to Transfermarkt - 1.85m - not particularly tall for a cb.

[tetsujin1979]

Dara O'Shea is about 6"2, and Masterson is definitely shorter than him

[elatedscum]

Just over 6ft according to Transfermarkt - 1.85m - not particularly tall for a cb.

I saw that on transfermarkt. I'm 6'1 and was chatting to Conor for a minute a few months ago. Definitely felt a tiny bit taller than me, maybe being so skinny helps a little but i would have thought 6'2. I think I would have noticed if i wasn't cause that was my big shock when chatting to Darren O'Dea and Darren Randolph that O'Dea was smaller than me (barely 6 foot) and Randolph was basically my height.

[elatedscum]

https://foot.ie/attachment.php?attachmentid=2814&stc=1https://foot.ie/attachment.php?attachmentid=2815&stc=1

These are the only two ones that google offered quickly...

[DeLorean]

Looks pretty much the same at Kelleher, who Transfermarkt have a 1.88m, so you're probably right. O'Shea similar enough too.

[TonyD]

Hope this doesn't go too against the grain as far as resurrecting old threads, but it's intriguing to see how far our some of the predictions were and of course how accurate others were. The one quoted above was one of the better ones.

Much in the hope that i'll still be in a position to look back on my own selection in 10 years time i'm going to have a go at a current 10 prospects. Not including Parrott, Connolly or O'Connor only because they have been capped already.

Gavin Bazuno, Nathan Collins, Andrew Omobamidele, Anselmo Garcia McNulty, Nico Jones, Jason Molumby, Conor Coventry, Jamie Bowden, Tom Cannon, Evan Ferguson

Great shout on Andrew Omobamidele. Amazing (or maybe sobering)to see how few of those predicted over the years made the breakthrough.

[Demesne Lad]

Looking for a home for a bit of news about Charlton lad Patrick Casey and came across this thread. Fascinating to look back!

Anyway, Casey has signed his first professional contract, with Charlton. The 18-year-old striker enjoyed a remarkable season, scoring 42 goals for the club’s U18 and U21 sides. He was called up for the Republic's U-19 training camp recently.

Patrick Casey pens first professional contract | Charlton Athletic Football Club (charltonafc.com) (https://www.charltonafc.com/news/patrick-casey-pens-first-professional-contract) 28 June

[JR89]

At 15 years and 281 days old Mason Melia has become the youngest goal scorer in LOI Premier Division history. Zefi was 75 days younger when he became the youngest goal scorer overall when scoring for Rovers B team in the First Division.

Would it be worth changing the thread title if possible to something like Irish Underage Prospects to just keep this one thread for all things related to our underage players.

[JR89]

John Fallon reporting that Kevin Zefi could be leaving Inter this summer and that there could be interest for him by Newcastle. Has one year left on his contract going by reports.

[Razors left peg]

Newcastle would possibly the worst club I could think of for him to go. Too much new money and they'll want to play the flashy big signings

[JR89]

Newcastle would possibly the worst club I could think of for him to go. Too much new money and they'll want to play the flashy big signings

They're likely to go the Man City route of stockpiling young promising players and selling them for a profit for FFP reasons or if they impress keep them.

Spent €8m on Yankuba Minteh this summer from Odense in Denmark and immediately loaned him out to Feyenoord. Similar back in January they sent another 18 year old they bought immediately out on loan to Hearts. Wouldn't surprise me if they do actually have interest in Zefi similar will be done with him.

[Razors left peg]

They're likely to go the Man City route of stockpiling young promising players and selling them for a profit for FFP reasons or if they impress keep them.

Spent €8m on Yankuba Minteh this summer from Odense in Denmark and immediately loaned him out to Feyenoord. Similar back in January they sent another 18 year old they bought immediately out on loan to Hearts. Wouldn't surprise me if they do actually have interest in Zefi similar will be done with him.

Very good point, but that doesn't make it great from players development point of view. Although it would be good to see him get 1st team football next season whoever he's on loan from

[Exgrad]

John Fallon reporting that Kevin Zefi could be leaving Inter this summer and that there could be interest for him by Newcastle. Has one year left on his contract going by reports.

Sounds like a 2 year contract with an option for one more year thats not being taken up. He wasn't really impacting theit primavera team was he? All though think he had injuries. Agree newcastle would be a poor choice but think Stephen Carr is his agent and probably still has connections there.

[Rayzor]

Be better off going to a mid tier team that has a record of bringing players through, Italy and England are probably the worst in Europe. He's 18 and needs to be around the first team, Holland, Belgium, Portugal or even a Hibs/Aberdeen in Scotland.

[Yard of Pace]

Be better off going to a mid tier team that has a record of bringing players through, Italy and England are probably the worst in Europe. He's 18 and needs to be around the first team, Holland, Belgium, Portugal or even a Hibs/Aberdeen in Scotland.

Garang Kuol signed for the Magpies from Central Coast Mariners prior to becoming the youngest "Socceroo" to appear at a world cup and I haven't heard a thing about him since.

Squires' depiction of Newcastle as the Death Star is all too real, to be honest with you.

Would love to see Zefi at a Brentford, Brighton, or a Championship side...or Derby.

[tommy_c12000]

I saw a few random tweets during the year suggesting Zefi’s attitude was a key reason why he wasn’t pushing on at Inter. Last season was his season to shine at U19 level, he remained at U18. That was concerning to me. A fresh start may be needed.

[Razors left peg]

I saw a few random tweets during the year suggesting Zefi’s attitude was a key reason why he wasn’t pushing on at Inter. Last season was his season to shine at U19 level, he remained at U18. That was concerning to me. A fresh start may be needed.

Zefi didn't impress me at all during the u19 Qualifiers recently. His attitude wasn't great and he was very individualistic. In fairness to him it was a sh1te pitch so it didn't suit him at all. I remember seeing Ferguson in a cup game vs Charlton earlier in season and I thought he was a million miles away so it's hard to judge Zefi on such a small sample size.

I think we have learned from over hyping young players in the past not to blame the clubs for players not kicking on sometimes. If Zefi is not even getting near their u19 team he's not even in sniffing distance of 1st team so a move to Newcastle wouldn't seem great on the surface, but if it was a move where he went on loan immediately and got 1st team football somewhere at least we'd get to see how far along he is in his development

[Jd2793]

Zefi didn't impress me at all during the u19 Qualifiers recently. His attitude wasn't great and he was very individualistic. In fairness to him it was a sh1te pitch so it didn't suit him at all. I remember seeing Ferguson in a cup game vs Charlton earlier in season and I thought he was a million miles away so it's hard to judge Zefi on such a small sample size.

I think we have learned from over hyping young players in the past not to blame the clubs for players not kicking on sometimes. If Zefi is not even getting near their u19 team he's not even in sniffing distance of 1st team so a move to Newcastle wouldn't seem great on the surface, but if it was a move where he went on loan immediately and got 1st team football somewhere at least we'd get to see how far along he is in his development

i am kind of happy hes getting out of italy now. primavera is a very poor level overall, wasnt a good sign he didnt get pushed into the 19s last season imo. ive seen a good bit of him with ireland 17s/19s , think he badly needs some individual coaching. hes definitely not as good as a move to inter would suggest, nor is heffernan imo. people were buzzed these lads went to these big teams instead of the PL equv but in truth its no different. unless you are elite you will find it very difficult. lets see what a year in england does for the lad, as you say a loan is probably needed as soon as any new club see him (hopefully) outgrowing PL u21.

[zero]

Garang Kuol signed for the Magpies from Central Coast Mariners prior to becoming the youngest "Socceroo" to appear at a world cup and I haven't heard a thing about him since.

Squires' depiction of Newcastle as the Death Star is all too real, to be honest with you.

Would love to see Zefi at a Brentford, Brighton, or a Championship side...or Derby.

He was immediately loaned out to Hearts but didn't feature much. Only one goal and a handful of appearances.

[liamoo11]

i am kind of happy hes getting out of italy now. primavera is a very poor level overall, wasnt a good sign he didnt get pushed into the 19s last season imo. ive seen a good bit of him with ireland 17s/19s , think he badly needs some individual coaching. hes definitely not as good as a move to inter would suggest, nor is heffernan imo. people were buzzed these lads went to these big teams instead of the PL equv but in truth its no different. unless you are elite you will find it very difficult. lets see what a year in england does for the lad, as you say a loan is probably needed as soon as any new club see him (hopefully) outgrowing PL u21.

Spain are hammering Greece 5 nil at the moment in the under 19 euro s, Greece topped our group on the qualifiers we really should have got out of that grouo