Alex O'Hanlon

[Olé Olé]

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/ireland-remains-fertile-hunting-ground-for-english-big-guns-253145.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/teen-dream-comes-at-a-price-for-irish-players-in-england-253259.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/money-men-keep-close-eye-on-teen-market-253336.html

Examiner been running a series on clubs signing up youth talent. Really interesting info from alex O hanlons dad about Daglish telling him alex would b in first team by the age of 18. Great to see lads from families who have made Ireland home getting moves to clubs like arsenal.

"Liverpool, without a first team Irish player since Steve Staunton in the early 1990s"

Steve Finnan?

Informative article though.

[tetsujin1979]

"Liverpool, without a first team Irish player since Steve Staunton in the early 1990s"

Steve Finnan?

Informative article though.

Robbie Keane?

[Alf Honn]

Robbie Keane?

Cud b wrong but they might be talking bout ones not bought in from other eng clubs. Lpool was first club for Stan I think.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

What about Mark Kennedy and Phil Babb?

[DannyInvincible]

What about Mark Kennedy and Phil Babb?

And Jason McAteer.

[Charlie Darwin]

And John Flan... ah nevermind.

[tricky_colour]

Robbie Keane?

Is he eligible to play for USA?

[paul_oshea]

Cud b wrong but they might be talking bout ones not bought in from other eng clubs. Lpool was first club for Stan I think.

Richie Partridge?

[Stuttgart88]

Darren Potter?

[Alf Honn]

Richie Partridge?

That's like saying Robbie Brady at Man U!

Can only suppose they were gettin at younger players born in Ire that came through their reserves to play more than a handful of times.

[liamoo11]

It seems dishonest that Daglish would tell the family of a 15 year old he would be in the first team by 18 just to get him to sign as I assume all the other players in that age group who are playing in the youth cup squad were told the same. But then I suppose liverpool handed over huge money to sign him so at least he and his family benefit.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

He'd have to be pretty naive to believe that in fairness.

[liamoo11]

He'd have to be pretty naive to believe that in fairness.

Would he? Your 15 year old kid has been offered a contract by all the top clubs in Britain and possibly Real madrid. Liverpool are prepared to pay a million for him you would imagine they would think he would be a first team player. Circularargument I suppose you would have to take the million and hope it worked out

[tetsujin1979]

O'Hanlon and Cleary lined out for Liverpool earlier against Man City, with Byrne starting in midfield. O'Hanlon put Liverpool one up just before half time, before City came back to win 2-1: http://mcfc.co.uk/News/Match-reports/2014/March/Liverpool-v-City-u18s-22-March
City usually have the highlights from the u18 side's games on the site so I'll post that if/when it is available

[Stuttgart88]

O'Hanlon and Clearly lined out for Liverpool earlier against Man City, with Byrne starting in midfield. O'Hanlon put Liverpool one up just before half time, before City came back to win 2-1: http://mcfc.co.uk/News/Match-reports/2014/March/Liverpool-v-City-u18s-22-March
City usually have the highlights from the u18 side's games on the site so I'll post that if/when it is available
Jeez, not you as well...

[Bungle]

Does anybody know was O'Hanlon injured when Liverpool were playing in the FA Youth Cup? He seems to be very highly thought of there and seems to score quite a few goals. I do know that Liverpool's academy seems to be ridiculously competitive, but I would have thought given how well he's been playing for their u18s, he'd be at least on the bench.

[liamoo11]

Does anybody know was O'Hanlon injured when Liverpool were playing in the FA Youth Cup? He seems to be very highly thought of there and seems to score quite a few goals. I do know that Liverpool's academy seems to be ridiculously competitive, but I would have thought given how well he's been playing for their u18s, he'd be at least on the bench.

No he hasnt been involved in their youth cup team this year. Rossitor , brannigan and ibe drop down from the reserves for those games so he just gets squeezed out unfortunately. He was involved a good bit last year in the youth cup off the bench. Lots of lads seem to have jumped ahead of him this year. They also signed 2 spanish midfielders this summer canos and chirivella who have pushed him out of the picture

[liamoo11]

I Hanlon was motm and scored today b west bring

[Stuttgart88]

I thought my auto correct was out of control.

[Charlie Darwin]

I thought my auto correct was out of control.
"I, Hanlon, was man of the match and scored. Be west, bring."

[tricky_colour]

The CIA will be pulling their hair out trying to decrypt that.
"bomb West Wing"?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It would be easier to find the Malaysian Flight 370 than it would be to decipher what liamoo11 was trying to say there.

[Bungle]

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/161041-free-scoring-u18s-put-four-past-baggies

Alex seems to know where the goal is. Cleary would seem to have been at fault for the goal conceded.

[Charlie Darwin]

He certainly is a prospect, however he's 18 this month and you'd think if he's going to make it at Liverpool he'll need to advance to the 21s sooner rather than later.

[Olé Olé]

No harm in over-shadowing Sheyi Ojo and Jerome Sinclair, no matter what the level.

[tetsujin1979]

"I, Hanlon, was man of the match and scored. Be west, bring."
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIp4_ZuxTSY/UMQ-V5b8eBI/AAAAAAAAAsk/TJwvrYsBQnc/s1600/contingency.png

[tetsujin1979]

Interview with Byrne ahead of the final of the U18 Premier League against Everton tomorrow: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Academy-news/2014/May/Everton-v-City-u18s-Jack-Byrne-preview
U18 player Harry Charsley is expected to line out for Everton

[tetsujin1979]

Charsely scored the winner for Everton, finishing after City's goalkeeper Billy O'Brien parried a shot to him: http://www.evertonfc.com/match/report/1314/everton-u18s-v-man-city-u18s
O'Brien plays for the North. Everton's Michael Donohue was in a recent England squad, and I don't know about Liam Walsh on the bench for Everton

[Olé Olé]

Charsely scored the winner for Everton, finishing after City's goalkeeper Billy O'Brien parried a shot to him: http://www.evertonfc.com/match/report/1314/everton-u18s-v-man-city-u18s
O'Brien plays for the North. Everton's Michael Donohue was in a recent England squad, and I don't know about Liam Walsh on the bench for Everton

O'Brien's twitter claims he's a Welsh international and, according to the Man City website he was born in Bury. I'd hazard a guess that the Wales link is maternal (possibly even father's mother). With a name like O'Brien there's surely a paternal Irish link.

In relation to Donohue, it appears to be the case that most lads coming out of Liverpool are a generation removed from eligibility but the Irish second name is at large (with the odd exception e.g. Joe Rafferty). I'd doubt this chaps qualifies on the basis that the Irish name has been diluted somewhat. But you never know!

EDIT: Well, on the basis of Jon Flanagan, you don't know for a long period of time and long stretch of column inches and then, eventually, you actually do know and it turns out he's not eligible, even if someone did know all along but kept it going. And now we know Jon could end up at the World Cup, y'know?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/city-starlet-byrne-chuffed-to-be-back-in-green-30300389.html

Jack Byrne held in esteem by Pellegrini and Vieira; Doolin could take it or leave it.

[Charlie Darwin]

Interesting, I had assumed Byrne was just considered too good for the U19s. Disappointing.

[liamoo11]

Interesting, I had assumed Byrne was just considered too good for the U19s. Disappointing.

well hopefully he can take duffy, grealish and brady as inspiration and go on to greater things after setbacks with the 19s

[tetsujin1979]

Jack Byrne and Ian Lawlor mentioned in this profile of Man City's elite development squad: http://www.foreversports.com/sports/man-citys-rising-stars

[tetsujin1979]

Byrne and O'Hanlon both mentioned in this report on the progress of St Kevin's players in England: http://www.thestar.ie/star/kevins-showing-the-way-53381/

[tetsujin1979]

Live coverage of Man City V Roma in the UEFA Youth League on City's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW4Q5kdS5i0
Jack Byrne starting in midfield for City, U17 player Tom Holland on the bench

[Charlie Darwin]

Another goal for Jack Byrne at home to Bayern.

[tetsujin1979]

Two goals in the game for Byrne, second goal a cracking free kick apparently

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2014/11/27/6528051/league-two-the-right-move-for-gaffney-and-hoban

BYRNE CONTINUES TO IMPRESS IN CONTINENTAL COMPETITION

Manchester City Under-19s made it five wins from five in the Uefa Youth League on Tuesday, sealing top spot in Group E with a 6-0 demolition of Bayern Munich. Once again, Jack Byrne was a colossus in midfield for the Blues' underage side, netting two goals in the rout to take his tally to four in five games in continental competition.

Many have raised concerns about Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland squads lacking young blood, but Byrne's outstanding performances for his club and the Ireland Under-21 side should push him into contention sooner rather than later. Much talk has been made of Jack Grealish's willingness to play for the Boys in Green, but there is no doubt where 18-year-old Dubliner Byrne's future lies.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ridiculous. Good performances in a kids league tell us very little about how he'd cope in men's football. Grealish only came into contention when he'd been through the mill at Notts County.

[AlaskaFox]

CD: I don't think the writer (and I know him quite well) is saying "Call him up Mart", more that he's someone to keep an eye on.

[Charlie Darwin]

I wouldn't doubt you've been in the same room as him from time to time :)

While you haven't crashed fully into 'call him up!' territory, he really is just a player with a bit of potential at the moment, and there's no clear signs he's destined to step up to senior football yet. I'm fearful of anointing players at such a early point in their development. It's great he's doing well for City's youth team, but when I've seen him for Irish underage teams he's never stood out.

[tetsujin1979]

Highlights from the City game
dBizkRji108
Byrne's goals on 1:39 and 1:58

[Olé Olé]

I always like to be optimistic about these things but Michael Drennan hasn't had much of a run at senior level on the back of being the top (or amongst the top) scorer in this competition not too long back.

[samhaydenjr]

Ridiculous. Good performances in a kids league tell us very little about how he'd cope in men's football. Grealish only came into contention when he'd been through the mill at Notts County.

But isn't the point of this thread to do a bit of crystal-balling, trying to figure out what talent is on the horizon and may come into the reckoning for, say, World Cup 2018 or Euro 2020? And there are probably a few other threads devoted to the likes of Noe Baba, Steven Kinsella, and others who won't be knocking on the doors of their respective first team squads for at least another year. It's perfectly normal to speculate on the potential of young players and while some may not achieve that potential, a few have certainly been good picks by commenters here - for example the Jack Grealish thread had dozens of pages before he kicked a ball in a senior team; the Robbie Brady thread started 18 months before he was loaned out to Hull and ultimately discarded by Manchester United - seems the foot.ie contributors had a better eye for talent than Alex Ferguson in his later years. So it's not unreasonable to follow the fortunes of an 18-year-old at the team who have won the Premier League in two of the last three seasons, particularly if he's scoring crackers against Bayern Munich (even if it is in youth competition)

[Charlie Darwin]

I think the purpose is to look at prospective players within the context of the level they're playing at and see how they develop but also to realise that the level they're playing at is far below senior level and that's the biggest leap they will have to make as players. Sure you can identify talent and Byrne, O'Hanlon, Lawlor, etc are obviously very talented but talk of senior football is a bit premature, and talk of international football even more so. When you see players play against men, that's when you can start to realistically evaluate them, and so far the likes of Byrne and O'Hanlon have shown they have a long way to go in that regard, whereas from my observation less-celebrated players like Alan Browne and Sam Byrne have shown more promise.

[tetsujin1979]

Live coverage of AS Roma VS Man City in the UEFA Youth League here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pbb4d_JCtI
Byrne is starting for City, who've already qualified at the top of their group

[KK77]

Daniel Cleary played and scored for Liverpool U-19s yesterday afternoon as they beat Basel 3-0 to qualify in the UEFA youth league. They had to win by two clear goals. By all accounts he is doing well. Has trained with the first team a few times this season. Alex O'Hanlon was on the bench but didn't get on.

[tetsujin1979]

Byrne scored the second in a 4-0 win for City today, who top the group with six wins from six. That's Byrne's fifth goal of the tournament (including three against Bayern Munich) and puts him joint second in the goal scoring charts

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/video-is-champions-league-top-scorer-jack-byrne-irelands-next-big-star-30822755.html

Video: Is Champions League top scorer Jack Byrne Ireland's next big star?

[tetsujin1979]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/video-is-champions-league-top-scorer-jack-byrne-irelands-next-big-star-30822755.html

Video: Is Champions League top scorer Jack Byrne Ireland's next big star?
not sure where they're getting this "top scorer" tag from, he's on five, there's players with six and seven strikes: http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/season=2015/statistics/round=2000562/players/type=topscorers/index.html