Stephen McGuinness, what do people think

[KeepersBall]

19 year old in goal for Bray.
Saw him play for the 19s a few times this season, and for the first team in Drogheda recently.
He's a decent shot stopper, commands his area and comes for crosses.
Also very calm under pressure.
He got in because Shane Redmond was suspended and has held his place now Redmonds available again.
I'll commend Alan Matthews for sticking with him and ignoring the fact that he is not the biggest of 'keepers, he's 5'10 max.
For me far too many managers here and in England think you have to be over 6'2 to be a good 'keeper, this lad certainly proves that theory wrong.

[Ezeikial]

19 year old in goal for Bray.
Saw him play for the 19s a few times this season, and for the first team in Drogheda recently.
He's a decent shot stopper, commands his area and comes for crosses.
Also very calm under pressure.
He got in because Shane Redmond was suspended and has held his place now Redmonds available again.
I'll commend Alan Matthews for sticking with him and ignoring the fact that he is not the biggest of 'keepers, he's 5'10 max.
For me far too many managers here and in England think you have to be over 6'2 to be a good 'keeper, this lad certainly proves that theory wrong.

He was very solid for Bray against Dundalk last night

[Town Legend]

We had Digger O'Brien play a number of years for us standing at 5' 8" and that was pushing it!! Won 2 FAI Cups, a league cup and won promotion with us. Was probably our best keeper we've had. Lack of height was never a problem for him!!

[Longfordian]

I thought this thread was about the other Stephen McGuinness. Would probably be a less positive thread.

[adamd164]

^ same

Bray seem to have a couple of decent players on their books, not sure if they're consistent enough (yet) but they can turn it on at times. Akinade up front is a handy enough player also.

[KeepersBall]

We had Digger O'Brien play a number of years for us standing at 5' 8" and that was pushing it!! Won 2 FAI Cups, a league cup and won promotion with us. Was probably our best keeper we've had. Lack of height was never a problem for him!!I agree with you on that, my point is though far too many managers seem to try and get a big lad and make him into a goalkeeper

[Town Legend]

Agree with you on that point. I remember Fergie wouldn't sign Shay Given when he was at Newcastle in his prime cos he thought he was too short for a keeper!!

[KeepersBall]

And we have Dave Ryan between the sticks now, he's 6'5 but NOT a goalkeeper

[nigel-harps1954]

Try having a 6'8 goalkeeper who can't catch a ball above anyones head.

[Dodge]

Agree with you on that point. I remember Fergie wouldn't sign Shay Given when he was at Newcastle in his prime cos he thought he was too short for a keeper!!

Same as everyone else. No top side ever came in for Given because he was never that good.

And no offence to the Bray lad but a few good performances for them certainly doesn't prove managers in England who like big keepers wrong as the OP thinks

[KeepersBall]

Same as everyone else. No top side ever came in for Given because he was never that good.

And no offence to the Bray lad but a few good performances for them certainly doesn't prove managers in England who like big keepers wrong as the OP thinks
You may have misunderstood my point.
By all means go with a big 'keeper if he is the best you have, but for me too many managers appear to look at height rather than all round ability.
Goalkeeping is probably the facet of the game that has changed least in the last forty years, and lads like Given, Colin Boulton and Les Green at Derby, Paul Cooper and Laurie Sivell at Ipswich, Kevin Poole at Leicester City weren't the biggest but their all round ability saw them play at a very high level.
The same goes for Jorge Campos the Mexican, and Fabien Barthez was only 5'10.
So to reiterate my point is pick the better goalie not the bigger one.

[Dodge]

But doesn't the fact that some keepers made it show you that height isn't everything to some managers. In this thread we have someone saying Man Utd didn't sign Given because of his height, while you point out that the same manager/club signed Barthez. There's no denying that of two keepers of equal ability, the bigger keeper will get the nod

Barry Murphy's probably the best "small" keeper in the LOI but the likes of Clarke, Cherrie etc aren't giants

[BonnieShels]

I thought this thread was about the other Stephen McGuinness. Would probably be a less positive thread.

Yip. Thought it was a cruel thread from the OP.

Mildly disappointed now.

[Charlie Darwin]

Yip. Thought it was a cruel thread from the OP.

Mildly disappointed now.
You could always make your own.

[GC13]

Regarding Stephen McGuinness he made his 100 league appearance this week against Finn Harps some achievement for a 22 year old (3 season premier division and one in he first div)

[outspoken]

Asked Chris Bennion about him on the podcast, described him as one of the best keepers in the league with huge talent and a big future. I was at the Drogs V Wexford play off last year and McGuinness really stood out for me was surprised nobody tried sign him. Longford’s jack Brady would be another small keeper but is extremely athletic and for me also has a big future ahead

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Asked Chris Bennion about him on the podcast, described him as one of the best keepers in the league with huge talent and a big future. I was at the Drogs V Wexford play off last year and McGuinness really stood out for me was surprised nobody tried sign him. Longford’s jack Brady would be another small keeper but is extremely athletic and for me also has a big future ahead
In this league, especially at a lower down club like drogheda, theres no real need to rush to sign young unproven players since you know in a year theyll be available again and youll have had a year or watching them in the top flight

[GC13]

Jack Brady will develop at Longford seems now to have adapted well to senior game, great ability! Wondering about Eric Grimes not had much this season at Derry he is also young at 22? Some ageing lads like McNulty at 37; Doherty 36; Rogers 36; Cherrie 34 all still good goalkeepers. Be interesting to see if there is any movement with some of the young keepers I think the drawback would be sitting on the bench at a bigger club instead of playing weekly with a smaller one!

[Straightstory]

Another outstanding performance for Drogs against Sligo at the weekend. Interesting to see where he'll be next season.

[greywanderer]

Talk of Stephen coming to Bray.

[GC13]

Talk of Stephen coming to Bray.

He started at Bray back in 2011 with U/19's senior player of the year in 2014, player of year Drogheda Utd 2017 - and lives in Wicklow so may be a runner for a return?