Ryan Manning D Southampton b.1996

[tommy_c12000]

I guess he believes defending is optional. Southampton awful. Manning awful. Smallbone poor.

[Eirambler]

After over 200 games in the Championship Manning finally wins promotion to the Premier League at 28. Over 40 appearances for Southampton this season across all competitions, but a lot of them off the bench, so it will be interesting to see if he's kept around for the Premier League or if Southampton decide to leave him behind.

[JR89]

Can see them keeping him around as a squad player.

[Colbert Report]

Not even on the bench today. Hard to see him getting many minutes unless Charlie Taylor gets injured. Would do well to get a move back down to a Championship team to keep playing.

[Eirambler]

He's waited so long to get to the Premier League, you'd think he'd want to give it a go until Christmas at least, even as a squad player. I'd say he'd be as likely to get minutes further forward as he would at left back.

[pateen]

Is he injured right now or this level is a bit too far for him?

[JR89]

Is he injured right now or this level is a bit too far for him?

Just don't rate him. Walker Peters is seen as first choice LB or LWB and they brought in Charlie Taylor from Burnley who has started both EFL games. Even captained them in one of those games.

[seanfhear]

Is he injured right now or this level is a bit too far for him?
Pretty sure I saw him in Shannon airport last Sunday week ( late flight to London ) if that is of any interest to anybody !

He is a small fella ( if that was him )

[Eirambler]

Is he injured right now or this level is a bit too far for him?

Crossing his fingers for an injury crisis at Southampton I would guess. You couldn't play him at left back in the Premier League, he'd get torn apart. He could fill in on the left wing in an emergency, but he's not that fast so is unlikely to be Premier League standard there either. He might go out on loan in January and then try to get back in the Southampton team next season after they inevitably get relegated.

[tetsujin1979]

Playing for the Southampton U21s tonight
1837176651702055190

[Trequartista20]

Starts against Arsenal.

[backstothewall]

Watching a bit of this with a close eye on Manning. He's looked solid so far. On paper he's playing on the left wing but he's hardly made it into the Arsenal half so far.

The way Southampton are attempting to play is suicidal.

[Eirambler]

By my count he's only the fifth Connacht man to play in the Premier League, so he has beaten the odds by making it to that level coming from the west of Ireland.

It's strange that he can play left back, and we're desperate for left backs, and he's playing for a Premier League team, but yet he (probably correctly) isn't in the Ireland squad.

[MeathDrog]

By my count he's only the fifth Connacht man to play in the Premier League, so he has beaten the odds by making it to that level coming from the west of Ireland.

It's strange that he can play left back, and we're desperate for left backs, and he's playing for a Premier League team, but yet he (probably correctly) isn't in the Ireland squad.
Aaron Connolly, who are the other three?

[pineapple stu]

Greg Cunningham is one anyway

[nigel-harps1954]

Aaron Connolly, who are the other three?

Greg Cunningham and David Forde are two that spring to mind.

[MeathDrog]

Greg Cunningham and David Forde are two that spring to mind.
I did think Forde but did he play PL?

[Fixer82]

Thought Aaron Conolly was from West London

[Eirambler]

Manning, Cunningham, Connolly, Alex Murphy and Rory Ginty were the five I was thinking of. Forde never played in the Premier League.

All born in or close to Galway City as far as I know. Don't think anyone from Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo or Roscommon has ever played in the Premier League.

Sligo is probably a bit surprising given the interest in football there. I'd say it would be close to impossible to be born in somewhere like Mayo or rural Connemara, grow up there and make it to the Premier League.

A minority sport, too sparse a population, limited facilities, and a low chance of ever getting enough contact hours to have a chance to make it at a high level.

[Buckett]

Pre Premier League era, Eamonn Deacy won a league and European Cup with Aston Villa in the early '80's

[pineapple stu]

Ski McGee probably Sligo's highest profile player? Two top flight seasons with QPR in 77/78 and 78/79

[nigel-harps1954]

Would have put the house on Forde having played a few Premier League games. The more you know.

[Buckett]

Fordies a great example to young players to keep working hard and develop later than other players. He was over and back to Britain a few times before he established himself over there. He's still working in the game around mental health.

[elatedscum]

I'd say it would be close to impossible to be born in somewhere like Mayo or rural Connemara, grow up there and make it to the Premier League.

A minority sport, too sparse a population, limited facilities, and a low chance of ever getting enough contact hours to have a chance to make it at a high level.

i always rated Alan Murphy when I was a kid. Obviously not international level or premier league level, but every time I'd see him play he'd be a clear man of the match. The way you'd have looked at Michael Duffy or Jack Byrne at their best, just a class above the rest...

You wouldn't see as many games or as much video as you do these days - so maybe it was a small sample size or whatever, but the boy could play

[Bottle of Tonic]

Manning, Cunningham, Connolly, Alex Murphy and Rory Ginty were the five I was thinking of. Forde never played in the Premier League.

All born in or close to Galway City as far as I know. Don't think anyone from Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo or Roscommon has ever played in the Premier League.

Sligo is probably a bit surprising given the interest in football there. I'd say it would be close to impossible to be born in somewhere like Mayo or rural Connemara, grow up there and make it to the Premier League.

A minority sport, too sparse a population, limited facilities, and a low chance of ever getting enough contact hours to have a chance to make it at a high level.

True. I'm here in Connacht and the pathway is just not there for talented young players from what I can see. I help out with the local clubs u7s and u9s. You don't feel like you or the kids are part of anything greater than the club. That you are a grassroots part of the FAI and if a boy is talented there is a route for him to the higher levels of the game. Most of the lads play gaelic, hurling etc as well. Soccer is easily the most popular I would say and it should be easy to nail down the elite players at this sort of age and mould them for the future. But they are let off to play 3 or 4 sports and that won't manufacture an international level player. Connacht lads should be getting hoovered up by development academies in Galway, Sligo Rovers, Athlone and Longford and given proper training and a enter a pathway to the top. But anyone I see locally who has talent will just end up turning out occasionally for his club side and is more likely to go on and be a good adult gaelic footballer or hurler cos the structure and pathway to the top is there in those sports.

[Buckett]

I don't know what part of Connacht you're in, but if it's Galway, those kids could get signed by Galway Utd following the annual trials for each age group. Failing that, they could be invited for trials by the GFA to play on the representative teams. A third pathway would be with the secondary schools, if they're good enough they will be put forward for Connacht Schools trials or Irish trials. That's three pathways.

[Eirambler]

I think the point is that there's nothing outside Galway though. If you're within easy access of Galway City you've got half a chance. If you're in Clifden or Louisburgh or Belmullet then you can forget it.

[Eirambler]

i always rated Alan Murphy when I was a kid. Obviously not international level or premier league level, but every time I'd see him play he'd be a clear man of the match. The way you'd have looked at Michael Duffy or Jack Byrne at their best, just a class above the rest...

You wouldn't see as many games or as much video as you do these days - so maybe it was a small sample size or whatever, but the boy could play

He's from Limerick rather than Connacht but I remember watching Bobby Ryan at Galway in the early 2000s and thinking he looked amazing relative to everyone else and could make an impact if he ever got a chance at a higher level. Of course he eventually got his chance in Scotland and made no impact at all. Just shows the standards needed to even get to that level, what you see can be very deceiving.

[Buckett]

I think the point is that there's nothing outside Galway though. If you're within easy access of Galway City you've got half a chance. If you're in Clifden or Louisburgh or Belmullet then you can forget it.

I'm not sure about GFA teams but Utd's underage teams are spread around the county in Maree, Headford and Athenry. Every kid has the same chance. It didn't stop Rory Gaffney (Tuam) or Pat Hoban (Loughrea). John Mountney has had a decent LOI career and he's from Bohola!

[nigel-harps1954]

Similar situation in Donegal. There's players coming from Malin Head and Gweedore and Killybegs to play in Finn Harps academy, and indeed the first team has players travelling long distances for training and matches. I don't really buy it as an excuse in a small country.

[Stuttgart88]

Just because some do travel despite the inconvenience doesn't mean that even more don't, surely?

[nigel-harps1954]

Just because some do travel despite the inconvenience doesn't mean that even more don't, surely?

It's more of a rebuttal to the suggestion that there's zero option for players not living in the town/city in which a club is situated.

It's obviously not easy for them, but likewise, when a player plays county gaelic football/hurling, at any age group, they're expected to travel to training centres and matches. I don't see how football can be, or should be treated any different.

[Eirambler]

I'm not sure about GFA teams but Utd's underage teams are spread around the county in Maree, Headford and Athenry. Every kid has the same chance. It didn't stop Rory Gaffney (Tuam) or Pat Hoban (Loughrea). John Mountney has had a decent LOI career and he's from Bohola!


Again though, Headford, Athenry and Maree isn't exactly an amazing geographic spread. They're all within 20 or 25 minutes drive of the city anyway, and if you're out in Connemara they're all actually further away from you than Galway city itself.

It's not that you can't make it to some kind of level coming from somewhere like Mayo either - as you say Mountney is from Bohola, Ronan Murray is from Mayo and played a good bit in the English lower leagues and there's a lad from Knock in the latest Under 19 squad. But I don't think it's a coincidence that there has never been a top level EPL footballer from Mayo (or Connemara) - you're definitely at a geographical and coaching disadvantage coming from somewhere like that.

[CraftyToePoke]

But I don't think it's a coincidence that there has never been a top level EPL footballer from Mayo (or Connemara) - you're definitely at a geographical and coaching disadvantage coming from somewhere like that.

Neither has Limerick really, not an international option level player and it has a LOI presence, strong junior club scene which often wins national competitions and county towns & indeed parishes covered by the Desmond League with pathways open into the LOI club. No geographical or coaching disadvantage there & we still await the Ireland player from Limerick. So it's not that simple.

[John83]

I assume the "really" refers to Steve Finnan growing up abroad?

Should I split off a Connaught player drought thread or is this a short diversion?

[CraftyToePoke]

I assume the "really" refers to Steve Finnan growing up abroad?

Should I split off a Connaught player drought thread or is this a short diversion?

Willie Boland. Dom Foley. Dennis Behan
But only if one was looking to split hairs.
I don't think Limerick can claim Finnans development in any way shape or form with a straight face as it all happened elsewhere.

You do whatever needs to be done man, to keep conversation neatly arranged I guess. There is a worthwhile topic there, regional development yawning chasms I'd call it rather than any one particular area.

[John83]

It's more about making it visible to people who mightn't find it in here. Maybe I'll give it a day or so and see if it has legs.

[Bottle of Tonic]

It's more of a rebuttal to the suggestion that there's zero option for players not living in the town/city in which a club is situated.

It's obviously not easy for them, but likewise, when a player plays county gaelic football/hurling, at any age group, they're expected to travel to training centres and matches. I don't see how football can be, or should be treated any different.

What I was getting at is not that there is zero options for certain (rural) players, more that these players if they are there are extremely likely to be missed.

You see interviews with pros in England for eg and they are with the Sunderland/Boro/Villa/whoever academy from age 8 or 9 etc. They have been spotted early and nurtured. Many of our boys are staying with a local youth team a million miles away from a similar development path.

[rebelmusic]

Having an excellent game this evening. Played a major part in Southampton's goal and had an assist for a disallowed goal. Doing well defensively and taking a few of the set plays as well.

Ferguson just came on...o.O

[SkStu]

Having an excellent game this evening. Played a major part in Southampton's goal and had an assist for a disallowed goal. Doing well defensively and taking a few of the set plays as well.

Ferguson just came on...o.O

Yeah, watching it here too. He has done really well. Thought he did great for the goal to find the man in the box.

[pineapple stu]

Southampton 5-0 down at home to Spurs at halftime this evening, Ruth Manning starting.

You'd have to assume the manager is under big pressure now, especially with Southampton on just 5 points as Christmas approaches. Brings the usual implications for the Irish contingent there

[Jolly Red Giant]

Southampton 5-0 down at home to Spurs at halftime this evening, Ruth Manning starting.

You'd have to assume the manager is under big pressure now, especially with Southampton on just 5 points as Christmas approaches. Brings the usual implications for the Irish contingent there
I am surprised that Martin hasn't been dumped weeks ago - this was all too predictable and I pointed it out very early last season when they were going well in the Championship. Martin's teams can't defend - you can get away with it in the Championship - but in the PL you will be torn asunder.

[Eirambler]

Thought Martin might at least last until the morning, but no, sacked before leaving the ground tonight. Would be surprised if that's anything other than bad news for Manning.

[tetsujin1979]

Linked with a move to Burnley