Liam Kelly (M Feyenoord (loaned to Oxford) b.1995)

[Razors left peg]

Don't share the enthusiasm for Liam Kelly. Granted he had a tidy game against a lacklustre United, but nothing beyond what would be expected of a player in his position/ role. Not convinced he is good enough to become an established senior international and not a player I'd pursue.

That is exactly what we miss in midfield any time Wes didn't play, someone doing the basics of getting on the ball in midfield

[Charlie Darwin]

He should have ignored Mon and been the bigger man
I rather assumed that was the sticking point to begin with.

[The Fly]

He should have ignored Mon and been the bigger man

https://orig00.deviantart.net/c497/f/2007/145/c/d/ba_dum__ching_by_draygone.gif

[ifk101]

Wikipedia says his height is 1.63m (5ft4in) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Kelly_(footballer%2C_born_1995)

I know he is tiny but is that correct? If so, he must be one of the shortest to play the game professionally.

[Diggs246]

Wikipedia says his height is 1.63m (5ft4in) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Kelly_(footballer%2C_born_1995)

I know he is tiny but is that correct? If so, he must be one of the shortest to play the game professionally.

do you remember Lorenzo Insigne, he came on as a sub in our win of Italy in Lille he is 5,4 as well ( and a brilliant player)

[ifk101]

do you remember Lorenzo Insigne, he came on as a sub in our win of Italy in Lille he is 5,4 as well ( and a brilliant player)

Aye, the nippy corner forward that hit the post. :-)

[irishfan86]

The Vancouver Whitecaps have a Uruguayan winger named Cristian Techera. Listed at 1.58 m (5’2), and you get the sense he’s actually closer to 5’0. Good little player though.

Regarding Kelly he’s diminutive but sturdy. I was fairly impressed with his performance vs. Utd. Have been less impressed with his lukewarm comments about playing for Ireland.

[samhaydenjr]

Italian International and Toronto FC legend Sebastian Giovinco is 5'4" - nickname the Atomic Ant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Giovinco

Real Salt Lake and Ecuador winger Joao Plata is 5'2": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joao_Plata

[ifk101]

Didn't make the match-day squad for Reading's win over Forest at the weekend. Reading have brought in a couple of midfield loans so maybe Kelly will struggle for game time if the team keeps picking up points.

[tetsujin1979]

Reports of interest from PEC Zwolle on the Netherlands in Kelly today. Their manager is Jaap Stam, who gave Kelly his break into first team formal at Reading

[Fizzer]

Signed for Feyenoord.It’d be worth Mick giving him a shout to see if he fancies it.If not to at least be prepared for the inevitable questions from the journos. Seems like just the kind of player we’re short of.If he says no (or even ‘not now’), then at least we can move on and focus on someone like Crowley who I haven’t been keen on but to be honest, we desperately need.

[jbyrne]

Signed for Feyenoord.It’d be worth Mick giving him a shout to see if he fancies it.If not to at least be prepared for the inevitable questions from the journos. Seems like just the kind of player we’re short of.If he says no (or even ‘not now’), then at least we can move on and focus on someone like Crowley who I haven’t been keen on but to be honest, we desperately need.

have we no pride? at best he has shown no interest in playing for us

[Diggs246]

Signed for Feyenoord.It’d be worth Mick giving him a shout to see if he fancies it.If not to at least be prepared for the inevitable questions from the journos. Seems like just the kind of player we’re short of.If he says no (or even ‘not now’), then at least we can move on and focus on someone like Crowley who I haven’t been keen on but to be honest, we desperately need.

Kelly had his chance. He was called up and didn't turn up. In fact he didn't even answer his phone. No thanks. Crowley should be called up though.

[DeLorean]

Who knows what went down between Kelly & O'Neill that time really. Something put him off anyway. I'd have no issue whatsoever bringing him back in if he's keen now that MON is gone.

[Diggs246]

Who knows what went down between Kelly & O'Neill that time really. Something put him off anyway. I'd have no issue whatsoever bringing him back in if he's keen now that MON is gone.

I'm not 100% sure mon and Kelly ever met.
When your called up, u turn up

[DeLorean]

I'm not 100% sure mon and Kelly ever met.
When your called up, u turn up

They had different versions of his reason for refusing the call up - https://www.the42.ie/liam-kelly-ireland-call-up-turned-down-reading-3960750-Apr2018/

And then there was this from Stutts...


I heard from a reliable source that Kelly wasn't impressed by O'Neill's "joking" with his agent about his size.


I agree overall that you should turn up when you're called up, but I'd have no problem with Mick investigating for himself to see why he went cold on the idea. If nothing has changed, fine, but if it actually turns out that he had a semi-understandable reason and he's keen to rejoin, then I'd take him back in a heartbeat - if he's performing well of course.

[Diggs246]

They had different versions of his reason for refusing the call up - https://www.the42.ie/liam-kelly-ireland-call-up-turned-down-reading-3960750-Apr2018/

And then there was this from Stutts...




I agree overall that you should turn up when you're called up, but I'd have no problem with Mick investigating for himself to see why he went cold on the idea. If nothing has changed, fine, but if it actually turns out that he had a semi-understandable reason and he's keen to rejoin, then I'd take him back in a heartbeat - if he's performing well of course.

Haha cheers for the agent ratting on O'Neill.

[Olé Olé]

I think that his comments at the time were very open-ended. If he wants a call-up then he can clear the ambiguity up and I don't think it will be an issue amongst teammates or supporters.

[irishfan86]

Yeah given O’Neill’s terrible handling of the Obafemi situation I think Mick should touch base with Kelly to see what the situation is.

[DeLorean]

Hope the Ireland door opens

Although Liam Kelly regularly played for the national youth teams of Ireland, he did not yet make his debut for The Boys in Green . "But maybe if I perform well at Feyenoord, that door will open," he says. "It would be a great honor and good for my development."

https://www.vi.nl/pro/bij-liam-kelly-werken-de-hersenen-sneller-dan-de-spieren#_=_

[liamoo11]

Maybe mick will be bothered to get a subscription to premier sports to watch Kelly and crowley a bit

[Fixer82]

‘It will be good for my development’

WTF??? It should be the greatest honour of your life to pull on the green jersey, not ‘good for your development’.
He has to suck up big-time to the fans if he accepts a call-up imo

[irishfan86]

‘It will be good for my development’

WTF??? It should be the greatest honour of your life to pull on the green jersey, not ‘good for your development’.
He has to suck up big-time to the fans if he accepts a call-up imo

I doubt he’s meaning anything negative by it and it’s objectively true. I’ll be hoping for his success at club level in the Netherlands and would like to see Mick give him a chance at some stage.

[IsMiseSean]

‘It will be good for my development’

WTF??? It should be the greatest honour of your life to pull on the green jersey, not ‘good for your development’.
He has to suck up big-time to the fans if he accepts a call-up imo

That's a bit harsh - he did say it would be an honour.

The full quote is "It would be a great honor and good for my development."

[Diggs246]

McCarthy should fly out to the feyenord v william II game(s). Kill two birds with the one stone

[DeLorean]

That's a bit harsh - he did say it would be an honour.

The full quote is "It would be a great honor and good for my development."

He only said 'a great honour' though, not 'the greatest honour'. Unacceptable. :)

He also said (in the full piece)...

"I like to play aggressively, put pressure, quickly win back the ball. I don't shy away from tackles. The Irish mentality, our mentality of fighting to death, working for the emblem. That is in my blood."


I'm sold anyway. But we need a Stutts gut test on this...

[Olé Olé]

Liam Kelly hoping Feyenoord form will earn him an Ireland senior call-up https://the42.ie/4718551

The 42 have jumped on this one- must have spies here.

Good spot on the other quote too, Del.

I think we need to remember he hasn't played since February and could have easily ended up at PEC Zwolle if Stam hadn't stayed there. But if he starts to get games and show form then there's no reason why he doesn't deserve a call-up.

[seanfhear]

He could have said ; Your Honour , I will play for Ireland if you make me .

Didn’t lads sometimes ‘join ‘ the Army to avoid lockup back in the day .

[Razors left peg]

Hes saying all the right things, but after not playing football for the best part of last season he needs to get that right first before he gets called in.

Ive been impressed with him any time Ive seen him so hopefully it works out.

I get the feeling that he and Crowley are more likely to be capped under Kenny than Mick though.

[DeLorean]

Mick has no time to be fair. For some reason, just a gut feeling, I'm much more hopeful that Kelly could be a useful/important player for us at some stage than Crowley.

[tetsujin1979]

on for his first appearance for Feyenoord in their preseason game against Damstadt this afternoon
Incidentally, Feyenoord will be in the Europa League third qualifying round in a few weeks

[DeLorean]

Starts their friendly against Salzburg shortly too. It's on that Arena Sports channel for anybody who has Mobdro or the likes.

[Eirambler]

Neil O'Riordan suggesting in an article today that the call up issue with Kelly was down to an issue with MON rather than a reluctance to play for Ireland. Kelly says he's ready to play if called up. Might be time to start fresh with this lad and give him a run in one of the friendlies if he starts the season well in the Netherlands. We could use a creative sort behind McGoldrick that would allow Robinson to play in a wider position.

[Deckydee]

Neil O'Riordan suggesting in an article today that the call up issue with Kelly was down to an issue with MON rather than a reluctance to play for Ireland. Kelly says he's ready to play if called up. Might be time to start fresh with this lad and give him a run in one of the friendlies if he starts the season well in the Netherlands. We could use a creative sort behind McGoldrick that would allow Robinson to play in a wider position.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/4323263/liam-kelly-committed-ireland-martin-oneill/

[Olé Olé]

That's enough for me. I think the slate is clean. It wouldn't be the first or last time O'Neill caused trouble with a player.

[gastric]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/4323263/liam-kelly-committed-ireland-martin-oneill/
If true, he has shown a lot of restraint and composure under these circumstances
.

[Diggs246]

If true, he has shown a lot of restraint and composure under these circumstances
.

Mon said he was waiting for England after Kelly turned down the call. Even if ONeill is a mythomaniac. Kelly is the one who no showed

[Olé Olé]

But there may have been another mitigating circumstance i.e. "a personal reason between me and my family." I don't think he needs to go any further but I do understand why it may not be sufficient for others' thresholds.

[seanfhear]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/4323263/liam-kelly-committed-ireland-martin-oneill/
He looks young enough to go in to any of our underage teams !

[johnnyc]

Looks like the whole "he's waiting for England" thing may have been a MON fantasy. He sure threw the young lad under the bus if that turns out to be a baseless statement.

[Olé Olé]

Obafemi was having a similar fantasy whilst training for us it was almost implied.

[youngirish]

Not sure I have any reason to doubt MON's statement regarding Kelly. When he was initially called up he was one of the most promising young players in the Championship so there was a real possibility that England could come knocking on his door in the not too distant future. Since then his career has stalled, he's 2 years older and with him playing in Holland it is very unlikely that he will ever get an England call. Why not throw his lot in with us now?

[Olé Olé]

Not sure I have any reason to doubt MON's statement regarding Kelly. When he was initially called up he was one of the most promising young players in the Championship so there was a real possibility that England could come knocking on his door in the not too distant future. Since then his career has stalled, he's 2 years older and with him playing in Holland it is very unlikely that he will ever get an England call. Why not throw his lot in with us now?

He clearly has thrown his lot in?

[youngirish]

He clearly has thrown his lot in?
I know - the question was why wouldn't he throw it in when his other options are limited.

[backstothewall]

That's enough for me. I think the slate is clean. It wouldn't be the first or last time O'Neill caused trouble with a player.

I agree with this

I suspect O'Neill had his fingers burned by Rice & Grealish and in his heart was judging every young English born player who missed a squad by their sins.

Clean slate. If he gets a chance to show he merits a place in the squad we should call him up. If it's a bluff we'll soon know.

[tetsujin1979]

Unused sub today for Feyenoord on the opening day of the Dutch league

[Olé Olé]

90 minutes for Liam today in a 1-1 draw at home to Utrecht. Kelly and Crowley sitting on their hands while Switzerland pass around Jeff Hendrick?

[third policeman]

90 minutes for Liam today in a 1-1 draw at home to Utrecht. Kelly and Crowley sitting on their hands while Switzerland pass around Jeff Hendrick?

Exactly

[Diggs246]

Exactly
I think Jeff should be dropped too but to be fair Crowley hasn't got the ok from FIFA and Liam Kelly was called up by mon and didn't turn up ( his excuses were all noise) when you are called up you say yes unless your dead

[DeLorean]

Kelly and Crowley sitting on their hands while Switzerland pass around Jeff Hendrick?

It's great that Kelly has finally played a match but it probably won't be enough to elevate him straight into our starting line-up, no.