Aaron Connolly F Millwall b.2000

[Stuttgart88]

Good to see Venice taking a punt on Connolly.

*Pun stolen from another source, but I feel Connolly to Venice might have some Sammon-like pun mileage. Tets can indulge us for a day at least I hope.

[pineapple stu]

Certainly he'll either sink or swim at Venice anyway.

[John83]

Signing a player like him, you'd suspect they're hoping to flood defences with attackers next season.

(I don't expect this to have the kind of long term pun-rich posting of a Parrott or a Salmon or whatever, so I say open the floodgates for a day or so and get it out of our systems.)

[Fixer82]

Canal people making silly puns on this just stop please?

[Predator]

Game's gondola when you can't even make a few puns.

[pineapple stu]

Just one good season
Give it to me
Delicious attacking
In Serie B

Great runs, and silky skills
Just one good season
From Aaron Conn'lly!

[Trequartista20]

It's good to know the Venetians aren't blind to his talents.

[seanfhear]

This move might float his boat.

[SkStu]

Canal people making silly puns on this just stop please?

I figured you'd feel compelled to stick your oar in.

[Stuttgart88]

It's good to know the Venetians aren't blind to his talents.You beat me to that one!

[ForzaForth]

I think Venice fans are known for their mere chants. Still, I'm surprised that Venice went for him, I've heard Aaron is a bit of a doge. I'd expect him to get off his Marks very quickly.

[Stuttgart88]

I hear they were looking for a speed merchant.

(Racks his brains thinking how to incorporate a reference to Rialto into this thread. Must be a possible St.Pats link...)

[Fixer82]

I hear they were looking for a speed merchant.

(Racks his brains thinking how to incorporate a reference to Rialto into this thread. Must be a possible St.Pats link...)

i think you're being BLINDed by your Dublin 8 obsession

[jbyrne]

hopefully a turning point. the lad obviously has talent....
https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/a-lot-of-people-know-why-i-havent-kicked-on-i-needed-to-get-away-from-the-circle-i-was-in-aaron-connolly-41869943.html

[SkStu]

hopefully a turning point. the lad obviously has talent....
https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/a-lot-of-people-know-why-i-havent-kicked-on-i-needed-to-get-away-from-the-circle-i-was-in-aaron-connolly-41869943.html

great interview, very honest and forthright - refreshingly so (you don't see it very often). Definitely saying all the right things - would be amazing to see him turn this around and become the player we all thought he would be.

[liamoo11]

great interview, very honest and forthright - refreshingly so (you don't see it very often). Definitely saying all the right things - would be amazing to see him turn this around and become the player we all thought he would be.

Spot on very honest. Not easy to blow off your mates at that age even if they are been a negative influence. Is he still with the girl from love island?

[tommy_c12000]

He is making all the right sound bytes anyways, let’s see if he can back it up with action on the field. His Brighton contract runs through June 2024, so he should be able to engineer a good permanent move next summer if he impresses, hopefully with Venezia in serie A

[paul_oshea]

So he's blaming other people now. Is that the next one?

[jbyrne]

So he's blaming other people now. Is that the next one?

give over. it comes across as an honest interview telling it how it is.
he doesn't suggest he was forced into the situation he found himself in...

“At the time when people were telling me, I didn’t want to listen or hear or see what they were saying to me was right,”

he is 22 and willing to move abroad to improve himself. should be given the benefit of the doubt really

[seanfhear]

He’s talking the talk, now its time to walk the walk.

[paul_oshea]

give over. it comes across as an honest interview telling it how it is.
he doesn't suggest he was forced into the situation he found himself in...

“At the time when people were telling me, I didn’t want to listen or hear or see what they were saying to me was right,”

he is 22 and willing to move abroad to improve himself. should be given the benefit of the doubt really

I went abroad for a year at 19 so what? And it was a lot further than a 2 hour Ryanair flight away. Who cares. Is he somehow suggesting these "friends" followed him around and moved everywhere with him?!

He's not 16 caught smoking in the boys room and blaming the lads he hangs around with. He's a fully functioning adult and independent 22 year old.

Come back and interview in a year when you've done something. Keep your mouth shut and head down until then

[Nesta99]

He has spoken candidly about where his head was, not enjoying his football etc. Its at those times people are attracted to whatever it is that was missing, in this sort of case it could be companionship and the hole filled with drinking buddies leaching off a young quite well paid player. They gave him something and they got something though really just used and abused but it can lead to sort of dependence. I see nowhere where he is making excuses or shirking personal responsibility. In fact he is owning it and making changes and that should be lauded and not met which cynicism!!

I too went abroad, at 17, for 4 years - Im not sure I would let my younger self do it looking back, but then what would my personal experience have to do with Aaron Connolly!?

[Trequartista20]

Connolly's introspection, self-reflection, maturity and newfound drive to succeed should be respected and welcomed by all Ireland fans, you would think.

But the bigoted crackpots on another forum have instead decided to zero in on Connolly's accent as a further stick to beat him. With Tayo Adaramola copping it too.

I despair.

[Olé Olé]

Connolly's introspection, self-reflection, maturity and newfound drive to succeed should be respected and welcomed by all Ireland fans, you would think.

But the bigoted crackpots on another forum have instead decided to zero in on Connolly's accent as a further stick to beat him. With Tayo Adaramola copping it too.

I despair.

A handy site to check for player updates but the majority of discussion outside of cold hard updates would make you despair. The moderation on the forum is completely and utterly non existent and features everything from childish insults to downright bigotry, as you say. Bigoted crackpots sums it up.

[Diggs246]

Ybig? ....All brawn no brain
Canx the brawn as well

I blame them for inventing...."oh John Delaney...he used to be *****er but he's alright now"!!

[Razors left peg]

I went abroad for a year at 19 so what? And it was a lot further than a 2 hour Ryanair flight away. Who cares. Is he somehow suggesting these "friends" followed him around and moved everywhere with him?!

He's not 16 caught smoking in the boys room and blaming the lads he hangs around with. He's a fully functioning adult and independent 22 year old.

Come back and interview in a year when you've done something. Keep your mouth shut and head down until then

He did an interview and addressed questions that a lot of us had about him. At 22 he is still a young fella and allowed to make some mistakes. He at least seems to have admitted to those mistakes and is trying to correct them, whether it works or not we'll wait and see.

Id much rather see him speaking about all this now than when hes 32 lamenting that he should have made changes when he was younger. You on the other hand would like the lad to shut up when you obviously didnt learn to do that yourself on your trip abroad at 19

[tetsujin1979]

Ahead of Venezia's season opener this afternoon in the Italian Cup against Ascoli, they've announced that 13 members of the squad have tested positive for COVID - https://www.veneziafc.it/en/news/covid-positive-cases-in-first-team-squad
Also, they've named their squad for the game, and Connolly has not been included - https://www.veneziafc.it/en/news/coppa-italia-22-23-matchday-squad-for-venezia-ascoli

[pineapple stu]

On as a late sub in their league opener last week, and on the bench away to Südtirol today too. Not the start he'd have been looking for. Not sure why that is

[tommy_c12000]

1-0 down and a Finnish forward comes on in front of him. Not promising, but of course very early days

[pineapple stu]

Hasn't been in the matchday squad in a month now - is he injured or something?

[CraftyToePoke]

Hasn't been in the matchday squad in a month now - is he injured or something?

A lad on YBIG ( yes, I know, I know ) saying he's back in Brighton after a fall out with the Italian club manager. Is listed injured on some sites, is absent on others. The bother with Connolly is when you hear this kind of thing you're aware it could be true. The 21s appearance timing doesn't support the injured line, but equally it is possible. Who knows, one thing certain is he isn't scoring any goals.

[pineapple stu]

The 21s appearance timing doesn't support the injured line, but equally it is possible.
Yeah, I couldn't make it fit in with that alright. That was two weeks after his last club appearance, and there was a club match in that time.

You'd imagine if he'd left Venezia it'd have been reported, and he's still listed on their website. Suggestions on Twitter that he picked up an injury in training, but then confusion when it's pointed out he played twice for the 21s last month. He did come off in the second of those, but midway through extra-time, when it's entirely reasonable to sub off a forward.

All a bit strange, but yeah, bottom line is he's not doing anything out there to resurrect his career yet unfortunately

[ifk101]

Google translate says he has "not recovered" (from being on the lash?) but maybe its all lies. Heard he's still in Israel.

https://footballnews24.it/venezia-frosinone-i-convocati-di-javorcic-meenpaa-non-recupera-ritornano-ullmann-e-crnigoj/

[pineapple stu]

Google translate says he has "not recovered"
At least Crnigoj is deemed "more offensive" than Connolly, so that's something at least.

[seanfhear]

Has Aaron started doing birthday parties yet ?

[Fixer82]

Let's move on. Hopefully the next story is him scoring a hat trick

[Razors left peg]

Let?s move on. Hopefully the next story is him scoring a hat trick

Id be happy if the story was that he was seen on a football pitch again to be honest

[pineapple stu]

Como v Venezia today, which should be Kerrigan v Connolly but both are injured of course.

Kerrigan we know about, but is there any info yet on what's the craic with Connolly? Two months now since he last featured for them (though played the 21s in that time)

[CraftyToePoke]

but is there any info yet on what's the craic with Connolly?

Well you didn't get this from me now Pineappler but what I heard was he was last seen having hired out Michael Jacksons fairground place, Neverland, a horse and chariot and a troupe of dwarves, then dressing up in Game Of Thrones regalia and actually hunting the dwarves around Neverland all day, sniffing this white dust from a crucifix shaped receptacle roaring away at the horse and dwarves in turn.

Sadly, much akin to every career opportunity and more recently chance on goal, every one of them dwarves got away from Aaron.

[John83]

Come to foot.ie for the football, stay for the space cadets.

[ifk101]

https://sport.tiscali.it/calcio/articoli/calcio-venezia-soncin-invertire-rotta-trovato-spogliatoio-maturo-00001/
Google translate has something about a new coach, a mature dressing room and Connolly being overlooked for the Como game. Oh dear ....

[seanfhear]

https://sport.tiscali.it/calcio/articoli/calcio-venezia-soncin-invertire-rotta-trovato-spogliatoio-maturo-00001/
Google translate has something about a new coach, a mature dressing room and Connolly being overlooked for the Como game. Oh dear .... Perhaps Connolly needs to mature.

[JR89]

https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aaron-connolly-future-venezia-brighton-7901406?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Venezia's club chairman Duncan Niederauer has spoken about what is next for the Seagulls forward. He said how the young Irishman has struggled to adapt at his loan club and discussions will be held with the Sussex outfit over what comes next for him.

“Connolly? The player isn’t injured, he was, but he’s fine now, he’s had some adaptation difficulties. We will talk to Brighton in January to find a solution. In January and June, we will do several operations,” Niederauer said, via TuttoMercatoWeb

[Jd2793]

23 years old in jan. the walls are closing in on connolly and hes cutting off more options every year with his terrible attitude. unless he gets a slap and a wake up call hes finished.

[Jd2793]

no surprise to see the usual accounts on twitter saying "he's only young, he still has a chance he needs a better environment to play in" this has been repeated for like 4 years now. he was at one of the best run PL clubs around and he ****ed that against the wall. yet another loan move thats gone wrong and its still all on brighton apparently. one of the most infuriating players we've brought through.

[SkStu]

Such a shame. Clearly he is a talented player but he is going to p!ss that talent up against the wall, it seems. Our players almost always have their heads screwed on and don't get too big for their boots but it seems that might be changing with Connolly and some similar issues with Parrott (though he's turned that round well).

[Razors left peg]

He'll be in L1 after the January window now.

He said all the right things going to Italy about how hes copped on etc, but I keep telling myself that Im going to exercise more and eat better and never do either. Its hard to change and I think he'll be on a podcast in 10 years telling stories like Keith Treacys.

Talented lad but was always a bit of a c0ck and is running out of options. His next contract is going to be a big shock to him after what hes been on.

[CSAD]

The best thing that could happen to him is Brighton don’t renew his contract in 2024. Hopefully that is the reality check he needs.

[Exgrad]

The best thing that could happen to him is Brighton don’t renew his contract in 2024. Hopefully that is the reality check he needs.

If Brighton had any interest in renewing his contract they wouldn't have loaned him to a Serie B club. He's finished at Brighton, thats clear at this stage, even Connolly said in his interviews last summer he wouldnt be wearing a Brighton shirt again. How many reality checks does one man need?

[Jd2793]

A fella who desperately needs his money to run out so he can wake up.