Michael Obafemi F Plymouth Argyle (loan from Burnley) b.2000

[DeLorean]

Came so close to that 'golden goal' against Spain in 2002.

[SkStu]

Even by spoofer measures, it seems completely bizarre he couldn't have just asked him before engaging with the media.

That's exactly what I mean. He actually has no idea what the guy was thinking when all he had to do was have a quick chat (and it seems like it would have been a very quick chat) with him about it at some point from before announcing the squad up until he had that press conference. But he clearly didn't and then had the audacity/arrogance to think he could bluff the question when asked and get away with it. All he had to say was something like "well we haven't chatted about it but he hasn't raised any issues with me so as far as I know he's an Irish player and we look forward to giving him some game time over the next week". It would be honest, it would be strong and it would have given Obafemi an avenue to say how easy a decision it was, that accepting the call up was a no-brainer etc etc instead of taking some of the flack he took and being on the defensive.

Anyway, its all worked out well despite MON, not because of him and that is pretty damning. This is basic stuff. The man management skills of this management team is consistently shown to be a few steps below the basic expectations. The cynic in me sees Obafemis 10 minutes last night as nothing more than a tactic by MON to be able to take credit for (capped him, dual, young) as opposed to having a plan to use him to better us as a team.

[geysir]

I think the reaction is overexcited in regard to MON. I am far from convinced that MON messed this one up, even if he wasn't totally au fait with the kid's intentions. Afaiu, the situation was in no way out of control. Of course he should have been directly aware about Obafemi's confirmed intentions before calling him up to the squad, but so what, in the scheme of things MON can communicate to young footballers and they look up to him with respect, there was nothing so broken that couldn't easily be repaired. If a kid was going to run away after what MON was quoted as saying at Abbotstown, then good luck to him. Whilst I have the same truck load issues about MON since he took over, I have little doubt that he has managed the dual nationals with the appropriate sensitivity.

[SkStu]

Nothing broken indeed Geysir. However, the optics of it are poor and it has been badly managed. And bad management is becoming a pattern.

[DeLorean]

Of course he should have been directly aware about Obafemi's confirmed intentions before calling him up to the squad

I don't have a major issue with that either, but he should have talked to the player on arrival before speaking uninformed gibberish to the media. I agree he has handled the other dual national situations well and some of the criticism he's received has been unfair.

[zero]

a little unlucky not to score an equaliser for southampton away in a 3-2 loss to fulham.

[Closed Account]

Starts tonight in League Cup.

[Olé Olé]

I had a Rice moment there, clicking into the Obafemi thread waiting to see some bad news about him throwing his lot in with another national side. I momentarily forgot he's committed.

[tetsujin1979]

it's his first start for Southampton

[zero]

missed a 'sitter' apparently

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/leicester-sink-saints-on-penalties-to-reach-league-cup-last-eight-1.3712711


That was nothing compared to Obafemi’s miss. Redmond, twisting one way and then the other, broke into the Leicester area and thumped a left-footed shot that thudded against the bar and dropped at the feet of the Southampton striker. Only four yards out and with the goal yawning in front of him, Obafemi made poor contact with the ball and somehow contrived to hit his shot into the ground and wide. Hughes looked on in despair. It was a golden chance.

[DeLorean]

missed a 'sitter' apparently

Pretty bad alright - https://youtu.be/_Ng66XhzW5E?t=112

[liamoo11]

starts this evening with gabadinni and Austin on bench

[Olé Olé]

When did we have it so good then to have an 18 year old striker starting in the PL? Long time ago. I am a small bit frustrated at Hughton for holding out on Aaron Connolly though. I can't help but think Mick McCarthy would have the lad playing if he were his club manager.

[tetsujin1979]

Brighton are scoring regularly, Southampton are desperate for goals, so I can understand Hughton holding back on Connolly

[The Fly]

Nice assist from Obafemi.

[Olé Olé]

The boy is up with an assist after 13 minutes.

[tetsujin1979]

When did we have it so good then to have an 18 year old striker starting in the PL? Long time ago. I am a small bit frustrated at Hughton for holding out on Aaron Connolly though. I can't help but think Mick McCarthy would have the lad playing if he were his club manager.
Good question. I checked it out, and the other teenage Irish strikers to start a Premier League game are Robbie Keane(19), Leon Best(18), Anthony Stokes(19), and Reece Grego Cox(18)

[Olé Olé]

Good question. I checked it out, and the other teenage Irish strikers to start a Premier League game are Robbie Keane(19), Leon Best(18), Anthony Stokes(19), and Reece Grego Cox(18)
Very good. I honestly thought Robbie was the last. Maybe that was a fair assumption on my part as Stokes, Best and Grego Cox have seen their PL careers peter out.

[Diggs246]

[QUOTE=Olé Olé;1984985]The boy is up with an assist after 13 minutes.[/QUOTE

He is raw no doubt, but he could be a player. He is small but stocky and has a great engine on him. If he starts scoring, i think he will become confident and we might just have found our guy

[samhaydenjr]

Decent, tidy performance from Obafemi - had limited possession as Southampton's play often just felt short of reaching him, but did well with what possession he did get - good vision and neat pass for his assist; excellent angled run to the edge of the box after a layoff near midfield to receive a return pass and get a shot off, which was blocked; won a free-kick in a dangerous area in the second half; and a good pass to the wing, just before his injury. Generally looked comfortable out there but could do with a bit more time to develop some guile. But if he keeps this progress up (and particularly if he starts scoring), I would now be happy with him starting in the qualifiers.

[liamoo11]

He is an inspiration to all I think. couldn't make our under 17s 18 months ago for the euros even when mccaley pulled out after throwing his toys out of the pram . An impressive 18 months

[irishfan86]

When we were told about him initially I thought of him as a smaller speedster that would be effective in counterattacking situations. Maybe he does have that to his game but against United his real strength was his back to goal play. His body positional and shielding play, and ability to receive the ball in tight spaces under pressure give me confidence that he can make a real go of it for club and country. Hopefully injury isn’t anything significant.

[DeLorean]

Southampton sack Mark Hughes. Hopefully the new guy shows as much faith in Obafemi.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46091577

[Stuttgart88]

Martin O'Neill?!

[DeLorean]

Martin O'Neill?!

Didn't even think of that, possible!

[Diggs246]

Didn't even think of that, possible!
If he does get it. I bet a grand he doesn't take Keane

[CraftyToePoke]

Southampton sack Mark Hughes. Hopefully the new guy shows as much faith in Obafemi.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46091577

Balls.

[tetsujin1979]

the other side of Hughes getting sacked is that there's a few Irish lads in their U23 side - Aaron O'Driscoll, William Ferry, Thomas O'Connor, Will Smallbone, Jonathan Afolabi - and some of these might get a chance under a new boss

[Stuttgart88]

Ralph Hassenhuttl apparently, ex-RB Leipzig. Bold move. Well regarded by all accounts. I have rarely disliked a manager as much as I dislike Hughes. I hope he and his ilk are on the way out.

[Fizzer]

With you on that one Stutts,Hughes has never been the most encouraging to the Irish lads to play for their country.He’s a big pal of Stephen Ireland.Seem to remember he was the one who initiated the talk about the ‘decision’ that Obafemi had to make during one of his press conferences.

[DeLorean]

Ralph Hassenhuttl apparently, ex-RB Leipzig. Bold move.

Southampton had a string of progressive looking 'bold' moves with a lot of success. I seem to remember them getting a lot of criticism when they (harshly) sacked Nigel Adkins and brought in some Pochettino fella instead!

Koeman & Puel also did very well for them before they eventually got it wrong with Pellegrino. That must have scared them into a more bland appointment in Hughes!

[Diggs246]

Ralph Hassenhuttl apparently, ex-RB Leipzig. Bold move. Well regarded by all accounts. I have rarely disliked a manager as much as I dislike Hughes. I hope he and his ilk are on the way out.

I had previously name checked Hassehuttl for the Irish Job, I think he will do a good and actually save Southampton
He is renowned for his counter attacking speed, so that will suit Michael O"B and Shane long

[backstothewall]

If anyone can get Shane Long playing and scoring again it would be a massive plus for us

[Diggs246]

If anyone can get Shane Long playing and scoring again it would be a massive plus for us

Sadly i meant stretching defences, for others to score

[Diggs246]

Not in the team or bench today. Is he still injured?

[CraftyToePoke]

Not in the team or bench today. Is he still injured?

Still injured according to flashscore anyway.

[liamoo11]

Interesting to see him get on so early today ahead of long and austin

[TrapAPony]

Interesting to see him get on so early today ahead of long and austin

Even better to see him score his 1st Premiership goal 5 minutes later:D

[liamoo11]

Even better to see him score his 1st Premiership goal 5 minutes later:D

great stuff

[tetsujin1979]

Some stats about the goal: https://twitter.com/irish_abroad/status/1076517514606186498
(embedding the twitter thread isn't working for some reason)

[TrapAPony]

Here is the goal itself. Redmond to Obafemi, hopefully that will also be a future thing for Ireland.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1076519534973063169

[Diggs246]

With this and with McCarthy back and maybe Rice staying onboard. Hope is a beautiful thing

[samhaydenjr]

O! Ba! Fe! Miiiiiii!!!!!!!

[The Fly]

Here is the goal itself. Redmond to Obafemi, hopefully that will also be a future thing for Ireland.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1076519534973063169

I wouldn't be keen on Redmond playing for us.

[Diggs246]

I wouldn't be keen on Redmond playing for us.

100% agree. You wear the jersey your gone

[dr_peepee]

100% agree. You wear the jersey your gone

I do see your point and not something I would pursue. But l doubt there’s a forum across the sea with similar sentiments about Rice.

[TrapAPony]

I wouldn't be keen on Redmond playing for us.

I disagree. I am of the view that the manager goes out and gets the best squad of players that are available to him. Re Redmond himself he is a good player and I would have him no problem. Thiago Motta, Nacer Chadli, Wilfried Zaha, Jermaine Jones, Diego Costa are just some names who have played for an International side before jumping to another. Sure even Alex Bruce did it. Every country uses the rules available to them to better their side.

[Diggs246]

I disagree. I am of the view that the manager goes out and gets the best squad of players that are available to him. Re Redmond himself he is a good player and I would have him no problem. Thiago Motta, Nacer Chadli, Wilfried Zaha, Jermaine Jones, Diego Costa are just some names who have played for an International side before jumping to another. Sure even Alex Bruce did it. Every country uses the rules available to them to better their side.

Wilfried Zaha made his debut against Sweden twice. Its outrageous.

[tommy_c12000]

I disagree. I am of the view that the manager goes out and gets the best squad of players that are available to him. Re Redmond himself he is a good player and I would have him no problem. Thiago Motta, Nacer Chadli, Wilfried Zaha, Jermaine Jones, Diego Costa are just some names who have played for an International side before jumping to another. Sure even Alex Bruce did it. Every country uses the rules available to them to better their side.

100% agree. I couldn’t care less as long as the player can potentially contribute positively to our national team. The staunch Republican attitude of many supporters bemuses me. We’re living in a much changed world and have an increasingly finite pool of players at international level. Given this paucity of talent, no stone should be left unturned in enquiring about players, without completely going down on both knees of course

[Diggs246]

Redmond has played for Eng against Germany and actually was on the bench for a competitive game, but was an unused sub. Its not right that he lines up for us.