U18 Players 2018/19

[Olé Olé]

The low centre of gravity, two-footed dribbling and effortless lofting of the ball up to the roof of the net had more than a hint of Robbie about it. He looks a player.

[Razors left peg]

Do we genuinely have a batch of top class strikers coming through, or is it just that we have more access to see them play than we used to and so we get more excited. For example, if we had seen Richie Partridge or Conor Clifford playing in their youth teams we would have been even more sure that they were going to make it.

[CraftyToePoke]

Do we genuinely have a batch of top class strikers coming through, or is it just that we have more access to see them play than we used to and so we get more excited. For example, if we had seen Richie Partridge or Conor Clifford playing in their youth teams we would have been even more sure that they were going to make it.

I think their numbers are better, no ?
And there seems to be a fair few prospects whereas before we'd have one or two like the ones you mentioned maybe. Ruud needs some evidence beginning to show for his methods and the FAI really do so hopefully this is the start of it.

[liamoo11]

Do we genuinely have a batch of top class strikers coming through, or is it just that we have more access to see them play than we used to and so we get more excited. For example, if we had seen Richie Partridge or Conor Clifford playing in their youth teams we would have been even more sure that they were going to make it.

Yeah even in those squads we struggled for striker depth. Obviously that generation had robbie Keane's and Liam George but was bare enough after that sure Gary doherty used play up front in those youth sides for Kerr. The closest to this amount of striker options I can remember was the year we had Fagan, dixon and Sheridan in the same under 19s squad but the spread of strikers bubbling under the surface now is unprecedented but obviously doesnt mean we will bring them through.

I was certain partridge and macphail would make itynbelevable talents

[samhaydenjr]

Do we genuinely have a batch of top class strikers coming through, or is it just that we have more access to see them play than we used to and so we get more excited. For example, if we had seen Richie Partridge or Conor Clifford playing in their youth teams we would have been even more sure that they were going to make it.

Yeah, I've noted before that this does seem to be a particularly strong wave. And to gauge how strong, you can look back 5-6 years when there was another wave of young Irish forwards in English academies that we were hopeful would produce the new Robbie, even if we weren't able to track them quite as closely as now. It was made up of Sean Maguire, Graham Burke, Mikey Drennan, Aiden O'Brien and, a little later, Sam Byrne. And while the routes they took were rather circuitous, three of them have gone on to become Irish Internationals and Drennan looked for a while like he was on the right track when he started at Shamrock Rovers before his personal issues sidetracked his career. So we didn't get the next Robbie but did get a decent return from that group eventually.

So what of this group? By my reckoning there's about a dozen young strikers whose progress is well worth watching. There's six who look really exciting (Obafemi, Connolly, Cassidy, Parrott, Idah and McAuley) while there are six more who are not that far behind (Afolabi, Drinan, Keena, Hale, Roache and OkoFlex, if he stays with us). And already Obafemi has broken through at PL and international level; Connolly has scored a bunch of goals against senior sides and will surely make his senior League debut for Luton soon; Keena has scored for Hearts in the Scottish Cup; Parrott is training with the Spurs first team at the age of 16; Cassidy and Idah were both moved up to U23 level early after short but prolific spells in their respective U18 sides; and we had the top scorer in the last two U17 qualifying campaigns (Connolly and Idah).

So yeah, definitely reasons to be excited about the future, yet somehow for now we seem to be running out of forwards.

[tetsujin1979]

Defender Ryan Burke offered a two year contract at Birmingham: https://www.bcfc.com/news/articles/2019/deals-for-blues-scholars/

[liamoo11]

Defender Ryan Burke offered a two year contract at Birmingham: https://www.bcfc.com/news/articles/2019/deals-for-blues-scholars/

Another lad who can't make the 19s squad

[liamoo11]

parrott made his comeback with an hour for the 18s today for spurs and 2 goals.

[Olé Olé]

Christ above he makes that level seem so easy. He had a bone removed from his toe. He wasn't out for long but it clearly had zero impact.

[liamoo11]

A
Another 2 against Chelsea for the 18s today he played full game. He also played 20 minutes on Monday for the 23s do they are pushing his fitness on his return

[samhaydenjr]

Three Irish starters for Man City last night - Bazunu, Sobowale and Hodge - and two for Wolves - Thompson and Carty: https://www.premierleague.com/match/39493/u18-premier-league/2018-19/wolves-v-man-city

[liamoo11]

I see o Reilly is on bench for Preston today

[liamoo11]

Ethan varian has 11 goals for stoke city under 18s this season and a few appearances at 23s level only moved there this summer so seems to have settled in quickly

[First]

Here is one for ye to keep an eye on lads.. I am a bit biased but I believe he will have a big future. Name is Harvey Cullinan, 16 until November, left footed, footballing CB, signed by Sheffield United on Saturday from Clare league side Newmarket Celtic.
Has been playing and training with Sheffield United U16, U18 and U23 squads for the last 2 years.