2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championships

[tetsujin1979]

Will the Swedish game be shown on tv ?a Swedish channel is streaming it apparently

[geysir]

I just watched Iceland knock 6 past Armenia and that in the wake of a more restrained 3 nil victory v Luxembourg the other day. Unlike some, no excited talk yet of another golden generation, they were two very poor visiting sides. I hope the Irish u21s don't make a similar show of themselves when they turn up in mid october (bring thermals).
It will be an early grey afternoon kick off in a small stadium with a plastic pitch, some local authentic autumnal ambience.

[SkStu]

It will be an early grey afternoon kick off in a small stadium with a plastic pitch, some local authentic autumnal ambience.

To be honest, I thought that your move to Iceland from Dundalk would have been a step up in life, Geysir :)

[elatedscum]

There’s truth in what a lot of people are saying to varying degrees. Nonetheless, player development really isn’t linear. Both extremes are probably wrong (throw them in the deep end vs they’ll never be good enough).


Compare Kelleher with Randolph, Randolph really looked like a no-hoper early in his career. He made his competitive debut at 28. There’s no doubt in my mind that Kelleher is ahead of where Randolph was at the same age.


The same is true of Lee O’Connor and Seamus Coleman.


There are different things that can spark development - often first team football but not always. Natural growth, ageing and coaching, self confidence, health, pure luck. Whatever it might be.


I watched Afolabi play for Southampton’s U18s and 23s a good few times and he was so raw and his first touch really let him down. And that point, I would have had my doubts - but the development he’s made over the past year is just phenomenal. First time he really stood out for me was the elite U19 qualifiers back in March and since then he’s got even better.


So if you look at Idah’s flaws in that context, he has plenty of time to improve and adjust.


Equally, of the strikers not in the squad, I personally think Glen McAuley, Ronan Hale and Ryan Cassidy have pretty high ceilings. Moreso than Michael O’Connor or Aaron Drinan who both received callups.


Reece Greco Cox was playing in the premier league at 18 for QPR. Got 4 games in the 14/15 season. Now he’s playing league 2. The trajectory isn’t always upward.


In certain American sports, they talk about the concept of percentile outcomes of players. If you were to simulate Troy Parrott’s career 100 times from this moment, there are a few outcomes where he’d be out of football by 25, a few where he’d be as good or better than Robbie Keane and the rest where he’s somewhere in the middle.


There’s a scenario where McAuley scores 25 goals in the championship in a few years time and progresses from there, there’s a more likely scenario where he has a Paddy Madden type career or another one where he’s Christy Fagan.


There’s a big difference between the most likely outcome versus the best possible outcome. Each game you see player is an opportunity to reevaluate where they are and who they are.


There were certainly moments when pretty much the entire irish team were unlikely to reach where they currently are. Hourihane from league 2 up and Stevens are obvious examples. McGoldrick too. Equally, Jack Byrne is probably currently dramatically underachieving compared to the possible paths he could have taken from say age 18. But is there a possibility he ends up a premier league footballer? Definitely... is there a possibly he could contribute now as an international? Maybe


So if we are looking at someone at 22-23 and scratching our heads, try accurately project what a teenager will be. If given the opportunity, we’d all make decisions as to who to select and who we think will make it and how best to develop young players to have the best national side but even the best eyes in the world are regularly wrong with this sort of work.


I think there’s really a greater volume of players with genuine potential than I can ever remember which bodes well for the future. But as certain as we can all feel about what we see, to a certain extent, we’re all in the dark...

[Stuttgart88]

Absolutely.

And couldn’t agree more about the current volume of players with potential.

If I was to search my own posts about Randolph I was very negative about him, but from the moment he replaced Shay against Germany he has looked very good for us, bar a few flaps and a soft goal at home to Wales maybe.

So any criticism I’d have of, say Idah, is only based on the here and now and after all we’re all just fans with keyboards and want them all to succeed.

[tetsujin1979]

Compare Kelleher with Randolph, Randolph really looked like a no-hoper early in his career. He made his competitive debut at 28. There’s no doubt in my mind that Kelleher is ahead of where Randolph was at the same age.
I completely disagree - Kelleher is 21 in two month's time. Randolph was born in May 1987, so at the same time in his career (i.e. coming up to the end of the 2007/08 season) he'd already had a game in the Premier League, and the Championship, and had three loans in non-league, League One and League Two, totalling about 40 senior appearances. Kelleher still hasn't made his senior debut, and might get a game in Liverpool's league cup tie against MK Dons in two weeks, albeit he has a Champions League winner's medal!

[geysir]

To be honest, I thought that your move to Iceland from Dundalk would have been a step up in life, Geysir :)
I suspect any move out of Dundalk would have been a step up but I am not of Dundalk.


The u21 game against Iceland is fixed for a midweek afternoon date, some 4 weeks after the local leagues close or move indoors.
The likliehood is for very bad football weather and the timing ensures the attendance will be sparse.
Arctic tumbleweed will be blowing willy nilly through the empty spaces.

[geysir]

I see that I can get that Swedish C More Football channel crystal clear on my iptv menu - Swedish section.
I hadn't ventured into those parts before.

[elatedscum]

any streams? :)

[elatedscum]

does C more work if we stream it from them - or do you need to be in Sweden? https://www.cmore.se/sport/spel/12496747-sverige-irland

[Razors left peg]

Parrott left on bench today was a surprising selection!

[lambo123]

Im watching it on skorlive

[MickeyNed]

Can’t find it there. Any chance of a link?

[Razors left peg]

60% possession first half and pretty much dominating. Wasteful in front of goal. Would imagine Kenny will make some changes at half time.

[elatedscum]

More than deserve the equaliser. Connolly missed a penalty before Troy scores a good first time finish

[nigel-harps1954]

2-1 up in 87th minute. Big goal that.

[Razors left peg]

Lads Parrott is gonna be a megastar!

[nigel-harps1954]

3-1! Great result away from home.

[passinginterest]

Only managed to see some of the game streaming on the phone but that is a seriously impressive bunch. Parrot was just superb, both finishes truly world class.

[geysir]

Good result, Parrott delivered the sucker punch with aplomb.

[elatedscum]

could have scored 10. overall excellent performance. did well to fight their way back into the game considering they went a goal down and then missed a penalty

[Olé Olé]

Dear Lord Almighty. How much petrol has Parrott just poured into the hypemachine? Those two finishes are absolutely incredible.

[Olé Olé]

3 of the Sweden midfield have Serie A appearances. The last the Eredivisie.

[SkStu]

Dear Lord Almighty. How much petrol has Parrott just poured into the hypemachine? Those two finishes are absolutely incredible.

And let’s not forget he’s only 17. Not 18 til February.

[tommy_c12000]

Gutted to have missed it, couldn’t get off work in time. Anyone know of link with entire 90 minutes?? Would love to watch it all

[tommy_c12000]

A bit of a deja vu about this tweet from another young English-born West Ham defensive midfielder:

https://www.twitter.com/conorcoventry/status/1171503882633007106

I like Conor though, comes across better with a bit more happening upstairs than the other player in question

[Eirambler]

Great second half. I think my favourite part of all though was when we scored the equaliser - one of our players ran in and grabbed the ball from the net and the whole team just sprinted back to half way to restart the game.

It was as though we were playing Gibraltar or San Marino and not a very good team like Sweden. There was no sense of being happy with a decent point away from home, it was all out for the win. Fantastic attitude and they all seem to be driving each other on to develop further.

[Razors left peg]

I dont think Ive ever seen an Irish team at any level go away from home and give a performance like that. It was total domination from start to finish and by playing great football.

The hype will definitely increase after this, but rightly so. Its so exciting to think that Kenny will be in charge of these lads in the seniors in a couple of years

[ifk101]

Very hard not to get excited about this bunch of players - because as good as we were, there's clear capacity to improve. Sweden had a strong 10-15mins prior to their goal, but otherwise we were in ascendency to the point of dominant. Really impressed we how we moved the ball on a heavy pitch, and it's pity Molumby didn't finish a free header which would have capped off a great team move that went the length of the pitch. Thought Connolly stood out again. And that finish at the end from Parrott was just sublime.

[tricky_colour]

I expect Parrot will be repeating that performance in future.

[DeLorean]

Great second half. I think my favourite part of all though was when we scored the equaliser - one of our players ran in and grabbed the ball from the net and the whole team just sprinted back to half way to restart the game.

It was as though we were playing Gibraltar or San Marino and not a very good team like Sweden. There was no sense of being happy with a decent point away from home, it was all out for the win. Fantastic attitude and they all seem to be driving each other on to develop further.

Said the same elsewhere. Most Irish teams would've been pretty chuffed with the equaliser and try to see out a 1-1, which wouldn't have been a bad result at all. Great to see such a positive mindset.

[Eminence Grise]

Uncage the Parrott!

Doesn't have the same ring as 'Cry "Havoc!", and let slip the dogs of war' for instance. Similar effect, though.:cool:

[paul_oshea]

Perhaps finally a chink of light.

[seanfhear]

I’m all Cockatoo about the future . I have been trying to shoe horn that in somewhere !

[SkStu]

I expect Parrot will be repeating that performance in future.


Uncage the Parrott!

Doesn't have the same ring as 'Cry "Havoc!", and let slip the dogs of war' for instance. Similar effect, though.:cool:


I’m all Cockatoo about the future . I have been trying to shoe horn that in somewhere !

Careful lads, Tets will have a canary when he sees this.

[elatedscum]

What's even more impressive about that win is the lads who weren't involved... Apart from the 14 lads on the pitch, you could line out a team like this:

Travers (senior squad)


McNamara (bench)
Collins (injured)
Nolan (not picked)
Clarke (injured)

Connell (sick)
Knight (bench)

Barrett (not picked)
Ronan (injured)
Farrugia (injured)

Obafemi (injured)

The fact someone like Mandriou goes from not making the previous squad to playing a key role cause Ronan got injured is also a positive. Sheer depth within the squad...

[pineapple stu]

Careful lads, Tets will have a canary when he sees this.
Hasn't he heard?

I thought everyone had heard!

[Razors left peg]

Any updates on Stephen Kenny? Is he still in hospital in Sweden?

[Eminence Grise]

Heard he was sick as a parr ...ow, Tets! Stop! That hurts!!

[Razors left peg]

Heard he was sick as a parr ...ow, Tets! Stop! That hurts!!

Not in great taste is hes still in hospital to be fair.....

[tommy_c12000]

Pretty unusual no updates in 4 days. Needing a hospital stay this long also is somewhat concerning. However, factoring in the publicity and the required flight home will lead medics on the more conservative side. Only report was that he progressively became weak and dizzy, to the point of needing to sit down. When trapp had his gastroenteritis, news release was pretty quick. Obviously a myriad of diagnoses possible, just hope it’s not serious and self-limiting

[Eminence Grise]

Not in great taste is hes still in hospital to be fair.....
I'm sorry you took it that way. He was already home yesterday, it seems, and the time in hospital looks precautionary.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/kenny-returns-home-after-swedish-scare-38509394.html


Pretty unusual no updates in 4 days. Needing a hospital stay this long also is somewhat concerning. However, factoring in the publicity and the required flight home will lead medics on the more conservative side. Only report was that he progressively became weak and dizzy, to the point of needing to sit down. When trapp had his gastroenteritis, news release was pretty quick. Obviously a myriad of diagnoses possible, just hope it’s not serious and self-limiting

That we don't have a slavering pool of hacks grubbing for a scoop no matter what helps with stories like this. It's a small world here for sports journalists and their sources, so journalists wouldn't usually bite the hand that feeds the. And someone like Kenny, well-liked and a good interviewee, would be given privacy quicker than, say Delaney. With Trap, his age meant that any illness could shake confidence in his ability to manage the team; ageist, I suppose, but a factor. Anyway, it looks that whatever affected Kenny wasn't imminently serious, but it takes time to run a battery of tests and get the results for an all-clear. Better safe than sorry.

[Razors left peg]

I'm sorry you took it that way. He was already home yesterday, it seems, and the time in hospital looks precautionary.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/kenny-returns-home-after-swedish-scare-38509394.html



That we don't have a slavering pool of hacks grubbing for a scoop no matter what helps with stories like this. It's a small world here for sports journalists and their sources, so journalists wouldn't usually bite the hand that feeds the. And someone like Kenny, well-liked and a good interviewee, would be given privacy quicker than, say Delaney. With Trap, his age meant that any illness could shake confidence in his ability to manage the team; ageist, I suppose, but a factor. Anyway, it looks that whatever affected Kenny wasn't imminently serious, but it takes time to run a battery of tests and get the results for an all-clear. Better safe than sorry.

You are right, was reading today about Gareth Thomas said that a certain british tabloid blackmailed him into going public that he has HIV. Dont know how that newspaper is still in business! Thankfully the journalists in Ireland seem to have a lot more integrity.

Anyway, good news to hear that he is home and it was nothing too serious.

[tommy_c12000]

First start for Ronan, after returning from injury as a late sub at weekend, in cup game today for FC DAC. Great timing, should be included in squad for Italy game now

[NeverFeltBetter]

The Italy game is a sell-out apparently, should be a cracking atmosphere.

[elatedscum]

only problem with the free tickets for kids, students, season ticket holders etc. (which is a great idea as are the €5 tickets for adults) is when it's a sellout. i guarantee there'll be at least 1,000 probably more like 2,000 or 2,500 empty seats.

and now you've got fans who won't get in.

i think i've been to every home u21 game since they moved back to Dublin except for the afternoon midweek one against Israel. I normally take a mix of cousins, nieces and friends, the kids ranging from 6 to 16. Good to get the kids used to going to games, believing in the players we have and Tallaght is a nice little stadium, it feels pretty intimate. Maybe averaging 5 people per game. Think I'll still be able to source a few tickets from one avenue or another but... if anyone hears anything ;)

[tommy_c12000]

Both at first choice centre halves, Masterson and O’Shea, face off against each other today (on the bench)

[liamoo11]

Both at first choice centre halves, Masterson and O’Shea, face off against each other today (on the bench)

Barbet the left sided centre half got sent off today for QPR hopefully half a chance for Masterson

[tommy_c12000]

Any room for Ryan Nolan in the upcoming squad? He is currently our only centre half playing regular football outside of Ireland.

4 centre halves in most recent squad: O’Shea, Masterson, Scales, Collins. Will McCarthy call any of these up given injury crisis, or will he pick older options Clark/Williams/Lenihan?

O Shea and Masterson are there on merit given recent performances for the under 21s. Masterson should start for QPR midweek which will be an enormous boost going into the game. Collins has talent, but is still very raw. He is currently out of favor for more experienced players at Stoke but again he deserves his spot on his talent and recent first team exposure.

Scales hasn’t done much at u21 level for Ireland, and remains at UCD bottom of the Eircom League. He’s 22 next year and will never have played outside of Ireland. I have been underwhelmed the times I’ve seen him. All things consider, it is highly unlikely Scales will make it to a high enough club level to be considered for senior team. It’s hard to justify his selection ahead of a player who has come through Inter Milan’s academy, captained their Primavera team, and is now playing regular first team football at a level clearly higher than Scales. It would be a huge boost for Nolan and the exposure could certainly help his future career progression. It’s a no brainer to me.

[SkStu]

I’m not convinced that Serie C is better than the Airtricity League Premier Division.