Mark Travers G Bournmouth b.1999

[Stuttgart88]

Very solid game at Arsenal on Saturday. Some good saves and interventions at important times, though helped by each being one you'd expect him to make. Poor finishing gave him the chance to save (e.g., Saka's failure to placve a shot close to the post early in second half).

Conceded the penalty for the opener. I can't be objective (Arsenal fan) but while I think it was clearly a manufactured contact by Havertz I think Travers also went completely through Havertz's path with his slide. I always maintain that any tackler has to get the ball if he slides through a player's run, or else the ref can give a foul - even if no contact at all. My real time reaction was penalty though I expected replays to show a fair dose of gamesmanship from Havertz. it was arguably similar to Duff in Suwon?

What I liked most about him was his presence and general air of confidence. That's an intangible thing I like to see in a keeper. Kelleher has it now, but didn't 2 years ago. Bazunu has it to a fair degree for Ireland, much less so at club level.

[~YTM~]

Very solid game at Arsenal on Saturday. Some good saves and interventions at important times, though helped by each being one you'd expect him to make. Poor finishing gave him the chance to save (e.g., Saka's failure to placve a shot close to the post early in second half).

Conceded the penalty for the opener. I can't be objective (Arsenal fan) but while I think it was clearly a manufactured contact by Havertz I think Travers also went completely through Havertz's path with his slide. I always maintain that any tackler has to get the ball if he slides through a player's run, or else the ref can give a foul - even if no contact at all. My real time reaction was penalty though I expected replays to show a fair dose of gamesmanship from Havertz. it was arguably similar to Duff in Suwon?

What I liked most about him was his presence and general air of confidence. That's an intangible thing I like to see in a keeper. Kelleher has it now, but didn't 2 years ago. Bazunu has it to a fair degree for Ireland, much less so at club level.

If Bournemouth revert back to Neto as number one or bring in another keeper this summer to be number one think Travers would be a great get for Southampton given Bazunu's injury.

[JR89]

Reports that Celtic and Palace have interest in Travers with Bournemouth valuing him at £10m.

[backstothewall]

Reports that Celtic and Palace have interest in Travers with Bournemouth valuing him at £10m.

That would be a great move for all involved

Edit: The money Bournemouth are asking are ridiculous though

[JR89]

That would be a great move for all involved

Edit: The money Bournemouth are asking are ridiculous though

Think Celtic would be a good move. Palace likely eyeing him up as back up for Henderson.

Would Celtic pay half of that for a keeper? Maybe an experienced keeper? Not sure what their previous big fee for a keeper was Could also see them wanting to take Travers on loan first with Bournemouth wanting a permanent move.

[Eirambler]

Asking for £10m might mean selling for around £6m when it comes to it. Realistically Palace can afford to pay more for a backup than Celtic can for a first choice, so Travers might have to push for a move that allows him to be a first choice.

[CSAD]

Asking for £10m might mean selling for around £6m when it comes to it. Realistically Palace can afford to pay more for a backup than Celtic can for a first choice, so Travers might have to push for a move that allows him to be a first choice.

I would prefer Crystal Palace to be honest.

We have a tendency to push our players to play at a lower level just because its easier but ultimately this is why so many end up going nowhere in their career, because they aren't being challenged to improve every week which ultimately leads to them staying in their comfort zone which ultimately results in them stagnating development wise.

With all due respect, Henderson is not THAT good a GK and would be easier to displace than Neto was/is...if Travers is truly viewed as a 10m pound player he should be able to challenge Henderson for the number 1 spot. Competing with Henderson for the number 1 spot, a similarly aged GK, is going to force Travers to up his game which going well will only improve him as a GK.

At the end of the day it comes down to 2 things, do we want Travers to get soft minutes at Celtic and never develop into anything more than a top half championship GK/Bottom half PL level GK...or do we want him to develop into a mid table PL GK (for me his ceiling, happy to be proved wrong though)?

If its the latter, I'd imagine it is for most on here, then Crystal Palace is the move he should make.

[Eirambler]

I don't know that Travers is good enough to reach that level. I see him as top end Championship or EPL relegation struggler level at best, because there are weaknesses in his game and they're the ones that separate second tier keepers from top tier ones (command of his area, comfort with ball at feet playing out). For that reason Celtic could be a good move for him, though there's a possibility his weaknesses could be an issue there too - but Hart had some similar problems and seemed to do well in Glasgow.

[Olé Olé]

I don't know that Travers is good enough to reach that level. I see him as top end Championship or EPL relegation struggler level at best, because there are weaknesses in his game and they're the ones that separate second tier keepers from top tier ones (command of his area, comfort with ball at feet playing out). For that reason Celtic could be a good move for him, though there's a possibility his weaknesses could be an issue there too - but Hart had some similar problems and seemed to do well in Glasgow.

Hard to know how much developing he has left to do. I think he can improve with the ball at his feet but he's not the worst at it is he? Command of the area could come with time.

You're probably right with regards to him at top end Championship/EPL relegation at present. He could do a Fraser Forster and go up there with a move back down having been colossal up there. He eventually got found out though.

[CSAD]

I don't know that Travers is good enough to reach that level. I see him as top end Championship or EPL relegation struggler level at best, because there are weaknesses in his game and they're the ones that separate second tier keepers from top tier ones (command of his area, comfort with ball at feet playing out). For that reason Celtic could be a good move for him, though there's a possibility his weaknesses could be an issue there too - but Hart had some similar problems and seemed to do well in Glasgow.


So you are saying a goalkeeper at the age of 24/25 has already hit the ceiling of what he is capable of and wont improve anymore beyond that despite the fact most goalkeeper's don't hit their peak until hey get into their 30s?

Sorry but despite the question mark that wasnt meant to be a question, it was meant to highlight just how stupid a statement this is. I know posters like you think so little of our players that you are happy for them to stay at a low level just to ensure they are playing at the cost of them not developing...here's a crazy idea, maybe instead of settling for a low level and not improving his game maybe, just maybe, he should sign for a club like Crystal Palace and face proper competition that will force him to improve his game and address his weaknesses rather than just play at a low level and hide these weaknesses only to be exploited when he comes up against real opposition.

This loser mentality of settling for less because its "easier" is a mentality so many of our young promising players have had and its more often than not led to them going nowhere in their career and despite all evidence proving this we continue to push players like Travers to go down the same path...if Crystal Palace want him for 10m pound and are willing to spend then go for it.

[Eirambler]

Sorry but turning Mark Travers into a modern day Premier League keeper is about as likely as turning Shane Duffy into a modern day Premier League centre back, even allowing for his younger age. He'd have to completely reinvent the kind of goalkeeper he is. He's a big traditional shot stopping keeper that sticks to his line and isn't a natural with ball at feet. And that's highly unlikely to change. There's still very much a role for that type of keeper, but only up to a certain level. And if he hasn't reinvented himself at Bournemouth he's unlikely to do it at Palace either.

[liamoo11]

I would prefer Crystal Palace to be honest.

We have a tendency to push our players to play at a lower level just because its easier but ultimately this is why so many end up going nowhere in their career, because they aren't being challenged to improve every week which ultimately leads to them staying in their comfort zone which ultimately results in them stagnating development wise.

With all due respect, Henderson is not THAT good a GK and would be easier to displace than Neto was/is...if Travers is truly viewed as a 10m pound player he should be able to challenge Henderson for the number 1 spot. Competing with Henderson for the number 1 spot, a similarly aged GK, is going to force Travers to up his game which going well will only improve him as a GK.

At the end of the day it comes down to 2 things, do we want Travers to get soft minutes at Celtic and never develop into anything more than a top half championship GK/Bottom half PL level GK...or do we want him to develop into a mid table PL GK (for me his ceiling, happy to be proved wrong though)?

If its the latter, I'd imagine it is for most on here, then Crystal Palace is the move he should make.

Celtic woukd be a fantastic move for Travers. He needs to learn to come off his line for corners and crosses . He will never be remotely as good as kelleher with his feet. He is an excellent shot stopper and a big presence. Go to celtic and play and be first choice for the next 10 years .

[JR89]

Celtic woukd be a fantastic move for Travers. He needs to learn to come off his line for corners and crosses . He will never be remotely as good as kelleher with his feet. He is an excellent shot stopper and a big presence. Go to celtic and play and be first choice for the next 10 years .

Another positive with Celtic is he'll be playing in a winning team and will get European experience.

[John83]

So you are saying a goalkeeper at the age of 24/25 has already hit the ceiling of what he is capable of and wont improve anymore beyond that despite the fact most goalkeeper's don't hit their peak until hey get into their 30s?

Sorry but despite the question mark that wasnt meant to be a question, it was meant to highlight just how stupid a statement this is. I know posters like you think so little of our players that you are happy for them to stay at a low level just to ensure they are playing at the cost of them not developing...here's a crazy idea, maybe instead of settling for a low level and not improving his game maybe, just maybe, he should sign for a club like Crystal Palace and face proper competition that will force him to improve his game and address his weaknesses rather than just play at a low level and hide these weaknesses only to be exploited when he comes up against real opposition.

This loser mentality of settling for less because its "easier" is a mentality so many of our young promising players have had and its more often than not led to them going nowhere in their career and despite all evidence proving this we continue to push players like Travers to go down the same path...if Crystal Palace want him for 10m pound and are willing to spend then go for it.
There is more than one path to success, and the aggression in your post is utterly uncalled for.

[CSAD]

Sorry but turning Mark Travers into a modern day Premier League keeper is about as likely as turning Shane Duffy into a modern day Premier League centre back, even allowing for his younger age. He'd have to completely reinvent the kind of goalkeeper he is. He's a big traditional shot stopping keeper that sticks to his line and isn't a natural with ball at feet. And that's highly unlikely to change. There's still very much a role for that type of keeper, but only up to a certain level. And if he hasn't reinvented himself at Bournemouth he's unlikely to do it at Palace either.

One thing I notice on this forum is the amount of people that pick on one thing about a player that they might not be the best at and then totally exaggerate how bad their are at this as way of proving their point. I'm sorry to say this to you but while Travers might not be the best with his feet he is nowhere near as bad as you are making him out to be and even looking at the Bournemouth forum they seem to have little fears about him being a "modern day keeper"...they have issues with him but not being a "modern day keeper" isn't one of them.

I also think you are totally overthinking what is required to be a PL keeper and the requirement to get there but that's a story for another day.

[CSAD]

Celtic woukd be a fantastic move for Travers. He needs to learn to come off his line for corners and crosses . He will never be remotely as good as kelleher with his feet. He is an excellent shot stopper and a big presence. Go to celtic and play and be first choice for the next 10 years .

Yes and he'll learn that playing against pub sides every week.

[nigel-harps1954]

Celtic would be a backwards step for Travers. He could surely make himself first choice at a good Championship team and build from there.

[JR89]

1810772406895788083

Genoa sold their first choice keeper to Inter this summer so are in the market for a new number one.

[Acornvilla]

I hope he goes and escapes the endless limbo he seems to be trapped in. The makings of a good keeper but badly needs game time and some confidence.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Celtic would be a backwards step for Travers. He could surely make himself first choice at a good Championship team and build from there.
Travers at worse is top half Championship keeper.

[Demesne Lad]

Celtic would be a backwards step for Travers. He could surely make himself first choice at a good Championship team and build from there.
Celtic reported to be more interested in Kasper Schmeichel (37).

[Eirambler]

Bournemouth apparently asked for £10m for Travers and that was the end of Celtic's interest unless the price dropped. Celtic have shown interest in a couple of Irish players this summer where they have just been blown out of contention by the prices quoted (Dara O'Shea also). They'll probably get the Idah deal done eventually, possibly should have taken a look at Parrott also as he'd have been affordable and could have done well in that league.

[John83]

Celtic have signed Sinisalo from Villa. I suppose that's the end of that option.

[Eminence Grise]

Sky Sports (https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/13179129/finland-goalkeeper-sinisalo-becomes-celtics-first-summer-signing) suggesting the fee was £1m. BBC gossip (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cv2gnxll5n7o) round-up yesterday had Celtic linked with Benfica’s Paulo Bernardo – Benfica want £6m, Celtic hopeful to get him for £4m. Take the reported £4m plus add-ons offer for Idah, and that kind of suggests the end of the market Celtic are operating at.

[Eirambler]

Celtic rarely spend big, they've only spent over £6m on a player three times and their transfer record is £9m, which for a club that size is not a high amount.

While we don't have the greatest squad at the moment, most of our starting team would be outside of their spending range even now.

[Eminence Grise]

Given that it hasn't been a stellar place for many of our players in recent years, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

[Eirambler]

Travers linked to Strasbourg in Ligue 1 today (managed by Liam Rosenior), and also less interestingly to Burnley.

[Eirambler]

And now also with Blackburn and Rayo Vallecano.

Blackburn it is then!

[Trequartista20]

Palace have reportedly renewed their interest.

https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/crystal-palace-consider-bournemouth-keeper-with-wolves-closing-on-johnstone/

[Eirambler]

That would be as a number 2 keeper though. Travers hasn't had a full season as number 1 for a while now, moving to Palace to be a number 2 would probably see him drop to fourth choice for Ireland.

[Jolly Red Giant]

That would be as a number 2 keeper though. Travers hasn't had a full season as number 1 for a while now, moving to Palace to be a number 2 would probably see him drop to fourth choice for Ireland.
I don't think Palace are completely happy with Henderson and Johnstone - I think Travers would be going there to compete for the job.

[Eirambler]

Well Johnstone seems to be going, so it would be Henderson v Travers. The problem is that I'm not sure Travers' all round game is good enough to win that battle. I'd rather see him playing regularly in the Championship and improving through experience, but I appreciate Palace will likely be able to blow most Championship teams out of the water in terms of wages.

Blackburn appear to have moved on to someone else now.

[JR89]

Kepa confirmed now on loan for the season with no option to buy. Would assume Bournemouth will only let him leave on loan for this season.

[Trequartista20]

Talk of Neto going to Arsenal to replace Ramsdale, meaning Travers will be forced to stay put.

https://insidefutbol.com/2024/08/30/crystal-palace-and-luton-town-to-miss-out-on-goalkeeper/659320/

[John83]

Forced to stay put and start? Is he still #2 behind Neto there?

[JR89]

Forced to stay put and start? Is he still #2 behind Neto there?

He's technically third choice now that Kepa was signed.

[Stuttgart88]

Kepa and Neto. Nominative determinism at its best.

[John83]

Kepa and Neto. Nominative determinism at its best.
I'm waiting for China to produce a Guo Li.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Well Johnstone seems to be going, so it would be Henderson v Travers.
Shows how bad a shape Wolves are in - they couldn't afford Ramsdale so they plump for Johnstone for £10m (and I don't think he is even worth that).

[nigel-harps1954]

Starts tonight against Chelsea.

[Eirambler]

Makes him by my count the 13th Irish player to feature in the Premier League this season. Not bad despite our supposed poor squad - you could pick a full team of Irish Premier League players from this season and have a couple of subs left over.

[Colbert Report]

He's only playing because Kepa can't play against his parent club (Chelsea) but Travers hasn't put a foot wrong so far.

[John83]

Makes him by my count the 13th Irish player to feature in the Premier League this season. Not bad despite our supposed poor squad - you could pick a full team of Irish Premier League players from this season and have a couple of subs left over.
We're doing a bit better there than we were. I'd rather more of them were starting, and not so many of them were likely to be in the mix for relegation, but it beats calling up league 1 players.

Travers' career isn't all that critical to our success really. He seems unlikely to push his way into starting for us, and he's fantastic cover. Still, for his own sake, you'd hope he can pick up more games here and there this year.

[Trequartista20]

Worth remembering that Kepa, for all criticism he has faced is, at €80m by far and away the most expensive goalkeeper in history. That's who Travers is up against as competition.

The second most expensive goalkeeper? Of course that's Kelleher's rival for the no.1 shirt at Liverpool, Alison.

When people unfairly make unflattering comparisons of Kelleher, Bazunu and Travers and very mediocre GKs from the past like Forde and Randolph, it's should be considered at just how high a level these guys are operating. Certainly the most talented collection of goalkeepers we've had in my time watching Ireland.

[Trequartista20]

Makes him by my count the 13th Irish player to feature in the Premier League this season. Not bad despite our supposed poor squad - you could pick a full team of Irish Premier League players from this season and have a couple of subs left over.


Makes him by my count the 13th Irish player to feature in the Premier League this season. Not bad despite our supposed poor squad - you could pick a full team of Irish Premier League players from this season and have a couple of subs left over.

A team of players from PL matchday squads this season:

Kelleher

Coleman, Omobamidele, O'Brien, O'Shea

Collins, Smallbone

Ogbene, Szmodics, McAteer

Ferguson

Subs: Travers, Doherty, Murphy, Taylor, Umeh, Harness, O'Mahoney

[Eirambler]

Had to dig down a few pages to find Travers' thread, but he got a start today for Bournemouth as Kepa was injured and was apparently outstanding. Would be good to see him get a run of games off the back of it, if there's not a lot between the two keepers you would think it would make sense for Bournemouth to stick with their own contracted goalkeeper. Kepa is likely more comfortable playing out from the back than Travers though.

[tetsujin1979]

Had to dig down a few pages to find Travers' thread, but he got a start today for Bournemouth as Kepa was injured and was apparently outstanding.

Links for all player threads in the sticky at the top of the forum

[samhaydenjr]

FWIW Travers has made more Premier League Appearances than Kelleher - 21 v 17. He has also scored more senior goals - 1 v 0

[joey B]

Just caught the highlights on Match of the Day,made some great saves….

[~YTM~]

Has impressed now in both PL games he played this season, the other being against Chelsea.