U23 players 2019/20

[Closed Account]

Kevin O'Connor, Robbie Mccourt and Tyreke Wilson..... Well stocked for left backs in Waterford.

[First]

Directed by a few UK lads to this guy on Twitter. Seems to have a very good insight into academy and young pros in England.
No connection, I find his tweets informative.
@RowdenJRSG

[Olé Olé]

Coventry to Lincoln is a done deal
League One loan switch for Ireland U21 and West Ham United midfielder https://the42.ie/4959089

[Eirambler]

Looks like League One is going to be worth keeping a close eye on for the rest of the season with Coventry, Taylor, Elbouzedi and potentially both O'Connors playing their football there, among others. Barrett, Clarke, O'Hara, Curtis and Harness are also Under 23s playing in that division. Quite a few, if not all of those players will be hoping to move to a higher level in future but League One should be a good location for their next stage of development.

[Olé Olé]

Didn't know what you meant re "both O'Connors".

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18151802.celtics-lee-oconnor-set-loan-deal-oxford-united-poised-take-defender-south/

Lee to Oxford. No harm. You'd imagine he will excel at that level.

[Olé Olé]

Goal for Ryan Cassidy tonight against Coventry.

En Neyah on the score sheet for Nottingham.

Simon Power and Andrew Obomadimele started for Norwich. Great going for Obomadimele at 17.

[tetsujin1979]

Didn't know what you meant re "both O'Connors".

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18151802.celtics-lee-oconnor-set-loan-deal-oxford-united-poised-take-defender-south/

Lee to Oxford. No harm. You'd imagine he will excel at that level. bit of a strange move for Oxford, they signed four players during the week, including two loans, so why take on another loanee?
They're fourth in league one, two points behind Rotherham in second with a game in hand in them.
Five new players at this stage of the season could upset their established starting XI

[tommy_c12000]

No sign of any of our Celtic players in Cup game against Patrick Thistle today. Judging by mounting speculation, O’Connor should secure a loan move away in the coming days, Afolabi needs to push for loan move especially given Celtics purchase of yet another mediocre striker (with reportedly a lot of championship interest, the guy has some agent...), no speculation on Connell who also needs to get away from the emerging deathbed of young irish footballers that is Celtic Park

[tetsujin1979]

O'Connor's move to Oxford was reportedly cancelled because they wouldn't guarantee him first team football

[tommy_c12000]

O'Connor's move to Oxford was reportedly cancelled because they wouldn't guarantee him first team football

Yes, saw that. Actually relieved that his advisors are not rushing in unless guaranteed first team football. It was an unusual move and one the Oxford fans didn’t think was needed.

On the whole, it’s been a refreshing start to the year for our youngsters. Strikers have been well discussed. Molumby has more or less received MOTMs nonstop for past month in a team now 7th in the championship and with genuine premiership aspirations. With Cullen not returning yet, Whelan without a club, one has to take his claim to play a part in Ireland’s upcoming playoffs seriously. McCarthy has been playing regularly again so should start if interested. Knight continues to do well. Masterson and O’Shea are finally dipping their toes in first team championship football. Coventry, Elbouzedi, T O’Connor, and now hopefully Ronan should have a number of league one games under their belt within the next couple of months. All we need now are for the Celtic boys, Collins, and our keepers, Kelleher and Travers, to get some first team football before the window shuts. Bazunu should continue his U23 football this season. Kenny must be delighted. Its hugely positive. It’s all about first team football at this tender age. Oh and there’s Parrott........hopefully things will iron themselves out here in the coming weeks one way or another as he approaches his 18th birthday

[Eirambler]

There's a group of 25 or so young Irish players (23 or under) that I have been following this season to see how they progress, they range in age from last year's under 17 category up to 23 year olds - what I would consider to be our 25 best young players, although that's obviously a matter of personal opinion. What's very promising though is that 20 of them have now seen first team action so far this season, either in the Premier League, Championship, League 1 or the cups.

FWIW the 20 are Parrott, Connolly, Obafemi, Molumby, Knight, Idah, Collins, Smallbone, O'Shea, Travers, Kilkenny, Cullen, Masterson, T O'Connor, Crowley, Manning, O'Hara, Coventry, Curtis and Kelleher.

Two of the five that haven't played are Bazunu and Hodge who are both 17 year olds at Man City and who you wouldn't expect to have played first team to be fair (plus Hodge has been injured).

The other three though are the three lads at Celtic, O'Connor, Afolabi and Connell who haven't seen a minute of first team action between them, not even an unused sub appearance that I can remember. They must be going spare in Glasgow watching everyone else at their age group progress while they're kicking their heels in the reserves, playing very little football and none that would be of any benefit to them. It's sad to see what's happening with them really. Hopefully one or two of them will get out on loan before the end of the month, I mean the standard of the SPFL is absolutely dreadful, surely the other teams in the league must have some interest in them if there's no interest from England?

[DCWA]

The other three though are the three lads at Celtic, O'Connor, Afolabi and Connell who haven't seen a minute of first team action between them, not even an unused sub appearance that I can remember. They must be going spare in Glasgow watching everyone else at their age group progress while they're kicking their heels in the reserves, playing very little football and none that would be of any benefit to them. It's sad to see what's happening with them really. Hopefully one or two of them will get out on loan before the end of the month, I mean the standard of the SPFL is absolutely dreadful, surely the other teams in the league must have some interest in them if there's no interest from England?

O’Connor is away on loan.

The other two won’t see first team action. Lennon went with no recognised striker as opposed to chance Afolabi and Celtic have just purchased another striker for the guts of £4m. Christ knows what’s going on with Connell he has scarcely been heard of.

Only way any of them sees first team action is if Celtic were to stretch clear at the top and wrap up the league early as happened after Christmas last year which saw Karamoko Dembele get minutes in the last few weeks of the season.

We see the talk of Mourinho being bad for Parrott’s development in the other thread. Lennon is very much cut from the same cloth; he doesn’t give young players much of a chance he is a very conservative manager.

Afolabi and Connell will need to force a loan if they want to play first team action football that goes beyond a possible few dead rubber games.

[pineapple stu]

Maybe time for a new thread.

Norwich and ex-UCD winger Simon Power - who was in the Toulon tournament - is apparently being linked with Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, Ajax and PSV (https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/simon-power-rumour-1-6121030).

Not even the 1st April, unless my calendar is completely wonky.
His loan spell at Ross County seems to have ended early, so instead he's gone to Kings Lynn Town of the Conference North.

Man of the Match on his debut as they beat York City 1-0 in a top of the table clash in front of 4,000. "Power became an instant fans' favourite with a dynamic and thrilling display in a vital victory for the Linnets. That he walked away with the sponsor's man of the match award was no surprise" is what the local papers said, so presumably he can play at a higher level. Whether it'll ever be high enough to reach the senior national team is another question though.

[Olé Olé]

Molumby made a mug of Charlie Adam here. I enjoyed Adam's little clap of the hands:
https://twitter.com/MillwallFC/status/1219191722695102464?s=19

[Razors left peg]

Molumby made a mug of Charlie Adam here. I enjoyed Adam's little clap of the hands:
https://twitter.com/MillwallFC/status/1219191722695102464?s=19

Will never get picked in the Irish midfield, ball should have gone back to keeper after 1st touch!

[seanfhear]

Will never get picked in the Irish midfield, ball should have gone back to keeper after 1st touch!
The goalkeeper would have a better pana-vision of the forward positions to make one of those creative really long balls alright :wink:

[Olé Olé]

Lee O'Connor has joined Partick Thistle for the rest of the season on loan. They're in the Championship up there. Surely he was worth an SPL club move.

[DCWA]

One of the poorer teams in that division too. The only reason I can come up with for this move is geographical. It keeps him in Glasgow maybe there is something in that because I can’t for the life of me see the footballing benefit here.

[tommy_c12000]

On the face of it, it’s a poor move and not what he would have hoped for when he went to Celtic last Summer.

But I’m pretty happy with it. Can stay where he is, and finally play first team football in a stadium less than 5 miles away from Celtic Park. Celtic can keep a close eye on him. Much better than the developmental football up there. A solid 20 or so games will do him the world of good, before he turns 20 in the summer. Would have been potentially unsettling uprooting himself so soon after the move to Celtic. Next up, Afolabi (confirmed he is available for loan per report) and Connell. The clock is ticking

[Olé Olé]

There are those practical benefits and he may train with Celtic from time to time and use the facilities.

Whilst it is certainly better than wallowing in the quasi-reserve system in Scotland, I can't help but wonder why an SPL side wasn't found. He is an Irish international after all. He looked very impressive against the Sweden under 21 side. It seems poor from Celtic to me.

[Eirambler]

Wow, Partick Thistle. He'd be as well off in the Leinster Senior League.

Those three players are being treated disgracefully by Celtic, they must be regretting their moves there every day.

[Razors left peg]

Wow, Partick Thistle. He'd be as well off in the Leinster Senior League.

Those three players are being treated disgracefully by Celtic, they must be regretting their moves there every day.

Especially Afolabi considering Celtic just signed another striker last week

[elatedscum]

Especially Afolabi considering Celtic just signed another striker last week


I know for a fact that all of Afolabi, Connell and O'Connor were told they were being signed with a view to them being members of the first team squad this season. Afolabi and Connell turned down more lucrative moves to go there with the club sighting players like Van Dijk, Wanyama, (Moussa) Dembele, Tierney Boyata and Armstrong. It's hard to know exactly who's to blame? Celtic brought in a head of football operations in October 2019 just after they all signed, so maybe up to that point, the lines of communication between Lennon and the scouts and the people signing the players weren't what they should be. It could be that Lennon simply isn't playing ball, or that the promises that were made, in order to convince them to sign, shouldn't have been made in the first place - but either way, there's a serious problem and i would advise any young irish player to avoid.


Okoflex is in a similar but different situation. Rodgers personally promised him a role, starting this season (2019-20) - said that he viewed his development on par with Raheem Sterling and the way he treated him after arriving at Liverpool. Obviously with BR leaving, those promises became null and void.


Scottish sides like Celtic have the advantage of being able to avoid paying tribunal compensation to English sides for players who refuse to sign a new contract, that would cover the likes of Okoflex from Arsenal and Karaoke Dembele. So where they could cost an English side millions, it’ll cost Celtic about 70k. It generally means they can offer fairly competitive financial packages to the young players, especially if they can convince them that Celtic are able to develop talents like Van Dijk. However, in reality, you’re left with situations like what’s going on with the irish lads.


Genuinely, Afolabi would have been better to sign for Rovers till the end of the season, get half a season of first team football under his belt and make a decision then.

[Eirambler]

Celtic are notorious for this kind of thing, they (and previously Rangers) have spent years hoovering up the young talent from around the Scottish game and then messing up their careers by rarely or never playing them.

From their point of view they signed O'Connor, Connell, Afolabi and Frimpong for next to nothing during the summer as shots to nothing. Frimpong has come good quickly so they're on a winner with this project regardless of what happens to the three Irish lads. They'll sell Frimpong for a few million in a few years and if the other lads end up falling out of the game they won't care, it'll still have been worthwhile for them.

[DCWA]

The blame lies primarily with Neil Lennon imo. He is adverse to giving young players a chance and would rather buy swathes of mediocre or outright poor players then just tossing aside those that don’t work out.

For Wanyama or Van Dijk from his first spell there was Efrain Juarez (Lennon ruined his career- in Europe at least - brought him in after impressing for Mexico in the 2010 World Cup), a Mo Bangura, Teemo Pukki, Derk Boerrigter, Rabiu Ibrahim, could probably dig up several others with a quick google search.

He is poison for a young players career.

[Eirambler]

It takes a particularly special manager to find a way to make Teemo Pukki not score goals in Scotland.

[Bottle of Tonic]

Surely the players have their own responsibility to break into the team? Lennon is playing Mikey Johnston in big games. He must be doing it in training /behind closed doors. Celtic, nor any club, have the responsibility to develop players for the Irish national team. Between first team squad, reserves and youth there is probably 4 players vying for one spot at every single club in the top 3 leagues. Not all will make it. That is obvious. A lot has to fall right for a lad to get regular senior games even if he is applying himself to 100% of his ability.

We may stop expecting that all or even most of our promising young players are going to make it in the game. History shows the majority of them won't.

[tommy_c12000]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iFh-XumxfVs

Celtic colts with 4-1 win in meaningless game yesterday. Lovely goal from Connell yesterday, and Coffey appears in highlights too with an assist. Connell does look like a tidy operator, let’s keep the fingers crossed he can secure ANY loan away until end of season. Afolabi not in squad, so hopefully he’s negotiating a loan move somewhere, less likely they were saving him for today’s senior game...

[tetsujin1979]

Hayes the only Irish involvement with Celtic tonight

[SkStu]

Johansson declaring for Sweden according to his agent.

https://www.todayfm.com/sport/ireland-underage-international-ryan-johansson-declares-sweden-agent-954938

[Razors left peg]

Johansson declaring for Sweden according to his agent.

https://www.todayfm.com/sport/ireland-underage-international-ryan-johansson-declares-sweden-agent-954938

Did he have Swedish citizenship when he played for Luxembourg?

[SkStu]

Yeah, he was eligible through his dad. His Irish connection was more complex (grandparent) which I believe posed part of the problem as the birth wasn’t registered. Real pity, he’d be ours but for FIFA and the Grand Duchy w@nkstains.

[Razors left peg]

Yeah, he was eligible through his dad. His Irish connection was more complex (grandparent) which I believe posed part of the problem as the birth wasn’t registered. Real pity, he’d be ours but for FIFA and the Grand Duchy w@nkstains.

Pity Thomas Delaney didnt have the same agent...

Centinkaya implies that he influenced the decision, telling the family, "Is your name Johansson, then there is only one country that you can represent".

[tetsujin1979]

Does look like he was pressured into the decision
There's an interview with his new agent here: https://www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/supertalangen-valjer-att-spela-for-sverige/
The google translation includes this

Hasan Cetinkaya continues: - It has been very sensitive and difficult for him to make this decision. But… I have worked for the best of Swedish football here and that is what Håkan Sjöstrand (secretary general of the union) knows about. I think it has a big part in it being this way, that I work with Ryan.

His agent should be working for the best of anyone other than the player here.

[DCWA]

Pity Thomas Delaney didnt have the same agent...

Centinkaya implies that he influenced the decision, telling the family, "Is your name Johansson, then there is only one country that you can represent".

He kinda has a point any man named Johansson fits better in a Swedish shirt, this is how the world ought to be, can’t have a Johansson lining out for Ireland, I can accept this one.

[Olé Olé]

I wonder if the FAI's present turmoil had an impact. Did we have an equivalent to the secretary general that would engage with Johansson's agent and the resources to do so? All very, very disappointing as we have been on the wrong side of some players' eligibility decisions recently and this was one we were on the right side of.

[tommy_c12000]

O’Shea with another good 90 minutes as West Brom beat West Ham, played RB, was tidy on the ball and solid defensively. Got a bust lip from Antoine as well, no harm in toughening him up! Ajaya was sent off so he may start next league game, although Bartley came on to play centre back while Dara stayed RB.

Watched a small bit of Molumby in second half as Millwall lost 2-0 to Sheff United, has developed nicely physically in past few months, continues to have nice control and passing. Obafemi played 70 minutes or so, two starts in a row. He did ok, linked up with Ings nicely on a couple of occasions, but tired a lot at the end and gave the ball away cheaply on a number of occasions. Needs another goal or two to keep his momentum.

Nathan Collins came on late for the second game in a row to shore up the stoke defense. Another stoke win 2-0 with McClean getting late goal. Nice to see O’Neill “trusting” Collins in pivotal moments in games. Next step is to displace Lindsay as starting centre back.

Coventry and Elbouzedi came on at the 70 minute mark for Lincoln City. They lost against Ipswich. Would be nice to see Coventry starting consistently, he has not started the past two games. Big few weeks for him.

O’Connor played a full 90 minutes for the mighty Thistle who went down 2-1 to Arbroath, a big relegation battle ahead for them.

[seanfhear]

A relegation battle is pressure football . Interesting to see how he handles it.

[Razors left peg]

He kinda has a point any man named Johansson fits better in a Swedish shirt, this is how the world ought to be, can’t have a Johansson lining out for Ireland, I can accept this one.

If that's the case having an Obafemi representing Ireland must blow your mind

[Bottle of Tonic]

Afolabi gone on loan to Dunfermline in the Scottish championship according to reports over there.

Sure the quality won't be great but its a hardy division of mens football and will test the fight in him anyway.

If he scores goals he might get a shot at a higher level next season.

[OMTY]

Afolabi gone on loan to Dunfermline in the Scottish championship according to reports over there.

Sure the quality won't be great but its a hardy division of mens football and will test the fight in him anyway.

If he scores goals he might get a shot at a higher level next season.

Anything is better than reserves football I suppose.

O'Connor unlucky in that Frimpong is injured now, might have been a chance for some game time for him.

[tommy_c12000]

Happy with that. A few months training with Celtic seniors, now off to Dunfermline to play regular first team football having just turned 20. Much better than hanging around their reserves and hoping for token appearance towards the end of the season. Hopefully he’ll do well and will be back challenging for a starting place with Celtic next summer. Next up Luca Connell, Dembele their 16 year old stud came on at weekend so slight hope for Connell, but either way I would prefer him to head off on 4 months loan and play regular full games. He’s still only 18

[seanfhear]

Happy with that. A few months training with Celtic seniors, now off to Dunfermline to play regular first team football having just turned 20. Much better than hanging around their reserves and hoping for token appearance towards the end of the season. Hopefully he’ll do well and will be back challenging for a starting place with Celtic next summer. Next up Luca Connell, Dembele their 16 year old stud came on at weekend so slight hope for Connell, but either way I would prefer him to head off on 4 months loan and play regular full games. He’s still only 18
Is this even legal from Celtic ?

[tommy_c12000]

I see Garcia McNulty has made the bench for Wolfsburg under 23s, in their European premier league international cup vs Reading U23. He’s been a regular with their u17s, so positive to see he’s potentially progressing through the age groups

[samhaydenjr]

I see Garcia McNulty has made the bench for Wolfsburg under 23s, in their European premier league international cup vs Reading U23. He’s been a regular with their u17s, so positive to see he’s potentially progressing through the age groups

It was actually Brighton they played. Warren O'Hora played the full game for Albion: https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/1590698/albion-end-european-campaign-with-narrow-defeat

Elsewhere Ali Reghba, Conor Tee and former Wexford player Darragh O'Connor all featured in Leicester's 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb:https://www.lcfc.com/news/1590697/wright-nets-a-brace-in-dinamo-zagreb-victory-for-citys-under23s

Ryan Cassidy seems to be back in form after his recent injury, scoring his second in two games for Watford's U23s against Colchester: https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/under-23s/riza-first-team-boys-showed-good-attitude

Youngsters Connor O'Reilly and Matthew Healy stepped up from Ipswich's U18s to their U23 side to feature in their 3-0 victory at Coventry, alongside Barry Cotter: https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2020/january/u23---coventry-0-town-3/

[samhaydenjr]

Afolabi gone on loan to Dunfermline in the Scottish championship according to reports over there.

Sure the quality won't be great but its a hardy division of mens football and will test the fight in him anyway.

If he scores goals he might get a shot at a higher level next season.

Particularly if he helps Dunfermline go up, they may consider giving him a more solid (if more modest) home than Celtic. So a sigh of relief, rather than a big cheer - let's hope he can build on it quickly

[tommy_c12000]

Another landmark night for our youngsters: O’Shea, Masterson, Knight, Molumby all start in championship. Coventry, Ronan start in league one. Kenny must be rubbing his hands

[Eirambler]

Disappointing end to the transfer window with no loan moves for the likes of Parrott, Idah or Connell. Also a few signings and loan recalls that will put pressure on the starting positions of some of our players at their various clubs.

[Olé Olé]

In light of Anthony Scully's move to Lincoln, I saw these linked on YBIG and couldn't help but share. The most bizarre things I've seen in a while.

First one is 17 year-old Anthony from London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrE_52QMEbw

Second is 20 year-old Anthony from Dublin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72PNAr5FFMg&t=52s

[CraftyToePoke]

He's like a reverse Ryan Manning.