Adam Idah F. Celtic b.2001

[Olé Olé]

You'd have Andy Keogh over Idah?
Ah yeah, ignore the fact that the Championship has improved immeasurably since Keogh got double digits at that level and ignore Idah getting 2 goals in 18 whilst Keogh got the same in 30 and then throw in a bit of flippant throwaway commentary and sure why wouldn't you prefer Andy Keogh over Adam Idah?.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Adam Idah is a good player who has been impacted by injuries - and he will get better. He is not the type of player who will score a hatful of goals - but he is an important asset for Ireland and any club he plays for. At the moment he is good with his back to the goal, receiving the ball and they laying it off for midfield runners - he does need to develop more of a killer instinct.

He actually reminds me of Frank Stapleton - able to hold the ball up and bring others into the play. Not as strong as Stapleton or as good in the air - but with more pace. He may never be as good as Stapleton - but he needs a couple of good years without injury before we will really see what he is capable of.

Now - there will be competition for places with Ferguson, possibly Armstrong, possibly Connolly, maybe Parrott will come good, Cannon if he finally opts for Ireland, Obafemi, Fraser, O'Neill, TKD, Emakhu, Springett, O'Mahony - but Idah does what many of the others are not able to and he has a role. I think in 3/4 years, if he gets a run without injuries, Idah will be playing consistently in the PL (not for one of the top teams - but he could certainly do a job for a team in the bottom half who are always looking over their shoulder at relegation).

[pineapple stu]

Ah yeah, ignore the fact that the Championship has improved immeasurably since Keogh got double digits at that level and ignore Idah getting 2 goals in 18 whilst Keogh got the same in 30 and then throw in a bit of flippant throwaway commentary and sure why wouldn't you prefer Andy Keogh over Adam Idah?.
The Championship improving doesn't factor into it. Otherwise you could argue Idah is better than Giles

My question was "Can you name a less effective player to have gotten so many caps for us?" There may yet be a player in Idah and he's now got a great chance to show it. But he's rarely been anything other than ineffective for Ireland to date unfortunately. It's a long time since that hattrick in the Cup but he still has a lot of the same weaknesses unfortunately

[Jolly Red Giant]

My question was "Can you name a less effective player to have gotten so many caps for us?"
Well - like your comment about the Championship - the number of caps is a bit of a distortion - there are far more international games these days than there were 15/20 years ago - never mind 30/40 years ago.

Anyway I'll give it a go (and I might take a bit of poetic license with the number of caps).

Harry Arter - 19 caps
James Collins - 14 caps
Gary Doherty - 34 caps
Paul Green - 20 caps
Eamon Gregg - 9 caps
Ashley Grimes - 18 caps
Colin Healy - 13 caps
Scott Hogan - 12 caps
Daryl Horgan - 17 caps
Alan Judge - 9 caps
Andy bloody Keogh - 30 caps (why?)
Alan Lee - 10 caps
Kevin Long - 17 caps
Alan Maybury - 10 caps
Jayson Molumby - 20 caps
Daryl Murphy - 31 caps
Alan O'Brien - 5 caps
Darren O'Dea - 20 caps
Darren Potter - 5 caps
Conor Sammon - 9 caps
Sean St. Ledger - 37 caps
Anthony Stokes - 9 caps

Now I am sure you can produce some stats to prove me wrong - but I would take Adam Idah over any of the above - and some others who got more caps who went through significant periods where they were bare noticeable on the pitch (e.g. James McCarthy).

[tetsujin1979]

Why are you including players who are not strikers in the comparison?

[Olé Olé]

The Championship improving doesn't factor into it. Otherwise you could argue Idah is better than Giles

My question was "Can you name a less effective player to have gotten so many caps for us?" There may yet be a player in Idah and he's now got a great chance to show it. But he's rarely been anything other than ineffective for Ireland to date unfortunately. It's a long time since that hattrick in the Cup but he still has a lot of the same weaknesses unfortunately

Red herring. You said you'd Andy Keogh over Adam Idah. Do you stand by it?

I thought he was effective against the Netherlands and France which were the last two games.

[Olé Olé]

Why are you including players who are not strikers in the comparison?

The poster has literally quoted exactly what Stu said and the version of the question he posed. I don't see any issues with what the poster has done.

Maybe it could have been assumed Stu was inferring strikers but I don't see the issue with this poster's interpretation.

[pineapple stu]

Red herring. You said you'd Andy Keogh over Adam Idah. Do you stand by it?

I thought he was effective against the Netherlands and France which were the last two games.
Not a red herring at all. In absolute terms he's probably a better player than Johnny Giles because football has moved on since the 60s. Does that mean he's a more effective player for us? Course not.

But yes, I'd have Keogh over Idah. Idah wouldn't have been close to the squad ten years ago.

He had feck all to do in Paris - not his fault but hard to say he was effective. He wasn't great v Holland tbh. He had fewer touches (pro-rata) than any other player on the pitch bar two late subs who didn't get a touch at all. He wasted that early chance which showed a real lack of killer instinct. He barely touched the ball the last half hour. That's hardly what I'd call "effective". But it was probably still an improvement on his last two starts when he was rightly hauled off early for being completely ineffective.

I wasn't limiting things to forwards btw so JRG is right to spread the net to other positions. I did reference caps though - specifically as many as Idah has gotten - and that invalidates half his nominees. Otherwise we'd reference Paul Butler and Joey Lapira and close the thread.

St Ledger, Molumby and Doherty are daft nominations though. Doherty was our leading scorer in a campaign (04?) FFS, and with no penalties or goals against tired part-timers either. Sledge was a solid defender in a side that got to the Euros (and he scored there too). Molumby isn't the player we thought he might be at one stage but he's still more effective than Idah in the current setup

(Watch now as I jinx him into a hattrick this afternoon!)

[Jolly Red Giant]

Why are you including players who are not strikers in the comparison?
stu said 'less effective player' - not 'less effective striker' - although there are a fair few strikers in the list

[ifk101]

Idah wouldn't have been close to the squad ten years ago.
Ten years ago, we lost 1-0 away to Austria. We used Conor Salmon in that game. His effectiveness in that game was summed up as follows

Conor Sammon: 5
Barely noticeable after coming on as a late replacement for Shane Long.


He wasn't great v Holland tbh.
Ok.

Adam Idah - 8
Hesitated after being gifted a glorious opportunity by the Dutch goalkeeper early on, but took the chance to make up for it from the penalty spot soon after.
Idah caused real problems for the Dutch defence with his running off the ball, although the referee did him no favours by giving some very soft decisions to the visitors. Following on from a decent showing in Paris, this was a quality performance against a top class Dutch back three.
Arguably his best performance in an Ireland shirt. https://www.balls.ie/football/ireland-player-ratings-the-netherlands-loss-569979

Adam Idah 7 - Scored the early penalty and was a real handful for Van Dijk. Dropped deep to help out in a good performance. https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/republic-ireland-v-netherlands-player-30908050

Adam Idah 7
Nerves of steel to convert his early penalty for his second senior goal and worked tirelessly. Great strength to hold off Van Dijk on several occasions but had less luck in the air.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/ireland-player-ratings-v-netherlands-plenty-of-energy-but-not-much-creativity/a1611885723.html

Adam Idah: Caused Virgil van Dijk a serious headache in the first half with his pace and physicality in the first half, and took his penalty very well, but his influence lessened as Ireland wilted after the break. 7

[SkStu]

Decent chance for him just now, ball crossed from the left, finds him unmarked in the middle but on the stretch, gets a toe to it but can’t direct it and the keeper parries away to safety. First thing of note from him in this game. Might have been his first touch in this half.

[SkStu]

Lovely goal for Idah!

Nice strike from just inside the right hand side of the box to the far corner. Very nice, very composed.

Delighted for him.

[SkStu]

Goal number two for him. Penalty. Carbon copy of his penalty against the Dutch.

!Take that Pineapple! He says (probably)

[pineapple stu]

What can I say - I called the jinx! He's welcome :)

Anonymous up till then as you say, and keeper will be disappointed with the opener. But well done; certainly what he needs to do while the others are out injured.

[Jolly Red Giant]

What can I say - I called the jinx! He's welcome :)

Anonymous up till then as you say, and keeper will be disappointed with the opener. But well done; certainly what he needs to do while the others are out injured.
The problem for Idah now is that Norwich look a poor team - an a team that is getting worse. I'm surprised because they haven't lost a huge number of players and Wagner should be a decent manager. I suspect stuff about Smith selling the club might be having an impact all around.

[pineapple stu]

No goals or assists in seven games now for Idah. Dropped to the bench for today; Hwang started instead and scored, but Norwich still lost 3-1.

Their form has collapsed since Sargeant got injured after four games (and Barnes followed three games later). 13 goals and 10 points from the first four games; 12 goals and 7 points from the next ten games. Obviously that's not all on Idah, but safe to say he hasn't made a great case for him to keep his place when Sergeant/Barnes come back unfortunately. And Wagner the manager has to be under a bit of pressure too; Norwich finished last year badly too (one win in ten), and he's only been there since Jan.

[Eirambler]

Think their problems are actually more at the back. Duffy has been poor by all accounts. Think he's done at an anyway decent level unfortunately (Duffy, not Idah - though I have limited expectations for Idah too).

[pineapple stu]

Worst defence in the league, so certainly hard to argue against that point. Duffy - from browsing the Norwich forum - I think seems to do ok and then go missing at a crucial time about once a game (see this thread (https://forum.pinkun.com/index.php?/topic/154002-shane-duffy-has-his-say/) for example).

Which ultimately is one way of looking poor at that level.

[Olé Olé]

No goals or assists in seven games now for Idah. Dropped to the bench for today; Hwang started instead and scored, but Norwich still lost 3-1.

Their form has collapsed since Sargeant got injured after four games (and Barnes followed three games later). 13 goals and 10 points from the first four games; 12 goals and 7 points from the next ten games. Obviously that's not all on Idah, but safe to say he hasn't made a great case for him to keep his place when Sergeant/Barnes come back unfortunately. And Wagner the manager has to be under a bit of pressure too; Norwich finished last year badly too (one win in ten), and he's only been there since Jan.
Damning enough to not return in seven games after getting the run I was hoping he would. He has time when the sporadic goals and good performances being to yield less hope he really will lose relevance. I have hope.

[dr_peepee]

He has the makings of a decent player with potential for a good output. But it’s a question of FIT. Truth is he doesn’t merit a tactical team change to suit his strength alone.

He’d benefit from a move. Being targeted by a manager with a specific style in mind for the team and a role in that team for a player of his attributes. Then slotting in to do that job.

Rather than being inherited by and trying to adapt to successive managers.

[SkStu]

Looks like Idah grabs the winner against Cardiff.

[tetsujin1979]

Reached 100 appearances for Norwich at the weekend
1728463613936160934

[pineapple stu]

First start in a month tonight. Hwang - the player they signed in September when Barnes and Sergeant got injured early in the season - scored his second in as many games early on but has since gone off injured.

Barnes is back to come on off the bench at least, but another opportunity for Idah to get a run in the team. Though given Norwich's luck, Idah is probably due an injury now...

Norwich were 2-0 up after 15 minutes when Hwang went off; it's 2-2 now. (not saying there's a direct link in that of course)

[CSAD]

First start in a month tonight. Hwang - the player they signed in September when Barnes and Sergeant got injured early in the season - scored his second in as many games early on but has since gone off injured.

Barnes is back to come on off the bench at least, but another opportunity for Idah to get a run in the team. Though given Norwich's luck, Idah is probably due an injury now...

Norwich were 2-0 up after 15 minutes when Hwang went off; it's 2-2 now. (not saying there's a direct link in that of course)

Never knew it was the strikers job to defend…learn something new every day!

[LurcherLover]

Never knew it was the strikers job to defend…learn something new every day!
It's their job to score though.

[pineapple stu]

I don't think anyone was saying it was a striker's job to defend in the first place?

[CSAD]

Lets remember it was 2-2 went Idah went off and they lost 3-2 so that should tell you why they lost, direct correlation there.

[pineapple stu]

OK.

You're still arguing a point no-one has made though.

[JR89]

Never knew it was the strikers job to defend…learn something new every day!

Well any good manager will tell you as a team you defend from the front. So technically yeah a striker will have to do some defensive work.

[Razors left peg]

OK.

You're still arguing a point no-one has made though.

Pretty sure he was follow up you line of "Norwich were 2-0 up after 15 minutes when Hwang went off; it's 2-2 now."

You did say that theres not a direct link, but it does come across as a bit of a side swipe

[pineapple stu]

You did say that theres not a direct link
I did. Not sure how I could have been any clearer there tbh

Not every game a side is 2-0 up after 15 minutes and has lost a goalscorer to injury, and is pegged back before half-time.

Next time something interesting happens in a game, I guess I'll say nothing just in case it's misinterpreted.

[Razors left peg]

I did. Not sure how I could have been any clearer there tbh

Not every game a side is 2-0 up after 15 minutes and has lost a goalscorer to injury, and is pegged back before half-time.

Next time something interesting happens in a game, I guess I'll say nothing just in case it's misinterpreted.

All Im saying is that I understand CSAD thought you were having a dig

[SkStu]

Grabs the winner in injury time for Norwich against Bristol (Knight got the Bristol goal). You might dare say he’s on form…

And he did really well.

1731335645832884538

[Eirambler]

Is now the second top Irish goalscorer in the Championship after Sammie S. Good to see him show a bit of strength and fight there, sometimes it feels like he doesn't use his natural attributes anywhere near enough.

[seanfhear]

Nice long ball.

[pineapple stu]

On the bench today - fifth time in the last ten games he's started on the bench, so still struggling to nail down a starting place.

Josh Sergent is on the bench too though - first time since picking up an injury in August; he was top scorer last season and started with 3 in 4 this year. Jonathan Rowe is on the bench too; think he might have picked up a slight knock in the last game, when he came off at half-time. He's their top scorer this season with 10, and another who came through the Norwich academy. Only 20, and this is his first full season.

Be interesting to see how Idah gets used in the spring with the increased competition. 2 goals and no assists in the last 16 games for Norwich isn't great in comparison.

(In other Norwich attacking news, Hwang - signed in August - has been suspended from the South Korea national team pending investigation into a sex tape of his ex he's supposed to have leaked. He maintains his phone was stolen, hence the leak)

[pineapple stu]

Got the second half today at home against third-tier Bristol Rovers in the Cup; Sergent is starting now as expected.

Ended 1-1 - Idah missed a three-yard tap-in shortly after coming on, so his poor run goes on unfortunately. There's a replay on the way and might be a change for a bit for squad rotation and another start.

[Eirambler]

I hope he comes good when he's a few years older, as some strikers do, but there's fairly major flaws in his game that don't seem to be improving over time. Still plenty of time for him but he's very much on the bubble of the Ireland squad these days, if he was left out for a while by the next manager he couldn't have too many complaints.

[pineapple stu]

Fair summary I think - especially with other options coming through. Four years almost to the day since that Cup hat-trick against Preston.

That miss is at 3:05 here - I don't know why he goes for it with his right foot. That's just basic technique/confidence I'd have thought.

The miss immediately after is more excusable as he's going for the bottom corner and doesn't miss by much, but a better striker puts that away.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG9JyWTEpJo&t=220s

[seanfhear]

Fair summary I think - especially with other options coming through. Four years almost to the day since that Cup hat-trick against Preston.

That miss is at 3:05 here - I don't know why he goes for it with his right foot. That's just basic technique/confidence I'd have thought.

The miss immediately after is more excusable as he's going for the bottom corner and doesn't miss by much, but a better striker puts that away.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG9JyWTEpJo&t=220s
I played that at half speed and that ball was still flying and probably skidded up ~ Not as bad a miss as i was expecting with the way it has been described ( Verbally ) ~ OK, it probably should be scored alright.

The second one ~ It would be nice if it was on target and force the goalkeeper to save it rather than being wide.

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, it's not quite a tap-in alright (it was described as such on a Norwich site report). I don't know does he take his eye off the ball or what. He has plenty of time to see the cross coming in.

[seanfhear]

Yeah, it's not quite a tap-in alright (it was described as such on a Norwich site report). I don't know does he take his eye off the ball or what. He has plenty of time to see the cross coming in.
It was travelling and he had to get there as well. It's a miss / maybe a bad miss but not an absolute sitter ~ Sitters are not travelling at that sort of speed. Edit ~ And skidding !

[Stuttgart88]

Ah, it's a dreadful miss. Absolute sitter. Come on. Sure, you can see why he missed it but all it needed was any touch. That shouldn't be beyond a person with a higher degree of coordination than your average punter.

[seanfhear]

Ah, it's a dreadful miss. Absolute sitter. Come on. Sure, you can see why he missed it but all it needed was any touch. That shouldn't be beyond a person with a higher degree of coordination than your average punter.
LOL ~ You average punter would be 15 yards back out the field and maybe trying to turn towards goal ! ! !

[Diggs246]

LOL ~ You average punter would be 15 yards back out the field and maybe trying to turn towards goal ! ! !

Well that's true
But the average punter isn't paid to slot the ball home

Obefemi is miles better than Adam
Ofefemi problem is attitude and fitness

[seanfhear]

Well that's true
But the average punter isn't paid to slot the ball home

Obefemi is miles better than Adam
Ofefemi problem is attitude and fitnessA half-clone of the good parts of both, and we would have a very good player.

[pineapple stu]

Has anyone got Jeff Goldblum's number?

[SkStu]

A half-clone of the good parts of both, and we would have a very good player.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6d/d2/9f/6dd29f4a867cf4302479894680b82838.jpg

[Jolly Red Giant]

Well that's true
But the average punter isn't paid to slot the ball home

Obefemi is miles better than Adam
Ofefemi problem is attitude and fitness
Obafemi and Idah are two completely different types of footballers - Obafemi relies on pace, Idah on presence. Obafemi should be scoring goals, Idah is the type of player that will never score many goals but will always do a job for the team. Idah is similar to Frank Stapleton in the type of player he is - it is unlikely he will ever be as good as Stapleton but that should be the target. When Stapleton was plyaing for a good Arsenal and then a good Man U team he averaged about a goal every four games. However, with Blackburn he was at a goal roughly every 7 games - this is where Idah is at the moment. Stapleton played for Blackburn when he was 33-34 years of age - Idah is 22 - he can and should get better.

I think Idah is and will be a better player than Obafemi - he has more control over his game. Obafemi is pace and then struggles with what to do. Until he sorts that out he will bounce around between clubs.

[samhaydenjr]

Obafemi and Idah are two completely different types of footballers - Obafemi relies on pace, Idah on presence. Obafemi should be scoring goals, Idah is the type of player that will never score many goals but will always do a job for the team. Idah is similar to Frank Stapleton in the type of player he is - it is unlikely he will ever be as good as Stapleton but that should be the target. When Stapleton was plyaing for a good Arsenal and then a good Man U team he averaged about a goal every four games. However, with Blackburn he was at a goal roughly every 7 games - this is where Idah is at the moment. Stapleton played for Blackburn when he was 33-34 years of age - Idah is 22 - he can and should get better.

I think Idah is and will be a better player than Obafemi - he has more control over his game. Obafemi is pace and then struggles with what to do. Until he sorts that out he will bounce around between clubs.

I think that's a big disservice to Obafemi's abilities. He has a really good knack for key passes and layoffs as he showed with his audacious assist for Parrott's goal against Scotland and his tidy first-time layoff for Ferguson's debut goal. He's scored two worldies for us and got one against Chelsea, but for his debut goal, he cleverly dug the ball out from under his feet to force it home before a block came in. When he got a proper run in The Championship, he scored as regularly as Cannon. I think he made a mistake in forcing a move to Burnley but if he can get find a good, stable option, I think the only thing preventing him from becoming a very successful striker is his fitness.

That said, I do still believe that Idah can improve and also have a successful career.