Troy Parrott F AZ Alkmaar b.2002

[tetsujin1979]

Another goal for Parrott tonight in the first leg of the play off, a penalty to make it 3-2 just before half time, but Excelsior had a nightmare. Two red cards, and lost 6-2. Need a miracle in the second half this season

[JR89]

It's a pity Parrott wasn't one of the players sent off. Would have allowed him join up with us sooner.

[tetsujin1979]

Parrott's basically Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Atletico Madrid - doing everything he can to keep them up
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[tetsujin1979]

A second from the penalty spot!
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Excelsior have a third - an own goal just before half time

[pineapple stu]

Crikey - 3-0, so 5-6 on aggregate with 45 to go. Amazing tie. Two for Parrott in the first half. 16 for the season now; 9 in the last 8 games. 6 of those against second-tier opposition, but still. That's a great season's work (so far!) for relegation candidates

[Eirambler]

Would guess this match will have a reasonably high profile in the Netherlands too, so could be a useful shop window for him looking towards next season.

[Razors left peg]

If Spurs were being linked with a 22 year old from Holland with a goal every 2 games or so their fans would be pretty excited. What's his contract situation at Spurs?

[pineapple stu]

There's the hat-trick

4-0 now

[Olé Olé]

If Spurs were being linked with a 22 year old from Holland with a goal every 2 games or so their fans would be pretty excited. What's his contract situation at Spurs?
Not to dampen excitement because what he's doing is brilliant but NAC Breda are a second tier side presently and so were Den Haag.

Still, though, he's in a side that have played themselves into having to compete in this play off and he's had a good record even before the play offs.

He's doing himself a whole pile of good. Interesting summer ahead.

[John83]

Yeah, Spurs is a very high bar, and I think he'd be better off going elsewhere for now even if this piqued their interest. He's done enough to generate a really good opportunity for himself.

[Razors left peg]

Not to dampen excitement because what he's doing is brilliant but NAC Breda are a second tier side presently and so were Den Haag.

Still, though, he's in a side that have played themselves into having to compete in this play off and he's had a good record even before the play offs.

He's doing himself a whole pile of good. Interesting summer ahead.

Yeah but it's not just on today's game. This is 2 hattricks for them in playoffs on top of a pretty good goal record for a bad team in league all season... stepping up when he's needed most is something!

[Razors left peg]

Yeah, Spurs is a very high bar, and I think he'd be better off going elsewhere for now even if this piqued their interest. He's done enough to generate a really good opportunity for himself.

It'll be an interesting summer for him, I'd rather he moved on from Spurs personally but I'm just wondering if they'll be interested to see how he goes in preseason before making decision on him

[pineapple stu]

4-1 in the end, so they do go down.

Not that that's really relevant for Troy. The links with a better team in the same division (AZ, Twente) sound interesting. But there's surely a lot more positivity than this time last year. I like the way he finds those tap-ins a lot; sign of a good striker. We could do with one of those!

[tetsujin1979]

1797312368998846497

[Razors left peg]

Who's had the better loan, Parrott or Idah? Given the goals against Rangers I'd prob lean Idah, but Parrott has had a good overall season

[pineapple stu]

Parrott was scoring goals for a small fish. I'd value that over scoring goals for a big fish/little pool team.

Though they've both had good loans

[Eirambler]

Both excellent to be fair to them. Probably notable though that both loans came about after mediocre stints in the English Championship with Norwich and Preston. Arguably they both dropped to League 1-ish level (in terms of much of the opposition they were playing) with the result that they both were able to score more.

So, although he's had a lower profile season, I would argue that Tom Cannon remains ahead of both of them right now. He went for around £8m and I don't know that either Parrott or Idah would fetch that just now. If either or both are sold by their parent clubs this summer it will likely be for less than that. I could see Celtic paying around £5m or so for Idah. Not sure anyone will pay that just yet for Parrott.

Exciting to have the three of them all 23 or under coming through like this together. And Sinclair Armstrong too. Not too mention a 19 year old fella at Brighton that's meant to be quite highly regarded...

[Olé Olé]

Not too mention a 19 year old fella at Brighton that's meant to be quite highly regarded...

Mark O'Mahony?

[Razors left peg]

Both excellent to be fair to them. Probably notable though that both loans came about after mediocre stints in the English Championship with Norwich and Preston. Arguably they both dropped to League 1-ish level (in terms of much of the opposition they were playing) with the result that they both were able to score more.

So, although he's had a lower profile season, I would argue that Tom Cannon remains ahead of both of them right now. He went for around £8m and I don't know that either Parrott or Idah would fetch that just now. If either or both are sold by their parent clubs this summer it will likely be for less than that. I could see Celtic paying around £5m or so for Idah. Not sure anyone will pay that just yet for Parrott.

Exciting to have the three of them all 23 or under coming through like this together. And Sinclair Armstrong too. Not too mention a 19 year old fella at Brighton that's meant to be quite highly regarded...
Idah had 7 goals for Norwich this season before his move, Cannon only had 3 all season... so I don't buy that Cannon is ahead of him

[Eirambler]

Cannon's season was heavily disrupted though. On the only metric you can truly compare them - Championship form - Cannon's minutes per goal rate was better last season than Idah's despite his injuries, and of course was miles ahead of him the season before that when Cannon was fully fit.

[Razors left peg]

Cannon's season was heavily disrupted though. On the only metric you can truly compare them - Championship form - Cannon's minutes per goal rate was better last season than Idah's despite his injuries, and of course was miles ahead of him the season before that when Cannon was fully fit.

And Idah has shown he can score goals in the Premiership before he got a season ending injury. I just think you're logic is flawed... but the good news is that the 3 of them look like good players and hopefully they all continue to improve

[Eirambler]

Assuming you mean the English Premiership he has actually only shown he can score goal. :)

[pineapple stu]

And Idah has shown he can score goals in the Premiership
Not plural he hasn't

Hadn't realised Cannon's minutes per goal ratio was almost the exact same this season as last. Though of course you'd have been hoping for him to kick on given how well he finished his first season.

I assume Parrott is confirmed as missing Tuesday's game?

[elatedscum]

It’s a good group:

2000 Obafemi (Connolly)
2001 Idah
2002 Parrott, Cannon
2003 Armstrong (Emakhu)
2004 Ferguson (Pearce)
2005 O’Mahony, Fraser
2006: Okosun
2007: Melia
2008: Noonan

[Razors left peg]

Assuming you mean the English Premiership he has actually only shown he can score goal. :)
It's one more goal than Cannon ever got at that level:)

I'm not to start sh1tting on Cannon because he's a player I like, I just disagree with you that he's ahead of Idah right now

[yurt]

Parrott has timed his run of goals perfectly and it should mean he'll be playing at higher level next season. The only thing for sure the pair of hattricks tells us is that he's definitely too good for the Dutch second tier, so we've established his floor. Would love to see him stay in the Netherlands, especially if he could get into a side who are playing in Europe.

Interesting summer ahead for both him and Idah who've both done their reputation no harm in the last 6 months.

[Eirambler]

It's one more goal than Cannon ever got at that level:)

I'm not to start sh1tting on Cannon because he's a player I like, I just disagree with you that he's ahead of Idah right now

Fair enough, we can agree to disagree. I suppose to phrase my argument another way, Idah has shown he can score consistently in the SPL. Parrott has shown that he can do it in League 1 and the Eredivisie. But neither of them have shown they can do it in the Championship, where the average opponent would be consistently stronger than any of those leagues, other than the top couple of teams in each. Cannon is the only one of the three (four if you include Armstrong) that has shown he can score consistently in the Championship. I will give Idah some extra marks for scoring a couple against the Rangers, who are a Championship standard team, but as he has never done it consistently in the Championship and Cannon has, personally I'd still have Cannon ahead of Idah at this point.

[JR89]

Fair enough, we can agree to disagree. I suppose to phrase my argument another way, Idah has shown he can score consistently in the SPL. Parrott has shown that he can do it in League 1 and the Eredivisie. But neither of them have shown they can do it in the Championship, where the average opponent would be consistently stronger than any of those leagues, other than the top couple of teams in each. Cannon is the only one of the three (four if you include Armstrong) that has shown he can score consistently in the Championship. I will give Idah some extra marks for scoring a couple against the Rangers, who are a Championship standard team, but as he has never done it consistently in the Championship and Cannon has, personally I'd still have Cannon ahead of Idah at this point.

Tom Cannon had a goal every 209.75 mins last season. Idah had a goal every 212.5mins this season for Norwich and fans were talking about selling him.

At the end of his first season in the championship when he was the same age as Cannon he had a goal every 108.3 mins. Think Cannon needs to improve that number before we can say that he's the only one that has scored consistently in the championship.

[JR89]

If it was because all of his goals that season start to finish happened in 11 games apologies. Would still wait to say he's done it more consistently. One swallow doesn't make a summer.

[JR89]

Also I hate puns, but a little disappointed that nobody made a Parrott pun. To score the goals he's scored in this playoff and still get relegated I'd be massively sickened....... I'd be as sick as a parrot.

[pineapple stu]

Cannon is the only one of the three (four if you include Armstrong) that has shown he can score consistently in the Championship.
Armstrong has 3 goals in 61 Championship games (a goal every 770 minutes or so).

I think elatedscum's "good group" of forwards is possibly stretching things a bit as we watch Connolly and Obafemi arguably waste their talents, Idah and Parrott fail to make an impression on the Championship (and yet still be the best prospects listed) and others are a long way from making it in the senior game of course.

I'd share JR's caution on Cannon too - Obafemi had a similar run in form two years ago and hasn't kicked on since then. I think there's always been question marks over Obafemi's attitude which don't appear with Cannon so far as I'm aware. But really Cannon is one we should be keeping an eye on for the future rather than capping now. (I think you don't go on a run of form like that without being able to play a bit though)

It's a sign of how stuck we are lately that we're like a club team throwing in prospects to see how they take to the senior game. But an international side shouldn't be doing that. We should have established senior players in all positions. But we don't, sadly.

[elatedscum]

I think elatedscum's "good group" of forwards is possibly stretching things a bit as we watch Connolly and Obafemi arguably waste their talents, Idah and Parrott fail to make an impression on the Championship (and yet still be the best prospects listed) and others are a long way from making it in the senior game of course.

I’ll put it to you another way.


Ireland’s u21 eligible strikers:


Ferguson
Parrott
Cannon
Armstrong
Emakhu
Fraser
O’Mahony


England’s u21 eligible strikers:


Stansfield
Rogers
Scarlett
Gelhardt
Delap

I know which group I'd prefer. And speaking in general, that's probably the only position where you'd take our options over theirs. Even at centre-back where we seem so strong, they've got Branthwaite, Quansah, Colwill, Menghi and Harwood-Belis - absolutely blows Omobamidele, Garcia-McNulty, Lawal, Grehan, Murphy and O'Riordan out the water.

Genuinely. very few countries in the world if any have a list of strikers eligible for 21s that's as exciting as what we have...

[Eirambler]

Armstrong has 3 goals in 61 Championship games (a goal every 770 minutes or so).

I think elatedscum's "good group" of forwards is possibly stretching things a bit as we watch Connolly and Obafemi arguably waste their talents, Idah and Parrott fail to make an impression on the Championship (and yet still be the best prospects listed) and others are a long way from making it in the senior game of course.

I'd share JR's caution on Cannon too - Obafemi had a similar run in form two years ago and hasn't kicked on since then. I think there's always been question marks over Obafemi's attitude which don't appear with Cannon so far as I'm aware. But really Cannon is one we should be keeping an eye on for the future rather than capping now. (I think you don't go on a run of form like that without being able to play a bit though)

It's a sign of how stuck we are lately that we're like a club team throwing in prospects to see how they take to the senior game. But an international side shouldn't be doing that. We should have established senior players in all positions. But we don't, sadly.

Obafemi has the talent (as does Connolly) but it's not enough without the right attitude to go with it. Whereas Idah and Cannon are known to be hard working, professional players and will likely go further in the game as a result. Parrott still has that question mark over his application as well, he's had a couple of wake up calls though so hopefully he's moving more towards the Idah/Cannon end of the scale rather than the Obafemi/Connolly end.

In terms of more established goalscorers, we do of course have the Championship's top scorer from this season in our squad also. So it's not as though it's all potential up front, there's present day quality also. And there's a good chance a fully fit Ferguson finds himself back scoring goals from the start of next season.

[pineapple stu]

I’ll put it to you another way.

Ireland’s u21 eligible strikers:

Ferguson
Parrott
Cannon
Armstrong
Emakhu
Fraser
O’Mahony

England’s u21 eligible strikers:

Stansfield
Rogers
Scarlett
Gelhardt
Delap

Genuinely. very few countries in the world if any have a list of strikers eligible for 21s that's as exciting as what we have...
I don't know - I guess I'm a bit world-weary when it comes to hearing how great our options coming through are. Emakhu and Armstrong are too early in their careers yet to judge - six league goals between them in about 120 games (including LoI and even LoI First Division for Emakhu) isn't exactly setting the world alight, though I know they're only 20. It's not clear if Fraser wants to play for us. O'Mahony is a long way off doing anything, and Cannon may yet be a flash in the pan - it's certainly not clear what his ceiling is. Only Ferguson is worth getting genuinely excited over right now I think. Parrott at last looks like someone has put 4000 volts through him; hopefully it'll continue.

I'd take England's Jonathan Rowe over all of them bar Ferguson to be honest - he's easily outshone Idah in his first season at Norwich for example, and was unfortunate for it to end with injury. Bynoe-Gittens played in the Champions League final (I think he's more a winger than a striker, though these days that's arguably all part of the front three), as did Moukoko of Germany. Denmark's Chido Obi (at Arsenal) is arguably the most exciting attacking prospect in the world right now, way ahead of any of our lot.

And then as Eirambler says, along comes someone like Szmodics and makes the in-depth analysis of underage teams a bit redundant!

[Jolly Red Giant]

What's his contract situation at Spurs?
One year left

[JR89]

Hopefully he gets his future sorted asap this summer. Last thing he needs is this dragging on throughout the whole summer.

[JR89]

1797656339763835327

Would be a massive move for the lad.

[SkStu]

1797656339763835327

Would be a massive move for the lad.

It would be such a good move. They have a really strong track record of developing talent.

[Razors left peg]

It would be such a good move. They have a really strong track record of developing talent.

Explain this to me in relation to if its similar to L1 or Championship :p

[liamoo11]

I don't know - I guess I'm a bit world-weary when it comes to hearing how great our options coming through are. Emakhu and Armstrong are too early in their careers yet to judge - six league goals between them in about 120 games (including LoI and even LoI First Division for Emakhu) isn't exactly setting the world alight, though I know they're only 20. It's not clear if Fraser wants to play for us. O'Mahony is a long way off doing anything, and Cannon may yet be a flash in the pan - it's certainly not clear what his ceiling is. Only Ferguson is worth getting genuinely excited over right now I think. Parrott at last looks like someone has put 4000 volts through him; hopefully it'll continue.

I'd take England's Jonathan Rowe over all of them bar Ferguson to be honest - he's easily outshone Idah in his first season at Norwich for example, and was unfortunate for it to end with injury. Bynoe-Gittens played in the Champions League final (I think he's more a winger than a striker, though these days that's arguably all part of the front three), as did Moukoko of Germany. Denmark's Chido Obi (at Arsenal) is arguably the most exciting attacking prospect in the world right now, way ahead of any of our lot.

And then as Eirambler says, along comes someone like Szmodics and makes the in-depth analysis of underage teams a bit redundant!

Obi is not more exciting than endrick. He is scoring goals at under 18 level and is hugely physically developed for his age.

[pineapple stu]

Endrick is a great shout too in fairness, yep

You're right Obi is only scoring at U18 level at the moment, but still, for a 16 year old to score 28 in 9 league games is mental stuff. The next top scorer in the entire league had 21.

He's 16 months younger than Endrick, but it's fair to wonder if he'll catch up in that time alright.

[CSAD]

I don't know - I guess I'm a bit world-weary when it comes to hearing how great our options coming through are. Emakhu and Armstrong are too early in their careers yet to judge - six league goals between them in about 120 games (including LoI and even LoI First Division for Emakhu) isn't exactly setting the world alight, though I know they're only 20. It's not clear if Fraser wants to play for us. O'Mahony is a long way off doing anything, and Cannon may yet be a flash in the pan - it's certainly not clear what his ceiling is. Only Ferguson is worth getting genuinely excited over right now I think. Parrott at last looks like someone has put 4000 volts through him; hopefully it'll continue.

I'd take England's Jonathan Rowe over all of them bar Ferguson to be honest - he's easily outshone Idah in his first season at Norwich for example, and was unfortunate for it to end with injury. Bynoe-Gittens played in the Champions League final (I think he's more a winger than a striker, though these days that's arguably all part of the front three), as did Moukoko of Germany. Denmark's Chido Obi (at Arsenal) is arguably the most exciting attacking prospect in the world right now, way ahead of any of our lot.

And then as Eirambler says, along comes someone like Szmodics and makes the in-depth analysis of underage teams a bit redundant!


If anyone said this about an Irish player with Chido's stats based on 1 season of u18 football you'd be on us saying "take off the green tinted glasses" & "lets not get carrier away based on 1 season of u18 level football"

At least be consistent Pineapple.

[John83]

If anyone said this about an Irish player with Chido's stats based on 1 season of u18 football you'd be on us saying "take off the green tinted glasses" & "lets not get carrier away based on 1 season of u18 level football"

At least be consistent Pineapple.
Man, I'd like to have an Irish player score 10 goals in a match against Liverpool's U18s team and earn a spot training with the Arsenal senior team. Obviously, that'd just to potentially expose P.S. as a curmugeon, and not for any other reason.

[tetsujin1979]

FWIW, I do remember an Irish kid at Man City scoring five against one of Man Utd's underage sides, think his name was Bermingham.

<EDIT>

Found it, it was four, and his name was Karl Bermingham (link below is dead)

Man City reserves thumped their United counterparts in the Manchester senior cup 5-1, with Karl Bermingham getting 4! Could have been all 5, it was an own goal from a deflected shot by Bermingham. Paddy McCarthy had a header saved, Willo Flood played after coming back from a slight groin injury.
Read the full report here (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=253939&Title=Reserves+cruise+into+final)

[pineapple stu]

Man, I'd like to have an Irish player score 10 goals in a match against Liverpool's U18s team and earn a spot training with the Arsenal senior team.
It was Liverpool's U16 team that was against. He was bumped up to the U18s as a result (around his 16th birthday, having already made his PL2 debut), but yeah, it's the repeated exceptional scoring record that I'd be flagging him for. 28 in 9 games is pretty much unheard of for anyone at that level, and while I think the point about physical development at that level having an impact is valid, I don't think it can have that much of an impact, especially as he's 16 playing in an U18 league. 3 against Chelsea (one of the top teams at that level), 4 against Palace, 4 against Fulham, 5 against West Ham, 7 against Norwich, all in the space of a few weeks. It'd put you in mind of Haaland scoring 9 for Norway in the U20 World Cup against Honduras.

In the context of a claim we have some of the most exciting underage prospects in the world up front, I think he's worthy of a mention. I'd be more excited by him than by Emakhu/Armstrong scoring four Championship goals between them in about 80 games for example.

[SkStu]

We can all play the odds and predict that 90% of the Irish players that look like they might do well won't make it but, as I have said before, what's the point in following football if you cant be stupidly optimistic about the prospects of your team, your players, your manager, your youth... as a football fan, getting excited (about anything) is the first step down the path having your wildest dreams come true or having those same dreams dashed. I understand the logic of not going all in on a youth prospect but I don't understand the attraction of it. It goes against the essence of being a fan.

[CSAD]

Man, I'd like to have an Irish player score 10 goals in a match against Liverpool's U18s team and earn a spot training with the Arsenal senior team. Obviously, that'd just to potentially expose P.S. as a curmugeon, and not for any other reason.


We have someone on here trying to claim a player who's never started a PL2 game is the "most exciting prospect in the world"...I bet he's never watched a single game he's played in as well which is even more hilarious.

You do realise training with the senior team doesn't make you a star automatically, it's actually fairly common. Trent Kone Doherty (who actually has proven himself at PL2 level) has trained with the Liverpool senior team on a regular occurrence this season, as have other prospects we've had at other big clubs throughout the last few years...using that as a way of somehow justifying hype just kind of prove my point at how utterly ridiculous the quoted statement is.

[CSAD]

It was Liverpool's U16 team that was against. He was bumped up to the U18s as a result (around his 16th birthday, having already made his PL2 debut), but yeah, it's the repeated exceptional scoring record that I'd be flagging him for. 28 in 9 games is pretty much unheard of for anyone at that level, and while I think the point about physical development at that level having an impact is valid, I don't think it can have that much of an impact, especially as he's 16 playing in an U18 league. 3 against Chelsea (one of the top teams at that level), 4 against Palace, 4 against Fulham, 5 against West Ham, 7 against Norwich, all in the space of a few weeks. It'd put you in mind of Haaland scoring 9 for Norway in the U20 World Cup against Honduras.

In the context of a claim we have some of the most exciting underage prospects in the world up front, I think he's worthy of a mention. I'd be more excited by him than by Emakhu/Armstrong scoring four Championship goals between them in about 80 games for example.


I honestly dont see a point is wasting my time even trying to explain the difference between playing u18 football and senior football to you at this rate.

[liamoo11]

Endrick is a great shout too in fairness, yep

You're right Obi is only scoring at U18 level at the moment, but still, for a 16 year old to score 28 in 9 league games is mental stuff. The next top scorer in the entire league had 21.

He's 16 months younger than Endrick, but it's fair to wonder if he'll catch up in that time alright.

Max dowman the 14 year old liam bradyesque attaking mid is the arsenal.player from that18s I wood be thinking has best chance of been a pro at a decent level. I would take melia over obi( nearly exact same age) as most likely to have good pro career(championship or higher) more rounded footballer not as dependent on power and pace and has a hold up game

[pineapple stu]

I understand the logic of not going all in on a youth prospect but I don't understand the attraction of it. It goes against the essence of being a fan.
I don't agree with that at all. I don't understand why people want to talk themselves into a tizzy over a player who scored a couple of underage goals, and then get let down badly when they fail to make the grade.

The great thing about pessimism is half the time you're right, and the other half you're pleasantly surprised.

(And even then I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic; just not wildly optimistic)


I honestly dont see a point is wasting my time even trying to explain the difference between playing u18 football and senior football to you at this rate.
You'd have a point if I was saying Obi is better than Emakhu/Armstrong. But that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying he's a more exciting prospect.