2023 UEFA Under-21 Championship

[Razors left peg]

World jim Crawfords u21s beat Stephen Kenny's senior team?

About a year ago we thought that Stephen Kennys U21 team were better players than than seniors, those players now proving that senior football is very different.

[Charlie Darwin]

Looking forward to seeing these games. Will be good to get a look at the likes of Lawal, the only thing I'd note with him is that, for all the positive stuff from Troy Deeney, he was only given a one year contract by Watford this week, you'd expect they'd want to tie him down for longer if he's that good.
You never know with players at that age. Agents will push for short contracts if they think they can move a player on too (see Sinclair Armstrong).

[paul_oshea]

About a year ago we thought that Stephen Kennys U21 team were better players than than seniors, those players now proving that senior football is very different.

Turned out to be the tonic to bring some realism to internet forums.

[jbyrne]

About a year ago we thought that Stephen Kennys U21 team were better players than than seniors

and they proved it on the pitch...
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019/0530/1052677-u21s-take-bragging-rights-over-seniors-in-friendly-game/

[Fixer82]

No Mipo? He's ours to lose. : D
Don’t mind him at all declaring for Nigeria but if he’s considering declaring for England due to 5 year residency then he can f@@k off. Shocking mercenary behaviour and wouldn’t want him near our squad if it doesn’t work out.

International sport is becoming Club sport.
Team Ireland, Team GB etc.

Soccer not quite as bad as rugby yet but getting there

[pineapple stu]

Agree with that. Could be worse though. The world number 5 chess player - who has won the Olympiad (=World Cup) three times for Armenia, his home country - switched to the United States earlier this year because they were paying him more. In fact, of the top five Americans - which you'd imagine would be their squad for the next Olympiad in July if it goes ahead - four have played in the Olympiad for other countries.

So football still has lower levels it can go to :)

[Fixer82]

Agree with that. Could be worse though. The world number 5 chess player - who has won the Olympiad (=World Cup) three times for Armenia, his home country - switched to the United States earlier this year because they were paying him more. In fact, of the top five Americans - which you'd imagine would be their squad for the next Olympiad in July if it goes ahead - four have played in the Olympiad for other countries.

So football still has lower levels it can go to :)

Such incredible athletes

[pineapple stu]

You'd be surprised

[sadloserkid]

Another good example of the heart of international sport being a bit rotten here:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/taekwondo/56981800

[Eirambler]

The 'taekwondo transfer market'...

They've tightened up the rugby rules a lot recently actually. I think football is actually more flexible in terms of nationality changes now after the recent changes.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Anselmo Garcia McNulty called up to the squad.

A serious continental feel to this squad now. Great to see players selected from Spanish and German clubs!

[Diggs246]

Don’t mind him at all declaring for Nigeria but if he’s considering declaring for England due to 5 year residency then he can f@@k off. Shocking mercenary behaviour and wouldn’t want him near our squad if it doesn’t work out.

International sport is becoming Club sport.
Team Ireland, Team GB etc.

Soccer not quite as bad as rugby yet but getting there


100% agree, I would be a little more strict, if he is offered a call up to the senior squad and turns it down. then he should never be asked again

[Eirambler]

Getafe, Seville, Monchengladbach, Schalke and Wolfsburg now represented in the squad. Zefi off to Inter Milan soon as well I think, not beyond possibility that he could get into the Under 21s before the campaign is over when you see that Ferguson has apparently only missed this camp through injury.

The restrictions on UK transfers caused by Brexit and the lack of sufficient quality structures in Ireland will make this a more common theme in future I suspect.

[paul_oshea]

Agree with that. Could be worse though. The world number 5 chess player - who has won the Olympiad (=World Cup) three times for Armenia, his home country - switched to the United States earlier this year because they were paying him more. In fact, of the top five Americans - which you'd imagine would be their squad for the next Olympiad in July if it goes ahead - four have played in the Olympiad for other countries.

So football still has lower levels it can go to :)

Given the conditions and how poor Armenia is, its not comparable. If paying is acceptable in world chess, then world chess is the problem.

[pineapple stu]

For the record, chess is the national sport in Armenia. It's state funded and a compulsory subject in schools. So this is a huge deal for them and as such worth a mention. Is it comparable? Not directly - but I was using it an an example to show that football isn't as bad as other sports. Though maybe it's getting there.

Yes, world chess is the problem in this case of course.

[littlebray]

Such incredible athletes

Irelands' No. 2 board player for the 14th Chess Olympiad in Leipzig, 1960, was Michael Littleton, a colleague of mine, and he told me in excruciating detail about his exhausting physical preparation regime for six months before the tournament. It's a sport all right, and you need to be fit.

[pineapple stu]

I don't know if it's a sport as such - although I've played 5-6 hour games at a high level (Champions League equivalent) and been fairly wrecked after, so I know what it can take out of you. And I know I'd probably be a slightly better player if I was fitter too!

I think the physical activity debate over whether it's a sport or a game takes away from the real question, which is whether it deserves funding (which is the key practical difference), and I think it does.

Though this is all very much off topic now! :)

[Razors left peg]

and they proved it on the pitch...
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019/0530/1052677-u21s-take-bragging-rights-over-seniors-in-friendly-game/

I wish they would continue to keep proving it since they are now in the senior squad

[littlebray]

Though this is all very much off topic now! :)

Zips lips

[Exgrad]

I wish they would continue to keep proving it since they are now in the senior squad

I'm sure if the guy who scored both goals for the u21s that day is given a chance he will do.

[Razors left peg]

I'm sure if the guy who scored both goals for the u21s that day is given a chance he will do.
We thought that about that batch of U21 strikers too

[elatedscum]

Any idea who pulled out to make room for Lawal and Garcia-McNulty?

[Eirambler]

JP Finn it seems for Lawal. Finn's only playing the first game and then his mum is making him study for some exams.

It's not clear yet if there was a call off that resulted in AGM getting brought in. McGuinness and McEntee would be the senior centre backs in the squad with Omobamidele gone to the seniors.

[tetsujin1979]

Apparently Finn can't stay because he has exams, so it could be to cover for him after he leaves?

[Olé Olé]

Finn is not committed. Absolutely ridiculous. Should never be called up again.

[SkStu]

I hope he gets an F.

[seanfhear]

Finn is not committed. Absolutely ridiculous. Should never be called up again.
Hopefully he is committed to his exams = = Far more important. How many footballers who don’t make it and even some who do, have nothing to fall back on.

[seanfhear]

I hope he gets an F.
Why would you want a stupid footballer ?

[CraftyToePoke]

Whatever about his exams, it seems beyond our national association to do the small bit of homework required to see if these lads are willing and in a position to accept these call ups before naming squads.

[elatedscum]

Whatever about his exams, it seems beyond our national association to do the small bit of homework required to see if these lads are willing and in a position to accept these call ups before naming squads.

He's got the equivalent of his leaving cert starting on June 9th which runs till June 12th. The camp runs from today till when the last game ends on June 5th. I can see why it makes sense for him to miss the camp. Obviously they wanted him to travel up, spend the first 3 days with the camp and be involved in the first game and then go back home which seems like a good compromise but you can imagine why his mother would want him to miss the camp entirely...

[sadloserkid]

Why would you want a stupid footballer ?

Familiarity.

[Eminence Grise]

Ssh. Don't tell the UCD lads. It's all part of Finn's master plan to get a scholarship and play in the LoI.

[Diggs246]

Why did he accept the call up, if he knew he had his l"eaving cert" coming up?

[Razors left peg]

The Finn one is fairly straightforward I would say. He wasnt going to be in the squad for all the games due to the exams. He accepted the call up for the sake of appearances and to show he is going to be involved but the exams were always going to keep him out. I wouldnt be worried about him.

[Diggs246]

Alex Gilbert is a brentford player, so one more premier league player on the up

[Charlie Darwin]

Why did he accept the call up, if he knew he had his l"eaving cert" coming up?
Because he didn't want to miss it I guess?

[Eirambler]

Maher
Ebosele
McGuinness
McEntee
Richards
Coventry
Johansson
Watson
Grant
Wright
Kayode

is the starting team this morning. It's a virtual second string in terms of players eligible for us at this age group, but probably most of the missing players will not play again for the under 21s (Bazunu, Collins, Omobamidele, Knight, Idah, Parrott, Connolly) so this is similar to the kind of team we would expect to see in the qualifiers. Maybe a few like Finn, Hodge, O'Connor, Smallbone, Obafemi might come back in for the autumn.

[Olé Olé]

Based on the first 20 minutes, I would have no issue with Johansson moving up to the senior squad. Coventry has been called up before. But Johansson makes him look ponderous. He has control, composure and lovely range of passing. The Swiss have attempted to crowd him out a couple of times but he has come out with the ball and a positive pass most times.

My point is not that he's the best player on the pitch or anything like that. It is just that he looks like a player we should integrate and stretch as soon as we can.

[tetsujin1979]

No MacNulty or Lawal. I was looking forward to seeing both players

[Olé Olé]

Ireland absorbed a lot of Swiss pressure in first quarter and were sloppy for the goal. I think we look the better side this second quarter and have created a lot of chances, winning a good share of corners. Grant, Ebosele and, particularly, Wright have managed to create problems. Every time I see Wright he looks to have improved a bit on the last time. He still has a distance to go for senior level but he looks like a wide forward in a way that we don't have too many wide forwards.

[Eirambler]

Finished 2-0 to the Swiss. Plenty of effort from Ireland but no real quality in the final third. A familiar story unfortunately.

There were a few encouraging showings - I thought Johansson, Grant and the two wide players, Wright and Ebosele, looked good in the first half.

I'd have to say though there are a few others who have been around Ireland underage squads for a long time who look to have stalled in their development and probably won't feature at senior level. In a few cases you can clearly see the players that have gone out and played senior football kicking on and the ones that have stayed at Under 23 level stalling more often than not.

[Olé Olé]

Ireland faded for the third quarter. Came back into it a little in the final quarter.

Overall, not a bad performance and some moments of quality and decent play and players. Lacked spark in the final third, whether due to lack of a penetrative 10 and 9 or lack of familiarity or time together amongst the squad.

Overall, I would not complain too much but hopefully the side can retain enough players to be more competitive in the qualifying games. Says I, seeking Johansson to move on up.. but I just think he would benefit a lot from that.

[Olé Olé]

Finished 2-0 to the Swiss. Plenty of effort from Ireland but no real quality in the final third. A familiar story unfortunately.

There were a few encouraging showings - I thought Johansson, Grant and the two wide players, Wright and Ebosele, looked good in the first half.

I'd have to say though there are a few others who have been around Ireland underage squads for a long time who look to have stalled in their development and probably won't feature at senior level. In a few cases you can clearly see the players that have gone out and played senior football kicking on and the ones that have stayed at Under 23 level stalling more often than not.

Yes, Wright, Ebosele, Grant and Johansson were my picks too.

As I said, I feel like Wright improves every time I see him. He keeps packing on the upper body strength. There was a side profile view of him in the second half and his shoulders are very round. On top of that, he has good delivery and pace and seems very aware in his movement. Hopefully he gets a campaign in League One or the Championship this season.

Ebosele is seriously game. Loves a tackle. Loves a dribble. Can find a pass. Prospect.

[CSAD]

Overall it was to be expected, you could tell that Switzerland were far more cohesive and you could tell in how relaxed they were as everything came naturally for them, whereas we tried to make things happen too soon. There were good individual moments, we just need to mould a cohesive team from what we have and hopefully we get afew experienced players involved.

[pineapple stu]

Interesting that the two Swiss scorers have around 100 top flight club appearances between them. That's better than a good chunk of our senior squad. Just shows again the value of having a proper domestic league.

[CSAD]

Interesting that the two Swiss scorers have around 100 top flight club appearances between them. That's better than a good chunk of our senior squad. Just shows again the value of having a proper domestic league.

Both had less than the Irish CF

[CSAD]

Apparently this is the only match the Swiss u21s are playing so obviously they must have went full throttle whereas we will likely rotate more.

[pineapple stu]

Both had less than the Irish CF

No they didn't? Kayode 64 league games, none higher than League Two. Stergiou has 75 league games, all in the Swiss top flight which is probably a higher level

[CSAD]

No they didn't? Kayode 64 league games, none higher than League Two. Stergiou has 75 league games, all in the Swiss top flight which is probably a higher level

Apologies, when you said goalscorer I thought you meant CF for some reason.

Unless you are talking about PL/bundeliga/La Liga level I don’t think the level is all that important at this stage in your career. It’s like being in college studying pre med but working as a cashier in Costa, it’s about adding work experience to your CV even if the job isn’t all that extravagant compared to the career you want.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Finn is not committed. Absolutely ridiculous. Should never be called up again.
The childishness and immaturity of some of the responses on here are ridiculous.

Finn is 17 - he is a minor - neither he nor the FAI have any say in what his mother wants or doesn't want for him. I commend her for ensuring that her son receives an education before committing to football.

Furthermore, nobody would even be discussing Finn if Ryan Nolan hadn't signed with Gatafe 9 months ago - give the kid a break and stop with the nonsense.