U21 Players 2022/23

[JR89]

Josh Kayode joins MK Dons on loan.

[tetsujin1979]

Sort of interesting stat from tonight's Papa John's Trophy games
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[tommy_c12000]

I see Joe Hodge did well again tonight and scored 2 vs Shrewsbury. Any news of a loan deal ahead of sept 1 deadline? Needs senior football, 20 in 2 weeks

[JR89]

Doubt he'll be going anywhere. Wolves have their four senior lads in Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, and Nunes but have sent Cundle on loan and Ronan looks like he might be off. Hodge could well be 5/6th in the pecking order.

[tommy_c12000]

Sitting on the bench periodically and playing some league cup game or two won’t do much for his development

[samhaydenjr]

Tom Cannon was also on the scoresheet for Everton U21s against Morecambe: https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2770295/u21s-in-six-goal-thriller-at-morecambe

Quick note - when I started this thread I called it the U23 players' thread, as per previous seasons, but it appears there has been some change and the PDL is now for U21 teams - should the thread title be changed?

[JR89]

Sitting on the bench periodically and playing some league cup game or two won’t do much for his development

And Wolves aren't going to loan him out if they feel it could leave them short for numbers in midfield during the season.

[tetsujin1979]

Quick note - when I started this thread I called it the U23 players' thread, as per previous seasons, but it appears there has been some change and the PDL is now for U21 teams - should the thread title be changed?
Didn't realise that myself. Thread title changed

[samhaydenjr]

Didn't realise that myself. Thread title changed

Thanks Tets.

Remember a couple of years ago when a few of our young strikers scored hat-tricks within a short time? Well that seems to be happening again. After Evan Ferguson netted three for Brighton's U21s recently, Sinclair Armstrong followed suit in QPR's 5-3 win over Cardiff tonight: https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/under-21s-news/match-report-cardiff-city-u21s-3-qpr-u21s-5/

Also, Dara Costelloe reacted well to being dropped from the first team by scoring for Burnley's U21s on Sheffield Wednesday on Monday: https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/u21-report-sheffield-wednesday-1-4-burnley

And Babajide Adeeko scored for Wigan against Birmingham: https://wiganathletic.com/news/2022/september/12/u21s-report-birmingham-city-1-latics-4/

[samhaydenjr]

Crikey, it's been nearly a month since I updated here - I'll have to go back to previous weeks' action (I know there was an international break in the meantime) - anyway, there were a bunch of goals scored by Irish players last weekend:

Keeping the run of hat-tricks going, Ollie O'Neill scored three times as Fulham hammered Leicester 7-0 - that's six for the season: https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/october/10/Leicester-City-U21-0-7-Fulham-U21/

Evan Ferguson scored one (that's eight in his last eleven games for club and country) and was credited with an assist, while Andrew Moran had a goal disallowed as Brighton drew 3-3 with Man United: https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2842523/albion-held-to-thrilling-draw-at-manchester-united/

Killian Phillips and Tom Cannon were both on target in the game between Crystal Palace and Everton - that's six in nine games for Cannon this season and three for Phillips: https://www.evertonfc.com/match/79451/crystal-palace-u21-everton-u21#report

Luke Pearce scored his second of the season, as Southampton beat Aston Villa 2-0: https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-10-08/b-team-report-southampton-aston-villa-premier-league-2-2022-23

Calum Kavanagh scored a late consolation in Middlesbrough's defeat to West Brom: https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2022/october/10/match-report--west-brom-u21s-5-boro-u21s-2/

[samhaydenjr]

Tom Cannon closing in on double figures for the season after a brace against Hartlepool in the EFL Trophy: https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2858653/everton-under-21s-hit-hartlepool-for-six

[tetsujin1979]

Two goals, and two assists!

[samhaydenjr]

Dara Costelloe seems to have responded well to being sent back down from the first team, scoring a hat-trick against Coventry tonight: https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/u21-report-coventry-city-1-3-burnley

[tetsujin1979]

Zack Gilsenan has recovered from his ACL injury and come off the bench for Blackburn's U21 side in their last few games, started today against Chelsea and was substituted at half time
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[tetsujin1979]

Connor Ronan, Joe Hodge, Nathan Fraser, and Lee Harkin starting for Wolves U21s against Leicester City U21s, who have Arlo Doherty and Shane Flynn in their team, live on YouTube at the moment
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[samhaydenjr]

Ronan scored the last of Wolves' goals in that game: https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/under-21/20221031-u21-report-wolves-3-0-leicester/

Elsewhere in this weekend's action:

Tom Cannon kept his excellent scoring record this season going, grabbing one of Everton's six against Man City: https://www.evertonfc.com/match/79468/everton-u21-manchester-city-u21#report

... as did Ollie O'Neill in Fulham's 3-0 win over Blackburn: https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/october/28/Fulham-U21-3-0-Blackburn-U21/

Calum Kavanagh's Middlesbrough got clobbered 8-1 by a Southampton team featuring a bunch of first-teamers, but at least he scored 'boro's only goal:https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-10-30/b-team-report-southampton-middlesbrough-30th-october-2022
(https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-10-30/b-team-report-southampton-middlesbrough-30th-october-2022)
(https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-10-30/b-team-report-southampton-middlesbrough-30th-october-2022)That's nine for Cannon and seven for O'Neill and Kavanagh so far this season

[JR89]

Killian Phillips makes the bench tonight as does Moran and Ferguson against Arsenal.

[tetsujin1979]

Vata and Lawal named as substitutes for Celtic's game against Sydney FC this morning
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[Olé Olé]

https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/2022/12/02/ola-lawal-wins-md-finlay-november-player-of-the-month-award/

Ola Lawal is a name I haven't come across. Seems like he was in the underage set ups at Shelbourne and Drogheda before moving to the UK and signing for Chippenham Town in the National League South. He played 18 games there last season and moved to Falkirk who are now in League One in Scotland but looks to be doing well there.

He is Bosun Lawal's older brother.

[Demesne Lad]

Former Dundalk defender Val Adedokun (19) played the full 90 in Brentford B's 2-1 win away to Jong AZ Alkmaar. Adedokun's corner-kick resulted in an AZ own goal.

[tetsujin1979]

Two goals for Ben Quinn in Celtic B's 5-0 win against Edinburgh University

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[liamoo11]

Two goals for Ben Quinn in Celtic B's 5-0 win against Edinburgh University

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He was highly rated before went to Celtic hard to know where he is at now.

[CSAD]

He was highly rated before went to Celtic

Noticing a pattern here.

[Eirambler]

He was highly rated before went to Celtic hard to know where he is at now.

Probably at about the same level as all the other Irish players who were highly rated before they went to Celtic.

[CSAD]

Noticed also from the current and former Scotland u21 sides how few play for Celtic, none were named in the recent squad, this points me to 1 of 2 conclusions

1. The Scottish underage players are trash and clearly inferior to Irish players in the eyes of Celtic at least

Or

2. These Scottish players and their agents have more common sense and knowledge about how dreadful Celtic are at developing players in their academy and have quite smartly stayed away.


Which of these 2 is more plausible?

[tetsujin1979]

Could be that the players get out of there before they hit U21 level?
There was four Celtic players in Scotland's last U19 squad - https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/billy-stark-names-under-19-squad-for-home-qualifying-round/?rid=4420 - more than any other (Rangers had three)

There was three Celtic players in their last U17 squad - https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/brian-mclaughlin-names-under-17-squad-for-uefa-qualifying-round/?rid=4425 - no other club had more than two.

[Eirambler]

I know from people involved that, down at the younger age groups, it's regularly the case that Celtic are far from the best side and often the likes of Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen stand out at those age groups. A lot of the better young Scottish players do tend to go with other clubs than the big two, for a range of reasons.

It's widely recognised that Celtic's successful conversion rate from the underage groups to the senior team is particularly poor.

[CSAD]

Could be that the players get out of there before they hit U21 level?
There was four Celtic players in Scotland's last U19 squad - https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/billy-stark-names-under-19-squad-for-home-qualifying-round/?rid=4420 - more than any other (Rangers had three)

There was three Celtic players in their last U17 squad - https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/brian-mclaughlin-names-under-17-squad-for-uefa-qualifying-round/?rid=4425 - no other club had more than two.

I wonder why they get out!!!

Celtic have done a great job of taking in decent Irish prospects and turning them into journeyman in no time at all. Hopefully Kenny and Lawal see sense soon and leave before it’s too late and in future years Vata does likewise.

[CSAD]

I know from people involved that, down at the younger age groups, it's regularly the case that Celtic are far from the best side and often the likes of Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen stand out at those age groups. A lot of the better young Scottish players do tend to go with other clubs than the big two, for a range of reasons.

It's widely recognised that Celtic's successful conversion rate from the underage groups to the senior team is particularly poor.

But but but they developed Tierney, that means they are amazing at developing youth!

[samhaydenjr]

U21s finally back in action - Tom Cannon back with Everton's youngsters and scoring in their 2-1defeat to West Ham: https://www.premierleague.com/match/79481/premier-league-2/2022-23/everton-u21-v-west-ham-united-u21

[Eirambler]

Not much hope of any further senior minutes for Cannon at Everton with Ellis Simms being recalled from his loan, so hopefully he can get his loan move as soon as possible. League 1 would be probably be a good starting point for him.

[tetsujin1979]

Zak Gilsenan has returned from his ACL injury and scored this at the weekend
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[tetsujin1979]

Brighton U21s are playing Leicester at the moment.
James Furlong and Andrew Moran starting for Brighton, Mark O'Mahony and Jamie Mullins named among the substitutes. Shane Flynn starting for Leicester, Arlo Doherty is a sub for them
Live stream on YouTube here
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[JR89]

Burnley looking to sign Deji Sotona on a free from Nice. Quite a season for him after a poor loan move to Kilmarnock he could off to Burnley.

[Razors left peg]

Burnley looking to sign Deji Sotona on a free from Nice. Quite a season for him after a poor loan move to Kilmarnock he could off to Burnley.

That fella has had more clubs than Tiger Woods already

[tetsujin1979]

Fulham's Ollie O'Neill linked with a loan move to Derry City

[CraftyToePoke]

Fulham's Ollie O'Neill linked with a loan move to Derry City

Bit of an anticlimax move ? Tom Cannon is the same age & got Preston as an example.

[Eirambler]

Cannon was regularly featuring on the bench for Everton though, made a couple of Premier League appearances and is a big physical unit.

O'Neill has made no real impact at all on the first team at Fulham. Having said that I think he'll do well at Derry and it strikes me as a sensible move for both teams. Surprised a League 1 or Scottish team didn't go for him.

[JR89]

Probably for half a season so better than being stuck playing U21s. While it's U21s level his stats are very good so hopefully a short loan at senior level can get him a better loan in the summer.

[Razors left peg]

Not quite all u21 players but figured this would be best place to share this video....

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Few players left out too

[tetsujin1979]

Leo Gaxha has left Sheffield United
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[JR89]

Kerry FC about to make their biggest signing I wonder.

[tetsujin1979]

Is he from Kerry?

[JR89]

Is he from Kerry?

He's from Tralee.

[Olé Olé]

I wondered the same thing re the Kerry move when I saw that but wondered if it were a significant step down. However, lads leaving English sides with little or no senior football are not going into Premier Division sides any more like maybe they used to. Back to Kerry and a course in college in Tralee might be a good platform.

I see Gaxha's contemporary at Sheffield United, Harry Cullinan, is back in Clare playing with Newmarket Celtic having left Sheffield United during the summer.

[tetsujin1979]

Kerry FC about to make their biggest signing I wonder.
Good call
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[JR89]

Hopefully the move is a good move for the lad and like jersey too. Nice colour, simple, and the sponsor logo doesn't stand out.

[Olé Olé]

Hopefully the move is a good move for the lad and like jersey too. Nice colour, simple, and the sponsor logo doesn't stand out.

Like it too. The K in the sponsor logo adds gold to the green too which is consistent with other Kerry jerseys and the crest. Nice.

[JR89]

Fulham's Ollie O'Neill linked with a loan move to Derry City

Fulham announced he's joined Derry on loan till August.

[tetsujin1979]

First professional contract for Cian Coleman at Leeds, until the summer of 2025
Came off the bench as a late sub against Bolton in the Football League Trophy in October
https://www.leedsunited.com/news/academy/31061/cian-coleman-pens-professional-deal