Mason Melia F St Pats b.2007

[TonyD]

He's not playing Sunday league for god's sake.

Sadly that’s the perception of too many “Irish” football supporters. I don’t want him going anywhere. He’s our player for now, so hands off. ( and yeah, I know it’s inevitable he will go unfortunately. I just hope it’s not for another year, and that we get good money for him.)

[mark12345]

Just look at Mark O'Mahony. Going to Brighton has worked wonders for him. Don't think he'd be at the level he's at now if he stayed in Ireland and that would be down to the coaching. Similar would Ferguson be at his level if he stayed at home till 18/19?

That would be down to coaching? JR don't talk crazy - you're placing that much emphasis on coaching?? I'm being sarcastic of course, and I've been saying that as long as I've been on this forum. It's down to coaching and it has always been down to coaching. Anyone who doubts that need only look at the performance of a certain team in white playing against another in green at the Aviva today Saturday September 7.

[CraftyToePoke]

the Aviva today Saturday September 7.

What ? Why ?

I mean the only possible reason for that carry on is negated by posts on here being date marked anyway.

[Acornvilla]

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[Olé Olé]

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Lest we forget that this lad is 16 and doing this at under 19 level. His control, two footed dribbling and finish don't look far off elite for a 16 year old there to me...

[TonyD]

Lest we forget that this lad is 16 and doing this at under 19 level. His control, two footed dribbling and finish don't look far off elite for a 16 year old there to me...

In addition to playing at senior level here (which, whatever people may think of the standard, he’s still playing against experienced defenders regularly) he’s also played in Europe now, against a reasonable calibre of team, which I’m sure has been a great benefit to him.

[Olé Olé]

In addition to playing at senior level here (which, whatever people may think of the standard, he’s still playing against experienced defenders regularly) he’s also played in Europe now, against a reasonable calibre of team, which I’m sure has been a great benefit to him.

Clearly has done his confidence levels no harm. Goals in each of his last two club games on the back of the Basaksehir performance, and now this.

[Acornvilla]

In addition to playing at senior level here (which, whatever people may think of the standard, he’s still playing against experienced defenders regularly) he’s also played in Europe now, against a reasonable calibre of team, which I’m sure has been a great benefit to him.
I think the attacking players around him, especially Forrester, Elbouzedi and Mulraney are all extremely talented footballers, that he can learn a lot from in the short term as he improves and eventually should far surpass.

[Buckett]

I think he will be the first €1m transfer out of the LOI

[TonyD]

I think he will be the first €1m transfer out of the LOI

As a Pats fan, I could live with that :D

Pats academy really starting to bear fruit. Keely , Abankwah and Sam Curtis all products of it starting for the U21’s currently. Long may it continue.

[Buckett]

Where is the academy based? Do ye own a training ground?

[Eirambler]

Pats are at Abbotstown I think. Handy to have a facility like that on your doorstep, but must be a bit of a sickener for Kenny being there watching the new Ireland manager come and go while he's back in the domestic league.

[Acornvilla]

All things considered, I think he's having a better week

[Eirambler]

Is he? He can't escape his share of the blame for where we are, the culture of consistent defeat started on his watch. If the team starts to do well he will be praised for bringing a lot of the players through, if nothing else. But the worse we do going forward the more it will reflect badly on him for starting us down a path we shouldn't have gone.

[Acornvilla]

Is he? He can't escape his share of the blame for where we are, the culture of consistent defeat started on his watch. If the team starts to do well he will be praised for bringing a lot of the players through, if nothing else. But the worse we do going forward the more it will reflect badly on him for starting us down a path we shouldn't have gone.
He's being paid very well to manage a football team, and it looks like things are turning around at Pat's. European results were excellent, they're investing in the squad quite heavily, big plans for the stadium, Pat's will be expected to challenge for the title next season, I won't count them out of qualifying for Europe this year too, such has the turnaround been in the last month. H's probably doing ok, yeah.

I think he'll be a good influence on Melia in the short term as well. Kenny is great at working day to day with players and building up their confidence, unfortunately it didn't work out with Ireland, and I think I've made my thoughts on that more than clear repeatedly, life is too short to be going over this again.

[Acornvilla]

Only seen extended highlights of Pats V Rovers last night, but between that and from accounts of others Melia was very good, seems to be growing in to his role. Mulraney with some nice finishes too, I think another 12 months around this team will do him no harm at this rate. Pat's will definitely be challenging next season. Only one loss in 12 games, and that was away in Turkey, playing Shelbourne next! Kenny v Duff is a fun little bit of narrative now that the league has gotten so tight.

Did any of ye hear the recent revelations that Damien Duff made the motivational video before England by the way? I'm now imaging that he quit because his vision wasn't appreciated :D

[Fixer82]

Only seen extended highlights of Pats V Rovers last night, but between that and from accounts of others Melia was very good, seems to be growing in to his role. Mulraney with some nice finishes too, I think another 12 months around this team will do him no harm at this rate. Pat's will definitely be challenging next season. Only one loss in 12 games, and that was away in Turkey, playing Shelbourne next! Kenny v Duff is a fun little bit of narrative now that the league has gotten so tight.

Did any of ye hear the recent revelations that Damien Duff made the motivational video before England by the way? I'm now imaging that he quit because his vision wasn't appreciated :D

It would make sense. He seemed very irked that anyone took offence from it. I agreed with him tbh

[Stuttgart88]

Only seen extended highlights of Pats V Rovers last night, but between that and from accounts of others Melia was very good, seems to be growing in to his role. Mulraney with some nice finishes too, I think another 12 months around this team will do him no harm at this rate. Pat's will definitely be challenging next season. Only one loss in 12 games, and that was away in Turkey, playing Shelbourne next! Kenny v Duff is a fun little bit of narrative now that the league has gotten so tight.

Did any of ye hear the recent revelations that Damien Duff made the motivational video before England by the way? I'm now imaging that he quit because his vision wasn't appreciated :D

What a game it was too!

I know there's talk of Farrugia being the closest LOI player to a call up but I think Mulraney has been more impressive. He seems much more in control of what he's doing. Farrugia seems more head down and go for it, without always seeing what's around him. Raw pace is his big advantage. I'd prefer to see Farrugia used further up the pitch for Rovers rather than wing back. I think he could even play centre forward. Mulraney is more skillful imho.

[Acornvilla]

What a game it was too!

I know there's talk of Farrugia being the closest LOI player to a call up but I think Mulraney has been more impressive. He seems much more in control of what he's doing. Farrugia seems more head down and go for it, without always seeing what's around him. Raw pace is his big advantage. I'd prefer to see Farrugia used further up the pitch for Rovers rather than wing back. I think he could even play center forward. Mulraney is more skillful imho.
It really was an excellent watch, the drama and the quality of some of the goals. Pat's since playing Vaduz are a different proposition, playing much more like how many of us hoped Kenny could get Ireland to, Mulraney is an extremely talented footballer as is Elbouzedi, they're both brave and been given the license to take opportunities, at this level on this form I think they're easily the two best wing players in the league. Hopefully Pat's continue this and become someone to raise standards across the league as teams need to adapt and chase. Kenny normally only brings in 2/3 players per window to slowly grow a squad, and they're already very good, with the finances to keep the team together and make a couple of key signings, they would be my early title favourites for next season. As I said before, along with Forrester, I think there are really great footballers for Melia to be around and learn from in the short term.

Mulraney has experience in the SPL and MLS and only came home to Ireland for family reasons, it'd probably be no harm having a look at him in a friendly, but at 28 it's unlikely he could make a big impact. I think he struggled away in Turkey which would probably be a marginally higher level than a lot of international matches to be fair, otherwise he has really been excellent.

Farrugia has a few years on him, I see what you mean abut their different approaches, I do think he'd be a far better footballer if he hadn't had so many injury issues, I look forward to seeing hw Rovers do in the conference league, especially people like Farrugia, Mandriou and Kenny.

[Eirambler]

Mulraney couldn't hold down a starting place at Hearts in the SPL so I can't see there being any justification for a senior call up there. He's a level or more short of the wingers we already have in there - Ogbene, McAteer etc.

[Acornvilla]

I have my own doubts about his top level, but I'd never rule someone out because of past experiences if they're playing well and showing positive signs. We have a grand history of players coming through late career after struggles to be fair. I think it's probably good to assume others capable of learning and growth. I haven't a clue what kind of player he was back then if it suited the SPL or that Hearts team, and if this version is any better. He did make 42 apps in 1 and a half seasons, so he wasn't exactly unused either.

Footballer's careers aren't static things. You'd hope at 28 he is around his prime and is in fact better, fit and playing with confidence. He's in Ireland because his family was homesick and didn't like living in the US from what I gather, so he's not in the LOI as of some sort of punishment for being a failure.

He's been wildly inconsistent for Pat's, but the version of him we've seen the past 2 months is probably the best and most consistent he has been in his 2 years at home, his set pieces are a weapon, if that domestic based squad ever got off the ground, I'd love to see how players like him fared.

[Acornvilla]

Mason called up to the u21 squad for the first time.

[SkStu]

He'll be exposed for the overgrown, mutant, lump that he is. ;)

[Razors left peg]

He'll be exposed for the overgrown, mutant, lump that he is. ;)

Hes a cod Bill

[tetsujin1979]

Scouting report on Melia
https://bethlimb.substack.com/p/mason-melia-scout-report-2024

[John83]

It's an interesting read, but I'm a little cautious of a scouting report on a kid that is so limited in terms of analysing areas of weakness.

[Acornvilla]

Can't tell you how true it is, but there has been talk about a move to a PL team with a loan back for another season from anywhere between 1-3m including bonus'. No point being too specific about the rumors because they're all over the shop, but given the family apparently turned down Man City before, Is now a year away from being able to move and has been playing well recently, I'm sure there's something to it.

[Eirambler]

Apparently the subject of a €2m bid from Bologna.

[tetsujin1979]

Linked with Spurs, again, this morning too

[pateen]

Apparently the subject of a €2m bid from Bologna.

Thought it was 500K no?

[SkStu]

Signs for Spurs for 1.9m, rising to 3.5m... joins in January 2026. The next Gary Doherty. ;)

[liamoo11]

Signs for Spurs for 1.9m, rising to 3.5m... joins in January 2026. The next Gary Doherty. ;)

Do we know what makes up the add ons? Are they achievable say like when he makes 20 appearances foe spurs, when he gets senior cap or are they things like if he is premier league top s prer or if spurs win the league?

[liamoo11]

Signs for Spurs for 1.9m, rising to 3.5m... joins in January 2026. The next Gary Doherty. ;)

I see now reports that they have a 20% sell on clause as well. All in all seems like a very fair deal ?

[SkStu]

I see now reports that they have a 20% sell on clause as well. All in all seems like a very fair deal ?

on the face of it, it is an incredible deal. The 20% i saw too - but not sure on the other bits and bobs - - probably something under all the things you have mentioned!

[Razors left peg]

Great to see real money coming in for young player from the league. I still have my personal doubts about him making it as a Premiership level striker but it's a fantastic transfer for the league as a whole.

[Eirambler]

That's a lot of money for him in truth, he's completely unproven and going over at 18 he's likely to be behind other Spurs youth players in his development and could have a lot of catching up to do - just need to look at Sam Curtis' struggles for an example of how difficult the transition could be at that age. Then there's potential issues around loans if they want him to be kept as a homegrown player. Will be very interesting to see how this works out, hopefully he cracks it.

[tetsujin1979]

Didn't a poster here once have "Will remove when a League of Ireland player is transferred for more than €1million" in their signature
Was one of about four or five other conditions IIRC

[Razors left peg]

That's a lot of money for him in truth, he's completely unproven and going over at 18 he's likely to be behind other Spurs youth players in his development and could have a lot of catching up to do - just need to look at Sam Curtis' struggles for an example of how difficult the transition could be at that age. Then there's potential issues around loans if they want him to be kept as a homegrown player. Will be very interesting to see how this works out, hopefully he cracks it.

Curtis is a perfect example of why it's still hard to know how players from the LOI will do. This is still small money for Spurs so it's worth a punt to them. I do think that going from being a 1st team footballer to becoming a youth team player again is a pretty difficult mental adjustment for any player moving out of league so hopefully Melia can move through the ranks quickly over there

[~YTM~]

Physically Curtis is on the small side so would have to be technically very good to make up for it. Haven't seen Melia play bar the underage games and he's a big lad. Not sure how he fairs technical wise.

Lee O'Connor went over at 16 and we've seen him struggle. Curtis strikes me as a similar type to Lee O'Connor. Both on the smaller side physically and both likely ended up playing RB because of their size.

[Acornvilla]

Big move for a big fee but staying here for another year is a best of both worlds move for him imo, going to be a lot of attention on him and Pats this year but still space to develop and grow before he's in to whatever flavour of chaos Spurs happen to be at the time.

[Eirambler]

I doubt any chaos at Spurs will directly affect him as he's unlikely to be playing first team football there when he first goes over, unless he's an absolutely exceptional talent. In which case he'd be better moving now (I appreciate he can't go to the UK until he's 18, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's better off as a result).

[Acornvilla]

My feeling on it is that when to leave is very much a case by case thing, given he and his family already turned down a move to man city with loan they feel being closer to home until he's 18 is best for him for whatever reason, which so far has served him will. We all know the next step is the one where we've lost many promising players, or they show up again mid 20's as jobbing internationals!

He's been looking far ahead of his peers for underage international sides for years but it's only the last 6 months really that he's begun to establish himself as an option that really contributed at Pats, all we can hope is that upward trajectory continues and in 12 odd months he's built up a lot of experience and resilience. I think his technical level is high, he seems to make good decisions on the pitch, I think all of these things will improve before he lands in the UK.

I could see him signing in January 26, spending 5 months playing u23 and training with the seniors, making some cameos if he really does continue to improve at the rate we would all like him to, and then after the following pre season go on loan somewhere. I do think as mentioned below, he is considerably more physically prepared than Curtis just as a result of his natural size, he could be a very strong and pacy man in a few years.

Maybe Spurs will be knocking around the Conference league by then and actually have ample games for the kids, there's so many variables at spurs, especially the ownership keeping spending relatively tight for one, they've had a few teenagers in the starting XI recently. I find them a fun drama to keep an eye on, so looking forward to having an Irish angle, a part of me still think Ange finds a way to turn it around :D

[passinginterest]

This feels like a really significant step for the League of Ireland. I'm sure Melia won't be too aware of the wider expectation, he'll have enough of his own, but if he's a success and justifies the transfer fee it sets a great new precedent and shows the genuine benefits to the League of Brexit rules preventing players moving before they turn 18. Hopefully there's a couple more similar deals in the next year or two, to maybe reduce the expectation on this single move. With all the positivity around the league, growing crowds, Rovers in the Conference league knock out stage, expansion of the league structure, alignment of the domestic calendar, academies, etc. we could be looking at a new era defining moment.

No pressure...

[Olé Olé]

Some interesting coverage of the move. Melia's uncle Clive Clarke was on Joe Molloy's podcast and gave the impression they were always going to hold out for an English move and that Spurs were the first club he went to, he liked it and they have a record with young players.

Malachy Clerkin clearly knows his stuff in the Irish Times. States that the fee paid by Celtic for Liam Scales at 600k being the record was a "damning indictment of the status of the domestic game."

The fact that Clerkin reckons Celtic paid UCD the 600k as opposed to Rovers is another "damning indictment of the status of the domestic game." Christ.

[Acornvilla]

It would be interesting to see a list of highest total final fees paid for transfers, after add ons and sell ons etc. Bazunu has been worth 3-4 million to Rovers so far for instance. They've a few more smaller examples of this already too. Even Seamie Coleman ended up being 400k.

I do think the up front fee is by far the most important thing, as it trends in the right direction even leaving Melia or the large shadow of Evan Ferguson out of it, events like the random huge Matt Doherty payout will become more regular too you'd hope.