Can Bradley Make A Difference?

[kopite]

Ex Waterford Utd and former wexford U18 player Eric Bradley is meant to be signing for the Youths,played against Kerry league on Saturday in the 21's and looked quite good.Can he be the one to make this team click?
I expect him to be in the squad for friday,unless Mick had him on in the 21's as a triallist.what do you think this team needs,we've only being turned over 2/3 times this season,we're no champions league contenders,but we're as good as most of the first division.

[sobersod]

Ye heard of him!
But where does he play?:confused:

[G-Man]

Eric would be more of a midfield player but is well able to play up front. one of his last games for Waterford he scored a hat tirck against Sligo. He would have played for Mick all up through underage and was one of Micks stars in a couple of All Ireland runs. He's been on the Wexford senior football team for the last couple of years so there may be a long term conflict somewhere along the line.

[Red Youth]

Bradley is a massive signing. When the club is only looking to recruit players from Wexford, then this is the equivalent of signing Stephen Gerrard!

Strong, with a good footballing brain, he's going to be massive for us and has top division experience with Waterford and is still only 25. Can play in midfield but I think he'll be used up front.

[passinginterest]

We've really hit the big time now. Bradley signing makes RTE sport website (http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/0903/wexford.html).

Has to be a good signing. Was always a Wallace favourite and he's a big physical presence.

I've been hoping he might sign for a while, and had mentioned it here.

Could cause a major fall out with the GAA though. He was one of the best performers for the county footballers this year. If one or two others follow him there could be trouble ahead.

[ForzaForth]

We ask a lot of our forwards by the way we play, so I believe Bradley would only make a difference up front if he gets a bit more support. For a team with a lot of lightly built forwards, we play quite a few long balls and Bradley could make a difference there. However, he can't be expected to hold onto the ball forever.

I saw him against Kerry U21s and he looked quite useful although I thought he could have tightened up on his distribution a little after he had taken the ball under control. Created the third goal with a smashing pass. He will, of course, find it a lot tougher against the grizzly centre halves of the Eircom League.

Any news on Patsy Malone for Friday against Shels - he came off limping badly against Kerry.

[Stevie01]

Bradley is a striker he's not a midfield player and played all his games with Waterford Utd upfront. There was never any conflict between himself and Mick Wallace they're actually quiet good friends it's just Bradley was in America for nearly 3yrs & wen he returned to Wexford was asked to join the footballers.
His joining the Wexford Youth will not cause any conflict with the footballers because who said he's signing for good??
In relation to Forzaforth comment about his distribution obviously he's not going to be great playing his 1st Eircom League game is around 6yrs.
My prediction is he will come on against Shelbourne this Friday and from then on will make his place on the first team.

[kopite]

think hes what we need.mick has tried a number of players as target-man this season[elmes,browner,patsy,anto,to name a few].i expect him to start against shels.we play counter attack football[continental style].
this system needs a good centre forward,what i saw in the 21's game and at training this week,hes fit/mobile/physical presence PERFECT!
patsy should be ok,sat out training on monday,but said it was only a knock.the L37 game is fixed for week-a-sunday-7:30 kick off.also season tickets for next season.

[passinginterest]

.also season tickets for next season.

Now I know what I'm getting my Dad for Christmas. :D

Had a chat to the architect about the new stand last night. Planning permission is going in this week.

It's been totally redesigned from the original drawings. Asked did he look at other stands and designs and he said no he just had an idea and went for it, the engineers said we can do that and everyone said great.

Described it as shaped like a 'scud missile', with all views 100% unrestricted. Support columns will be behind the stand, open TV gantry will be on top (said he wanted the gantry open to get the atmosphere, like at Camp Nou!). It will have a section for VIP and season ticket holders front centre, with corporate area behind. Huge club shop, dressing rooms, press area, referees rooms (male and female) and drug testing area will be built into it.

All going well it'll be ready for next season (although he though one or two objections might go in from locals).

[ForzaForth]

Passinginterest, thanks for that news. What sort of capacity stand are they thinking of? I presume it will replace the temporary stand.

Good crowd at the Shelbourne match but, as I feared, Shelbourne dominated possession too much to let us stamp our authority on the match - particularly in the first half. Unusually, we looked vulnerable at set-pieces the whole match. Bradley played well when he came on and great to see JFOC score at last. Should give him confidence as he is plenty good enough to do well at this level.

Match against Monaghan is now a must win game.

[kopite]

agree with forzaforth on most comments,but,the possession was in their own half.watch how our forwards drop into wing positions when the opposition goalie/cntr bks have the ball.the idea is to make the opposition play thru the centre mid or in a lot of their attacks hoof a long ball.the 2nd goal shouldn't have happened.we defended on the 18 when we should have been further up the pitch,i don't put that down to how good shels were,but more on our mental capacity to stay switched on for the full game.good athmosphere,sad result.dead right bout the mon game,they're very beatable,keep farrell quite and we're on the ball.

[brokenstar]

Have to admit that I was more than a little disappointed with this result. Didn't make the game myself, so thanks for the reports lads. The lads need to get their chins up for Mons, the end of the season is in sight, it'd be great to string a few results together.

[Sunny Jim]

Having seen him in action on Friday, it's pretty clear that Bradley can make a big difference. His passing and crossing caused Shelbourne a lot of problems. He looks a quality player.

As regards the match itself, Shelbourne missed a couple of sitters and had a couple of shots cleared off the line. They could easily have had six. Both times they've come to Wexford this year they have been very impressive. I'm amazed they're so far down the table.

BTW the local Gardai didn't exactly endear themselves to the travelling support either. They appeared to be very heavy-handed with the Shels fans but I couldn't see any reason for it. And it was the same the last time they came. The Gardai seem to have it in for them and it spoils it for everyone.

[Red Youth]

Well, how do you think Eric has done then, and will he go back to play for the footballers or stay with the Youths?

[kopite]

i believe if bradley is not commited to us then he should push off, as should some of our present squad who are playing senior football,as a fan i pay good money thru the turnstiles to see these guys do their best for the youths,again my belief is you can't be commited to two things,ask my wife!
bradley has done well since hes joined the camp,but do we really need players who don't know where they'll be next week if theres an important gaa match?

[brokenstar]

i believe if bradley is not commited to us then he should push off, as should some of our present squad who are playing senior football,as a fan i pay good money thru the turnstiles to see these guys do their best for the youths,again my belief is you can't be commited to two things,ask my wife!
bradley has done well since hes joined the camp,but do we really need players who don't know where they'll be next week if theres an important gaa match?


Totally agree Kopite. There was whispers from the beginning when Bradley joined the squad that he was just filling in the gap until the GAA season started again. Don't get me wrong, he's a quality player, but if you ain't 110% committed to the Wexford Youths cause, then there's no real point in joining the club.

[Red Youth]

Yea, it's a tough one all right and something that could get very messy in the future. I think a lot of the lads really want to play soccer with the Youths but they're under serious pressure from their GAA clubs to play for them in and around Championship time. These guy will be getting hassle from locals and even friends and family 'not to let the parish down' and play sort of a thing. I think Mick has let them know that this year, although he's not happy with a lot of them playing GAA, he will put up with it, but come next year if you want to do both you'll be gone from the Youths. I think Bradley will stay with the Youths - he has greta time for Mick - and his younger brother has just signd for us as well.

It's going to be very interesting, especially when a certain set of other brothers on the Youths' senior team have a county football final and Youths match on the same weekend...