John Joe O'Toole

[CollegeTillIDie]

John Joe O'Toole .... he couldn't be more Irish than have a name like that ... could he?

[Stuttgart88]

Calm down and count to ten TP.

[Stuttgart88]

Just saw O'toole's goal - a good header.

What strikes me most about him is his physique. He's tall, rangy and athletic.
Just what we're missing.

[youngirish]

Just saw O'toole's goal - a good header.

What strikes me most about him is his physique. He's tall, rangy and athletic.
Just what we're missing.

As is Chris McCann another excellent prospect who scored again yesterday and is a mainstay in midfield of the form team in the Championship at the moment.

And he really should have been starting for the U21s last month. Only Givens could miss that one. If his opinions of a manager's ability is anywhere near as deluded as his opinions of his player's talents then we are in for a tough few years.

[Jerry The Saint]

Why have all you Dubs got such a problem with the Irish population in the UK?

Why have you got such a problem with the Dub population in Dublin:confused:

[tetsujin1979]

As is Chris McCann another excellent prospect who scored again yesterday and is a mainstay in midfield of the form team in the Championship at the moment.

And he really should have been starting for the U21s last month. Only Givens could miss that one. If his opinions of a manager's ability is anywhere near as deluded as his opinions of his player's talents then we are in for a tough few years.
Sean McCaffrey missed it as well, he didn't play him in the game against Montenegro. I think Givens only had one training session with the U21's, if even that, before picking the side, so he didn't really have a change to develop an opinion of McCann.

[Stuttgart88]

so he didn't really have a change to develop an opinion of McCann.It's not as if McCann just materialised before the Montenegro game! He's been around for ages and it's quite unbelievable that he's barely figured for our underage teams - ever.

[youngirish]

It's not as if McCann just materialised before the Montenegro game! He's been around for ages and it's quite unbelievable that he's barely figured for our underage teams - ever.

On the mark as usual Stutts. McCann has been mentioned on these boards in a positive light for over 2 years now and has been a regular for Burnley during all that period well before anyone even heard of the majority of the other players in the U21 starting 11.

[eirebhoy]

Central midfield looks good to be our strongest position in the future.

[Sligo Hornet]

John Joe has netted again tonight ( thank you! ) to bring the game to 2-2 at half time!.....come on the Toole!!:)

[Mad Moose]

John Joe has netted again tonight ( thank you! ) to bring the game to 2-2 at half time!.....come on the Toole!!:)


Watched him last night at Colchester Utd. Class act. Very quick, great vision and an excellent cross for Watford's 3rd goal. Rally really good on the ball.

The lad did impress me.Seems established in that side.Mark Yeates on the other hand for Colchester Utd was completely overshadowed.

[eirebhoy]

Good to hear about O'Toole. He sounds like the combative type which we could do with. We've plenty of playmakers, flair players and attacking midfielders coming through so a bit of fight wouldn't go amiss. :) Garvan is still the player I'm most excited about though. It has to be a good sign when a deep lying player is top of the league assist charts.

[Mad Moose]

Good to hear about O'Toole. He sounds like the combative type which we could do with. We've plenty of playmakers, flair players and attacking midfielders coming through so a bit of fight wouldn't go amiss. :) Garvan is still the player I'm most excited about though. It has to be a good sign when a deep lying player is top of the league assist charts.

Garvan was dropped by Jim Magilton for Town's game v Barnsley last week.Heard Magilton talk of the need to drop him as he was not showing good form. He was recalled on Tuesday night but as I heard it another poor away performance.

Watched Garvan about 5 times this season and he can make space and pick out a player with a good pass but I've seen him lost in games. Nothing particularly outstanding about the lad at all sadly. Still hopeful though.He's part of a decent side (at home anyhow). Will see him in the coming weeks.

[Mad Moose]

Very excited about Johnny Walters. Can't determine whether he has declared for the Republic though.Part of a large Irish contingent at Ipswich Town and a particularly exciting right winger. Also quite like Billy Clarke. He's not playing in his favoured position up front but works very very hard on the left wing.Should get his place back very soon. Haven't yet seen Shane Supple in goal however.

[Paddy Garcia]

Very excited about Johnny Walters. Can't determine whether he has declared for the Republic though.Part of a large Irish contingent at Ipswich Town and a particularly exciting right winger. Also quite like Billy Clarke. He's not playing in his favoured position up front but works very very hard on the left wing.Should get his place back very soon. Haven't yet seen Shane Supple in goal however.

Well he's played plenty of times for us.

[Stuttgart88]

Didn't Walters play in the recent B game in Scotland?

Played plenty of times at U21 level.

Eirebhoy, you sure you'd pigeon-hole Garvan as deep lying? I'd place his style half way between a Gerrard/ Steven Reid box-to-box player and a traditional playmaker. He covers a lot of ground, too much to be labelled "deep lying" in my opinion.

[eirebhoy]

I think that's his natural position. If you put him in a team with players of his age he'd be playing as the deep midfielder imo. Also, when Man Utd played Milan last season they showed stats after the match for the most ground covered. Pirlo and Carrick were the top 2. Garvan probably gets more freedom at club level but I'd say it's just down to his age and experience.

[Mad Moose]

Didn't Walters play in the recent B game in Scotland?

Played plenty of times at U21 level.

Eirebhoy, you sure you'd pigeon-hole Garvan as deep lying? I'd place his style half way between a Gerrard/ Steven Reid box-to-box player and a traditional playmaker. He covers a lot of ground, too much to be labelled "deep lying" in my opinion.


Hopefully he did. Of the current Irish crop of lads I see at Ipswich Town from time to time I'm more excited about Jonathan Walters. Scored an excellent hattrick against Bristol City but impressed with him in every game I see him. Just haven't been able to say the same of Garvan, though thats not saying he isn't a decent player who has come on quite a it.

O'Toole on the other hand was a class act at Colchester Utd last week. Very quick and skilful and gets everywhere.

[OwlsFan]

Didn't do much against Stoke but then neither did the rest of the Watford team. Nice to see Delap still playing and doing ok. His main weapon is his long throw (it was that sort of game).

[gspain]

Hopefully he did. Of the current Irish crop of lads I see at Ipswich Town from time to time I'm more excited about Jonathan Walters. Scored an excellent hattrick against Bristol City but impressed with him in every game I see him. Just haven't been able to say the same of Garvan, though thats not saying he isn't a decent player who has come on quite a it.

O'Toole on the other hand was a class act at Colchester Utd last week. Very quick and skilful and gets everywhere.

Definitely played in the B game at Airdrie. Did OK. Also played and scored twice for the U21s 4 years ago in Neuchatel. Looked a real prospect that night but had seen/heard littl eof him since until recently.

[Stuttgart88]

He partnered Stephen Elliott for the U21s and both did well as far as i can remember. Walters' career really went downhill, going to places like Hull and making no impression. He looked very heavy at times as well. Good to see him on the way back up again.

[dr_peepee]

Yeah!! I had wrote him off as he went down the divisions... It was a bit of a shock move to Ipswich. I remember reading that he impressed against them in a Cup game for Chester and Magilton signed him up soon after. Good for him anyway!!!

[Stuttgart88]

I'm always banging on about a lack of physicality, height and athleticism in the senior team's midfield. JJ has all of these. I think his time could come sooner rather than later for us.

[Kingdom]

I'm always banging on about a lack of physicality, height and athleticism in the senior team's midfield. JJ has all of these. I think his time could come sooner rather than later for us.

I think I'd agree with you. Walters is another skillful big lad. For a while I was worried about the physical issues the squad could face in years to come but not anymore. We'll be fine.

he's the type of lad who a few B Internationals the next year would do the world of good to

[Nipper]

It's just a pity he isn't black. A black lad called John Joe O'Toole lining out for Ireland would give me a buzz every time.

[ken foree]

I think that's his natural position. If you put him in a team with players of his age he'd be playing as the deep midfielder imo.

off topic here but i'd agree if only on the basis of the one game v. portsmouth i saw garvan in. he was a little one-paced and didn't seem the type to put himself about in the tackle. which is all fine as long as he has the vision and touch to excel in other areas. he looked OK, he's no pirlo yet but i remember being distinctly unimpressed with him too, back in his inter milan days. garvan played some nice balls with his first touch but he was definitely in need of another, more athletic midfielder alongside him against the premiership opposition that day. he is a worthwhile cog in a decent ipswich side, at least at home as someone else pointed out.

[eirebhoy]

Playmakers tend to excel at home for some strange reason.

[NeilMcD]

Deep lying ones do be cause away teams drop off so the likes of pirlo or garvan have more room. But away from home the home team are pushed much further up in general.

[irishfan86]

Playmakers tend to excel at home for some strange reason.

You could change "playmakers" to "teams," "players," "strikers," etc....;)

[Sligo Hornet]

Good to see sense prevail with JJ's red card ( received against Leicester on Tuesday night ) being rescinded

.."last man my ar5e"!!

[paul_oshea]

hornet, he was a st kiernans man last year along with another lad who went to play for brentford.

[Sligo Hornet]

hornet, he was a st kiernans man last year along with another lad who went to play for brentford.

That's obviously whats made him the fearless,tough tackling action man he is!:)

[paul_oshea]

exactly hornet, exactly!

[Royal rover]

hornet, he was a st kiernans man last year along with another lad who went to play for brentford.

played against him in greenford last summer - i think they had another lad as well that was at dagenham and red -

[NeilMcD]

Good to see sense prevail with JJ's red card ( received against Leicester on Tuesday night ) being rescinded

.."last man my ar5e"!!

Good win for Lincoln City there.

[paul_oshea]

played against him in greenford last summer - i think they had another lad as well that was at dagenham and red -

these were the lads yer on about:

o’toole - watford
moyles - brentford
o’sullivan - stevenage


there is another couple of fellas. A few fellas that play for round towers used to be with spurs as well. one had a 2 year professional contract with spurs. Who do ye play for?!

Hornet, how do the watford fans rate him?! Is he their young player of the year?!

[beautifulrock]

:D
these were the lads yer on about:

o’toole - watford
moyles - brentford
o’sullivan - stevenage


there is another couple of fellas. A few fellas that play for round towers used to be with spurs as well. one had a 2 year professional contract with spurs. Who do ye play for?!

Hornet, how do the watford fans rate him?! Is he their young player of the year?!

Lucky they didnt run into you Paul in the half back line, with your all round hard hitting big game, or else we might never have heard of John Joe. :D

[paul_oshea]

:D

Lucky they didnt run into you Paul in the half back line, with your all round hard hitting big game, or else we might never have heard of John Joe. :D

I don't play?! :confused:

[beautifulrock]

I don't play?! :confused:

oh, thought you said you were with a club, my apologies.

[paul_oshea]

oh, thought you said you were with a club, my apologies.

it depends what you mean by "with", im involved with a club alright, but I dont play. But you were trying to be smart anyhow rock :D

Seriouslly though ( soccer ), the few times ive seen him he is well able take a tackle on the ball, so it prolly did him good playing gaelic! :)

[SkStu]

this guy must be playing his way into the Irish squad at this stage??? according to reports he is dominating games and has a knack of scoring important goals...

[livehead1]

Paul O'Donoghue is the one who was at Spurs i think

[musicinmouth]

I think he was the best player that I saw in our U21 team over the last year. I'm sure he'll make it into the senior team at some stage. I hope he gets an opportunity sometime soon.

[youngirish]

John Joe O'Toole, Jamie McCarthy, Joey O'Brien, Owen Garvan, Chris McCann and Stephen Ireland all playing well in midfield for their respective clubs so far this season and all 22 or less. We are going to have some midfield by 2010 and that's even if Stephen Ireland doesn't bother to come back.

[Stuttgart88]

yep, our young midfielders are really exciting. I just saw JJ on ITV's highlights programme and he was involved in everything. His shot led to watford's first goal and he scored well with his left to put them 2-1 up. He looks to have that knack of timing his runs into the box really well. He looks a real athlete as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing McCarthy.

[NeilMcD]

Youngirish I am not sure how young you are but surely you may have learned the lesson that banking on Irish talent coming through and fulfilling its potential is fools gold. How many times have we been let down by players who look like to have great potential etc.

Now don't get me wrong, any time I have seen O Toole or Garvan and to a lesser exten Mc Cann I have been impressed but we have been down this road before.

[Qwerty]

There is always that period where a young player first comes on the scene and promises so much but then fails to cement their place in the team and continue to develop get farmed out on load and then recede into the background a la Willo Flood, Darren Potter and I'm hoping not Darron Gibson.

But Garvan, Ireland ( should I even mention him as he may never play for Ireland again but played well for Man City today setting up 2 goals ) McCann, O'Toole have all become first team regulars for their clubs and massed up a fair number of league appearances. They certainly look like they will have successful club careers, time will tell whether they have international careers.

McCarthy is very young yet and I hope he doesn't get burned out, and I'm not sure about Joey O'Brien tbh.

It's good to see them breaking thru to regular first team football but don't expect to see them play under Trapp, he has a 2 year deal and will always play the best players he has available to him and won't blood too many new players in competitive games if he can avoid it. Interestingly against Georgia & Montenegro Trapp played only 1 player Whelan who had not played for Ireland previously. Stephen Hunt was the only player to start who won his first cap during the Stan nightmare and is a very limited player.

If Steven Reid is injured again I would imagine he would recall Carsley. But he could do worse that replace Miller with Garvan, O'Toole or O'Brien.

We really need Duff back for the home games...

[Colbert Report]

I cannot understand why Lee Carsley isn't even in the squad, never mind starting at central midfield over Glenn Whelan.

[irishfan86]

I cannot understand why Lee Carsley isn't even in the squad, never mind starting at central midfield over Glenn Whelan.

While I would have agreed with you before, it's hard to be critical of his two performances so far.

I said before that Whelan is essentially a more mobile Lee Carsley, and that seems to be fairly accurate from what I've seen so far with Ireland.

Limited from a creativity perspective, but he adds a presence and keeps things simple.

[Stuttgart88]

I cannot understand why Lee Carsley isn't even in the squad, never mind starting at central midfield over Glenn Whelan.Better distribution?