Joey O'Brien

O'Brien looks like he could be top class. In O'Brien and Ireland I think we have the 2 most promising young players from any nation to breakthrough to their first teams in the Premiership this season. He was solid again on Saturday and is playing out of position.

I'd like to see him starting to get a game in central midfield in the future as I reckon himself and Ireland could be an excellent pairing for us at International level for many years.

With Doyle looking leagues ahead of all the strikers in the Championship (not in goalscoring terms but in overall contribution), Garvan at Ipswich being touted for great things and Keogh at S****horpe banging in goals for fun (and still only 19) perhaps the future isn't as bleak as we thought a few short months ago.

o'brien was excellant against arsenal, helped keep their attack very quiet and put in a peach of a cross for one of the goals

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Originally Posted by youngirish

In O'Brien and Ireland I think we have the 2 most promising young players from any nation to breakthrough to their first teams in the Premiership this season......
With Doyle looking leagues ahead of all the strikers in the Championship (not in goalscoring terms but in overall contribution),

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A slight case of rose tinted glasses there but I agree that they are looking like good prospects. They should all get a run out in the March friendly.

Ian Morris is doing a fine job at Blackpool on loan from Leeds. Put in great performances for the Ireland U 19's too. More youngsters should be given a go in friendlies. No point in having the likes of Doherty on the bench as their not going to gain anything from it. Every time Doherty gets ready to come on you know that the manager has bottled it and going for a long ball approach!

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Originally Posted by Hulsey

Ian Morris is doing a fine job at Blackpool on loan from Leeds. Put in great performances for the Ireland U 19's too. More youngsters should be given a go in friendlies. No point in having the likes of Doherty on the bench as their not going to gain anything from it.

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I agree 100%. The added bonus is if a youngster does well in a friendly for Ireland then it puts him in the shop window and could potentially get him a move to a better club (or at least improve his profile at his current club). In Doherty's case even if he plays a stormer in one match everyone knows he's s***e by now and won't take a gamble on him.

I see Billy Clarke has now also made the breakthrough to the Ipswich bench. At 17 I think he has serious potential.

Joe Royle rates Clarke very highly. Could be the new Darren Bent for them? Their young irish keeper Shane Supple (18 I think) was on the bench at the weekend and is also earmarked by Royle to have a bright future. They have another young Irish lad too but can't think of this name at the moment:rolleyes: .

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Originally Posted by Hulsey

Joe Royle rates Clarke very highly. Could be the new Darren Bent for them? Their young keeper Shane Supple is also earmarked by Royle to have a bright future. They have another young Irish lad too but can't think of this name at the moment:rolleyes: .

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Thay have a few:
Owen Garvan
Cathal Lordan
Michael Synott

At present Garvan looks the most promising as he's a regular for the first team when he's fit.

Garvan was who I was thinking of. Cheers for that it would have annoyed me all day.

whats o briens natural/preferred position?

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Originally Posted by youngirish

I see Billy Clarke has now also made the breakthrough to the Ipswich bench. At 17 I think he has serious potential.

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It seems that's the case with almost all of that Irish U19 team.

Owen Garvan in particular has already made a big impact but is injured at the moment. But you need to be careful introducing these guys to senior international football. The better U21s would probably be best served by promotion to the senior squad but Billy Clarke has only had 20 mins of club football so let him develop at his own pace.

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Originally Posted by as_i_say

whats o briens natural/preferred position?

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Central midfield

Bobby McMahon on Fox Sports World had high praise for O'Brien's performance against Arsenal.

he is a great prospect but he needs to be given more time to develop. Its a big tep up from club football to international football and he is still only young

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Originally Posted by mchurl

he is a great prospect but he needs to be given more time to develop. Its a big tep up from club football to international football and he is still only young

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Even still, I reckon he's our most credible back-up to Finnan. Sure, we shouldn't rush him, but he's playing at a high enough level to be included in senior squads at least. It's the guts of a year to our next competitive game & what happens if Finnan is injured?

I wouldn't mind seeing Finnan at left back and O'Brien at right full just to see how it would work out. Mind you, plenty on the forum have been screaming for Finnan to get a shot at left full for an age

if o brien is a central mid then we need to see him playing there-we dont need another utility boy like oshea really-always thought o brien was a center half, anyway-its great to see him coming through.

once o neill gets the job we'll be looking healthier again

Featuring all day today on Sky Sports News on one of those "one to watch" features that they are doing at every Premiership club. Kevin Nolan had some good words to say about him.

Article is here:

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=332482&cpid=8&CLID=30&lid=&title=O'B rien+loving+life+at+Bolton&channel=uefa_cup

Another good article here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...7714_1,00.html

:ball: PP

Nicky Hunt is back from injury and will most likely move back into right back. Hopefully O'Brien keeps him place in the team.

bwfc.com:
"Wanderers made their first change after the hour when Nicky Hunt came on for Okocha. This allowed Speed to go into midfield when the outstanding O'Brien moved into the left-back position."