Was pretty shocked at that one too. Is there more to it than meets the eye, I wonder?Quote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
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Was pretty shocked at that one too. Is there more to it than meets the eye, I wonder?Quote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
Given the choice - Seniors qualify for Euros or U21s qualify for theirs, which would people here pick?
Despite flying home for the Danish game my gut (yes, him again) told me on the Tuesday that I had more invested in the U21s for some reason.
why not both?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
think of this scenario over the next 12 months...
1. seniors qualify
2. u21s qualify and..
3. the FAI board is completely overhauled with good people.
we might have turned a serious corner, on the international front anyway, then...
It's no fun to add "both" as an option. The fun is in an "either / or" option!
The u21's are, in every way, the future. Its not a surprise that your gut was rumbling again. :) Great question.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Despite our disagreement on whether the senior squad should be calling up more promising U21's as injury replacements instead of the never-will-be's that we usually call up (my thinking at the time being that senior success was far more important than underage), I think I would lean towards the u21's and more big tournament exposure for them. But i am sure i will be in the minority (dont @ me). ;)
I think the U21s qualifying would lift the football fans, but the seniors qualifying would lift the entire country.
I'd say a lot of us are more invested in the U21's but their progress won't stall too much as a result of not qualifying. We'll probably never have a major tournament in our own country again so the seniors is a no brainer for me. And even if we didn't have some games in Dublin I would still say the seniors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
I see the U21 Euros will be in Hungary & Slovenia though, never been to either so could be a good opportunity!
Seniors, no question.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Choosing the 21s to succeed over the seniors reminds me of the England team maybe 10/15 years ago, where they were always looking to a future which never really arrived, and pillorying their senior players into an early retirement.
I'd take the seniors qualifying. I think you'd have to. As good as a successful tournament at underage level is, and as much as i like the management and players, memories are made at major tournaments and kids become life-long fans...
You could argue it's really important for the group of players and that in the long run it might be better for Ireland but I think that would be overstating it slightly.
It obviously depends how it goes, if the choice was winning the U21 championships, I would probably flip my vote.
Equally if it was a horror show akin to Euro 2012, I think I'd take the U21s.
Seniors for me, the problem with the 21s is that the finals aren't until June 2021. By then a lot of our under 21 players (and of course the manager) will be in the middle of a World Cup qualifying campaign with the seniors and probably would end up not travelling to the Under 21 finals anyway.
We'll end up with Tom Mohan coaching a team missing a dozen of its best players, similar to the Under 19 championships a few months ago. Which is a shame, but that's the way of it, underage championships are always stacked in favour of the bigger nations.
Interestingly, Kilkenny on the bench today for Bournemouth. Outside chance of him making his premier league debut. Molumby starts for millwall, Knight returns to Derby bench. No Collins or Masterson in match day squad. Ronan not starting for FC DAC who are about to win 1-0
For anyone who is interested, I am very reliably informed, that the 21s are playing in Beggen for the qualifier in Luxembourg next month. It's about 15 mins by car from Luxembourg Gare Central.
https://www.wichtelweb.net/club/stadion/
Small ground. We'll be beggen for tickets. Ooops...
Kelleher has a knee ligament injury, unfortunate timing with Alisson's injury...
This would be my squad assuming there are no call ups:
Travers (McGinty)
Bazunu
L O’Connor
McNamara
Masterson
O’Shea (Conor McCarthy)
Scales
Collins
T O’Connor
T Clarke
Coventry
Mandriou
Molumby (Taylor)
Knight
Ronan
Smallbone
Connolly (Farrugia)
Elbouzedi
Obafemi (Farrugia)
Afolabi
Parrott
Idah
I would say that Jacko will be a definite in the squad given the form he's been in for Peterborough.
to be honest, i would imagine Taylor will be picked ahead of Mandriou by Kenny. They've both impressed me, I've seen a little more of Mandriou which is maybe why I rate him a little higher. They're also different types of midfielder with different strengths... I think both have the potential to play at a much higher level than they currently play.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Coventry, Molumby and Ronan have been ever-presents when fit and been really good. Knight and Smallbone are both performing at a level for their club, where they need to be included. Which just leaves the the last slot between those two lads and probably Gavin Kilkenny (assuming Smallbone accepts a call-up)...
I'd also say Kenny will have Darragh Leahy in the squad over Trevor Clarke, which is also an entirely justifiable decision...
The game against Sweden has been added to YouTube
New management team of Jim Crawford and John O'Shea confirmed: https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/fai-...nagement-teams
Quote:
Jim Crawford has been promoted to manager of the Ireland Under-21 side and will be assisted by John O’Shea.
Dates for final qualifiers, and a friendly, confirmed: https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/date...-21-qualifiers
Table: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_U...cation#Group_1Quote:
Ireland U-21 Fixtures - 2020
07/09 - Slovenia v Ireland - International Friendly
13/10 - Italy v Ireland - U-21 European Championships Qualifier
12/11 - Ireland v Iceland - U-21 European Championships Qualifier
17/11 - Luxembourg v Ireland - U-21 European Championships Qualifier
currently top the group on 16 points, ahead of Italy on 13 who have a game in hand, and better goal difference
Saw Mandriou has been linked with a Dutch side, FC Twente. Maybe Jack Byrne could advise him of the merits of the move. Definitely a step up from LOI and if he does well there, are probably a platform to move to a better club
Now this is interesting, love to see our lads begin to look beyond the UK game and the chance to do so opening up.Quote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
And Kevin Zefi reported to be headed for Inter:
https://twitter.com/noriordan/status...522894336?s=19
i think it'll happen a lot more frequently now. especially kids around Zefi's age. At some point during Brexit, not really sure when, perhaps now, the EU exemption regarding the movement of players under 18 will no longer apply to England and Scotland, meaning their academies can't bring in U18s from outside the country (except when the family moves to the UK for entirely non-footballing reasons). That's the reason Evan Ferguson's move to Brighton was cancelled.
So with England and Scotland off the table, there'll be plenty of European clubs looking to Ireland and plenty of Irish kids looking to Europe.
Hard to tell if it's a good thing yet, it's certainly the great unknown. For better or worse, England has been the primary route for the past 30 years. Obviously it's closer to home and easier to arrange flights to and from Dublin and there's no language barrier. But the structures in place in English clubs regarding reserve football often make the transition harder and generally English clubs are financially sound enough that they rarely need to rely on academy players.
I'd say you'll have some kids sticking around till 18, that was briefly en vogue with the likes of Aaron Bolger, Trev Clarke and Brandon Kavanagh sticking around at Rovers, it looked like that might become more prevalent. But with those lads struggling and with the departure of Bazunu to England, someone else left Rovers who i can't remember now, then the likes of Sinclair and Zefi look destined for Europe now, it looks like they haven't been really able to keep the brightest talents. Whether Italy or Inter is ideal is another question, my only recent knowledge of them is the handling of Ryan Nolan which hasn't really worked out too well. Maybe in a decade France or Germany or Spain could become the prime location
Bohs have kept Andy Lyons and there's a few other good lads like Tierney, Grant, Ferguson and Devoy who have only played in Ireland so far. But they primarily seem to be doing a good job of signing lads who return home from the UK and integrating them into first team football (Leahy, Talbot, Mandriou, Finnerty, Levingstone, Thompson, McAuley etc etc).
It'll certainly be an interesting few years...
Great post and very true on all fronts in terms of the variety of routes and uncertainty (like everything else at present).
I think James Furlong is the lad you are referring to that left Rovers.
As things stand December 31st is the Brexit cut off. Players need to be 16 before then to go to England.
Hard to know for sure if players are better staying or going at that age. Take for example Bazunu. If he stayed he'd have played another year or more of first team football in Ireland. But then he might learn a lot about goalkeeping in the Man City academy too, especially the distribution side of the position working alongside someone like Ederson.
Maybe signing players and loaning them back, with "holiday" stints in the UK academies alongside first team football in Ireland might be an option, if that can be done legally.
It's a while away yet but we're going to be looking at a slightly depleted looking Under 21 team for the rest of the qualifiers. Strong probability that Connolly, Molumby and O'Shea will no longer be available. Potentially Obafemi, Smallbone, Knight, maybe even Idah might be senior callups as well and Travers will presumably stay with the Seniors also.
Even then though, we still have the potential to put together a decent enough squad.
GK:Kelleher/Bazunu
RB: L O'Connor/McNamara
LB: T O'Connor/Burke/Clarke
CB: Collins/Scales
CB: Masterson/O'Hora
CM: Coventry/Connell
CM: Knight/Hodge/Taylor
CM: Smallbone/Ronan
LW: Ferry/Scully
RW: Obafemi/Kilkenny/Elbouzedi
CF: Idah/Parrott/Afolabi
Getting a bit tight on cover in central defence if O'Shea moves up, but otherwise still looking pretty strong.
I think you can forget about Connolly, Obafemi, Molumby, Smallbone and O'Shea all things going well. They're more than worth a senior call up at this point.
Without them it's still shockingly strong when you compare it to some of the squads we had before where, like when we had a clubless Grego-Cox leading the line.
Training camp squad set to be announced, and will cause the postponement of Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians: https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-39476695.html
Quote:
Rovers have requested for the game to be postponed because Neil Farrugia and Liam Scales are in Jim Crawford's plans for a gathering in Northern Ireland in preparation for the remainder of their qualifying campaign.
Bohemians duo Danny Grant and Danny Mandroiu will also be with the U-21 team so their boss Keith Long has no issue with the Rovers request which will have to be granted.
That'd be my 23:
Kelleher
Bazunu
Maher
L O’Connor
McNamara
O’Shea
Masterson
Scales
Collins
T O’Connor
Clarke
Coventry
Knight
Ronan
Taylor
Mandriou
Smallbone
Elbouzedi
Farrugia
Scully
Obafemi
Afolabi
Hale
With Conor McCarthy unlucky to miss out at centre-back. I can't see either Hale or Clarke getting the call though, so replace them for Grant and Leahy
After the last couple of days I'd be pleasantly surprised to see Obafemi involved. I can see him picking up a "knock" beforehand and withdrawing.
I don't see the sense in having an under-21 training camp, whilst English clubs are in their pre-season and Irish clubs are mid-season. A disruption to all really, and the players coming from England would have to get special allowances not to have to quarantine, just to have some training sessions..
The training camp will be held in Northern Ireland, so no need to isolate.
Jim Crawford's first game will be away to Italy, followed by a home game a few days later against an Iceland side they lost to - given the last game is against Luxembourg, those two games are basically the entirety of their campaign - so if results are negative, that'll be it for them. The two games Italy have in hand are home and away to Sweden, so you could easily see Italy drop points, so if you were to draw against Italy and win against Iceland you'd be in great shape.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
You've possibly lost Connolly, Idah, Molumby and Parrott for October. So there'll need to be a bit of a rebuild as we'll be relatively light on attacking players. Maybe Farrugia and Elbouzedi on the wings and Obafemi up top. Otherwise Afolabi leading the line? Either way, with a new manager and a few players graduating to the seniors, there's plenty of work to do.
Shame they can't arrange a friendly, probably NI 21s would be the only option but they're playing 2 games this window... Maybe you'd be able to have a friendly with Scotland or Wales and play it in the Brandywell? Both sides are only playing one game, Wales early and Scotland late in the window.
Wouldn't be surprised but hope his attitude is to arrive along and prove his worth and push for an October or November call-up to the seniors...Quote:
Originally Posted by ColourfulPeanut
Will smallbone and obafemi can make their way over together from Southampton.... if they need a lift I will pick them up
A little light up front but the rest of the field looks solid. Surely Anthony Scully deserves a place now since he was getting regular starts and goals at Lincoln before Covid kicked in.
#prayforluca
From senior squad involvement to missing out on the Under 21s in the space of a year - a cautionary tale for others.
Hodge, Scully and Kilkenny must have been close as well.
I'm sure they will come gladly and willingly and without the need for you to chaperone them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggs246
Conor McCarthy too- playing regularly for St Mirren. Warren O'Hora with his recent award at Brighton and loan move to MK Dons.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Spoiled for choice. Great to see.
Your half rightQuote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé