Nice goal tbf. Similar to Idah's goal against NZ in a way - cool, calm and confident finish. Good to see.
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Nice goal tbf. Similar to Idah's goal against NZ in a way - cool, calm and confident finish. Good to see.
Parrott's goal at 2:40 and his assist at 6:35 in the video below
Some turnaround after that - 2-0 up after 13 minutes, but they had a player sent off midway through the first half and ultimately lost 4-2.
Eight league games without a win now, but at least Parrott's starting games. Was worried he'd been signed as back-up given Olé Olé's suggestion on the previous page. And he's scored more than their top scorer last season already.
Good to see him playing and scoring a few goals. His return is decent in terms of minutes per goal also. Probably still needs to be taken in the context of the strength of that league all the same. The top scorer in the division has 18 goals (compared to Troy's five) and is only a few months older than him.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/d...ie/top-scorers
Could also take into context the quality of team the two players play in and that Parrott has only roughly 400 minutes compared to Gimenez’s 1200.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
There is a big gap in quality between Feyenoord and Excelsior - put Parrott in the Feyenoord team and he would have at least double what he has at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by CSAD
Interestingly David Connolly scored 42 goals in 48 appearances whilst on loan there. A much better scoring rate than he manages at Feyenoord, but I think he was playing in the second tier at the time.
Yes they were in the second tier at the time - the got promoted in 2002. Connolly scored 7 goals in 25 games for Feyenoord over the 4 seasons he was there (when he wasn't out on loan) before joining Wimbledon.Quote:
Originally Posted by third policeman
Started and played full 120 mins for Excelsior in the Dutch cup last night away to 3rd tier team Spakenburg, who made semi finals last year. Looking at Excelsior's twitter he seems to have had a busy game. He got an assist, was involved in forcing an OG for the equalizer at 2-2 but also came up short a good few times with shots and efforts which didn't come off. Game was 2-2 after 90 and went to ET where Agrafiotis got the winner for Excelsior.
Had never heard of Spakenburg and nerd that I am, I had to google them.Quote:
Originally Posted by OMTY
They're an amateur side! :eek:
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/03/ama...-football-cup/
I know there's never been huge depth in Dutch football, but I assumed that all third tier teams would be semi-pro, at least.
EDIT: And even more bizarre: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/24/s...therlands.html
The FA Cup in England has a long history of lower league/ non league clubs causing upsets so it happening in the Dutch League isnt all that surprising either. One off games where the superior team takes it lightly and get caught by the weaker one is part of the beauty of sport!Quote:
Originally Posted by EalingGreen
I read that Parrott had 10 shots on goal in this game, and his manager has already been onto him that he needs to start converting more chances. I suppose the positive is that hes getting into scoring positions regularly, and if he could start converting more he could have good 2nd half to season.
Aye, but "non-league" in England does not equal Amateur.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I mean, virtually all of the teams in the National League(5th tier) are f-t professional, and and a few in the two 6th tier divisions. While players down as far as the 7th and 8th tiers (maybe even the 9th?) are also pocketing a few quid.
Of course the competition is open to clubs as far down as the 10th tier, some of whom may be strictly Amateur, but I can't remember when one of those got as far as even the 1st Round proper, never mind deeper into the competition, and certainly not beating f-t professional clubs of the calibre of some of those Spakenburg have beaten.
It's a cup game, sh1t happens. It's not deep :)Quote:
Originally Posted by EalingGreen
So Spakenburg sometimes Spank !
Has Excelsior on track for their first league run since early October; scored the second at home to Heerenveen and they're 3-0 up now
Edit - hit the woodwork and got an assist for the opener; solid evening's work which lifts them from one place outside the relegation playoffs up to one place outside the European playoffs in one go
Scores again tonight, though a poor defeat for the side and they're quickly slipping down a very tight table again. Seventh of the season; 4 in his last 8
Would love him to stay in that league. Suits his game more than the physicality of the Championship
If it's for one of those teams or a team that qualifies for the Europa League then I'd like him to stay in Holland. If not it would be interesting to see if he has interest from other European leagues. Alasdair Gold did say two weeks ago that theirs growing interest for him with Serie A clubs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Is it centre forward he's playing? They seem to go between 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1 and he seems to be the 9 in both shapes.
Hes played as a 9 anytime Ive watched themQuote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Feyenoord could be a good move. There's been talk about his activities outside football have impacted on his career so far. If he's settled in Rotterdam and is concentrating on his football it makes a lot of sense to stay there.
An Irish international hanging around with a drugs cartel was outrageousQuote:
Originally Posted by backstothewall
I'm delighted if he's cut those ties and has moved on from them. It gives him a shot of being a very good player.
Tbh he's not fast enough to play 9 at international level
But he could be a very handy 10
Maybe there's more to living in Rotterdam than meets the eye! A key part of a certain crime family's empire!Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggs246
Thats a little below the belt. Don't recall this young man having any disciplinary issues with any of his clubs or his country. I know he did take a holiday with a renowned criminal's son on one occasion, but that doesn't necessarily mean he is involved in anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Seems to have been replaced at halftime (after Excelsior had conceded 4 goals) in the 5-2 defeat at Fortuna Sittard today, as Excelsior's slide down the table continues.
Sierhuis stars as Fortuna Sittard put five goals past Excelsior - Football Oranje (football-oranje.com)
Correct. And a renowned criminal's son doesn't mean the young lad is a criminal eitherQuote:
Originally Posted by Drummerboy2
Not in the Excelsior squad at all today, after coming off at half-time last week. Another injury doubt for the March games?
A 4-0 defeat to AZ today, following from a 5-2 defeat last week - five defeats in a row now, and they're sliding towards the drop. Or the playoffs at least.
Not sure he gets in the squad at the moment if fit. As central strikers, I think all of Szmodics, Ferguson, Obafemi and Idah would be ahead right nowQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Possibly true - though he would be ahead of Obafemi for me, who's done next to nothing in 18 months or so. Szmodics - let's see if he accepts the call-up this month! I'd have Keane in ahead of Obafemi, Parrott and Idah too, albeit he's been quiet lately (one goal in six)
Quite a lot of decent options to choose from up front to be fair.
Ah Idah, Parrott and Obafemi are ****-poor options to have if we're brutally honest. None have really made a lasting impact at club level yet - they're the sort of players that, if they were in the Greece squad, would be proof that we should be beating them 2/3-0.
Ferguson is hot property and Szmodics is on an amazing run. Keane I think has something to offer. That's really all we have (ignoring wide players like Johnston and Ogbene). Hogan and Robinson have dropped off the radar (both with one goal in the last 13 months), Connolly has barely played since returning from injury, Cannon has yet to prove last year wasn't a flash in the pan (which ironically may be good for us).
We're still pretty limited up front.
It's all relative though. I'd say all of those lads would make the tournament squads for a number of teams that will be at the Euros this summer. Goalscoring strikers are not plentiful these days and all of those have proven they have goals in them at a reasonable level. Most are still under 23 also, even though it feels like they've been around forever.
They're under 23 so they may have potential, sure. But they're not finals standard for anyone really. They're just poor players at present. Bar one four-month hot streak two years ago, none of them have proven they have goals in them at a reasonable level either. Parrott has 3 in 45 in the Premier/Championship (and I think one of those was a penalty), Idah has 12 in 99 Championship games (again some penalties in there) and Obafemi has 21 in 101 Premier/Championship games, which becomes 10 in 84 outside of that hot streak.
Those are pretty poor scoring records.
I'm not sure what people expect. We're a small country with a poor domestic league who are living completely in the shadow of our larger and greatly more powerful footballing neighbours.
How many genuine top-class centre-forwards has Ireland produced over the past 40/50 years?
Stapleton and Keane? And neither of those were ever really close to being truly world class.
Even in the golden era of Jack we had Tommy Coyne of Motherwell playing up front in USA '94.
By historical comparisons, our current options really aren't that bad.
At least we now have genuine pace and athleticism to call upon.
I think in fairness the backup options down the years - David Kelly, Tommy Coyne, Clinton Morrison, Daryl Murphy, Simon Cox and the likes - had all made far more of an impact at club level than Parrott, Idah, Obafemi and Connolly.
If Ferguson comes good we'll have a replacement for Keane. Szmodics is 28 now but I'd be quite happy if he could deliver 4/5 solid years. Add Mikey Johnston on the wing and that's not bad
But I think we're still about as low as we've been in the past 40 years tbh. Certainly until Ferguson takes off and Szmodics is capped
I suspect most of those had had less of an impact than the four current players listed at the same age.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
You're right - Stapleton and Keane and maybe Givens as well. But that speaks to the absolute dearth of coaching in Ireland. In our lifetime as a football nation, that is all we have produced for decent strikers. And therein lies the problem dogging Irish football since time began - nobody to put the ball in the net and no one to create the chances (creativity in midfield). Let's stop looking for the potential players and start looking for the coaches who are able to teach these things to Irish kids.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trequartista20
Ferguson won't replace Keane. He is nothing like Robbie. Robbie was quicker and more elusive in the penalty area. Szmodics, if he happens to finally pull on an Irish shirt, would be more like Keane in terms of style.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu