Aaron Connolly F Millwall b.2000

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

My concern about Connolly is that I feel like he would need to hit a low point to build himself back up to where he could get. I don't want to pay heed to the paper speculation but on a few other fronts he comes across as the cliched flash lad that is satisfied to have made it as a pro footballer. And he has enough qualities that he will be good enough to play at a level like the Championship or League One for his whole career and be paid sufficiently well to maintain his image of himself in his head as the pro footballer with money for a long time.

It just feels to me like he will coast along until he reaches a low point or has the penny drop moment or maybe just simply he matures- it's easy to forget how young these guys are.

And Idah is gas in that regard. I don't believe he was the prodigious talent from a young age like Connolly and Parrott were - one with incredible pace and the other with amazing technique - so he has worked harder and utilised his natural height and honed his skillset to make himself a lovely number 9 that will get better with age.

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I suppose there is hundred / thousands like Connolly potentially is i.e. Completely wastes his talents ~ ~ In a Pub somewhere in 10 / 15 years telling some poor devil how great he could have been except for ~ This / That / Other.

How many of those like that has there been in the history of football ?

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Originally Posted by seanfhear

I suppose there is hundred / thousands like Connolly potentially is i.e. Completely wastes his talents ~ ~ In a Pub somewhere in 10 / 15 years telling some poor devil how great he could have been except for ~ This / That / Other.

How many of those like that has there been in the history of football ?

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Over to you Tets. :D

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Originally Posted by SkStu

Over to you Tets. :D

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Coincidentally, this appeared on my YouTube feed today

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

At least he's still starting games, so that's something.

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I may have jinxed things. Dropped today and came on as a sub with ten minutes to go. Don't know was it form or did the bust-up impact things, or was it just tactical?

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I may have jinxed things. Dropped today and came on as a sub with ten minutes to go. Don't know was it form or did the bust-up impact things, or was it just tactical?

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Just rested. Played 82mins on Friday and the only other game he hasn't started since the international break was against Fulham which was a mid week game too.

His numbers were desperate the other day, hard to defend him reading them.

Inzaghi's numbers would be similar, except for GS!

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

My concern about Connolly is that I feel like he would need to hit a low point to build himself back up to where he could get. I don't want to pay heed to the paper speculation but on a few other fronts he comes across as the cliched flash lad that is satisfied to have made it as a pro footballer. And he has enough qualities that he will be good enough to play at a level like the Championship or League One for his whole career and be paid sufficiently well to maintain his image of himself in his head as the pro footballer with money for a long time.

It just feels to me like he will coast along until he reaches a low point or has the penny drop moment or maybe just simply he matures- it's easy to forget how young these guys are.

And Idah is gas in that regard. I don't believe he was the prodigious talent from a young age like Connolly and Parrott were - one with incredible pace and the other with amazing technique - so he has worked harder and utilised his natural height and honed his skillset to make himself a lovely number 9 that will get better with age.

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Bit harsh on idah there. He has been scoring goals in abundance since under 15s internationally. He is a full year younger than Connolly but consistently played up a year on international sides with Connolly from under 17 level and always scored goals

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Originally Posted by liamoo11

Bit harsh on idah there. He has been scoring goals in abundance since under 15s internationally. He is a full year younger than Connolly but consistently played up a year on international sides with Connolly from under 17 level and always scored goals

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I took it as a compliment to Idah, in that he has worked hard to maximise his ability, while maybe not having as much natural talent as Connolly. It may be the case that the game comes too easy to some, whereas if you have to work and work at it to make the grade that work ethic will stand to you.

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Originally Posted by TonyD

I took it as a compliment to Idah, in that he has worked hard to maximise his ability, while maybe not having as much natural talent as Connolly. It may be the case that the game comes too easy to some, whereas if you have to work and work at it to make the grade that work ethic will stand to you.

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Yep, it was intended as a compliment. Connolly had/has brilliant pace. Parrott had/has brilliant technique. I'm not sure Idah naturally would have either. Idah had the brilliant work ethic and desire. And a good frame.

I don't believe Idah had a huge amount of offers as a teenager, did he? I might have to go back through his thread but I don't believe he was chased as much as others and even 3 or 4 years ago posters on here doubted he would make it.

I honestly think he has a big future ahead of him and the form he showed before before his injury wasn't a huge surprise to me.

Idah was a sprinter as a teenager was he not? Was in the same athletics team as Tyriek Wright I believe. I think he's quick enough for a tall lad.

Actually, if you were to put together the attributes or an ideal striker, Idah would tick a lot of boxes. He's quick enough, he's tall, he's strong, he's technically proficient with his feet and he's a good finisher. Seems to have a good attitude also. Probably the main negative is that he's injury prone. But, in terms of his all round natural abilities, he is possibly the most rounded forward we have coming through (Evan Ferguson has good attributes also to be fair but I haven't seen as much of him yet). If football did a combine for young players like other sports do Idah would score well in it I think.

The question with Idah is whether he can put all that together to become the striker he is capable of being and also whether he can stay consistently fit for long enough to deliver on his potential.

Connolly doesn't have near as many positive attributes as Idah, especially in terms of playing centre forward, he's short, doesn't hold the ball up well, is a poor finisher and seems to have a questionable attitude (to put it mildly). His main positives - that he's quick, reasonably skillful and has a trick or two would more suit a wide forward. But his managers seem to want to play him centrally for whatever reason. They must see something in him that I don't to be honest.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Idah was a sprinter as a teenager was he not? Was in the same athletics team as Tyriek Wright I believe. I think he's quick enough for a tall lad.

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Yeah I don't know where the notion came from that he's not quick. He used to run for Leevale in Cork I think. The lad's a really good athlete. And I think he was lauded as a prospect from a long time back too. He's scored well at all our underage levels but still - to me - looks short of know-how at senior level. I think he needs regular games at a lower level.

I take all the points on board re Idah. I suppose my point is that Connolly was probably the type of player at a young age that could knock it past players or get in behind and score. He'd win games like that. Parrott was probably able to win games on his own through his incredible technique. Those kind of young lads that are just prodigious. Idah has a more rounded skillset and has grown into the centre forward role and progressed at a steadier rate. I'll leave it there.

I think Idah is going to look a serious player in the Championship next year if he's playing at the front of a functioning team.

How's Connolly doing overall at Middlesbrough? I get the feeling he's in and out of the team and not scoring much, but I haven't followed the details.

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Originally Posted by John83

I think Idah is going to look a serious player in the Championship next year if he's playing at the front of a functioning team.

How's Connolly doing overall at Middlesbrough? I get the feeling he's in and out of the team and not scoring much, but I haven't followed the details.

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Connolly struggling, unpopular with fans. Doesn't help.

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Originally Posted by John83

I think Idah is going to look a serious player in the Championship next year if he's playing at the front of a functioning team.

How's Connolly doing overall at Middlesbrough? I get the feeling he's in and out of the team and not scoring much, but I haven't followed the details.

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If Norwich keep Pukki this summer, which they should because don't see teams meeting Norwich's valuation then himself and Idah could form a top partnership next season. Pukki is a goal machine in the championship and they were working well together when Smith switched to 4-4-2.

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Originally Posted by JR89

If Norwich keep Pukki this summer, which they should because don't see teams meeting Norwich's valuation then himself and Idah could form a top partnership next season. Pukki is a goal machine in the championship and they were working well together when Smith switched to 4-4-2.

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Based on the West Ham and Everton games then, if you're Smith, you're looking at ensuring you maintain existing or sign improved hard-working wingers and keeping that pair in situ. That is surely how it will go.

On Pukki, maybe a non European club comes in with a nice wedge for him. China, Middle East etc. He might like a final pay day as opposed to a promotion battle.

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Based on the West Ham and Everton games then, if you're Smith, you're looking at ensuring you maintain existing or sign improved hard-working wingers and keeping that pair in situ. That is surely how it will go.

On Pukki, maybe a non European club comes in with a nice wedge for him. China, Middle East etc. He might like a final pay day as opposed to a promotion battle.

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They paid good money for Rashica and Sargent last summer and don't think they've done enough for other teams to be sniffing around. Should be able to keep the current team together and strengthen smartly. Midfield is where they'll probably look to strengthen first and probably why they're rumoured as one the teams looking at Cullen as Anderlecht play a similar 4-4-2 system.

With promotion worth over a hundred million can't see Norwich letting him go and feel the risk of losing him for nothing in 2023 would be worth it. Would take a big offer for Norwich to consider it.

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Originally Posted by JR89

They paid good money for Rashica and Sargent last summer and don't think they've done enough for other teams to be sniffing around. Should be able to keep the current team together and strengthen smartly. Midfield is where they'll probably look to strengthen first and probably why they're rumoured as one the teams looking at Cullen as Anderlecht play a similar 4-4-2 system.

With promotion worth over a hundred million can't see Norwich letting him go and feel the risk of losing him for nothing in 2023 would be worth it. Would take a big offer for Norwich to consider it.

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Pukki is the type of player that epitomizes most everything a

Reading that he missed a great chance to snatch a win at the death with a shot off the post.