https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-38222401.html
Strong words from Robbie. And very strong words on Luca Connell- "I'm telling you tight now, he'll play for us" and "I guarantee you 100% he is desperate to play for Ireland."
Could be one to keep an eye on:
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.d...-McCarron.html
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-38222401.html
Strong words from Robbie. And very strong words on Luca Connell- "I'm telling you tight now, he'll play for us" and "I guarantee you 100% he is desperate to play for Ireland."
https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status...059047425?s=19
FAI leaving it all on the line for Kavanagh and his boy. Love it.
https://ulsterherald.com/2019/06/22/...l-bound-conor/
Could be the next border dispute😀
Louie Barry offered a three year contract by West Brom on his sixteenth birthday, amid rumours of a move to Barcelona: https://www.skysports.com/football/n...elona-interest
I saw this lad at the victory shield game in Kerry this year. An excellent box to box midfielder. Interestingly he was one of 3 lads in that starting team that night who had their heads bowed and looked very uneasy during God savd the queen. The big centre half also mentioned in that article was another
There used to be quite specific regulations regarding contracts for young players at different ages. Both minimum and maximum.
A few years ago, you could only offer a maximum of 3 years at 16. Equally there are certain moments where clubs had to offer a minimum of 2 years (I think possibly after the player has graduated u18).
Not sure the regulations right now but I imagine it’s not too far off that
Another one off to the graveyard of Irish footballing talent that is Liverpool FC though. Unless he's unbelievably good he hasn't a hope, and even if he is the odds will be against him there.
The footballing education he would get there is second to none and should make him a better player. Masterson has been linked with some good clubs so there is a way back for players. Players should be realistic of this fact when signing for clubs like city or liverpool.
I think if you're going to a Top 6 club, you know you've got about a 1/25 to 1/50 chance of making the breakthrough at that club. They all tend to promote a not-already-established young player to the first team about once every a year or once every two years - but it certainly doesn’t stop the player from developing into a top footballer.
Over the 7 or 8 years, Liverpool have brought through the likes of Spearing (55 app), Sterling (129), Ibe (58), Kelly (62), Wisdom (22), Suso (21), Flanagan (51), Gomez (66) and Alexander-Arnold (85).
United have had the likes of Rashford, Lingaard, McTominey, Perreira, Fosuh-Mensah is borderline.
City have had Foden, Zinchenko, Iheanacho, Boyata (a bit borderline)…
Chelsea with Loftus-Cheek, Christiansen, Hudson-Odoi (on his way), Ampadu (on his way), Ake
Arsenal with Bellerin, Iwobi, Maitland-Niles, Gnabry,
Spurs: Kane, Winks, Alli, Winks, Walker Peters (on his way), Bentlaleb, Carroll.
Plenty of our best young players have joined top 6 sides and probably no one has broken through since maybe Darron Gibson - at Liverpool it was probably Darren Potter, but he was scouse born so that’s a little different.
Liverpool probably had quantity over quality. Of the previous batch, Cleary could probably still end up at a high high level. Trying to think who they had: Cleary, O’Hanlon, Mikey Collins, Jimmy Ryan, Joe Rafferty - no real standouts. If I think of the real standout underage players joining big six clubs, I’d look at Robbie Brady at United, Conor Clifford at Chelsea, Jack Byrne at City, Arsenal probably haven’t had a ‘can’t miss’ talent since Anto Stokes (unless Dan Crowley counts?) and Troy Parrott is probably the only Spurs player. Genuinely don’t think Liverpool have had a player of their ability who ‘should’ have really made it to an elite level since Joxer. They’ve perhaps had more youth players within the system but less of the top ones.
I suppose you could argue that player X (let’s say Alex O’Hanlon) was the best U15 when he went across and Liverpool failed to truly develop that talent so he wasn’t standout by 17 or 18 - but I’m not sure that argument holds up.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Not to mind leaving cert- I'm liking a trend of lads finishing University before moving on. Robbie Benson tried it and it didn't necessarily work for him. Farrugia and Scales might manage it though. Hope this catches on.
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