Zak Gilsenan M Blackburn b.2003

**liamoo11** · 20/10/2019, 1:16 PM

Isn't in the aussie 17s squad for the world cup but it is only jas 3 lads who are 2003s in it like gilsenan is the rest are 2002s

**tetsujin1979** · 04/10/2021, 7:21 PM

Bump
Nine years after the thread was started, he's in the under 19 squad with John Joe Patrick Finn Benoa, who signed for Real Madrid around the same time he signed for Barcelona

**liamoo11** · 04/10/2021, 8:08 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Bump
Nine years after the thread was started, he's in the under 19 squad with John Joe Patrick Finn Benoa, who signed for Real Madrid around the same time he signed for Barcelona

Its a great story isn't it? Both have done great to beat the odds so far in their careers.

**Olé Olé** · 21/10/2021, 5:18 PM

https://www.the42.ie/zak-gilsenan-ir...mpression=true

Gavin Cooney reckons that Gilsenan has committed to Ireland. Nice. All the best to him with the injury recovery.

**tetsujin1979** · 08/08/2023, 8:59 PM

Scores and assists tonight on his senior debut, in a 4-3 win for Blackburn

**JR89** · 08/08/2023, 9:01 PM

Hopefully tonights performances can get him a spot in the match day squad at the weekend.

All three of Walsalls goals were scored by Irish players. Oisin McEntee, Ross Tierney who also got an assist, and Ronan Maher whose another U21s eligible player.

**Eirambler** · 08/08/2023, 9:41 PM

Originally Posted by Irish Post

Might he even be in the Ireland line up at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?

This was ambitious on a number of levels, in hindsight...

**samhaydenjr** · 09/08/2023, 2:56 AM

Well, that was a long wait - eleven years after the first post, Gilsenan finally makes his first-team debut - and crazily, he's still only 20

**Razors left peg** · 09/08/2023, 3:03 AM

Originally Posted by samhaydenjr

Well, that was a long wait - eleven years after the first post, Gilsenan finally makes his first-team debut - and crazily, he's still only 20

And after 11 years he still might not even be ours... Australia still on the table I think

**JR89** · 09/08/2023, 8:06 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

And after 11 years he still might not even be ours... Australia still on the table I think

He turned down the Australia U23 call up back in May for personal reasons according to Australia.

**MylesNotMiley** · 09/08/2023, 11:26 AM

He retweeted the Australian U-23 squad announcement for the Toulon Tournament back in May - he was listed as 'Train On' on the graphic, I'm guessing that's Australian for 'stand-by'.

**JR89** · 09/08/2023, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by MylesNotMiley

He retweeted the Australian U-23 squad announcement for the Toulon Tournament back in May - he was listed as 'Train On' on the graphic, I'm guessing that's Australian for 'stand-by'.

They brought an extra six guys in to train with the squad for a week in Italy and he was one but didn't join up for whatever personal reasons.

Was in Dublin a couple of days before that camp started doing one to one training.

**nigel-harps1954** · 09/08/2023, 1:40 PM

Presumably waiting to see if he gets an Ireland under-21 callup next month?

**JR89** · 09/08/2023, 2:30 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Presumably waiting to see if he gets an Ireland under-21 callup next month?

Might be holding out for an Ireland call up. We didn't name our June squad until two weeks after that Australian camp started. Maybe was hoping to he'd get a call for that.

Both us and their 23s have qualifiers next month so be interesting to see if they try call him up again. Would assume he'd have to do some sort of paperwork to play for them to take part in actual qualifiers even if he's never played for us. Mays camp was only to come in and train with them.

Think Crawford should be proactive and just get him in next month to train at the minimum. Covers LW, AM, RW, and has filled in at CF at underage.

**Razors left peg** · 09/08/2023, 4:14 PM

Originally Posted by JR89

Might be holding out for an Ireland call up. We didn't name our June squad until two weeks after that Australian camp started. Maybe was hoping to he'd get a call for that.

Both us and their 23s have qualifiers next month so be interesting to see if they try call him up again. Would assume he'd have to do some sort of paperwork to play for them to take part in actual qualifiers even if he's never played for us. Mays camp was only to come in and train with them.

Think Crawford should be proactive and just get him in next month to train at the minimum. Covers LW, AM, RW, and has filled in at CF at underage.

If he continues like he played yesterday, with a goal and assist on his debut he'll be in the U21 squad 100% on merit. Him and Emakhu have had a good 1st week of the season and makes them both an interesting watch for the next few weeks to see if they can continue it.