Jack Byrne (M Shamrock Rovers b.1996)

**Kingdom** · 04/08/2017, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Siberian

Maybe we should stop looking at this through green tinted glasses and consider Byrne is not as good as we would like him to be? Surely managers and coaches at both Blackburn and Wigan who have been assessing him on a daily basis over the last two seasons are best placed to make a judgement?

Or maybe we should stop looking at things through a Blue, White and Red tinted glasses and stop believing that the calibre of manager/coach in the grand echelons of the Championship and League 1 is anything to dropping a knee to, and perhaps there is a higher proportion of bluffers there than there is in Europe?

The boy excelled for a poor team in a reasonably good-performing league. He dropped to a division of lesser standard, in a manky team, playing manky football. How was he ever going to fit in there?

He was badly advised.

**Kingdom** · 04/08/2017, 12:39 PM

Furthermore, I wish more of our players would look further afield than the Premier League or scrambling around the lower leagues.

I really wish the FAI, or the Regional Development Officers/Career Guidance Officers would attempt to offer our young up-and-cummers the opportunity to learn a functional 2nd language outside of the regular-school setting so that they're not limited to the English-speaking leagues.

Or maybe even link up with continental nurseries?

**Kingdom** · 04/08/2017, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

Sadly that is the most likely scenario . If you are good enough most managers will play you and if you are good enough and not playing then there will be plenty of managers and clubs looking to bring you in.....

You give them too much credit.
Look at Ryan Manning. A perfect example.
Jon Walters. A perfect example.

**jbyrne** · 04/08/2017, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

The boy excelled for a poor team in a reasonably good-performing league.

saw a bit of him playing in Holland on sky. some very good performances during his time there and one performance against Ajax (from memory) standing out

**Kingdom** · 04/08/2017, 12:45 PM

The reports from Holland (as opposed to from our own news outlets) was that he performed well against the three big guns, Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV, scoring against the latter.

**kennedmc** · 05/08/2017, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Siberian

Maybe we should stop looking at this through green tinted glasses and consider Byrne is not as good as we would like him to be? Surely managers and coaches at both Blackburn and Wigan who have been assessing him on a daily basis over the last two seasons are best placed to make a judgement?

good post. Byrnes a neat and tidy footballer - looks good at youth level and playing in a team far adrift at bottom of Dutch league because physicality is less important, more time on the ball etc. he seems to be struggling to make the step up.

The idea he is not getting game time at the moment because he is too good a footballer for that level is nonsense!

Hopefully he can make it at a decent level

**Bungle** · 05/08/2017, 11:34 AM

I think he is a top class talent. He has all the tools to be a top footballer but it appears the most important one (professional attitude) may be the one he is lacking.

**kennedmc** · 05/08/2017, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Bungle

I think he is a top class talent. He has all the tools to be a top footballer but it appears the most important one (professional attitude) may be the one he is lacking.

Is there a problem with his attitude?

**nigel-harps1954** · 06/08/2017, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Furthermore, I wish more of our players would look further afield than the Premier League or scrambling around the lower leagues.

I really wish the FAI, or the Regional Development Officers/Career Guidance Officers would attempt to offer our young up-and-cummers the opportunity to learn a functional 2nd language outside of the regular-school setting so that they're not limited to the English-speaking leagues.

Or maybe even link up with continental nurseries?

Are you trying to suggest that the FAI should be doing more to help players leave FAI jurisdiction?

They should be concentrating on finding ways to keep young players here, not send them off to other countries.

**mark12345** · 06/08/2017, 4:40 PM

Originally Posted by kennedmc

Is there a problem with his attitude?

He's a confident lad.
Has overcome quite a bit of adversity in his life and gone on to make a name for himself so far.
He will succeed and play for his country one day. Have faith.

**Bungle** · 06/08/2017, 5:36 PM

I've heard mixed things about him. The general consensus seems to be that he's a likeable lad who has a wild streak. Very much the life and soul of the party type fella.

Hopefully, he puts his thoughts on building a great career,because i think he has some talent.

**Razors left peg** · 08/08/2017, 12:43 AM

Next move is make or break for him you would think. Id much rather see him join Cork or Dundalk than a team in League 1 or 2. At least if he came back to Ireland he can stand out and make a name for himself if he had the right attitude.

**gastric** · 08/08/2017, 2:08 AM

If you read Kingdom's post number 321 above, you will see Jack himself has thanked Kingdom for his comments. High praise indeed!

**Kingdom** · 08/08/2017, 9:12 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Are you trying to suggest that the FAI should be doing more to help players leave FAI jurisdiction?

They should be concentrating on finding ways to keep young players here, not send them off to other countries.

Yes and no, and I'm trying hard not to turn my posts into essays.

What I would love to see, and I think the new structure will help, is the farms that hold the power at present getting pushed to the side, so that the emphasis is on keeping our best talent in Ireland as long as possible, for them, for the league of Ireland, for the national teams.
However, rather than just abandoning them to the airport, pocketing a fee and moving onto the next target, I'd love for the FAI to offer the kids either in tandem with the National clubs, or with the Depts of Education, Sport (or both) some form of language education so that the boys and girls aren't pushed down a route that perhaps is not ultimately tailored towards their physique or style (the UK) and have a basis to love at areas more suited to their technical ability without feeling jettisoned with no communication skills.

I'm not advocating just sending kids away - there has to be something more on offer here.

**tetsujin1979** · 25/08/2017, 8:56 PM

Rumours on Twitter that Byrne's contract has been paid up by Wigan, and also that he's leaving to sign for Oldham

**samhaydenjr** · 26/08/2017, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Rumours on Twitter that Byrne's contract has been paid up by Wigan, and also that he's leaving to sign for Oldham

I was going to say that it might be good for him to team up with a fellow Irish U-21 international (Courtney Duffus) but then I remembered that being in the same squad as Darragh Lenihan didn't do much for his career at Blackburn. Regardless, this is a chance he really has to take if he doesn't want to end up bouncing around the lower leagues for the next few years or worse.

**CraftyToePoke** · 26/08/2017, 4:16 AM

The Oldham thing has some legs but reported as a loan here

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/ne...or-latics-boss

What kind of ball do Sheridans sides play ?