Ski McGee probably Sligo's highest profile player? Two top flight seasons with QPR in 77/78 and 78/79
Would have put the house on Forde having played a few Premier League games. The more you know.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Fordies a great example to young players to keep working hard and develop later than other players. He was over and back to Britain a few times before he established himself over there. He's still working in the game around mental health.
i always rated Alan Murphy when I was a kid. Obviously not international level or premier league level, but every time I'd see him play he'd be a clear man of the match. The way you'd have looked at Michael Duffy or Jack Byrne at their best, just a class above the rest...Originally Posted by Eirambler
You wouldn't see as many games or as much video as you do these days - so maybe it was a small sample size or whatever, but the boy could play
True. I'm here in Connacht and the pathway is just not there for talented young players from what I can see. I help out with the local clubs u7s and u9s. You don't feel like you or the kids are part of anything greater than the club. That you are a grassroots part of the FAI and if a boy is talented there is a route for him to the higher levels of the game. Most of the lads play gaelic, hurling etc as well. Soccer is easily the most popular I would say and it should be easy to nail down the elite players at this sort of age and mould them for the future. But they are let off to play 3 or 4 sports and that won't manufacture an international level player. Connacht lads should be getting hoovered up by development academies in Galway, Sligo Rovers, Athlone and Longford and given proper training and a enter a pathway to the top. But anyone I see locally who has talent will just end up turning out occasionally for his club side and is more likely to go on and be a good adult gaelic footballer or hurler cos the structure and pathway to the top is there in those sports.
The dude abides....
I don't know what part of Connacht you're in, but if it's Galway, those kids could get signed by Galway Utd following the annual trials for each age group. Failing that, they could be invited for trials by the GFA to play on the representative teams. A third pathway would be with the secondary schools, if they're good enough they will be put forward for Connacht Schools trials or Irish trials. That's three pathways.
I think the point is that there's nothing outside Galway though. If you're within easy access of Galway City you've got half a chance. If you're in Clifden or Louisburgh or Belmullet then you can forget it.
He's from Limerick rather than Connacht but I remember watching Bobby Ryan at Galway in the early 2000s and thinking he looked amazing relative to everyone else and could make an impact if he ever got a chance at a higher level. Of course he eventually got his chance in Scotland and made no impact at all. Just shows the standards needed to even get to that level, what you see can be very deceiving.
I'm not sure about GFA teams but Utd's underage teams are spread around the county in Maree, Headford and Athenry. Every kid has the same chance. It didn't stop Rory Gaffney (Tuam) or Pat Hoban (Loughrea). John Mountney has had a decent LOI career and he's from Bohola!
Similar situation in Donegal. There's players coming from Malin Head and Gweedore and Killybegs to play in Finn Harps academy, and indeed the first team has players travelling long distances for training and matches. I don't really buy it as an excuse in a small country.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Just because some do travel despite the inconvenience doesn't mean that even more don't, surely?
It's more of a rebuttal to the suggestion that there's zero option for players not living in the town/city in which a club is situated.
It's obviously not easy for them, but likewise, when a player plays county gaelic football/hurling, at any age group, they're expected to travel to training centres and matches. I don't see how football can be, or should be treated any different.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Again though, Headford, Athenry and Maree isn't exactly an amazing geographic spread. They're all within 20 or 25 minutes drive of the city anyway, and if you're out in Connemara they're all actually further away from you than Galway city itself.
It's not that you can't make it to some kind of level coming from somewhere like Mayo either - as you say Mountney is from Bohola, Ronan Murray is from Mayo and played a good bit in the English lower leagues and there's a lad from Knock in the latest Under 19 squad. But I don't think it's a coincidence that there has never been a top level EPL footballer from Mayo (or Connemara) - you're definitely at a geographical and coaching disadvantage coming from somewhere like that.
Last edited by Eirambler; 08/10/2024 at 6:14 PM.
Neither has Limerick really, not an international option level player and it has a LOI presence, strong junior club scene which often wins national competitions and county towns & indeed parishes covered by the Desmond League with pathways open into the LOI club. No geographical or coaching disadvantage there & we still await the Ireland player from Limerick. So it's not that simple.
I assume the "really" refers to Steve Finnan growing up abroad?
Should I split off a Connaught player drought thread or is this a short diversion?
You can't spell failure without FAI
Willie Boland. Dom Foley. Dennis Behan
But only if one was looking to split hairs.
I don't think Limerick can claim Finnans development in any way shape or form with a straight face as it all happened elsewhere.
You do whatever needs to be done man, to keep conversation neatly arranged I guess. There is a worthwhile topic there, regional development yawning chasms I'd call it rather than any one particular area.
It's more about making it visible to people who mightn't find it in here. Maybe I'll give it a day or so and see if it has legs.
You can't spell failure without FAI
What I was getting at is not that there is zero options for certain (rural) players, more that these players if they are there are extremely likely to be missed.
You see interviews with pros in England for eg and they are with the Sunderland/Boro/Villa/whoever academy from age 8 or 9 etc. They have been spotted early and nurtured. Many of our boys are staying with a local youth team a million miles away from a similar development path.
The dude abides....
Having an excellent game this evening. Played a major part in Southampton's goal and had an assist for a disallowed goal. Doing well defensively and taking a few of the set plays as well.
Ferguson just came on...o.O
Yeah, watching it here too. He has done really well. Thought he did great for the goal to find the man in the box.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
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