Aaron Connolly F Leyton Orient b.2000

Yeah thought he was gonna grab the winner but hit the post. Lack of confidence maybe when you compare it to Obafemi who'd probably have scored it with the way he's currently playing.

Testing times for Connolly at Middlesborough. His name was booed when the team against Cardiff was announced - and again when he was introduced in the 76th minute. Though most fans disagree with the booing, the general consensus (forum) is he's a poor player. One poster suggests he gets playing time only to honour the contract. Others not so eloquent.

Originally Posted by Snapshot

Testing times for Connolly at Middlesborough. His name was booed when the team against Cardiff was announced - and again when he was introduced in the 76th minute. Though most fans disagree with the booing, the general consensus (forum) is he's a poor player. One poster suggests he gets playing time only to honour the contract. Others not so eloquent.

His history has made a rod for his own back. You need to be a very good player for all that sort of nonsense to be forgotten if you are not producing the goods.

You'd have hoped a relatively fresh slate at a new club (even if only on loan) would have helped though. To be booed relatively early at a new club really isn't encouraging. And he's started on the bench for the last three games now; you wonder where he'll end up next season. I presume he has a contract with Brighton for next season? But failing to make an impression at a good second tier side isn't great on the CV. Could he end up on loan at a League One side next year?

It's a pity, cos I like the type of player he is - a nippy pacy little attacker. He just seems to be not all that good at it.

He's just not particularly good playing centrally and off the shoulder as he is doing for Boro. He's at his best in a wider starting position where he has the space to get turned and push defenders onto the back foot - which we have seen for the U21s and his performance in the Portugal away game for the seniors.

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

You'd have hoped a relatively fresh slate at a new club (even if only on loan) would have helped though. To be booed relatively early at a new club really isn't encouraging. And he's started on the bench for the last three games now; you wonder where he'll end up next season. I presume he has a contract with Brighton for next season? But failing to make an impression at a good second tier side isn't great on the CV. Could he end up on loan at a League One side next year?

It's a pity, cos I like the type of player he is - a nippy pacy little attacker. He just seems to be not all that good at it.

Has two years left on his contract this summer, unless Brighton have an option to extended it further that hasn't been made public. Can see next season being his last at Brighton who'll try and move him on. Probably be another loan to buy like Molumby was.

Don't think he ends up at a League One club because he's on at least 20k a week and Brighton would want this covered. Pity the rumours of Hoffenheim I think it was being interested in him before he broke through at Brighton came to nothing. A move away like that might have taken him away from most of the outside influences in his life.

Originally Posted by ifk101

He's just not particularly good playing centrally and off the shoulder as he is doing for Boro. He's at his best in a wider starting position where he has the space to get turned and push defenders onto the back foot - which we have seen for the U21s and his performance in the Portugal away game for the seniors.

I accept your point, but reluctantly. From what I've seen of him in a Boro jersey (not that much) he consistently gravitates to the role you describe without much impact. He could change everything with a few goals to boost Boro's play-off hopes.

Originally Posted by JR89

Don't think he ends up at a League One club because he's on at least 20k a week and Brighton would want this covered.

Good point. He could well end up betwixt and between - not worth sending him on loan for (say) 25% of salary, so staying as a squad player at Brighton but not getting enough game time then.

Originally Posted by ifk101

He's just not particularly good playing centrally and off the shoulder as he is doing for Boro. He's at his best in a wider starting position where he has the space to get turned and push defenders onto the back foot - which we have seen for the U21s and his performance in the Portugal away game for the seniors.

I think he's best at U21 football! After the Armenia(?) game at Tallaght I said that he looked the most ready of that team at the time to step up to senior football. I think he showed flashes after that both for club and country that there was raw talent with great pace and definite potential, but unfortunately they remain only flashes of evidence. There has been plenty too to be underwhelmed by and several pretty poor misses.

I've heard some argue he's not in great physical condition. I'm not convinced. Despite criticism of his lifestyle I think he's vain enough to like his six-pack but I'm sure those working with him at close quarters know the truth here.

Theres a difference between having a 6 pack to look the part and actually be a fit professional athlete though. I remember seeing a picture of Troy Parrott recently where he had the hollowed out cheekbones like Roy Keane in his prime and I thought he looked like he got himself in great shape.

Obafemi and Connolly would be a decent comparison from a body shape point of view. Obafemi was a weird shape for a footballer but he looks now like hes found a good balance and looks in great shape. Connolly to me looks bloated

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I've heard some argue he's not in great physical condition. I'm not convinced. Despite criticism of his lifestyle I think he's vain enough to like his six-pack but I'm sure those working with him at close quarters know the truth here.

https://twitter.com/kieran_b_sport/s...RGnTois56GHoeg

Personally I don't think he's good enough. He hasn't been able to transition from boys to men's football. But he's doing himself few favours and few sympathisers with the above

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

https://twitter.com/kieran_b_sport/s...RGnTois56GHoeg

Personally I don't think he's good enough. He hasn't been able to transition from boys to men's football. But he's doing himself few favours and few sympathisers with the above

6 months ago the same types were saying obafemi would be playing non league in a season or 2 now it's Connolly who is going to be playing league of ireland (which is a fine standard when people want jack byrne in the squad ). Connolly has attributes that make him very much of an addition to us and championship/ premier league clubs .

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

https://twitter.com/kieran_b_sport/s...RGnTois56GHoeg

Personally I don't think he's good enough. He hasn't been able to transition from boys to men's football. But he's doing himself few favours and few sympathisers with the above

Its a bad look alright. He does himself absolutely no favours when it comes to the question marks around his professionalism

Originally Posted by liamoo11

6 months ago the same types were saying obafemi would be playing non league in a season or 2 now it's Connolly who is going to be playing league of ireland (which is a fine standard when people want jack byrne in the squad ). Connolly has attributes that make him very much of an addition to us and championship/ premier league clubs .

The opinion of some punter of twitter is not worth getting this worked up over. More gifted players than Connolly have failed to make the grade. Less gifted ones have thrived. All we know for sure is he's not setting the world alight right now.

Originally Posted by SkStu

Its a bad look alright. He does himself absolutely no favours when it comes to the question marks around his professionalism

Generally, or personally I don't care about lads going out and doing whatever, we were all young once but when you're on the lowest rung of social media talking about stuff like that surrounded by jersey-tugging-knicker-droppers you're really not helping your cause when you're not performing for your club. Same as anyone holding down a job who has bad performances who's out till all hours of the night on school nights. The conclusion to draw is none of this would matter if he was banging goals in for Boro

Originally Posted by liamoo11

6 months ago the same types were saying obafemi would be playing non league in a season or 2 now it's Connolly who is going to be playing league of ireland (which is a fine standard when people want jack byrne in the squad ). Connolly has attributes that make him very much of an addition to us and championship/ premier league clubs .

He has attributes that could make him brilliant, that's the frustrating part.

People were saying Obafemi was going to be a L2 player because he looked crap and there was a lot of stories about how unprofessional he was. By all accounts he changed that and knuckled down. You can even see how his body shape changed. Hard work changed his performances on the pitch.

Obafemi should now be the poster boy for Connolly on how a change of attitude can go a long way. A lack of professionalism has killed the career of many a young Irish lad

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

He has attributes that could make him brilliant, that's the frustrating part.

People were saying Obafemi was going to be a L2 player because he looked crap and there was a lot of stories about how unprofessional he was. By all accounts he changed that and knuckled down. You can even see how his body shape changed. Hard work changed his performances on the pitch.

Obafemi should now be the poster boy for Connolly on how a change of attitude can go a long way. A lack of professionalism has killed the career of many a young Irish lad

Fair enough. I'd like to see some compassion for these lads from supporters. Yes he hasn't had a successful loan but there has been no doubting his commitment or work rate with his manager praising him for that .

He seems to have lost some of his cockiness and confidence in front of goal and needs a few goals hopefully to get it back.

Sucking in helium from a balloon and been drunk with similar aged consenting yiung women isn't the worst behaviour for a 22 year old surely. It's just sad that some loser in his group videos him and then sends it around to embarrass him. Hopefully Kenny includes him in the summer to give him some confidence

The thing is though Liamoo, a 22 year old footballer isn't the same as the rest of us. They get paid to look after their bodies and the lads that take that more seriously thrive. Those that don't just become another d1ckhead in the bar in years to come talking about what might have been

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022...of-work-to-do/

Former Republic of Ireland striker David Connolly says Aaron Connolly must park his ego and accept he has to prove himself in the Championship, or lower, to kickstart his stuttering club and international career...

Originally Posted by John83

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022...of-work-to-do/

He’ll soon have to pee or get off the potty alright.