I just watched Iceland knock 6 past Armenia and that in the wake of a more restrained 3 nil victory v Luxembourg the other day. Unlike some, no excited talk yet of another golden generation, they were two very poor visiting sides. I hope the Irish u21s don't make a similar show of themselves when they turn up in mid october (bring thermals).
It will be an early grey afternoon kick off in a small stadium with a plastic pitch, some local authentic autumnal ambience.
There’s truth in what a lot of people are saying to varying degrees. Nonetheless, player development really isn’t linear. Both extremes are probably wrong (throw them in the deep end vs they’ll never be good enough).
Compare Kelleher with Randolph, Randolph really looked like a no-hoper early in his career. He made his competitive debut at 28. There’s no doubt in my mind that Kelleher is ahead of where Randolph was at the same age.
The same is true of Lee O’Connor and Seamus Coleman.
There are different things that can spark development - often first team football but not always. Natural growth, ageing and coaching, self confidence, health, pure luck. Whatever it might be.
I watched Afolabi play for Southampton’s U18s and 23s a good few times and he was so raw and his first touch really let him down. And that point, I would have had my doubts - but the development he’s made over the past year is just phenomenal. First time he really stood out for me was the elite U19 qualifiers back in March and since then he’s got even better.
So if you look at Idah’s flaws in that context, he has plenty of time to improve and adjust.
Equally, of the strikers not in the squad, I personally think Glen McAuley, Ronan Hale and Ryan Cassidy have pretty high ceilings. Moreso than Michael O’Connor or Aaron Drinan who both received callups.
Reece Greco Cox was playing in the premier league at 18 for QPR. Got 4 games in the 14/15 season. Now he’s playing league 2. The trajectory isn’t always upward.
In certain American sports, they talk about the concept of percentile outcomes of players. If you were to simulate Troy Parrott’s career 100 times from this moment, there are a few outcomes where he’d be out of football by 25, a few where he’d be as good or better than Robbie Keane and the rest where he’s somewhere in the middle.
There’s a scenario where McAuley scores 25 goals in the championship in a few years time and progresses from there, there’s a more likely scenario where he has a Paddy Madden type career or another one where he’s Christy Fagan.
There’s a big difference between the most likely outcome versus the best possible outcome. Each game you see player is an opportunity to reevaluate where they are and who they are.
There were certainly moments when pretty much the entire irish team were unlikely to reach where they currently are. Hourihane from league 2 up and Stevens are obvious examples. McGoldrick too. Equally, Jack Byrne is probably currently dramatically underachieving compared to the possible paths he could have taken from say age 18. But is there a possibility he ends up a premier league footballer? Definitely... is there a possibly he could contribute now as an international? Maybe
So if we are looking at someone at 22-23 and scratching our heads, try accurately project what a teenager will be. If given the opportunity, we’d all make decisions as to who to select and who we think will make it and how best to develop young players to have the best national side but even the best eyes in the world are regularly wrong with this sort of work.
I think there’s really a greater volume of players with genuine potential than I can ever remember which bodes well for the future. But as certain as we can all feel about what we see, to a certain extent, we’re all in the dark...
Absolutely.
And couldn’t agree more about the current volume of players with potential.
If I was to search my own posts about Randolph I was very negative about him, but from the moment he replaced Shay against Germany he has looked very good for us, bar a few flaps and a soft goal at home to Wales maybe.
So any criticism I’d have of, say Idah, is only based on the here and now and after all we’re all just fans with keyboards and want them all to succeed.
I completely disagree - Kelleher is 21 in two month's time. Randolph was born in May 1987, so at the same time in his career (i.e. coming up to the end of the 2007/08 season) he'd already had a game in the Premier League, and the Championship, and had three loans in non-league, League One and League Two, totalling about 40 senior appearances. Kelleher still hasn't made his senior debut, and might get a game in Liverpool's league cup tie against MK Dons in two weeks, albeit he has a Champions League winner's medal!
I suspect any move out of Dundalk would have been a step up but I am not of Dundalk.
The u21 game against Iceland is fixed for a midweek afternoon date, some 4 weeks after the local leagues close or move indoors.
The likliehood is for very bad football weather and the timing ensures the attendance will be sparse.
Arctic tumbleweed will be blowing willy nilly through the empty spaces.
I see that I can get that Swedish C More Football channel crystal clear on my iptv menu - Swedish section.
I hadn't ventured into those parts before.
any streams?
does C more work if we stream it from them - or do you need to be in Sweden? https://www.cmore.se/sport/spel/12496747-sverige-irland
Parrott left on bench today was a surprising selection!
Im watching it on skorlive
Can’t find it there. Any chance of a link?
60% possession first half and pretty much dominating. Wasteful in front of goal. Would imagine Kenny will make some changes at half time.
More than deserve the equaliser. Connolly missed a penalty before Troy scores a good first time finish
2-1 up in 87th minute. Big goal that.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Lads Parrott is gonna be a megastar!
3-1! Great result away from home.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Only managed to see some of the game streaming on the phone but that is a seriously impressive bunch. Parrot was just superb, both finishes truly world class.
Good result, Parrott delivered the sucker punch with aplomb.
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