Luca Connell (D/M Barnsley b.2001)

**liamoo11** · 05/01/2019, 2:33 PM

Luca Connell on bench for Bolton today for I think first time. He is under 18 this season midfielder but we seem to play him left full a fair bit.

**Olé Olé** · 05/01/2019, 5:19 PM

Came on in extra time.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/01/2019, 2:24 PM

He looked great for the U16s against Bosnia in the Euros. I think he was left back that day. Comfortable on the ball, terrier-like in defence. My thoughts at the time were that he was highly accomplished but at same time, tenacious full backs are two to a penny in underage football. He went off injured in that game and we were poorer without him. Kingdom and I watched that game together, I wonder does he agree. I said a few weeks ago on another thread (Nathan Collins was the prompt) that all but the keeper and central midfield in that team looked like they were beyond what you might expect. Connell was very much in my mind when I wrote that.

**liamoo11** · 06/01/2019, 3:17 PM

Knight who was one of those centre mid s was training with Derby's first team before Christmas.i have never been overly impressed with Coffey who played centre mid that day
.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/01/2019, 5:34 PM

Yeah, he did nothing wrong but nothing particularly good either.

**Kingdom** · 07/01/2019, 6:14 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

He looked great for the U16s against Bosnia in the Euros. I think he was left back that day. Comfortable on the ball, terrier-like in defence. My thoughts at the time were that he was highly accomplished but at same time, tenacious full backs are two to a penny in underage football. He went off injured in that game and we were poorer without him. Kingdom and I watched that game together, I wonder does he agree. I said a few weeks ago on another thread (Nathan Collins was the prompt) that all but the keeper and central midfield in that team looked like they were beyond what you might expect. Connell was very much in my mind when I wrote that.

I do agree. I was in Georges Park spectacularly early that day and got to watch the teams warming up in a strong breeze. He stood out in the warm-up as he looked ready-to-go (quite a few didn't which worried me at the time). Certainly he looked tigerish that day, and was more than competent. We weren't as capable without him for two reasons. They made 3 changes to substitute him. They shuffled each of the defenders across the pitch one spot, with Max Murphy coming on making a balls up almost immediately upon the restart. The same lad got roasted a number of times against Belgium apparently.
It also broke up the Collins/Ledwidge partnership too, which was very impressive, although McEntee improved a huge amount when he went into the middle.

Knight is a very tidy player, one you could see take a big leap very quickly, as he appears to be very technical.

**liamoo11** · 21/01/2019, 7:55 PM

Gets on the bench tonight for first time in league

**Closed Account** · 25/01/2019, 7:13 PM

Starts tonight alongside Marc Wilson for Bolton up against Callum O'Dowdas Bristol City.

No Irish involved in tonight's other FA Cup game.

**Closed Account** · 25/01/2019, 8:00 PM

Nice assist
https://streamja.com/Kv6y

**irishfan86** · 25/01/2019, 9:31 PM

A strong performance in a conventional central midfield role. Clearly not the finished article but his class is clear. Impressive showing for a 17 year old and he plays with no fear — good range of passing and had the confidence/quality to take set pieces. Hopefully this opens the door for action in league play.

He had one play in particular near the end of the first half where he beat two Bristol players with a tidy spin, and of course picked up the assist for Bolton’s goal with a great cross.

EDIT: Just noticed a weird thing on his Wikipedia page where it says he chose Ireland for his “short term” international future...hopefully that’s not a sign of another upcoming tug of war because he looks the real deal.

**samhaydenjr** · 29/01/2019, 10:51 PM

Made his league bow tonight, playing 72 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Reading: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46955104#tab-0

**Cathalsmart** · 30/01/2019, 3:58 AM

Fcuk just realized he is English born, I can hear the door knock from Southgate all the way from here and I’m on the other side of the world!

**CraftyToePoke** · 30/01/2019, 4:19 AM

Originally Posted by Cathalsmart

Fcuk just realized he is English born, I can hear the door knock from Southgate all the way from here and I’m on the other side of the world!

Keep up, would you.
His own wiki was saying we were chosen as his short term international side till the other day.

**Cathalsmart** · 30/01/2019, 4:38 AM

Wow that’s a new low, actually calling up a player who has a clear ambition to play for England...

**Olé Olé** · 30/01/2019, 6:27 AM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Keep up, would you.
His own wiki was saying we were chosen as his short term international side till the other day.

But there was no link or quote as evidence for that assertion.

His Twitter profiler is him playing for Ireland. Not that that counts for much, Rice has made suit it doesn't.

**Diggs246** · 30/01/2019, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Cathalsmart

Wow that’s a new low, actually calling up a player who has a clear ambition to play for England...

agreed he shouldnt be anywhere near our team

**Cathalsmart** · 30/01/2019, 12:19 PM

If he has said his ambition is to play for England we should tell him to gtfo.

**Wangball** · 30/01/2019, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Cathalsmart

If he has said his ambition is to play for England we should tell him to gtfo.

Its only wikipedia! My long term ambition is to marry a supermodel, yet here I am swiping right on School Teachers & Nurses

**tetsujin1979** · 30/01/2019, 12:48 PM

If there's any proof that he did say that, you should post it here

**SkStu** · 30/01/2019, 12:50 PM

There’s no proof per se. just his wiki page. Interestingly, last week it said “he has committed his short term future to ireland”, now it says “his long term ambition is to represent England”. Not sure exactly what to make of it all but someone may just be faffing around with his account...