Given that he's gone on to play first team football since then, that might say more about them than anything else
I had a look at the Elite qualifiers, Connell started two of the three games, and came on in the other. He missed out on the qualifying round in October, but was called into the under 18s in November and started all three games against Belgium, England, and Spain
I was going on the assumption that Connell had not been first choice, see above.
I think I read elsewhere that a club isn't obliged to release players for underage internationals? Given he was on the verge of the Bolton first team they may not have allowed him to go.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Travers out with a fractured thumb: https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/trav...020-qualifiers
Those kind of injuries can be nasty
So... Who's likely to take his place?
Doyle, Lawlor, D Rogers and O'Malley didn't play much this season. Westwood and O'Hara injured. Kelleher will probably stay with the 21s for Toulon.
Could do worse than call up James Talbot
Shay Given
Is O'Leary eligible already? Or maybe he always was..
Jack Bonham came into my head as another potential options. He's in League One but was a regular during 18/19, whereas O'Malley wasn't and Lawlor is injured.
Also, I'm not sure if it's the jersey but James Talbot looks like an absolute freak of an athlete.
Looks like O'Leary isn't eligible yet: https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/two-...-ireland-squad
By this stage it's reasonable to assume that Mick has some prejudice against Crowley, perhaps he asked around one of the clubs where Crowley was not held in high regard.
Not aiming this at anyone as I'm as guilty as anyone, but could we, and only if everyone agrees, could we focus squad announcement match threads about the people in the actual squad?
Maybe have another catch all thread about squad omissions, that would actually be interesting to read back on, after some more devolment has happening in there career.
In the current squad we have have some interesting and deserved call ups that go under the radar because there's a natural curiosity about who's been omitted.
Does McDermott merit a call up?
Should K Long be ahead of Lenihan for example?
Who's likely to start in CM?
Anyway just an idea,
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