Sean Maguire
Jack Byrne
Lee O'Connor
Callum Robinson
Kieran O'Hara
Seems a good young lad and has his head screwed on by all accounts. So your points are where the comparisons end!
Think it is advised to be well-prepared and maximise that available to us. Whatever Mick is seeing or feeling, let's hope he communicates that to the players.
Yes we have the edge on New Zealand in friendlies, regardless of code. That's was a nice, easy start to O'Connor's senior career, Parrott was up against seasoned pros but did fine. I think Brady is capable of more than being a player to call when needed. And agree, positive Maguire and Robinson are off the mark scoring wise.
Decent but far from spectacular performance. O'Connor had a good night and Parrott and Byrne played OK. To be honest, bar injury I didn't see anything that wold propel anyone into the team for Monday. the fact he took Parrott and Byrne off on the hour might be a sign he sees them as possible bench options for Monday but hard to know. Expected more from Brady and Maguire to be honest, but harsh to judge anyone on a patchwork team against NZ in front of a pretty lethargic crowd. Nice, given its rarity to get a home win, hopefully sets us up for Monday night. Never mind the performance on Monday, a win in any manner all that's required.
Is Parrott definitely sticking around the squad for the Denmark game? I would have thought that if he wasnt a consideration at least off the bench he would be released to play with the 21s for Tuesdays game
2 people will have to be left out of the squad if there are no further injuries. If I were trying to think as Mick, I would say it’ll be Byrne and Maguire, but could see Hogan or Parrott as reasonable chances and Brady or Collins as outside bets.
I’d try move Parrott to the 21s if he doesn’t play on Monday. Doubt it will happen though
It’s not that Lennon has no interest in playing him rather that Frimpong signed from Man City has been superb and looks a gem of a full back. O’Connor done very well against New Zealand (a friendly against very poor opposition) but is simply going to be behind Frimpong in the pecking order at Celtic for the foreseeable unless there is a drastic decline in form and/or an injury there.
Though I didn't watch the game too closely, I thought this asembled NZ team were very decent for what they are, unlike Ireland's persistant hoofball when playing better teams, they tried to play good football, scored first after a very move, came close on other occasions and played their part in making it a lively encounter. Obviously NZ are not a team in the top seeds but I'd expect their coach will be very content after that performance.
Does any have a way to watch the full match online? I missed it.
It's on the RTE player, if that's an option for you?
Certainly not “perish the thought” and I am not sure where you have got this implication from. O’Connor played very well and hopefully continues to do so and pushes on for club and country I certainly wasn’t intending to be critical of him in any way and was simply providing context as to why he has not playing at Celtic and that is because Frimpong broke through ahead of him and has been excellent so will take some displacing.
Lee O'Connor "is simply going to be behind Frimpong in the pecking order at Celtic for the foreseeable." Have you seen all Frimpong's games? That's a very heavy assumption you have made so I'm just keen to understand what has informed it.
It’s not that heavy of assumption to make from a club perspective. Barring a pretty significant change from Lennon (quite conservative/rigid with his team selections generally) in what he considers his right back pecking order at the club then O’Connor, yes for the foreseeable, will be behind Frimpong in said pecking order. That’s if Celtic are even playing with a traditional right full back at all, and yes I have watched every game Frimpong has played for Celtic’s first team.
It’s not only behind Frimpong btw - from squad selections he is in truth behind Bauer and Elhamed as well but anyway I had no intention of appearing to be not so hot on t he player himself so I’ll leave it that he played well and looks very decent hopefully continues to push on.
The Frimpong kid is brilliant.
Anyway, I think I must be the only one who thought Derrick Williams was motm. Cullen quietly efficient and Byrne very good. No killer passes but he showed for players in trouble a lot and in my opinion is exactly the type of player the senior team needs to improve our ball retention. I think he could / should have been more selfish and shot on a few occasions, but I think he felt the way to impress Mick was to take the team option each time.
I was actually disappointed in Maguire over the full game. Never motm for me but I'm glad he got better in the second half as I do think he's a good player.
I have seen him once and he is a very good player is Frimpong. I don't think he's that good that O'Connor's chances of breaking in can be written off- as they were. O'Connor is clearly a very, very good player.
However, I would question the decision to sign for Celtic given that they stock-piled right backs close to the window's end. I know O'Connor can play numerous positions but he's making his name at under 21 and now senior level for us at right back. Celtic is a big club but they're only in the SPL. I would have thought that O'Connor would have been well-regarded enough to sign for a Championship side (perish the thought he would leave the UK).
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