Seems to be playing very well at the moment. So too does Danny McNamara and Gardner-Hickman is on a run at WBA I think, albeit in midfield. Next generation of right backs seems to be coming into view.
Well done to him. I'd never seen him play in midfield until he played there a few years ago in the under 19s euro champs. Given most of his youth football before under 23s was centre half at utd you might think right side of a back three might be his perfect position
Yeah, good move. Now that he is Tranmere's asset both parties have more certainty and now they can figure out what his best position is in the medium and long term.
Manager describes him as midfielder/right back so assume they see him as a midfielder first and someone that can fill in at RB when needed. He's made that midfield position his own this season and will be interesting to see where Crawford feels he fits in best with the U21s.
Signs a one year extension to his contract with Tranmere
https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/new...one-year-deal/
Possibly the most disappointing of the "Kenny's Kids" generation (born 98-02) in terms of where he landed in senior football relative to how he was rated at underage level. Maybe a toss up between him and Masterson.
he was never a stand out with that u21 irish side IMO. he'll make a career out of it in the lower leagues but miles off required level. another one who took the wrong decision when leaving a "big" club. irish lads desperately need better advice from agents.
Last edited by Jd2793; 02/05/2024 at 10:21 AM.
The general advice seems to be "don't join Celtic". It's madness to join a team that doesn't have a proper underage team past 18s. You're either immediately ready for the first team or cast aside to the B team playing in the 5th tier of Scottish football.
Bosun Lawal could be right back there alongside Rocco Vata after this season too. They're the absolute dregs in terms of developing lads once they hit 18.
Vata is out of contract in the summer and can't see Lawal back in the B team. He'll get pre season with Celtic and likely goes out on loan.
Think with Lawal's style of play he'll be more suited to the lower leagues in England than SPL. Teams will put ten men behind the ball against Celtic but even in League One you'll see teams often trying to play some football which leaves space.
Similar to Mikey Johnston looking okay against your SPL teams that would struggle in League One but walks into the WBA team and starts producing as teams will try to attack each other leaving space.
Didn't they sign him and Frimpong on the same day? And both were seen as low risk punts by Celtic, like many young players they sign. Some even thought O'Connor might have been the more likely of the two to break through into the first team.
Frimpong is a Bundesliga winner now of course. Celtic got £11m for him with more likely to come in future sell-ons. It's a high risk strategy for young players going there, but seemingly a profitable one for Celtic. Lads like O'Connor just end up as collateral damage.
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