I would really recommend anyone to go along to watch any of the LOI underage squads at U14 or U15 levels as you would be shocked at the technical skills of these kids, we will eventually see the benefit of years of proper coaching coming through, there is hope.
Pats, Shels, Rovers or St Kevins/Bohs, Bray/St Josephs are all well worth a look in Dublin.
Tyreik Wright there again. Didn't watch this game but saw the match against Switzerland and this contribution here. Really like the look of him. He's developing nicely having been in the shadows of Connolly, Idah and Parrott.
Very decent effort considering that was an Australian Under 23 team, although they looked a limited enough bunch. Crazy how they are allowed to just stroll into the Olympic tournament every four years whereas playing in Europe we haven't a chance of qualifying for that really.
The standouts for me were McGuinness at the back all game and the substitutes mainly - Wright, Kayode and Johansson all improved the team when they came on. Watson worked hard and Maher was good in goal - didn't have many saves to make but commanded his area well. Noss had a few nice moments also. Connell is good with the ball at his feet but is a bit one paced.
From the players we've seen so far I would have a starting team for the qualifiers something like the following:
Maher
Ebosele
McEntee
McGuinness
Ferry
Coventry
Kilkenny
Grant
Johansson
Wright
Kayode
The likes of Watson and Noss would be in the mix in midfield also though, it's very competitive there. Smallbone and Finn Benoa will give other attacking midfield options also and Hodge might put pressure on Coventry for the holding midfield position. Knight would stroll onto this team obviously but I expect he's full time with the seniors now.
O'Connor and Omobamidele might yet drop back down from the seniors to strengthen the defence, maybe even Collins for a game or two, and I'd like to see Flynn get a start against Denmark at the weekend as Ferry leaves a lot of space behind him at left back, he's more of a winger really.
If we could get the likes of Obafemi and Parrott back in up front it would really make a difference to the attack as Afolabi looks miles off it and Kayode can't be expected to do it all on his own. Obviously no chance of Connolly or Idah playing at this level again.
It looks like we are where we are in terms of keepers, they haven't given the two younger lads a minute in the two games so they must be set on Maher as the starter for now at least. He's quick off his line and seems fairly commanding but his passing is a bit suspect and he was easily beaten for one of the Swiss goals the last day. Not much chance of Bazunu dropping down from the seniors however.
Last edited by Eirambler; 02/06/2021 at 1:50 PM.
Full game here-
I agree, and I don't think we say it enough, and isn't noticed enough.Originally Posted by sbgawa
I've said before that I've experienced elite level football at different stages in 3 different countries - Ireland, England and Belgium. Our kids - at respective ages, are ahead of Belgian kids from what I can see here. the one difference, and I guess it's changing gradually in Ireland through integration, is the different styles and sizes that the different ethnicities bring to clubs in Belgium, that we wouldn't have had 20 years ago in Ireland. But thankfully that is changing.
It would almost make you wonder what happens when the Irish kids leave the set-ups that makes English and Celtic clubs to want to prise them away.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Friendly against Denmark will be on YouTube at 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2pxUIPGEV4
Anytime our CBs get the ball Denmark close us down and give us no time whatsoever but when the Danish CBs get it we give them all the time in the world and no Irish player tries closing down the Denmark players. How are we supposed to create chances?
Unless we're hoping they burn themselves out like Andorra did the last night to allow us to go at them in the last half an hour there's very little positive you could say about the way Crawford has set the team up here. We're going to have to press them at some stage, we're just allowing them to stroll out from defence every time.
There was a point in that half when the danish cbs made their way to the half way line without being touched...
Just for comparison when we had a free for the tackle on Ebosele, FOUR danish players around our penalty box trying to close down our players...
was a pretty terrible performance. a squad of players, most of whom are about a year shy of being ready for the level... would be good to have some of bazunu, o'connor, collins, omobamadele, knight, smallbone, obafemi, idah, connolly, parrott - back with the squad. can't see many coming back but don't think they had a single shot on target in the game
They looked pretty drained, which might very well have been the case after the training camp.
Even though Denmark were playing their U20 side, they still seemed bigger than our U21s!
That's two losses, and a win from the three games.
I would have liked to see Blair get a chance in goals, and maybe for one or two players to see more game time, but overall I think it was a worthwhile exercise.
Crawford talked after the match about how the players were drained but he didn't even give starts to half the team? It seems a bit weird that Ross Tierney scores the winner against Australia, and missed the first game, but he's on the bench again, while some players started all three games. You can't refuse to rotate the team and then complain that they're putting in a tired performance.
Full game here (well, almost...)-
With bagan confirmed in the 21 squad be interesting to see who else makes it. Leavy from reading and oko flex seem like 2 who might get a chance. Ferguson wouldn't be a shock either I suppose given how limited we are up top
Where was Bagan confirmed?
Edit: I see it here now. Mick confirming. Great stuff. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wal...f-21408524.amp
Crawford talked about players (plural) who are eligible for U19s getting their first call up in his pre-squad vid. I guess that would be 2003 and later. I assumed it was gonna be Ferguson and possibly Moran
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