2023 UEFA Under-21 Championship

**Razors left peg** · 26/05/2021, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Diggs246

World jim Crawfords u21s beat Stephen Kenny's senior team?

About a year ago we thought that Stephen Kennys U21 team were better players than than seniors, those players now proving that senior football is very different.

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/05/2021, 3:30 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Looking forward to seeing these games. Will be good to get a look at the likes of Lawal, the only thing I'd note with him is that, for all the positive stuff from Troy Deeney, he was only given a one year contract by Watford this week, you'd expect they'd want to tie him down for longer if he's that good.

You never know with players at that age. Agents will push for short contracts if they think they can move a player on too (see Sinclair Armstrong).

**paul_oshea** · 27/05/2021, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

About a year ago we thought that Stephen Kennys U21 team were better players than than seniors, those players now proving that senior football is very different.

Turned out to be the tonic to bring some realism to internet forums.

**jbyrne** · 27/05/2021, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

About a year ago we thought that Stephen Kennys U21 team were better players than than seniors

and they proved it on the pitch...
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019...friendly-game/

**Fixer82** · 27/05/2021, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

No Mipo? He's ours to lose. : D

Don’t mind him at all declaring for Nigeria but if he’s considering declaring for England due to 5 year residency then he can f@@k off. Shocking mercenary behaviour and wouldn’t want him near our squad if it doesn’t work out.

International sport is becoming Club sport.
Team Ireland, Team GB etc.

Soccer not quite as bad as rugby yet but getting there

**pineapple stu** · 27/05/2021, 1:06 PM

Agree with that. Could be worse though. The world number 5 chess player - who has won the Olympiad (=World Cup) three times for Armenia, his home country - switched to the United States earlier this year because they were paying him more. In fact, of the top five Americans - which you'd imagine would be their squad for the next Olympiad in July if it goes ahead - four have played in the Olympiad for other countries.

So football still has lower levels it can go to

**Fixer82** · 27/05/2021, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Agree with that. Could be worse though. The world number 5 chess player - who has won the Olympiad (=World Cup) three times for Armenia, his home country - switched to the United States earlier this year because they were paying him more. In fact, of the top five Americans - which you'd imagine would be their squad for the next Olympiad in July if it goes ahead - four have played in the Olympiad for other countries.

So football still has lower levels it can go to

Such incredible athletes

**pineapple stu** · 27/05/2021, 1:23 PM

You'd be surprised

**sadloserkid** · 27/05/2021, 1:46 PM

Another good example of the heart of international sport being a bit rotten here:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/taekwondo/56981800

**Eirambler** · 27/05/2021, 2:27 PM

The 'taekwondo transfer market'...

They've tightened up the rugby rules a lot recently actually. I think football is actually more flexible in terms of nationality changes now after the recent changes.

**ColourfulPeanut** · 27/05/2021, 2:34 PM

Anselmo Garcia McNulty called up to the squad.

A serious continental feel to this squad now. Great to see players selected from Spanish and German clubs!

**Diggs246** · 27/05/2021, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

Don’t mind him at all declaring for Nigeria but if he’s considering declaring for England due to 5 year residency then he can f@@k off. Shocking mercenary behaviour and wouldn’t want him near our squad if it doesn’t work out.

International sport is becoming Club sport.
Team Ireland, Team GB etc.

Soccer not quite as bad as rugby yet but getting there

100% agree, I would be a little more strict, if he is offered a call up to the senior squad and turns it down. then he should never be asked again

**Eirambler** · 27/05/2021, 3:04 PM

Getafe, Seville, Monchengladbach, Schalke and Wolfsburg now represented in the squad. Zefi off to Inter Milan soon as well I think, not beyond possibility that he could get into the Under 21s before the campaign is over when you see that Ferguson has apparently only missed this camp through injury.

The restrictions on UK transfers caused by Brexit and the lack of sufficient quality structures in Ireland will make this a more common theme in future I suspect.

**paul_oshea** · 27/05/2021, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Agree with that. Could be worse though. The world number 5 chess player - who has won the Olympiad (=World Cup) three times for Armenia, his home country - switched to the United States earlier this year because they were paying him more. In fact, of the top five Americans - which you'd imagine would be their squad for the next Olympiad in July if it goes ahead - four have played in the Olympiad for other countries.

So football still has lower levels it can go to

Given the conditions and how poor Armenia is, its not comparable. If paying is acceptable in world chess, then world chess is the problem.

**pineapple stu** · 27/05/2021, 3:18 PM

For the record, chess is the national sport in Armenia. It's state funded and a compulsory subject in schools. So this is a huge deal for them and as such worth a mention. Is it comparable? Not directly - but I was using it an an example to show that football isn't as bad as other sports. Though maybe it's getting there.

Yes, world chess is the problem in this case of course.

**littlebray** · 27/05/2021, 3:18 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

Such incredible athletes

Irelands' No. 2 board player for the 14th Chess Olympiad in Leipzig, 1960, was Michael Littleton, a colleague of mine, and he told me in excruciating detail about his exhausting physical preparation regime for six months before the tournament. It's a sport all right, and you need to be fit.

**pineapple stu** · 27/05/2021, 3:23 PM

I don't know if it's a sport as such - although I've played 5-6 hour games at a high level (Champions League equivalent) and been fairly wrecked after, so I know what it can take out of you. And I know I'd probably be a slightly better player if I was fitter too!

I think the physical activity debate over whether it's a sport or a game takes away from the real question, which is whether it deserves funding (which is the key practical difference), and I think it does.

Though this is all very much off topic now!