Pre-Season 2021-22

**samhaydenjr** · 08/07/2021, 1:29 AM

Well it's that time of year - you know, when we get all excited about an underage player scoring a hat-trick in pre-season for his Premier League senior team, only for him to end up on the bench in the Leinster Senior League one year later. Which brings me neatly to the first team... Celtic:
All four remaining players lined out in the second half in their 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday - worryingly, Celtic's website refers to them as the "Second XI", not the "second-half XI"
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/j...eld-Wednesday/

**tetsujin1979** · 09/07/2021, 12:02 PM

Conor Coventry starting for West Ham in their preseason game against Dundee, with Ryan Sweeney starting for them
Randolph and Odubeko on the bench for the Hammers

**Razors left peg** · 09/07/2021, 4:31 PM

Mad that preseason already starting, with the Euros still on it still feels like last season hasn't finished.

We've been fooled into thinking that preseason games mattered before in the sense that good performances dont translate into 1st team appearances come kick off of the season, but you would think its a massive preseason for a lot of our younger players.

Top of the list would be Aaron Connolly I would think. He really needs a good preseason to get himself fit and focused. I have my doubts he will do it but this is a huge season for him. He will see himself being offloaded to the lower divisions if he has another season like last.
Also at Brighton it would be good to see Andrew Moran involved in the 1st team there. Might be a bit too soon for Evan Ferguson?

Parrott and Idah need good preseasons too. Idah needs to figure out if hes going to be get much 1st team football this season or would a season on loan be better for him. Parrott would definitely be going on loan Id imagine, hes a million miles from 1st team at Spurs no matter what he does in preseason.

Few players at Southampton that preseason is important for too. Smallbone coming back from his injury, can Obafemi ever get fit and stay fit, and even Will Ferry has been on the bench a good few times last season without making an impact in 1st team.

Will be interesting to see how Collins fits in to Burnley after the move. After spending that kind of money you'd hope that they have him starting sooner rather than later.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/07/2021, 9:47 PM

Conor Noss started for Borussia Monchengladbach today against Viktoria Koln
The game was streamed on YouTube

**samhaydenjr** · 12/07/2021, 2:19 AM

Positive start at Cardiff for James Collins, scoring a brace in his half against Bath. Mark McGuinness played the second half: https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...5-cardiff-city

Olamide Shodipo's loan move to Sheffield Wednesday came in spite of scoring the winner for QPR against Portsmouth - Conor Masterson played for the second half: https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news...iendly-070721/

**samhaydenjr** · 13/07/2021, 12:32 AM

Games starting to come thick and fast now - first Prem club up is Everton, with a 3-0 training game victory over Accrington Stanley - Tom Cannon opened the scoring for them: https://www.evertonfc.com/news/21873...-practice-game

Sean Maguire scored twice as Preston beat Bamber Bridge 8-3 - Greg Cunningham and Adam O'Reilly both lined out with him in the second half: https://www.pnefc.net/news/2021/july...-on-10-jul-21/

John Egan was on the mark for Sheffield United against Gibraltar side Europa: https://www.sufc.co.uk/news/2021/jul...Blades-report/

Joshua Kayode and Kieran Sadlier both scored and Chiedozie Ogbene was credited with an assist, as they beat a local team called Parkgate 11-0: https://www.themillers.co.uk/news/20...-on-10-jul-21/

And on a downer note, none of the Irish quartet at Celtic lined out against Charlton: https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/j...in-pre-season/

**tommy_c12000** · 13/07/2021, 2:15 AM

Luca Connell did come on for the last 10 to 15 minutes, but yes, the early signs of the new regime are not good from an Irish perspective. The upcoming European games will likely mean the manager will be sticking with the tried and tested for now

**tommy_c12000** · 13/07/2021, 2:11 PM

I do see Celtic Colts are now in the Lowlands league (5th tier of senior Scottish football), starting July 17, and will likely be in league 2 (same as Luca�s Queens Park last season) next year with maximum permitted promotion to league 1. So makes moves to Celtic slightly more palatable for our youngsters like Lawal. But only slightly more so

**tommy_c12000** · 13/07/2021, 5:43 PM

Originally Posted by tommy_c12000

I do see Celtic Colts are now in the Lowlands league (5th tier of senior Scottish football), starting July 17, and will likely be in league 2 (same as Luca�s Queens Park last season) next year with maximum permitted promotion to league 1. So makes moves to Celtic slightly more palatable for our youngsters like Lawal. But only slightly more so

I see there proposal for league 2 status was just shut down by other clubs again, I�m sure they will be back with an updated proposal and more money. Colts still play in 5th tier this year anyways I believe

**Eirambler** · 13/07/2021, 10:14 PM

The smaller Scottish clubs are very resistant to them being allowed to play in the Scottish football league, they have repeatedly tried to get in over the last few years but have been rejected every time. Anytime there's any kind of restructuring proposal they try to get in on it by offering money etc., but they get a resounding no from the clubs each time. The lowland league is a very poor level, it's the fifth tier, but even then it's regionalised, only half the fifth tier teams play in it with the other half in the Highland League, so the standard is as poor as you would expect.

**samhaydenjr** · 14/07/2021, 1:25 AM

Good night for Irish players at West Ham as they split their squad: Odubeko and Coventry lined out against Northampton Town, who had Dylan Connolly in their team, with Coventry scoring the winner: https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/...2WestHamUnited

Meanwhile, Armstrong Okoflex seems to have made more progress in a month with the Hammers than he did in two years at Celtic, starting the other team's scoreless draw with Leyton Orient, along with Randolph. Aaron Drinan played for the O's: https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/...vWestHamUnited

New recruit Sammie Szmodics on target for Peterborough against Stamford: https://www.theposh.com/news/2021/ju...n-at-stamford/

**CraftyToePoke** · 14/07/2021, 2:00 AM

Originally Posted by samhaydenjr

New recruit Sammie Szmodics on target for Peterborough against Stamford

I was at this one earlier, he missed two one on ones also, one he took way too long and the defender ( a semi pro ) got back at him and blocked his strike after he was clear, the second one he was so far clear no one could catch him but he bent it wide of the far post.

He and Jack Taylor played the first 45, Christy Pym played the second half. Another one of ours now. Taylor didn't give it away but neither did he take any forward passing risks, all square balls but always tidy. Pym had little to do and he's small for a footballer never mind a keeper, plenty talk from him though organising the lads in front of him.

Just nice to be able to go see a game again mostly.

**Eirambler** · 14/07/2021, 6:49 AM

Is Pym fully confirmed as Irish now? Had heard it was a possibility but it went quiet again after that. He is awfully small for a keeper alright, not sure how I'd feel about him as our goalie because of that - must be one of the smallest in the football league.

**sadloserkid** · 14/07/2021, 9:25 AM

The internet seems adamant that Pym is 6'0 - if that is the case he's no giant but I wouldn't consider it a deal-breaker.

**seanfhear** · 14/07/2021, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Is Pym fully confirmed as Irish now? Had heard it was a possibility but it went quiet again after that. He is awfully small for a keeper alright, not sure how I'd feel about him as our goalie because of that - must be one of the smallest in the football league.

What would be wrong with High Heeled Boots ?

**CraftyToePoke** · 14/07/2021, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Is Pym fully confirmed as Irish now? Had heard it was a possibility but it went quiet again after that. He is awfully small for a keeper alright, not sure how I'd feel about him as our goalie because of that - must be one of the smallest in the football league.

This is where it was at earlier in the year - https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/...-40246481.html
Doesn't sound like a passport holder to me, so that would need to be sorted out so who knows, O'Leary from Bristol was in a late Mick squad and went to get his papers in order & was never mentioned again.

Originally Posted by sadloserkid

The internet seems adamant that Pym is 6'0 - if that is the case he's no giant but I wouldn't consider it a deal-breaker.

Could the internet be lying on his behalf SLK ?

I was about twenty feet from him and remember thinking I was as tall as him, I'm 5 11 but I could be wrong, he was with the first team back four who are all basketballer level tall.

What is definite here is he has copped himself on weight wise in close season, he's in better shape. He has also signed a three year extension at Peterborough in May and the keeper they brought in was back up at Ipswich last season, so he's likely to start in goals in the Championship. And as things are shaping up, wouldn't that make him our highest level & regularly startinging keeper option ?

**samhaydenjr** · 15/07/2021, 1:02 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Is Pym fully confirmed as Irish now? Had heard it was a possibility but it went quiet again after that. He is awfully small for a keeper alright, not sure how I'd feel about him as our goalie because of that - must be one of the smallest in the football league.

Originally Posted by sadloserkid

The internet seems adamant that Pym is 6'0 - if that is the case he's no giant but I wouldn't consider it a deal-breaker.

Jordan Pickford is 6'1", but looked tiny next to Donnarumma on Sunday. I seem to remember watching Phil Harrington for Cork City (who's 1cm shorter than Pym) and he used to stand on his toes at corners

Anyway, Pym, O'Leary and Bonham are surely worth watching if Kelleher, Bazunu and/or Travers take time to develop

Speaking of Max O'Leary, he kept a clean sheet for 76 minutes against Celtic - O'Dowda played the last half-hour - no mention of any of the lads at Celtic: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/match-re...ty-0-0-celtic/

Intriguing news from Middlesbrough - 17-year-old Calum Kavanagh played the second half against Bishop Auckland: https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/match-rep...kland-0-boro-3

And another goal for Josh Kayode, in Rotherham's 4-0 win over Hungarian opposition III. Keruleti TVE in Budapest: https://www.themillers.co.uk/news/20...-on-14-jul-21/

**elatedscum** · 15/07/2021, 1:15 AM

Pretty sure Pickford is more like between 5�11 and 6�0, I know he�s listed as 6�1. Footballer heights are really unreliable. Guys sometime are measured with boots and studs on, small people on their tippy toes etc etc...

For example Jordan Henderson is listed as 5�11 and a half (1.82m) and is side by a tiny bit taller than Pickford

**seanfhear** · 15/07/2021, 5:07 AM

Pickford certainly has small man syndrome in goal = Angry little fella.

**samhaydenjr** · 17/07/2021, 12:56 AM

Friday's pre-season:

Adam Idah on target already, with a late goal against King's Lynn after coming on for the second half. Interestingly, Omobamidele played the full game: https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/2021...ynn-v-norwich/

Travers and Kilkenny both played the first half of Bournemouth's 4-2 win over Spanish opposition Linense - unfortunately Bournemouth were 2-1 down at half-time: https://twitter.com/afcbournemouth/s...65138139045894