Phew... if we get out of that group, then we must really be doing something right with youth development
The Under 19s are on a hiding to nothing in terms of qualification - the damage was done in the first group stage on the score. I think these games need to be used to see which players will be best suited to stepping up to our next Under 21 squad next year.
I agree with the bold part. They should have been top seeds. But there's no need to throw the baby out with the bath water here. Ev Ferguson could easily play with this group. They're a decent side, and with england first up anything could happen - I don't expect it will, but it absolutely could.Originally Posted by Eirambler
also, lets give a bit of credit to the FA here. They've put the qualification stage into 4 great grounds - unlike a lot of what we see at this level.
Chesterfield, Bescott and the new york stadium are all class, while Georges Park is a fine pitch and venue for a game with zero local interest
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Looking at the current U21s squad you have Festy, Ollie O'Neill, Odubeko, and Ferguson as being underage for the next campaign.
A couple of the U19s have been in a few squads and gotten one or two caps already like Andy Moran and Bosun Lawal. Roughan and Garcia McNulty have been in squads but not capped yet at U21s.
Hodge, Okoflex, and Burns are probably the stand out names in the U20s recently named with Okoflex having obviously been in a few U21s squads.
Oh, Ollie O'Neill is in both squads - 19s and 21s.. Fair play to the lad. He'll be a big addition. I wonder if they'll try getting all four of those forwards into the side. It would be some line up if so.
Great to see a few Pats lads in there. I count 3, possibly 4, not sure if Glory Nzingo is still with us.
Out for a spell, got neglected, lay on the bench unselected.
He's listed as a Stade Reims player in the linked article
Really up against in that group, Portugal are top seeds, England are hosting, and only the group winners go through
Trying not to look at the squad and focus on the names that aren't there, but Calum Kavanagh's omission is strange.
Benoa misses out again, and no Zefi either
<EDIT>
Zefi named in the U17 squad
Wasn't Ollie O'Neill called up to the U21s last week, or do we have two Ollie O'Neills. No Calum Kavanagh which is a shame unless they meant to name him and named Ollie O'Neill by mistake.
Forgot the 19s will be in England for the week. 21s will probably be with the 19s for the next few days and fly out after they play Portugal on Saturday.
Last edited by JR89; 21/03/2022 at 4:18 PM.
Interesting calls: few of these could be explained by injuries that I’m unaware of
1/ Josh Keeley ahead of Arlo Doherty.
2/ Sean Grehan ahead of David Okahbue or Josh O’Brien
3/ Alex Murphy ahead of Val Adedokun
4) In terms of midfielders, missing names would include: John Joe Patrick Finn, Ola Ibrahim, Ben McCormack - I’d personally have them ahead of Corbally. Haven’t seen Baba Adeeko play.
5) In terms of attacking players, no Calum Kavanagh, Lee Harkin, Cristiano Fitzgerald, Ryan O’Kane, Aido Emakhu or Cian Kavanagh - I think I’d probably have one or two of them in the squad.
6) Unusual that Ollie O’Neill has been called up to both squads. I could see the logic in playing him against England and Portugal and then sending him to be on the bench for the 21s game - but if you’re game to do that, then Evan Ferguson is an obvious contender to do it. If you don’t get results in the first two games, the Armenia game doesn’t matter and to be honest, we should be able to win against Armenia without both of them anyway.
7) Interesting the number of 2004 players involved: Abankwah, Grehan, Murphy, McJannet, Nzingo - quite a high number really, considering the depth of players from 2003.
There are a lot of names unnamed. The squad can only be a certain size. It feels to me like the competition in the forward positions is immense and it looks immense. The fact that dual national lads have been excluded can no longer be an issue when we name squads this strong.
That defence...that might actually be a stronger defence than the 17s from the Euros 5 yrs ago. That's how good they are.
Anselmo, Abankwah and Lawal would be a great three, not sure if there's anyone (Roughan perhaps?) who could play alongside Adaramola as a wing-back.
Would give a lot of licence to shoe-horn in Moran, Kenny and Armstrong - not to mention Ollie O'Neill!
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Yet again your knowledge of the underage scene is only rivalled by a handful on this site, and it's brilliant that there is so much interest in all these kids.
On 4 - isn't Ben McCormack injured? And Finn is playing fifth or sixth tier in Spain
On 5 - wonder is it because kavanagh is actually on loan (and playing for a first-team)?
On 6 - I'd have Ferguson in this side myself. But to be fair looking at the 19s forwards, you'd easily mistake it for the 21s.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
They seem to have played 4 at the back previously with Abankwah as the right full. Hayes has played alot as a wide midfielder for Fleetwood this season so you'd imagine he is on the mix with Kenny to take a wide position with o neill on the other side and hopefully moran as a 10 behind Armstrong. Ben McCormack is a loss has he struggled a little bit since his bad ankle injury a 4 or 5 months ago?
If anyone has a link to watch this game tomorrow night it would be great if they could share it. Here is the link for radio coverage as a backup plan https://twitter.com/LiveSportsFM/sta...065%2Fpage-313
Should be on YouTube. England will surely broadcast all their games on their YouTube channel.
Lineups and live updates from the Portugal - Armenia game: https://www.uefa.com/under19/match/2...menia/lineups/
1-0 england
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
1-1 goal from Abankwah
Sinclair Armstrong and Johnny Kenny both butchered by England. If the English commentators protestations are anything to go by, the tackle by the keeper was probably a red card…
Kenny hit the post I think.
Only including two real strikers in the squad seems to be a mistake already - Hayes playing up front but as far as I’m aware he’s a winger. Aido Emakhu, Cian Kavanagh, Callum Kavanagh, Luke Pearce, Evan Ferguson - any would be useful
2-1 to England
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