Michael Noonan F Shamrock Rovers b.2008

**John83** · 19/02/2025, 10:48 AM

Fair, though I think the language barrier is likely the reason it's not been taken to enthusiastically. It's not like the lads who went to Italy have torn up trees yet either.

**ltfc_2004** · 21/02/2025, 12:18 PM

Maybe we need to look at setting up a Clairefontaine for the best 15-18 year olds post junior cert and providing them with schooling, boarding and additional coaching but they still play with their clubs where possible. The FAI could provide specialist coaches to try and develop their technical skills with more one on one coaching or trying to get sessions with specialist positional coaches. Nutrition etc can be monitored, sports science used to develop players. It will cost a fortune and clubs may rage at not having 100% access to their players but in the post Brexit age, needs must.

Maybe the FAI give the 20 most talented kids a centralised contract and basically buy them off their clubs or get them as early as possible into the system. They could become a Brentford B type playing in various tournaments and playing top youth sides across Europe.

**Eirambler** · 21/02/2025, 12:49 PM

Unfortunately they haven't a pot to **** in so, short of a major government cash injection that hasn't been forthcoming to date, that won't be happening.

**SkStu** · 21/02/2025, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by ltfc_2004

Maybe we need to look at setting up a Clairefontaine for the best 15-18 year olds post junior cert and providing them with schooling, boarding and additional coaching but they still play with their clubs where possible. The FAI could provide specialist coaches to try and develop their technical skills with more one on one coaching or trying to get sessions with specialist positional coaches. Nutrition etc can be monitored, sports science used to develop players. It will cost a fortune and clubs may rage at not having 100% access to their players but in the post Brexit age, needs must.

Maybe the FAI give the 20 most talented kids a centralised contract and basically buy them off their clubs or get them as early as possible into the system. They could become a Brentford B type playing in various tournaments and playing top youth sides across Europe.

Agreed (though not sure i love the vision in the last sentence or two if im understanding it correctly). I think I mentioned something similar on here about 15 years ago and don't see how or why it couldn't be integrated into the evolving league club academy structures or at least that the clubs could be made the collective beneficiaries of the outcomes. There is definitely something in it.

I think of the American Football college draft thingy and see how there could be some parallels to what could be done with the type of academy you mention - but would need to think it through some more.

**~YTM~** · 21/02/2025, 2:15 PM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Unfortunately they haven't a pot to **** in so, short of a major government cash injection that hasn't been forthcoming to date, that won't be happening.

Even if they had the money it seems Marc Canham has no interest in going that route and wants the LOI academies to develop players.

**elatedscum** · 21/02/2025, 2:55 PM

Originally Posted by ~YTM~

Even if they had the money it seems Marc Canham has no interest in going that route and wants the LOI academies to develop players.

For an LOI club, you would think if you were able to produce a player like Noonan or Ozhianvuna a year, an elite elite academy would pay for itself.

I found it oddly encouraging that Rovers penalty takers were two 16 year olds and an 18 year old (Cory O'Sullivan) and they all converted their penalties.

Slightly surprised that Cory is still in the country tbh. Not sure if that speaks to foreign clubs not thinking he's good enough or a desire for him to stay longer in the country. But he was a standout player at u16 level for Ireland and he's basically been a mainstay from then to u19 level.

We've had a lot of fullbacks who have looked great in LOI at a very young age (Jay Furlong, Trev Clarke, Sam Curtis) and lads who have looked great for underage Irish sides (Lee O'Connor, Tyriek Wilson) and none of them transitioned to senior football at a comparatively high level as their peers in other positions.

**Eirambler** · 21/02/2025, 5:18 PM

I think it's just the standard of full backs (and midfielders) that academies in other countries are producing now, our lads in those positions don't stand out when they move abroad. They suddenly find themselves in a world of lightning quick full backs and passing centre mids who are exceptional on the ball. The academies around Europe are just brilliant at producing those kinds of players.

What they're less good at is producing rock solid centre backs and big strong centre forwards. So the players we develop in those positions do better when they go. It does lead to us having a very unbalanced senior squad however.

**elatedscum** · 21/02/2025, 6:03 PM

Certainly unusual considering recently Doherty and Coleman were considered our two best players. And going back a bit, we had a 5 year period where there was an Irish right back in the PFA Premier League Team Of The Year

1999 Dennis Irwin* (probably as a left back, but he won it at right back as well)
2000 Gary Kelly
2001 Stephen Carr
2002 Steve Finnan
2003 Stephen Carr

**mark12345** · 21/02/2025, 7:46 PM

Originally Posted by ltfc_2004

Maybe we need to look at setting up a Clairefontaine for the best 15-18 year olds post junior cert and providing them with schooling, boarding and additional coaching but they still play with their clubs where possible. The FAI could provide specialist coaches to try and develop their technical skills with more one on one coaching or trying to get sessions with specialist positional coaches. Nutrition etc can be monitored, sports science used to develop players. It will cost a fortune and clubs may rage at not having 100% access to their players but in the post Brexit age, needs must.

Maybe the FAI give the 20 most talented kids a centralised contract and basically buy them off their clubs or get them as early as possible into the system. They could become a Brentford B type playing in various tournaments and playing top youth sides across Europe.

The FAI could provide specialist coaches to develop their technical skills? Where would those coaches come from? If I had to guess, I would say abroad because the coaching in Ireland is taking a very long time to bear fruit.

**Eirambler** · 02/05/2025, 4:05 PM

Sounds like his dad's off to jail anyway. Might be the best place for him in terms of Michael's football career in truth.

https://x.com/SteBreen/status/191830...RC1uZo00A&s=19

**elatedscum** · 02/05/2025, 4:25 PM

probably looking at about 6 years, serving half of that. really sad for Michael. hopefully he's old enough to handle it and respond to it well.

**Diggs246** · 02/05/2025, 9:03 PM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Sounds like his dad's off to jail anyway. Might be the best place for him in terms of Michael's football career in truth.

https://x.com/SteBreen/status/191830...RC1uZo00A&s=19

Everyone is better off without this guy, his son, society everybody

I hope he gets a lot more than 6 years

Here's some of his other work

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/.../36270303.html

**seanfhear** · 03/05/2025, 5:27 AM

Originally Posted by Diggs246

Everyone is better off without this guy, his son, society everybody

I hope he gets a lot more than 6 years

Here's some of his other work

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/.../36270303.html

There is some Scumbags among us.

You'd wonder would capital punishment deter some of these scumbags ? Public hanging ? !

**pineapple stu** · 03/05/2025, 7:47 AM

I think in fairness capital punishment has long been shown to not have the deterrence effect its proponents suggest. If it did, America (which has capital punishment) wouldn't have such a high crime rate.

I think there needs to be more done around drugs - from a police resource point of view, and from an education point of view. Plenty of people taking coke or stronger on a vaguely regular basis and don't consider themselves part of the problem.

**seanfhear** · 03/05/2025, 8:40 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I think in fairness capital punishment has long been shown to not have the deterrence effect its proponents suggest. If it did, America (which has capital punishment) wouldn't have such a high crime rate.

I think there needs to be more done around drugs - from a police resource point of view, and from an education point of view. Plenty of people taking coke or stronger on a vaguely regular basis and don't consider themselves part of the problem.

You don't get much re-offending after capital punishment !

Premeditated murderers / child killers / child abusers ~ At this stage I would be willing to do that lot, when there would be overwhelming evidence.

And, I used to be against capital punishment !