Joey O'Brien

**Stuttgart88** · 21/10/2005, 7:32 AM

Anyone see him last night? I only saw about 15 mins. It wasn't worth subjecting Mrs Stuttgart to Besiktas against Bolton just because I had an interest in ewatching O'Brien.

From The Times:

It was a patched-up, makeshift team, befitting Allardyce’s old description of his players as “waifs and strays”, but an opportunity for bit-part players such as Ian Walker and teenage hopefuls such as Joey O’Brien.

The young Irishman got off to a rocky start, however, combining with Tal Ben Haim to squander possession and enable Ailton, Besiktas’s Brazilian striker, to saunter through the centre and drive a deft strike into the roof of the net. With a double-barrelled chest and plodding gait, Ailton had the look of an overfed Ronaldo, but he caused plenty of problems early on, aided by the dribbling skills of Ibrahim Akin......

.....They did get the ball in the net with 70 minutes gone, when Diouf prodded home from a corner, but the assistant referee flagged for offside. That disappointment failed to stop the momentum, though, and Bolton finished strongly, O’Brien growing in stature and Fadiga’s muscular authority dominating midfield.

On 5 Live David Pleat said he was impressed by O'Brien's aerial ability & he said that for a young player he played the "Ivan Campo role" very well.

I thought he was OK in the last U21 game but no more than that.

**drummerboy** · 21/10/2005, 8:08 AM

Watched most of the game. The commentators were very impressed by O'Brien performance in a very hostile athmosphere. Goal wasn't his fault, he was given a suicidal ball which he failed to control. Apart from that he never put a foot wrong and looks like he could be a real contender for the central midfield role in a year or two.

**Reality Bites** · 21/10/2005, 8:18 AM

Joey O'Brien, Paul McShane, Stephen Ireland, Aiden McGeady are all names we need to see a lot more of this year

**OwlsFan** · 21/10/2005, 9:03 AM

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

Joey O'Brien, Paul McShane, Stephen Ireland, Aiden McGeady are all names we need to see a lot more of this year

Yep, like:

Ronnie O Brien
Richie Partridge
Jason Gavin
Mark Kelly
Jim Goodwin
John Thompson
Tony Scully
Jim Neary
Tony Byrne
Mark Doughlas
Keith O Neill
Alan Lee
Mark Yeates
Daryl Clare
Leon Best
Michael Reddy
Lee Power
Kieran Brady
Sean Thornton
Keith Foy
Andy Turner
Stephen Bradley
Colin Healy
Liam Miller
Graham Barrett

So many whom we hoped would make it but never fulfilled their early promise

**colster** · 21/10/2005, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Yep, like:

Ronnie O Brien
Richie Partridge
Jason Gavin
Mark Kelly
Jim Goodwin
John Thompson
Tony Scully
Jim Neary
Tony Byrne
Mark Doughlas
Keith O Neill
Alan Lee
Mark Yeates
Daryl Clare
Leon Best
Michael Reddy
Lee Power
Kieran Brady
Sean Thornton
Keith Foy
Andy Turner
Stephen Bradley
Colin Healy
Liam Miller
Graham Barrett

So many whom we hoped would make it but never fulfilled their early promise

How about the many that have made it? What's with the pessimism? At least there are players coming through. No one can say whether they are going to make it or not. I'm looking forward to seeing some of these guys get a chance over the next couple of years.
Some of those players on that list are still playing and may yet make a big contribution to the national team.

**Cosmo** · 21/10/2005, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Yep, like:

Ronnie O Brien
Richie Partridge
Jason Gavin
Mark Kelly
Jim Goodwin
John Thompson
Tony Scully
Jim Neary
Tony Byrne
Mark Doughlas
Keith O Neill
Alan Lee
Mark Yeates
Daryl Clare
Leon Best
Michael Reddy
Lee Power
Kieran Brady
Sean Thornton
Keith Foy
Andy Turner
Stephen Bradley
Colin Healy
Liam Miller
Graham Barrett

So many whom we hoped would make it but never fulfilled their early promise

What do ye mean? Sure aren't 2 of them with the superdrogs

!!

**Tenderloins** · 21/10/2005, 11:17 AM

Of those on the list mentioned, some have fulfilled their potential, others haven't and others have had their careers wrecked by injury. To compare I found an Irish U21 squad from 2000 also.....

Ronnie O Brien - Dallas
Richie Partridge - Sheff Wed (career hampered by injury)
Jason Gavin - Drogheda
Mark Kelly- last heard playing for Sligo (career wrecked by injury)
Jim Goodwin- Stockport (Has won International caps)
John Thompson - Forest (Has won International caps)
Tony Scully - Exeter, has had a long career as a pro
Jim Neary -?
Tony Byrne -?
Mark Doughlas -?
Keith O Neill - doing well until career wrecked by injury
Alan Lee - Cardiff, playing OK (international)
Mark Yeates -Colchester on loan from Spurs, still young enough to make an impact.
Daryl Clare- Crawley
Leon Best - still young
Michael Reddy - Grimsby
Lee Power -had a good career in the lower divisions in England
Kieran Brady - After shinging with Sunderland, never made the breakthrough.
Sean Thornton - Doncaster, talented but hasn't used it
Keith Foy - Monaghan
Andy Turner
Stephen Bradley - Drogheda
Colin Healy - Sunderland, still in the Irish reckoning
Liam Miller - Man United.
Graham Barrett -Livingston

This is the U21 Squad Ireland V Holland in 2000 -
Joe Murphy (Tranmere), Dean Delaney (Port Vale) Colin Healy (Celtic),
Damien Lynch (Leeds), Jason Gavin (Middlesbrough), Andy O'Brien (Bradford),
John O'Shea (Man Utd), Clive Clarke (Stoke City), Martin Rowlands (Brentford), Richie Partridge (Liverpool), Barry Quinn (Coventry), James O'Connor (Stoke City), Alan Quinn (Sheffield Wed), John McGrath (Aston Villa), Graham Barrett (Arsenal),
Gary Doherty (Spurs), Michael Reddy (Sunderland), Stephen Hunt (Crystal Palace).
On stand-by: Shaun Byrne (West Ham), Liam Miller (Celtic), Dave Billington (Sheffield Wed), Richie Foran (Shelbourne).

Murphy, Healy, O'Brien, O'Shea, Clarke, Rowlands,Barry and Alan Quinn, Barrett, Doherty and Miller have all won Senior caps.
Dean Delaney,Damien Lynch, Jason Gavin,John McGrath are with Eircom League teams.
Shaun Byrne was last heard of at Dublin City under Roddy Collins. Dave Billingtons career was wrecked by injury.
The others are all still pros in England and Scotland

**redgav** · 21/10/2005, 11:36 AM

oops - misread the thread

**tricky_colour** · 21/10/2005, 12:43 PM

I heard a bit of it on the radio and the commentator was praising O'Brien
so I was surprised he was getting blamed for the goal which was apparently
not really his fault anyway.
I read some posts on Bolton sites and most spoke highly of him, some giving
him MOM.

**tricky_colour** · 21/10/2005, 12:49 PM

http://www.thisisbolton.co.uk/lancas...RSTOPTOP0.html

**OwlsFan** · 21/10/2005, 1:12 PM

Originally Posted by colster

How about the many that have made it? What's with the pessimism? At least there are players coming through. No one can say whether they are going to make it or not. I'm looking forward to seeing some of these guys get a chance over the next couple of years.
Some of those players on that list are still playing and may yet make a big contribution to the national team.

The point is we're inclined to overhype our youngsters and put unreal expectations on their shoulders. Kevin Doyle is the latest who is doing well but before we christen him as our saviour, let's wait a couple of seasons to see does he make it in the Premiership.

McGeady was going to be the next Maradona - I exaggerate not - from the glowing reports we heard. Wonder kid we were told. Hopefully he will start to pick up his form again but at the back of our minds we must remember that for everyone that makes it, there are a host that fall by the wayside unfortunately.

**CraftyToePoke** · 21/10/2005, 1:24 PM

i watched the game last night stutt,and i thought he did well,sat deep most of the time and kept a clear head in posession,used it simply and quickly.he didnt look uncomfortable higher up the park either on the odd occasion he found himself up there.

i thought it showed good mental strength to recover from the start he had made when a poor pass to him which he did'nt control led to the opener for them.he put it behind him and had a solid game.the commentators were impressed as well.

**colster** · 21/10/2005, 1:34 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

The point is we're inclined to overhype our youngsters and put unreal expectations on their shoulders. Kevin Doyle is the latest who is doing well but before we christen him as our saviour, let's wait a couple of seasons to see does he make it in the Premiership.

McGeady was going to be the next Maradona - I exaggerate not - from the glowing reports we heard. Wonder kid we were told. Hopefully he will start to pick up his form again but at the back of our minds we must remember that for everyone that makes it, there are a host that fall by the wayside unfortunately.

I agree there is a tendency to over hype young players. I'm not over hyping anyone. All i'm saying is that there are players out there with potential. People are being too pesimistic saying that there are no players coming through or that we don't have enough quality coming through. This is all BS. How can anyone know?

**eirebhoy** · 21/10/2005, 5:08 PM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

i watched the game last night stutt,and i thought he did well,sat deep most of the time and kept a clear head in posession,used it simply and quickly.he didnt look uncomfortable higher up the park either on the odd occasion he found himself up there.

The odd thing is whenever I seen him for Wednesday he was a real attacking midfielder partnering the more defensive Whelan.

**youngirish** · 21/10/2005, 6:18 PM

I've always thought that O'Brien looks to have a lot of potential. I reckon himself and Stephen Ireland wll be the future central midfield pairing for Ireland.

Seems Allardyce was happy with his contribution last night and he might even get a run out at the weekend.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/sp...his_claim.html

**OwlsFan** · 25/03/2011, 9:28 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

I've always thought that O'Brien looks to have a lot of potential. I reckon himself and Stephen Ireland wll be the future central midfield pairing for Ireland.

Funny how things work out

**paul_oshea** · 25/03/2011, 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Yep, like:

Ronnie O Brien
Richie Partridge
Jason Gavin
Mark Kelly
Jim Goodwin
John Thompson
Tony Scully
Jim Neary
Tony Byrne
Mark Doughlas
Keith O Neill
Alan Lee
Mark Yeates
Daryl Clare
Leon Best
Michael Reddy
Lee Power
Kieran Brady
Sean Thornton
Keith Foy
Andy Turner
Stephen Bradley
Colin Healy
Liam Miller
Graham Barrett

So many whom we hoped would make it but never fulfilled their early promise

Leon best was very young to be writing him off at that stage. he must only have been about 18!!!