Originally Posted by youngirish
QuoteFrom today's Guardian:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/comme...741157,00.html
Owen Garvan, Ipswich Town
David Pleat
Tuesday March 28, 2006
The Guardian
Financial restrictions have forced Ipswich to make the most of their youth policy and Owen Garvan, one of the homegrown talents, looks destined for the very top. He looks to have shades of Arnold Muhren, Kevin Sheedy and Liam Brady: an old-fashioned midfielder with a good left foot.
That may sound very high praise but this boy has great quality. When he plays a pass and gets the return he has already seen the next ball he wants to play and that is a special talent in someone so young. He also shows subtlety, balance and a sleight of foot beyond his years. When he receives possession he has a knack of being able to deceive opponents by dropping his shoulder and drifting away from them effortlessly. His speed of thought makes up for not being outstandingly fast.
Article continues
Garvan's best position is on the left side of a central midfield pair where he can receive the ball off his defenders and make the play by bringing team-mates into the game. That is usually the quality of a player of some experience. Jim Magilton has been Ipswich's schemer-in-chief for several seasons but his time is coming to an end and Garvan will take his place with confidence.
Garvan can pass accurately short and long but what has particularly impressed me is his ability to shield possession, a quality not always seen in players from the British Isles. When tackles fly in or he is hounded by an opponent he has the composure to move and keep the ball.
He likes to shoot and can hit fierce drives from the edge of the box. He will get stronger from playing consistently in the Championship but already he can look after himself. Although still slim he shows determination and a willingness to put his foot into tackles against stronger and more experienced players.
When I first saw Garvan I wondered whether he was fully tuned in to defensive responsibilities. Balls got played behind him, I thought he was slow to react and my first instinct was that he lacked pace. But he reacts swiftly now when Ipswich lose possession and, having watched him closely, I can see he has enough speed. A slightly ugly duckling running style can make him appear sluggish at times.
It is a terrific accolade for a boy of 18 that he has rarely been out of the side this season. Ipswich won the Youth Cup last year and he showed enough quality in the first leg of the final against Southampton for Joe Royle to feel confident of using him. Three others in that team, Billy Clarke, Darryl Knights and the goalkeeper Shane Supple, also look to have particularly bright futures.
I am told Garvan is mentally strong, single-minded and one of the last to leave training, even coming in on his day off. In Royle and the assistant manager Willie Donachie he has terrific people to guide him. Ipswich have sold to survive since the Bobby Robson era and they must hope that this time the club can progress without sacrificing this fine young talent.
Age 18
Born Dublin
Position Midfield
Height 6ft
Weight 10st 8lb
From Academy
Heading 7/10
Pace 7½/10
Awareness 8½/10
Shooting 8/10
Passing 8/10
Team responsibility 8/10
Pleat's valuation £1m-£1.5m
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