Players to Watch in the UK Next Season

**youngirish** · 23/04/2007, 12:17 PM

This season has seen Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Stephen Ireland cement themselves as proven Premiership players and in the process emerge as valuable International players for Ireland.

Hopefully next season we should see another 3-4 players establish themselves in the Premiership but who are the most likely candidates? The following are the players I think are the ones to watch most closely next season.

Name : Colin Doyle
Position : Goalkeeper
Age : 21
Club : Birmingham
The last two months has seen Doyle establish a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers outside the Premiership. By next season he should be a regular feature in the top tier of English football and will most likely become the deputy to Shay Given between the Irish posts.

Name : Stephen Kelly
Position : Right Back
Age : 23
Club : Brimingham
After an initial promising breakthrough season for Spurs a couple of years ago Kelly has since seen his career stutter and falter. A move to Birmingham last year has breathed new life into him and with their expected promotion to the Premiership he should get another chance to take up where he left off with Spurs.

Name : Paul McShane
Position : Central Defence
Age : 21
Club : West Brom
McShane has had a magnificient season establishing himself as a regular for Ireland and for promotion chasing West Brom. He could well be playing in the Premiership next season where he can test himself against some of the best strikers in Europe. A confident defender he is a great reader of the game considering his tender years, McShane should be a main feature of the Ireland team for many years. My only worry would be his lack of pace which may be exposed in the Premiership more frequently than it has been in the Championship. Good for an occasional goal from defence also.

Name : Joey O'Brien
Position : Right Back, Central Midfield
Age : 21
Club : Bolton
A year plagued by injury has halted the progression of arguably Ireland's most impressive young player last season. The improvement seen in Stephen Ireland this year only shows how far O'Brien could have come this term if he'd managed to stay fit. Next season could be a defining one for the young Dubliner and he needs to come back fitter and stronger to try to regain his place in the Bolton first team preferrably in his more natural central midfield role. If this occurs O'Brien could prove to be one of our most impressive young players next season but there's a lot of hard work ahead.

Name : Owen Garvan
Position : Central Midfield
Age : 19
Club : Ipswich
Garvan has been another player who has sufferred from the effects of injury this term as a post viral infection meant that he missed all of pre-season and only managed to regain his place in the first team in December. This setback has clearly affected him and he has struggled to regain the form that made him one of the most sought after young players outside the Premiership last year. In recent months, however, he has started to look more like the player we seen last season and a similar improvement next term could again see him attracting interest from a host of Premiership clubs in the January transfer window.

Name : Stephen Quinn
Position Left Midfield
Age : 21
Club : Sheffield United
A skillful winger with an eye for goal the introduction of Quinn into the Sheffield United first team in November last year provided the touch of class that had been lacking by the industrious Blades. A recent drop in form coupled with the fact that Warnock possibly doesn't quite see him as a player that's suitable for the last few games of a relegation battle has seen him lose his place in the last few weeks. Even considering this lapse Quinn has progressed beyond all expectations this year and has been one of Sheffield United's most impressive performers during his time in the team. If the Blades do manage to survive Quinn should again be gracing the Premiership on a regular basis next season.

Name : Anthony Stokes
Position : Striker
Age : 18
Club : Sunderland
Stokes exploded onto the scene earlier this season with a loan move to Falkirk where he netted 14 goals in 16 appearances. This form earned him a 2 million January transfer to Sunderland where he has since struggled to show his undoubted ability. With Sunderland looking increasingly likely to gain promotion Stokes should have the opportunity to show his talents in the Premiership next season. Next season he needs to recapture the form that he showed in the SPL to justify his inclusion in the Ireland squad.

Name : Shane Long
Position :Striker
Age : 20
Club : Reading
Another good season for Long has seen him feature on a regular basis for Reading in the Premiership and in the Ireland team. Strong and quick, Long has two of the most valuable assets a striker needs to make his mark in the modern game. His touch could be better but this should improve with time and a regular run in the Reading first team next season would allow him to enchance his growing reputation further. Of the two young Irish strikers Stokes and Long I've been more impressed by the latter this season despite the former's impressive start.

Name : Stephen Elliot
Position : Right Midfield, Striker
Age : 23
Club : Sunderland
After another injury ravaged season that he will want to forget Elliot should again have a chance to show what he can do in the Premiership with Sunderland. One of our most natural finishers Elliot impressed in a poor team in the handful of appearances that he made in the Premiership last time out and hopefully he can stay fit next year and continue where he left off. My only worry would be that Keane may choose to offload him on gaining promotion or that he again submits to injury. If he manages to stay fit and gets regular first team football in his preferred position as a striker then I can see him having a very good season and establishing himself as a viable alternative to Robbie Keane for Ireland.

Other candidates:
Shane Supple (Ipswich), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), Sean St Ledger (Preston), Aiden Mc Geady (Celtic), Darren Potter (Wolves), Cillian Sheridan (Celtic), Andy Keogh (Wolves), Billy Clarke (Ipswich), Leon Best (Southampton)

**Stuttgart88** · 23/04/2007, 12:53 PM

Good post. I'd be tempted to add Daryl Murphy who has mucked in with some important assists recently.

If Charlton get relgated I wonder if Randolph will become their first choice keeper.

Of the names above, I think all should make the trip to the US, injury or club commitments permitting.

Who would you say this year's successes (and disappointments) have been?

Stephen Hunt, Darren O'Dea, Stokes, Stephen Quinn & Colin Doyle have surpassed expectations.

For reasons outside their control, Garvan and J. O'Brien have been among this year's biggest let-downs.

**gustavo** · 23/04/2007, 12:58 PM

You might find this thread
interesting as a comparision

**youngirish** · 23/04/2007, 1:04 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

You might find this thread
interesting as a comparision

Nice one, couldn't find that. A few have gone off the boil this year Tabb, Foley and Hayes particularly but most of the others have progressed to some degree.

Tabb and Foley could make a comeback next season (Tabb has been doing better as of late despite a poor start to his Coventry career but Hayes hasn't made any progress whatsoever, he's on loan at MK Dons at present).

Still like McCann from Burnley but can't see him playing at a higher level for at least another couple of seasons.

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Who would you say this year's successes (and disappointments) have been?

Stephen Hunt, Darren O'Dea, Stokes, Stephen Quinn & Colin Doyle have surpassed expectations.

For reasons outside their control, Garvan and J. O'Brien have been among this year's biggest let-downs.

As for our successes this year Stutts I'd agree with all the above but would have my top 5 in this order:

1. Kevin Doyle
2. Stephen Hunt
3. Stephen Ireland
4. Stephen Quinn
5. Colin Doyle

As for disappointments:
1. Joey O'Brien
2. Stephen Elliot
3. Adam Rooney
4. Kevin Foley
5. Kevin Thornton

From that list if you have a kid and want him to be an Irish footballer call him Stephen or Kevin.

**jebus** · 23/04/2007, 1:37 PM

Glenn Whelan of Sheffield Wednesday is worth a look lads

**Ordinary Fan** · 23/04/2007, 1:51 PM

The problem with players to watch next season is that they are just one injury away from not making it. Joey O'Brien is a perfect example, he looked the part playing out of position with Bolton, but after a succession of injuries, he might be let go at the end of the season.
I was sure Garvan would be in the Irish squad this year but without it been as bad as O'Brien, he has had big problems getting his game together.

Ignoring Doyle (who did great) because he had a year in the first team already O'Dea must be the best young player this season. However he needs to be lucky with injury and signings to keep developing next season. Ireland needs cover at centre-half.

Hunt at 26 must be a great example to all aspiring players that with hard work and luck you can still make it in your mid-twenties.

**kev mcq** · 23/04/2007, 2:01 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

This season has seen Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Stephen Ireland cement themselves as proven Premiership players and in the process emerge as valuable International players for Ireland.

Hopefully next season we should see another 3-4 players establish themselves in the Premiership but who are the most likely candidates? The following are the players I think are the ones to watch most closely next season.

Name : Colin Doyle
Position : Goalkeeper
Age : 21
Club : Birmingham
The last two months has seen Doyle establish a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers outside the Premiership. By next season he should be a regular feature in the top tier of English football and will most likely become the deputy to Shay Given between the Irish posts.

Name : Stephen Kelly
Position : Right Back
Age : 23
Club : Brimingham
After an initial promising breakthrough season for Spurs a couple of years ago Kelly has since seen his career stutter and falter. A move to Birmingham last year has breathed new life into him and with their expected promotion to the Premiership he should get another chance to take up where he left off with Spurs.

Name : Paul McShane
Position : Central Defence
Age : 21
Club : West Brom
McShane has had a magnificient season establishing himself as a regular for Ireland and for promotion chasing West Brom. He could well be playing in the Premiership next season where he can test himself against some of the best strikers in Europe. A confident defender he is a great reader of the game considering his tender years, McShane should be a main feature of the Ireland team for many years. My only worry would be his lack of pace which may be exposed in the Premiership more frequently than it has been in the Championship. Good for an occasional goal from defence also.

Name : Joey O'Brien
Position : Right Back, Central Midfield
Age : 21
Club : Bolton
A year plagued by injury has halted the progression of arguably Ireland's most impressive young player last season. The improvement seen in Stephen Ireland this year only shows how far O'Brien could have come this term if he'd managed to stay fit. Next season could be a defining one for the young Dubliner and he needs to come back fitter and stronger to try to regain his place in the Bolton first team preferrably in his more natural central midfield role. If this occurs O'Brien could prove to be one of our most impressive young players next season but there's a lot of hard work ahead.

Name : Owen Garvan
Position : Central Midfield
Age : 19
Club : Ipswich
Garvan has been another player who has sufferred from the effects of injury this term as a post viral infection meant that he missed all of pre-season and only managed to regain his place in the first team in December. This setback has clearly affected him and he has struggled to regain the form that made him one of the most sought after young players outside the Premiership last year. In recent months, however, he has started to look more like the player we seen last season and a similar improvement next term could again see him attracting interest from a host of Premiership clubs in the January transfer window.

Name : Stephen Quinn
Position Left Midfield
Age : 21
Club : Sheffield United
A skillful winger with an eye for goal the introduction of Quinn into the Sheffield United first team in November last year provided the touch of class that had been lacking by the industrious Blades. A recent drop in form coupled with the fact that Warnock possibly doesn't quite see him as a player that's suitable for the last few games of a relegation battle has seen him lose his place in the last few weeks. Even considering this lapse Quinn has progressed beyond all expectations this year and has been one of Sheffield United's most impressive performers during his time in the team. If the Blades do manage to survive Quinn should again be gracing the Premiership on a regular basis next season.

Name : Anthony Stokes
Position : Striker
Age : 18
Club : Sunderland
Stokes exploded onto the scene earlier this season with a loan move to Falkirk where he netted 14 goals in 16 appearances. This form earned him a 2 million January transfer to Sunderland where he has since struggled to show his undoubted ability. With Sunderland looking increasingly likely to gain promotion Stokes should have the opportunity to show his talents in the Premiership next season. Next season he needs to recapture the form that he showed in the SPL to justify his inclusion in the Ireland squad.

Name : Shane Long
Position :Striker
Age : 20
Club : Reading
Another good season for Long has seen him feature on a regular basis for Reading in the Premiership and in the Ireland team. Strong and quick, Long has two of the most valuable assets a striker needs to make his mark in the modern game. His touch could be better but this should improve with time and a regular run in the Reading first team next season would allow him to enchance his growing reputation further. Of the two young Irish strikers Stokes and Long I've been more impressed by the latter this season despite the former's impressive start.

Name : Stephen Elliot
Position : Right Midfield, Striker
Age : 23
Club : Sunderland
After another injury ravaged season that he will want to forget Elliot should again have a chance to show what he can do in the Premiership with Sunderland. One of our most natural finishers Elliot impressed in a poor team in the handful of appearances that he made in the Premiership last time out and hopefully he can stay fit next year and continue where he left off. My only worry would be that Keane may choose to offload him on gaining promotion or that he again submits to injury. If he manages to stay fit and gets regular first team football in his preferred position as a striker then I can see him having a very good season and establishing himself as a viable alternative to Robbie Keane for Ireland.

Other candidates:
Supple (Ipswich), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), Sean St Ledger (Preston), Aiden Mc Geady (Celtic), Darren Potter (Wolves), Cillian Sheridan (Celtic), Andy Keogh (Wolves), Billy Clarke (Ipswich), Leon Best (Southampton)

You forgot Paddy McCarthy

**youngirish** · 23/04/2007, 2:04 PM

Originally Posted by kev mcq

You forgot Paddy McCarthy

I'm trying my best to forget him.

**tetsujin1979** · 23/04/2007, 2:32 PM

I reckon you could add Ian Morris of S****horpe to the list too, he hasn't started many games, but he's come on as sub in quite a few, and been called into the U-21 side. Next season should see him tested in the Championship, along with Joe Murphy, Cliff Byrne and Jim Goodwin.

I really want to see Billy Clarke come back into the first team picture at Ipswich, but he's a lot of experienced strikers ahead of him and it might not be his time yet. A loan deal might do him some good.

Mark Yeates really needs to settle on a club after spending the majority of the last 2 seasons out on loan. Jol has said he does rate Yeates, but with Lennon established in the Spurs' starting XI a permanent deal in the lower leagues (a la Keogh, Morris, McPhail etc) might be the best thing to happen to him.

**drummerboy** · 23/04/2007, 3:01 PM

Couldn't imagine Bolton letting O'Brien go. I'm sure he has a decent contract and hopefully will be back to full fitness next season. Garvan had an illness which took him a while to shake off, now starting to get back to his best form. Colin Doyle was magnificent yesterday against Wolves and Keogh looked a really decent forward, full of running and brave to boot.

**eirebhoy** · 23/04/2007, 7:25 PM

Excellent post.

**Stuttgart88** · 24/04/2007, 7:27 AM

Don't let him get to you TP! Hey, I see Kilkenny are even beating Wexford at footie now.

**youngirish** · 24/04/2007, 9:46 AM

I see McCann scored the winner for Burnley last night against West Brom. He looked good when he came on and had a few chances. His goal hit his shoulder and he got lucky but you earn your luck.

McShane got sent off for nothing. It was a ridiculous decision by the ref just an accidental clash of heads with J O'Connor.

It still looks like it will probably be Wolves, West Brom, Preston and maybe Derby in the play offs. Out of those lot I'd like to see Wolves get promoted. It would be good for Andy Keogh and Ward though I'm not sure Ward is good enough for the Premiership. Keogh could probably just about do a job there for a poor team as his all round play is excellent though he does struggle for goals.

If Preston or West Brom are promoted we should have either St Ledger or McShane playing regularly in the Premiership. Either scenario would be decent for Ireland though I reckon McShane probably will get a move to the Premiership anyway in the summer if West Brom's promotion bid fails. It would be nice to have Dunne, McShane and St Ledger all playing regular football in the Premiership next season though possibly unlikely.

**Stuttgart88** · 24/04/2007, 11:33 AM

Wolves are my favoured team in that regard too.

In the back of my mind I'm hoping that it could be the making of Darren Potter, but deep down I think he's probably just not good enough.

I think he should get a run out in the US if he's available. He's tall and mobile and plays central midfield, so it'll be a chance for Stan & co to take a look.

**tetsujin1979** · 24/04/2007, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Wolves are my favoured team in that regard too.

In the back of my mind I'm hoping that it could be the making of Darren Potter, but deep down I think he's probably just not good enough.

I think he should get a run out in the US if he's available. He's tall and mobile and plays central midfield, so it'll be a chance for Stan & co to take a look.

I was watching the game at the weekend, I didn't notice Potter much, but I can say the same about the Birmingham central midfield. Maybe they cancelled each other out?

**S�C** · 24/04/2007, 11:44 AM

By next season Roy O'Donovan will most likely be playing the the Premiership or Championship too.

Given Stan picks crap players because they are fast I assume a quality player like O'Donovan will get into the full squad soon enough. Fastest footballer I've ever seen

**youngirish** · 24/04/2007, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Wolves are my favoured team in that regard too.

In the back of my mind I'm hoping that it could be the making of Darren Potter, but deep down I think he's probably just not good enough.

I think he should get a run out in the US if he's available. He's tall and mobile and plays central midfield, so it'll be a chance for Stan & co to take a look.

I agree. I don't think Potter at present is good enough for the Premiership though he's still young and can improve. My problem with him is that he doesn't really have enough facets to his game. He's not particularly good at tackling nor does he score enough goals, he doesn't make surging runs into the box. He's an ok passer of the ball but that's it. He's a bit like a poor Michael Carrick who I think is very overrated anyway.

Stephen Gleeson another, younger Irish midfield player has started getting a run out for Wolves also. Not sure what he's like.

**Dodge** · 24/04/2007, 12:02 PM

To help, here's the latest ireland u19 squad (was suprised to see Rooney still involved, shows how young he was when he made the breakthrough)

Republic of Ireland squad:
Stephen Henderson - Aston Villa
Eugene Ferry - Derry City
Simon Madden - Leeds United
Noel Haverty - St. Patrick’s Athletic
Edward Nolan - Blackburn Rovers
Darren Dennehy - Everton
Kevin McArdle - Dundalk
Alan Judge - Blackburn Rovers
Scott Davies - Reading
Matthew Cassidy - Bolton Wanderers
Harry Arter - Charlton Athletic
Robert Bayly - Leeds United
Keith Treacy - Blackburn Rovers
Adam Rooney - Stoke City
Aidan Downes - Everton
James O'Shea - Bray Wanderers
Mark Salmon - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Keith Quinn - Sheffield United

Noel Haverty is with Pats u17 team at the moment so he has plenty of time ahead of him

**lionelhutz** · 24/04/2007, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

I see McCann scored the winner for Burnley last night against West Brom. He looked good when he came on and had a few chances. His goal hit his shoulder and he got lucky but you earn your luck.

McShane got sent off for nothing. It was a ridiculous decision by the ref just an accidental clash of heads with J O'Connor.

It still looks like it will probably be Wolves, West Brom, Preston and maybe Derby in the play offs. Out of those lot I'd like to see Wolves get promoted. It would be good for Andy Keogh and Ward though I'm not sure Ward is good enough for the Premiership. Keogh could probably just about do a job there for a poor team as his all round play is excellent though he does struggle for goals.

If Preston or West Brom are promoted we should have either St Ledger or McShane playing regularly in the Premiership. Either scenario would be decent for Ireland though I reckon McShane probably will get a move to the Premiership anyway in the summer if West Brom's promotion bid fails. It would be nice to have Dunne, McShane and St Ledger all playing regular football in the Premiership next season though possibly unlikely.

Is st. ledger any good?? theres been alot of hype about him and i havent watched him play yet so im just wondering has he got the potential to be a future international??

The few times i saw Mcshane play he's been excellent and I'd be shocked if he wasnt playin in the premiership next year even if West Brom dont go up.

At least we're seeing more central defenders coming through now with O'Dea aswel. It was a worry for a while with Breen and O'Brien looking the only options!! All we need now is Joey O'Brien and the two Reids playing consistently well at centre midfield next season and we won't need Carsley anymore

**Row Z** · 24/04/2007, 12:15 PM

Mick McCarthy really rates potter. As far as i know he made him skipper in some of the games this year. Think next year will be the makings of him.
Good to see haverty off pats in the U19 squad alongside Derry's Eugene Ferry.
plus, it looks like another one of the Quinn family has made an international squad following in Alan & stephen's footsteps