Bit before them but was Steve Staunton 19ish when he became an immediate regular?
Big hopes for Mark Kennedy as a teenager too but like others you mentioned he never kicked on. Your man Declan Rice was okish but he seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.
Can still remember when Robbie Keane made his debut against Argentina at, what, 17?
You just knew he had it.
Quite possibly. I think Roy Keane was capped just before turning 20 and way pretty much a regular from then on too but before my time.
Think Mcphail and Alan Maybury were also capped as teens but injuries stopped both in their tracks
Yeah, McPhail was another one that offered great hope and promise but never really worked out with all the injuries.
There was a Terry Dixon at Spurs IIRC who was meant to be the next big thing at 16/17 but injuries pretty much killed his career before it even got going.
Bazunu has been mightily impressive for a young goalie. Obviously a bit shaky with the ball on the ground but looks commanding and a shot stopper. I reckon he is there to stay
McPhail was a cracking, tidy player who had it all too. Wouldn’t shirk it and could get it forward.
Thats the type of player we’re crying out for now. A wee hoolahan, stevie, or mcphail, someone with the courage to get turned and drive at the opposition or pick a pass that isn’t square or backwards. Cullen does it from deep but we have no one capable of taking it under pressure between back 4 and midfield
Goalkeeper and central defence we have good options. Right back, left back, midfield, wings and strikers we have a paucity of options.
Its the worst pool of players in my lifetime
Would there be any merit to a Jurgen Klopp style system to bypass the midfield completely and utilise our best players in the wing-back positions for creativity mainly or would that too difficult to organise in limited international windows? Admittedly I can’t see Adam Idah as a false 9😂 We don’t really have a ball playing midfielder with Jack Byrne struggling out in Cyprus.
You need lethal pace for that to work. We’re as slow as I’ve seen really
Actually think Ogbene is a big loss with his massive turn of pace. We have no one like him as he showed v Hungary.
Hopefully Obafemi establishes himself at Swansea and offers another option although not sure he’s a favourite of Spock.
I am of the belief he was one of the most underrated players we have produced.
The key for Ireland right now is a number 10 who can link the play. We maligned Hoolohan in this country for ten years, he was a fucking baller. He could just keep the ball that split second longer which has always made the difference playing at the top level of the game. The fact he was small and was in the LOI for so long meant he never got a shot at a big club, fuck me even Andy Reid would be a huge plus now, just some genuine football guile is what we lack.
Andy Reid? Keith Fahy would be a big asset right now
Andy Reid is a disgrace of a human
If he didn’t get any better he’d still be a decent keeper.
I thought Byrne was the answer, lovely footballer. Pity things have gone downhill for him.
McCarthy fucked him
A bit harsh on the man.