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U23 goal vs Boro tonight (Connolly) - deserves it's own thread



WATFORD zero

WATFORD zero

Well-known member
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Jul 10, 2003
25,783
I would think it may also be possible that we had already targeted Ireland as an area that we thought could prove prosperous and therefor deliberately set out to recruit someone with Morling's experience and connections. Given TB's history of running successful businesses i suspect these things are planned rather than fortuitous (or otherwise).
 




B

BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
WATFORD zero said:
I would think it may also be possible that we had already targeted Ireland as an area that we thought could prove prosperous and therefor deliberately set out to recruit someone with Morling's experience and connections. Given TB's history of running successful businesses i suspect these things are planned rather than fortuitous (or otherwise).
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Perhaps, but I have to say that Man Utd, Liverpool etc. have been there for generations, Ireland is made up of the usual youth teams, that nearly all have a links/funding from long standing Premier League clubs they tend to have first dibs on the very best (if there are any).

Also worth noting that Ireland as with most small countries outside of their very best players very quickly fall off a cliff to mediocrity, you only have to look at their international youth teams, half their team might not even be associated to a professional club, it isnt virgin territory.

Anyway I was told pre our new training centre etc. that Bloom wondered why doesnt Brighton just recruit young players released from Premier League clubs, which is even more depressing than the current bias ;)
 


AZ Gull

AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Oct 14, 2003
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Chandler, AZ
Two more goals for our hot* little Republic of Ireland striker today (9th and 23rd minutes) as the Irish beat the Faroe Islands 4-0 in the first of three matches in Cyprus in the Elite Qualifying round of the 2017 UEFA U-17 European Championships. Further matches on Friday (against Slovakia) and Monday (against the hosts).


*As in: can't stop scoring
 








AZ Gull

AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Oct 14, 2003
11,712
Chandler, AZ
Rogero said:
Link please.
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Link.jpg
 


half time scores

half time scores

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Mar 19, 2012
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Lounging-on-the-chintz
AZ Gull said:
Two more goals for our hot* little Republic of Ireland striker today (9th and 23rd minutes) as the Irish beat the Faroe Islands 4-0 in the first of three matches in Cyprus in the Elite Qualifying round of the 2017 UEFA U-17 European Championships. Further matches on Friday (against Slovakia) and Monday (against the hosts).


*As in: can't stop scoring
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Certainly appears to be a prospect.

May I just mention how much I and others on here appreciate all the time you spend keeping us informed of the developing players.

That is all

Carry on that man.
 


One Teddy Maybank

One Teddy Maybank

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Aug 4, 2006
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Worthing
AZ Gull said:
Two more goals for our hot* little Republic of Ireland striker today (9th and 23rd minutes) as the Irish beat the Faroe Islands 4-0 in the first of three matches in Cyprus in the Elite Qualifying round of the 2017 UEFA U-17 European Championships. Further matches on Friday (against Slovakia) and Monday (against the hosts).


*As in: can't stop scoring
Click to expand...

Thanks. Hopefully we've unearthed a gem......


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
















B

BigGully

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Sep 8, 2006
7,139
Firstly you will have to accept that I have not said that any of the current youngsters are not very good etc etc. and I genuinely wish them every success, my view is purely on a recruitment policy that seems to currently have some bias towards Ireland, driven by Morlings own position, experience and background.

That in itself isnt unreasonable, every club has some level of bias driven by policy or sometimes through circumstance, I suppose its just the flawed science of young player development.

My point is to try and at least offer how young player recruitment is so fragile that policies and circumstance drives outcomes, if you dont care then you dont care and you can then pass comment on a goal scored by one of our Irish lads and congratulate yourself and Morling on how this somehow justifies the current recruitment policy, I happen to think it doesnt.

The latest thread outlining Irelands under 17's win is a prime example, its a good result albeit against Faroe Islands (49 000 population) and two goals from one of our own youngsters is a good outcome for him personally, but closer analysis doesnt really undermine my overall view or justify yours.

Again, I just do not think that Ireland per se, in terms of football recruitment is something unique and hold some obvious advantage to our recruitment policy, I know you might get excited at hearing we have signed an International or even a Real Madrid player whether its is Icelandic, Norwegian or Irish, but I doubt this somehow shows we are improving our recruitment potential.

Even at the highest level of their youth football and even with the historic links of major club fulltime assessment of Irelands talent pool still only 50% of their International youth teams might be deemed worthy of a low risk scholarship at an English professional football club.

For instance if you look at the profile of the starting 11 and then the subs against the Faroe Isles,there were only 3 Premiership scholars and our own Championship Connolly with then a League One and League Two scholar, with the next five starters being unassociated to any professional club and the following three substitutions were also from League of Ireland youth teams.

It doesnt seem to lend itself to a country that might be seen as virgin territory some well kept secret of footballing potential, if it is then if you care to look from 16's - 19's, we have company, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton are already there and have been for some time, we are not cherrypicking the best, recruiting and offering preferrential support and opportunity isnt the same as recruiting the best from a particular country, that is no more than implemented policy.

So I do hope that Connolly, Molumby and any other of AZ's favourites continue their progression, it seems they are best placed to succeed and lets hope they do, but I doubt whether at the time of recruitment they were particualrly unique or in demand from bigger and more established clubs, as Irelands U17's captain quoted when having the choice of clubs to sign for he said, 'I suppose for me, in the end, it wasn't a very difficult decision to make. From the moment I went over to Manchester United, I just knew that there was no point me thinking about signing for any other club'
 




hans kraay fan club

hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
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Mar 16, 2005
61,273
Chandlers Ford
BigGully said:
So I do hope that Connolly, Molumby and any other of AZ's favourites continue their progression, it seems they are best placed to succeed and lets hope they do, but I doubt whether at the time of recruitment they were particualrly unique or in demand from bigger and more established clubs, as Irelands U17's captain quoted when having the choice of clubs to sign for he said, 'I suppose for me, in the end, it wasn't a very difficult decision to make. From the moment I went over to Manchester United, I just knew that there was no point me thinking about signing for any other club'
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Perhaps the lad you quote is a boyhood United fan, and that's what he means? Who knows.

Nobody is suggesting for a second that we can 'cherry-pick' or get first dibs on all the best players in Ireland. We are however, well placed to COMPETE for them. And we are getting them. Connolly is considered a star in that U17 side right now. You quote the current U17 captain, yet Molumby was the previous captain, was coveted and DID choose the Albion. He didn't just become good once he got here.

I have a bit of background on that one - I personally know one of the players in the Irish age group set up, at U19 level - he's a family friend. He is doing very well with the academy / U23 at a Premier League club, and told me two years ago that Jayson Molumby was the star of that international side - 'incredible player, an absolute beast' were his words. I know for a fact, contrary to your claims, that Molumby had the opportunity to join the Premier League club that his friend is at (and also vice-versa, in fact). You're wrong - very good young players are CHOOSING to join the Albion set up, over Premier League clubs.
 


B

BigGully

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Sep 8, 2006
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hans kraay fan club said:
Perhaps the lad you quote is a boyhood United fan, and that's what he means? Who knows.

Nobody is suggesting for a second that we can 'cherry-pick' or get first dibs on all the best players in Ireland. We are however, well placed to COMPETE for them. And we are getting them. Connolly is considered a star in that U17 side right now. You quote the current U17 captain, yet Molumby was the previous captain, was coveted and DID choose the Albion. He didn't just become good once he got here.

I have a bit of background on that one - I personally know one of the players in the Irish age group set up, at U19 level - he's a family friend. He is doing very well with the academy / U23 at a Premier League club, and told me two years ago that Jayson Molumby was the star of that international side - 'incredible player, an absolute beast' were his words. I know for a fact, contrary to your claims, that Molumby had the opportunity to join the Premier League club that his friend is at (and also vice-versa, in fact). You're wrong - very good young players are CHOOSING to join the Albion set up, over Premier League clubs.
Click to expand...

Firstly I hope that Molumby is a great success and if he has always been considered an outstanding prospect then it would suggest that the historically based premiership clubs would have been there offering him a deal and Brighton have done well to sign him, however your comment also suggests that as you have not shared which clubs they were then I suspect they weren't Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or another of the global clubs powerhouses that generally suck up young prodigious wherever they might be, which in itself doesnt automatically suggest that they share your friends assessment, not many would overlook an obvious Wayne Rooney II.

That doesnt mean these players cannot become such players the league is littered with great examples of Irish talent, but again preferrential support in terms of length of contract, dominant recruiters, team selections, progression pathways etc. are rarely driven by talent alone.
 


hans kraay fan club

hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
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Mar 16, 2005
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Chandlers Ford
BigGully said:
Firstly I hope that Molumby is a great success and if he has always been considered an outstanding prospect then it would suggest that the historically based premiership clubs would have been there offering him a deal and Brighton have done well to sign him, however your comment also suggests that as you have not shared which clubs they were then I suspect they weren't Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or another of the global clubs powerhouses that generally suck up young prodigious wherever they might be, which in itself doesnt automatically suggest that they share your friends assessment, not many would overlook an obvious Wayne Rooney II.
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The lad that I know, chose Southampton because of their proven player development record, over Chelsea, who offered 'more attractive' terms. I don't know Molumby so couldn't tell you which other Premier League clubs were interested - just that Southampton were, and that he was / is more highly rated still.
 


B

BigGully

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Sep 8, 2006
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hans kraay fan club said:
The lad that I know, chose Southampton because of their proven player development record, over Chelsea, who offered 'more attractive' terms. I don't know Molumby so couldn't tell you which other Premier League clubs were interested - just that Southampton were, and that he was / is more highly rated still.
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My point isnt where he might be now in terms of his development, my point is where he might have been at the time of his recruitment in terms of his overall development.

I suspect that Molumby was a talented young player, to what extent probably determined by his physical development, if in Ireland you get to a level where you are beginning to excel then usually you will have many suitors, it is historically jammed with Premier League scouts, although many have now turned their gaze elsewhere mostly due to a diminishing Irish workforce in English clubs that initially drove the scouting to it in the first place.

Are you saying Southampton was interested, I can never quite be sure how focussed established Premiership clubs scouting might be at Academy level, do they just bid for the best Spanish, Argentinian, Portugese, Brazilian youth players and do they really care if they miss out on Molumby today, and wait and buy him later if he ever fullfils his potential, more likely perhaps Molumby was no more advanced at that point as others.

Anyway I am going off piste, my point is Ireland isnt some hallowed football nursery, there really isnt anything unique about it, nor our access to it, I still believe policy could be focussed elsewhwhere with similar outcomes.
 




casbom

casbom

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Jul 24, 2007
2,581
hans kraay fan club said:
The lad that I know, chose Southampton because of their proven player development record, over Chelsea, who offered 'more attractive' terms. I don't know Molumby so couldn't tell you which other Premier League clubs were interested - just that Southampton were, and that he was / is more highly rated still.
Click to expand...

I'm sure I read at the time we got him, that we beat Villa to his signature.
 




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