Last night we witnessed Luxembourg beat Ireland 1-0. No Celtic players were involved with Shane Duffy unable to get a place in the starting line up against the minnows of International football after being dropped for the 3-2 loss in Serbia midweek, in which Ireland performed much better than last night. The Celtic flag however was flown when the Irish under 21’s took to the pitch against Wales in a friendly with three Bhoys lining out for the boys in green.
All three players, Luca Connell, Jonathon Afolabi and captain Lee O’Connor started for Ireland. Afolabi equalised for Ireland before a Welsh own goal wrapped up the victory. All three players are out on loan learning their trade. Afolabi (Dundee) Connell (Queens Park) and O’Connor (Tranmere Rovers) lets hope that they can come back from the loan spells and force their way into the new managers plans, who ever that may be.
Ryan Christie and Callum McGregor are two players that spring to mind who benefitted greatly from loan spells. If any of the three young Irish players have the same impact as the likes of McGregor or Christie then they may just become the toast of the Gallowgate on a matchday. In the meantime they will have to work hard on loan before returning to the parent club for pre-season.
The Irish under 21 team were a bright spark in the a dark few days for Irish football as it tries to recover from years of neglect while the man in charge, John Delaney engaged in a Champagne Lifestyle blinding some fans with a few free pints on away trips while wining and dining politicians, ex players, members of the media and the odd supporter on the FAI credit card while some school children were forced to change in the pissing rain on the side of rented pitches paid for by the parents.
Delaney is gone and his last appointed manager Stephen Kenny is left to pick up the pieces after former Celtic coach, Damien Duff had enough of the FAI and left before the World Cup campaign even started and now after only two games it looks like it is over.
Andrew Milne started More than 90 Minutes in 2001. He has written for numerous publications and online about Celtic. He is a former newspaper columnist with the Daily Ireland and the man behind celticfanzine.com. He is host of the Celtic Soul Podcast & Celtic AM pre-match events at Malone’s in Glasgow on match days and follows Celtic Home & Away. He is a season ticket holder for Celtic FC and the Republic of Ireland. He is also P.R.O. of St. Margaret’s CSC, a member of the Celtic Trust and the Celtic Graves Association.
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