The Irish league has had some bright, young players in the past, including the likes of Glenn Ferguson, Gerard McMahon and more recently Liam Boyce.
However, in recent history there haven’t been nearly as many young players to really break through and light up the league. Is it because the clubs are bringing in more experienced players instead of calling young players up from their academies or is there just not the same talent as there once was?
Liam Boyce
Glenavon’s Mark Carson, who recently broke into the first team said: “I hope to be a regular on the team very soon but they have a good strong team at the minute and I know it won’t be easy to break in but I’m just delighted to even be a part of the squad at my age and I can only keep hoping for a chance sometime soon.”
Last summer, former Cliftonville striker Liam Boyce was signed by German giants Werder Bremen and more recently 18-year-old, Ciaran Ryan completed a surprise move from Loughgall to Brazilian side Porto Alegre FC. Perhaps, it is just simply much harder for Irish league clubs to hold on to their star players compared to what it was ten or twenty years ago.
Are the connections between local clubs and the league teams still as strong as they used to be? There isn’t much evidence to prove that league teams are still taking young players from grass roots level. Lurgan Ladies hockey team have benefitted greatly from this structure in recent years and have now become one of the strongest teams in Ireland.
If local clubs could bring young players into the league like they used to, maybe Northern Ireland could benefit in the future. Belgium has certainly benefitted recently by blooding new, young and exciting players such as Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, Eden Hazard and Simon Mignolet.
Sunderland goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet said: “If they (Belgium) could play in another World Cup or European Cup we would be very happy already. We have the talent for it, now we only have to get a team together.”
Obviously these are players with great football talent but perhaps Belgium, who, like Northern Ireland struggle to qualify for international tournaments, could be seen as an example by our wee country and the IFA could create a ruling system for teams to try and bring young players through.
Lisburn Distillery striker, Gary Liggett, said: “I was about 18 when I got my first game for Portadown. It was difficult at that stage because they had players like Gary Hamilton and Vinny Arkins there. It was hard to adapt from playing reserve team football.”
“For someone young it’s probably really important to try and not to get caught up in the whole partying and drinking culture. So common to see young players fade away who prefer to party than play football.”
The reserve league is full of young talent such as Cliftonville’s Jack Duffin and Coleraine’s Ryan Doherty. Hopefully in the next few seasons players like these can bring the league forward.
Irishleague301's Blog 
I was thinking about this last week and in the build up to Colin Nixon receiving his 700th appearance for Glentoran. Colin is record appearance maker at Glentoran. He broke into the Glens team as a young lad back in the 90’s. Along with his crop of players were the likes of Darren Lockhart, Paul Leeman, Stuart Elliot and Andy Kirk who would all become regulars in the Glentoran team. The latter of the 2 would go on to have careers in England, both notching up international caps. Stuart Elliot retired in the summer due to an injury.
Those type of players don’t seem to come around too often. The Glentoran side that beat Linfield on Tuesday night to lift the County Antrim shield averaged at 23.5 years old. Linfield wouldn’t have been much older. That’s a very young age for a starting 11, but there are no players coming through from the age of 17/18 and nailing a first team place. Black wasn’t far off, he was about 19 when he earned his regular place in the side. Callacher, well that boy is something else, he’s only turned 19 in the summer and is a regular. But it’s a rarity to see players like Paul Leeman, Colin Nixon, Glenn Ferguson, Noel Bailie and Mark Glendinning come through at a young age, nail a place in a team and stay there.
Personally I blame it on the economic climate. Clubs from England and Scotland (or recently Brazil and Germany) can pick up a bargain for some talented players in both Northern and the Republic of Ireland. It’s a rarity players go for more than a 5 figure sum. A good example is what Crystal Palace did recently. One of our supporters emailed them requesting a shirt to auction off in an auction being held to raise money for Glentoran’s spirit of 41 group. In the reply to the email they said yes, but then went on to ask the Glentoran supporter, who was merely a supporter and nothing more, to point them in the direction of some talented footballers, as they know there is talent to be found in NI. Speaks volumes.
Just my $0.02 on the matter. Great article btw.