IRISH FANS MIGHT be forgiven for fearing that they are experiencing deja vu.
Of late, a promising London-born defensive midfielder has been playing consistently well for the U21 side.
Of course, the last time that happened, Declan Rice ended up switching his allegiance to England.
Conor Coventry, however, insists he will not be doing likewise.
The 19-year-old qualifies for the Boys in Green through his Irish-born mother and has been an integral part of the U21 team since Stephen Kenny took over last November. Before that, he also represented Ireland at U17 and U19 level.
“When I was younger, Mark O’Toole scouted me playing for West Ham,” he recalls. “Once he said to me there was interest, I knew straight away then. If I didn’t know, once I played, it confirmed it. Straight away, I just fell in love with playing. So there was no question of where I wanted to play.”
Instead of Rice, therefore, Coventry is hoping to follow the pathway of another ex-Ireland U21 international midfielder who is currently on the books at West Ham.
Josh Cullen recently made his Ireland senior debut, having previously caught the eye at underage level, while the 23-year-old has also impressed on loan at Charlton, with the side currently 10th in the Championship.
Cullen, Coventry says, is a good role model for him.
“We’re on similar paths. I trained with Josh a few times when I was young and growing up. He always does everything right. He’s someone you can really learn from. I try to be like him really. His personality, his character, is what you need.”
Meanwhile, Rice’s rise at West Ham indicates Coventry is at a club willing to give youngsters a chance, while Cullen’s progress at Charlton has highlighted an alternative route for making the grade.
I’ve seen a lot of both of them and they’re two people that do everything in their power to be the best players they can be. It just really shows that hard work is the biggest thing.
“I’ve seen both of them play lots of first-team games between them and obviously with the senior international games as well. It shows that it’s there for boys like us who are coming through the academy — if we dream enough and work hard enough, we can do it.”
And Coventry has made some encouraging steps too in recent times for West Ham, appearing twice in the League Cup over the course of this season and last.
“My first game was a bit of a rare one. We won 8-0 at home. I dreamed of playing for West Ham since I signed when I was 10. So to finally play was amazing. This season we played at Newport away and I came on again, so it was just a dream come true really. Hopefully, I can keep going and make more appearances.”
For now though, Coventry must be content with U23 football, having opted against going on loan at the start of the season on the advice of his coach.
There was talk of me going on loan at the start of the season. I spoke to the manager and he says it’d be better for me to stay and keep training with [the senior team] as much as I could. So I’ve stayed. I’ve trained with them fairly often. The 23s are doing well. We’re top of the league at the moment, so we’ve got a really strong side and we’re just enjoying what we’re doing at the moment.”
And on Thursday, Coventry is expected to partner Brighton’s Jayson Molumby in central midfield in front of a sold-out Tallaght stadium for what surely will be one of the biggest games of his career so far.
Ireland will go into the crucial qualifier against Italy in confident mood, following an impressive recent win away to Sweden — the second seeds in the group.
“As soon as the group was drawn, everyone sees Italy. It’s the [type of game] you do remember playing in. So to win at home, before we even talk about the group, would be an amazing feeling. Obviously, group-wise, it puts us nine points above Italy if we won. So it’s a massive game in both aspects really.
“No disrespect to the first two games, we were expected to go and win them. But to win in Sweden and win in the way we did is obviously a big statement. We scored the goals late, but we dominated the whole game really.
“So I think teams will definitely be wary of us and take notice.”
Eoin Toolan and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to give an in-depth breakdown of where Ireland’s play stacks up against the contenders in Japan, and look into why New Zealand and England are primed for World Cup success.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Ah yes, we haven’t heard that before from an English born man from West Ham….
@Ben Symes: this one isn’t going to have to play in the horrible culture it appears was created under O’Neill/Keane…..
@Augustus hoop: yea it was their fault that Rice left. Cop on
@Paul Mallon: It may not have been the main reason, but,with Kean’s bullying and O’Neills ineptitude it certainly seems to have had a bearing on his decision
@Paul Mallon: they didn’t help
@Augustus hoop: If you claim to be of a certain nationality and consider yourself Irish, you’re not going to let the behaviour of one or two men change your nationality. Rice was English from the start. Nothing to do with Keane.
@Paul Mallon: it certainly didn’t help
@Stephen Lyons: no claim they are Irish citizens the day of there birth then alienated by management
@bmul: You should try writing sentences that make sense
@Stephen Lyons: ok you say they claim to be Irish in this young man’s case he was born an Irish citizen .
@Stephen Lyons: if only nationality was that simple….. I’ve cousins born and raised in England to Irish parents, who feel both Irish and English (and have passports for both). It’s pretty common and it doesn’t make them any less Irish than me.
A horrible culture and people being dicks all the time would make me want to leave a situation. To be fair it wouldn’t make me (or you – clearly a true Gael) want to play/support another country, but I wasn’t born somewhere else with strong Irish links.
@Augustus hoop: also nothing in what Coventry said deserves the scepticism that I was replying to
@Augustus hoop: so you’ve just contradicted your first comment. If Rice really felt Irish he wouldn’t hafe declared for England simply because of a manager that is clearly only temperarily in the job. Btw I think rice should be ashamed of his actions
@Paul Mallon: I didn’t contradict myself Paul, but nuance isn’t for everyone
@Paul Mallon: it is want simply because of management maybe he just got sick of Irish Americans (nice title for us cousins) and plastic paddy (insult for English cousins).
@Augustus hoop: sure sure. If Rice really felt Irish, regardless of the manager in charge he should’ve gave his all. However he clearly didn’t feel that and O’Neill can’t be held responsible for Rice playing fast n loose with his nationality.
@Paul Mallon: well they could’ve capped him against Moldova and England could never have come calling and he’d never have had his head turned, so I’d say they should get a lot of the blame
@Paul Mallon: Who should be held responsible for a child taking advantage of an opportunity to play international underage football?
Stories up an hour and the moaners are off, yes, Rice got swayed by the money, and Grealish is just a cock, leave off this lad, he’s done nothing but wear the shirt, don’t just assume he’s gonna turn, innocent until proven guilty, and good on him for getting to where he has gotten, keep it up lad
@Seán Ó’Sionúir: totally agree. His mam is Irish so in my book he’s Irish. Leave the lad be.
@Anthony Keane: so if his dad is English he’s still Irish?
@Nigel Barlow: yep born an Irish citizen you can be both
We’ve gained Callum Robinson, Josh Cullen and McGoldrick since we lost Rice. 3 top players with more like Coventry coming through.
We’ve done very well with UK born players over the years.
We’ve had a national football organizational swindling the money for years, yet every time Declan Rice’s or another young UK born players name gets mentioned, then it’s quickly all their fault for the state of Irish football today.
@Stanley Baggins: I remember a lad who played u21 for northern Ireland when he switched to the republic the folk from up the road where told to get over it .
They all say that..England U21 B Team
one week:”My heart is in Ireland”
next week: “I have to make a decision for my family”
@Stevie Doran: who’s they all ?
@bmul: Grealish, Rice, Johansson, McGuane
@Stevie Doran: Only 2 of whom have played for the Irish under 21s