Some good moves, some essential moves, some no moves.
We don’t need to get into it again but it’s a joke that Robbie Brady will spend another season in the Championship. He is the country’s best player at present and, whilst 14 of his international colleagues will start September in the Premier League, the Dubliner is still at Norwich.
After a busy transfer window, here’s how Ireland’s hopefuls are looking for the season ahead.
Darren Randolph
2015/16: West Ham United
2016/17: West Ham United
Division: Premier League
Manager: Slaven Bilic
Status: Cup goalkeeper. Second string to Adrian but getting plenty of football. Already played three Europa League games in August alone.
Keiren Westwood
2015/16: Sheffield Wednesday
2016/17: Sheffield Wednesday
Division: Championship
Manager: Carlos Carvahal
Status: The main man, in flying form, playing the most football of all the Irish ‘keepers.
"It's a massive honour being with Ireland whether I play or not" – Keiren Westwood on his "brothers" https://t.co/h7QUDqNfBo
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 31, 2016
David Forde
2015/16: Millwall
2016/17: Portsmouth (loan)
Division: League Two
Manager: Paul Cook
Status: Finally playing again, working under the man who was so influential in Seamus Coleman’s career, but he’s well down the international pecking order.
Gary Rogers
2015/16: Dundalk
2016/17: Dundalk
Division: League of Ireland Premier Division
Manager: Stephen Kenny
Status: 34, reliable, dependable, understudy.
Rob Elliot
2015/16: Newcastle United
2016/17: Newcastle United
Division: Championship
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Status: Played well last year after injury crisis but the club have brought in Matz Sels for £6.5m whilst Elliot recovers from a knee injury.
Seamus Coleman
2015/16: Everton
2016/17: Everton
Division: Premier League
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Status: Going to thrive under Koeman’s new system which has the full backs bombing upfield.
Seamus Coleman: From Killybegs to leading his country out on one of its biggest ever nightshttps://t.co/ocszwRV2zr via @SportsJOEdotie
— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) June 22, 2016
Cyrus Christie
2015/16: Derby County
2016/17: Derby County
Division: Championship
Manager: Nigel Pearson
Status: Regular in a good team.
Richard Keogh
2015/16: Derby County
2016/17: Derby County
Division: Championship
Manager: Nigel Pearson
Status: Player of the year. Obviously.
John O’Shea
2015/16: Sunderland
2016/17: Sunderland
Division: Premier League
Manager: David Moyes
Status: Injured but wasn’t making the team under Allardyce and Moyes has brought in more defensive options.
Shane Duffy
2015/16: Blackburn Rovers
2016/17: Brighton & Hove Albion (£4m)
Division: Championship
Manager: Chris Hughton
Status: Reported club record fee, jumped from one side of the table to the next. He’ll be alright.
Ciaran Clark
2015/16: Aston Villa
2016/17: Newcastle United (£5m)
Division: Championship
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Status: Moved from the Villa bench to the Newcastle bench.
Marc Wilson
2015/16: Stoke City
2016/17: Bournemouth (undisclosed)
Division: Premier League
Manager: Eddie Howe
Status: One game, one goal. Good move.
Marc Wilson's got this #Keane pic.twitter.com/Mt69YptHIO
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 24, 2016
Alex Pearce
2015/16: Bristol City (loan)
2016/17: Derby County
Division: Championship
Manager: Nigel Pearson
Status: Could’ve done with a move. Not going to see much game time at Derby.
Paul McShane
2015/16: Reading
2016/17: Reading
Division: Championship
Manager: Jaap Stam
Status: The best place he could be.
Stephen Ward
2015/16: Burnley
2016/17: Burnley
Division: Premier League
Manager: Sean Dyche
Status: Won his place midway through last year and has kept it since. A real success story.
Robbie Brady
2015/16: Norwich City
2016/17: Norwich City
Division: Championship
Manager: Alex Neil
Status: Unbelievable that he didn’t get a move. Way above that standard.
“How many people have you seen walk into a job because they have a good CV?” @ConanDoherty on Robbie Brady situation https://t.co/FzHQ7E2f0X
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 31, 2016
James McCarthy
2015/16: Everton
2016/17: Everton
Division: Premier League
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Status: Under pressure with the arrival of Idrissa Gueye but talk of his leaving might’ve been exaggerated. Started the first game out of position and has undergone a groin procedure. Plus, Gareth Barry is about 321 years old.
Jeff Hendrick
2015/16: Derby County
2016/17: Burnley (£10.5m)
Division: Premier League
Manager: Sean Dyche
Status: Great move for a great player. Has his big chance in the Premier League now and he has it as the main man in the team.
Harry Arter
2015/16: Bournemouth
2016/17: Bournemouth
Division: Premier League
Manager: Eddie Howe
Status: Doing well. This is his campaign now for Ireland.
Eunan O’Kane
2015/16: Bournemouth
2016/17: Leeds United (undisclosed)
Division: Championship
Manager: Garry Monk
Status: Essential move and the right move to protect his Ireland career. The arrival of Jack Wilshere at Bournemouth gave him no choice.
Glenn Whelan
2015/16: Stoke City
2016/17: Stoke City
Division: Premier League
Manager: Mark Hughes
Status: Vice captain, everpresent.
David Meyler
2015/16: Hull City
2016/17: Hull City
Division: Premier League
Manager: Mike Phelan
Status: Started and finished every game so far this season.
Darron Gibson
2015/16: Everton
2016/17: Everton
Division: Premier League
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Status: Will do well to feature much this season despite signing a new contract.
Stephen Quinn
2015/16: Reading
2016/17: Reading
Division: Championship
Manager: Jaap Stam
Status: Always playing football.
Aiden McGeady
2015/16: Sheffield Wednesday (loan)
2016/17: Preston North End (loan)
Division: Championship
Manager: Simon Grayson
Status: God knows.
James McClean
2015/16: West Bromwich Albion
2016/17: West Bromwich Albion
Division: Premier League
Manager: Tony Pulis
Status: Playing great stuff against top opposition every week.
It was a night for passion, it was a night for spilling guts, it was a night for James McClean https://t.co/Y5kV3fq0QI
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 23, 2016
Callum O’Dowda
2015/16: Oxford United
2016/17: Bristol City (£1.25m)
Division: Championship
Manager: Lee Johnson
Status: New club, higher standard, playing every week.
Alan Judge
2015/16: Brentford
2016/17: Brentford
Division: Championship
Manager: Dean Smith
Status: Championship team of the season last year.
Jack Byrne
2015/16: SC Camburr (loan)
2016/17: Blackburn Rovers (loan)
Division: Championship
Manager: Owen Coyle
Status: Played four Championship games and two League Cup matches already. Will get good football closer to home.
Christopher Forrester
2015/16: Peterbrough United
2016/17: Peterbrough United
Division: League One
Manager: Grant McCann
Status: Club captain.
Wes Hoolahan
2015/16: Norwich City
2016/17: Norwich City
Division: Championship
Manager: Alex Neil
Status: Wes.
Aviva comes to a standstill for Wes Hoolahan's introduction pic.twitter.com/YkCZvjyKql
— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) August 31, 2016
Shane Long
2015/16: Southampton
2016/17: Southampton
Division: Premier League
Manager: Claude Puel
Status: Started two games and brought on in the last one.
Daryl Murphy
2015/16: Ipswich Town
2016/17: Newcastle United (undisclosed)
Division: Championship
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Status: Played the first four games of the season with Ipswich but now will battle with Mitrovic, Gouffran, Perez and Gayle for a place at Newcastle.
Jon Walters
2015/16: Stoke City
2016/17: Stoke City
Division: Premier League
Manager: Mark Hughes
Status: He’s great.
David McGoldrick
2015/16: Ipswich Town
2016/17: Ipswich Town
Division: Championship
Manager: Mick McCarthy
Status: Very popular but Ipswich have recruited Luke Varney and Leon Best in the summer.
The new GAA Hour football podcast is here. Listen to Colm Parkinson, Senan Connell, and Barry Cahill dissect a classic between Dublin and Kerry. Subscribe here on iTunes.
