r/coybig • u/EdwardBigby • 1d ago
World Cup Qualifiers 2026 I asked this sub to predict today's Ireland team almost 5 years ago. Some interesting choices.
/r/coybig/comments/plih2l/ireland_have_qualified_for_the_2026_wc_whats_your/Who was the best prediction and worst prediction?
Anything we can learn from this?
I found it interesting that pretty much nobody had Kelleher as first choice keeper. I know Bazunu was number one at the time but I didnt realise how universally it was agreed that this would never change.
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u/Bovver_ 1d ago
The fact that Kelleher only half features in one lineup just shows how disappointing the last few years have been for Gavin Bazunu. He’s been so unlucky with injuries and then his confidence never recovered as a result.
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u/Andrewreddy 1d ago
I was convinced Bazunu would be the keeper for United by 2025. He was so good before his injury
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u/EdwardBigby 1d ago
Yeah that was the big one for me. My memory of it was that they were fairly neck and neck, its just that Bazunu was starting club games while Kelleher was second choice at Liverpool so Bazunu had the spot for the time being
Im surprised that not a single person outright said that I think Kelleher will be our number 1
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u/zozimusd8 1d ago
It seems so ridiculous now looking back, I remember having debates with mates about who was better and it didn't seem clear cut either way. but maybe the evidence was there all along, Kelleher was busy rubbing shoulders and training with the best GK in the world, and going a great job in his place occasionally, in a team that were among the best in the world at the time. Bazunu was busy getting relegated
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u/JellyfishScared4268 1d ago
Surely playing regular matches as a GK is better than just merely being in the presence of Allison
Bazunu sadly has dropped off a lot and I think its mainly a confidence thing with him potentially.
But realistically if you've got 2 similar level GKs and one is playing and one is a bench warmer. Even if its at a club half of Ireland seems to support you should be picking the one who plays
0
u/SexyBaskingShark 1d ago
Is it though? Sitting on the bench and getting the odd appearance did not do Kelleher any harm.
People underestimate the difference quality coaches make. Kelleher was training with the best goalkeeper in the world, along with some of the best coaches in the world. Now he's starting for a top half Premier league side and looks like he could play a level above that. He made the correct decisions for his career
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u/JellyfishScared4268 1d ago
It did him no harm in the end.
But the reality is there are only 20 places for a goalkeeper in the premier and you're either in one or not in one
Kelleher could have easily stayed with the cushy number in Liverpool and then not kicked on
Just having a good coach and just being at Liverpool is not enough to make a player
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u/zozimusd8 1d ago
It was never a like for like comparison is my point. Kellehr was competing against a top 5 goalie in the world.
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u/JellyfishScared4268 1d ago
But a goalkeeper is unlike any other position out there.
The premier league only has 20 slots for example and there will be barely any room for wiggle on that.
Which is completely unlike any other position where a player of similar potential would have received chances
Its easy now to say that it worked out for Kelleher but it might not have done
Just being in Allison's presence was not enough to make him good enough to be a PL keeper or Irelands no 1 in and of itself
Plus there are some Irish fans that have a fixation on clubs like Liverpool or Utd that makes people seem to believe being contracted to those clubs makes a player better than someone actually playing elsewhere
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u/NandoFlynn 1d ago
He was brilliant for Pompey the year of this thread so I don't think it's that simple
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u/zozimusd8 1d ago
Ok maybe i exaggerated his part , he was still in a team nowhere near the level Kelleher was competing at. the rest is accurate.
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u/NandoFlynn 1d ago
Ask Pat's fans about Pitaluga & you'll see it's not always ideal to stay put either. Think people were right to be concerned about him not playing regularly when Baz & Travers were playing every week & playing well.
The moments he got to play regular instead of Alisson is what really kicked him on, Caoimhin's said as much himself
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u/fedupofbrick Showbiz, Baby 1d ago
For me Kelleher was always our best keeper but Bazunu could justify starting for us because he was actually playing.
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u/NandoFlynn 1d ago
Gavin Kilkenny had the talent to be an international. Watched enough of him at Bournemouth his breakthrough year to see that. Bad choice of loans & it really took Ian Holloway at Swindon to properly get him & Drinan more recently showing their potential.
Likes of O'Connor & Elbouzedi just stagnated
8
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u/Quiet-Spite5465 1d ago
Who's McLoughlin?
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u/EdwardBigby 1d ago
Hahaha I thought the same. I thought maybe Sean McLoughlin but I dont think hes ever played outside of defence so weird to put him up front
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u/Different-Class1771 1d ago
Caden maybe? Was having a good run with the u15s/u17s then and was highly rated. Was with Malaga and later Villareal but suffered a lot of injuries and was released last season. Now with a club in the 5th tier of Spanish football.
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u/EdwardBigby 1d ago
Hahaha well done. I find that Irish people love any random player at a foreign academy. Dont know if they ever worked out. Hopefully Umeh
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u/NandoFlynn 1d ago
Ah we got MacNulty, John Patrick & Ochoa out of the Spanish contingent to become senior level players so we've not done too bad only having 1 or 2 flops. We know the issues with Italy & hopefully we'll see next year more answers for Portugal, Germany, France
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u/NandoFlynn 1d ago
First time for everything, I never even heard of this lad 😂 was he any good for the underage back then or was he just a name on FIFA/FM?
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u/Different-Class1771 1d ago
Had a bit about him at underage level anyway, pacey winger with a few tricks up his sleeve to take on a man and get a cross away.
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u/WTWanderer2 Mick McCarthy 1d ago
I was in TY in 2019 and as we had so little to do I started taking a real interest in the underage sides, the U15s beat England 3-1 away in December that year and Mcloughlin scored (Zefi got the other 2), seeing a Villarreal striker score made me think we had a real hidden gem and i remember telling all the lads he was the next big thing and never heard of him again until today
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u/Jolly_Storage_329 1d ago
The problem with these predictions are that in 5 years time there will be players potentially playing who are currently 12-15 years old.
This means there’s players we simply don’t know about and there’s also current under 17, 19 and 21s who are getting unfairly hyped up.
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u/EdwardBigby 1d ago
Obviously dont expect people to get them perfect but its interesting to see some of the players people did and didnt predict
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u/flex_tape_salesman Jeff Hendrick's account 1d ago
Kilkenny💔
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u/NandoFlynn 1d ago
At least Swindon got his career back on the road. I'm still adamant he should've never been dropped by Parker when he was, got scapegoated for a loss where he was their only decent player.
Then followed O'Neill to Stoke only for him to be sacked & have too many midfielders. Went to Charlton but didn't suit the hoof ball. Did well beside Lawal at Fleetwood but nothing to write home about
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u/pauli55555 1d ago
I agree re Kilkenny.
Bournemouth / Parker didn’t look after him considering the potential and impact he was showing when he broke through at the club. Nice to see him playing regularly again.
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u/smithskat3 1d ago
Obafemi is such a loss, had unreal potential. No idea what happened really. Connolly at least seems to be rebuilding his career at Leyton Orient but will do well to establish himself at even Championship level. Lee O’Connor, u21s stalwart.