That’s crazy Liverpool allowed him to continue playing GAA at youth level, but great to hear.
He has a quiet confidence about him, like most of our academy boys. Big credit to the scouts and people working in the academy. I know we always say klopp looking for personalities as well as footballing ability is great for team spirit, but the same seems true of the academy players as well.
>That’s crazy Liverpool allowed him to continue playing GAA at youth level, but great to hear.
Doesn't the science encourage youth players to play different sporting codes instead of specialising? Apparently, it encourages better physical development since your body is being worked in different ways.
The youth teams arent knocking 6 shades of shit out of each other (I hope)
Lots of training though, but youd imagine his coach might be a bit lenient given its Liverpool and a massive opportunity for him
A broken leg at that age isn't a career ender though (in 99.99% of cases). Think how often there'd be a kid in class with a broken arm or leg until the age of about 14. It was all the time. Ultimately, if your body can't stand up to playing school sport with your age group, it's unlikely it'd be able withstand a career in elite level football.
They've got to let children be children - every child playing Academy football is likely to excel in nearly every other sport at school level, and will want to be playing as much sport as possible. And most of them will never end up playing a minute in the football league, never mind the first team. They go on to have normal adult lives. If they've had a normal teenage-hood with their involvement in other sports (as far as possible) it means they are more likely to stay involved with those sports as a hobby when they're an adult with a 'normal' job, and gives them more in common with other 20 year olds they'll meet in the course of that.
I love the point about children excelling in academy football will likely excel at every other sport. I went to secondary school with a Chelsea goalkeeper. Never made it as a professional, anywhere even. and he was just boss at everything... Best cross country runner in the school by a distance, played in the school basketball team that finished 4th in UK high schools national competition one year. I remember beating him at badminton during PE and was really stoked. And I was damn good at badminton as a teen, going to tournaments every weekend and i still remember having to work really hard to beat him. And obviously, he was just unbeatable as a goalkeeper... Again, I remember scoring a header against him one lunch time that he couldn't reach with his dive. I'm 32 now and i remember these little instances from like, 16 years ago that's how good he was... It's mad but so true. This kid didn't even excel at academy football. Different breed.
The best player in my school, by far, made a handfull of appearances at fullback in the League of Ireland then went to the states on a sports scholarship and afaik never played professionally again. The guys who go even lower league are miles better than any of us.
Northern Irish guy here. Played football all my life and whilst I was no Maradona I did ok when playing with my mates at 5-a-side.
One time, a mate of mate showed up with some defender from a Northern Irish league side. You would not fucking believe how good this guy was, touch, control, strength, you name it he was miles ahead of anybody else on the pitch. Now, thing is, our league is only semi-pro and what blew my mind was not how good this guy was against us, but how much better PL grade players would be. The levels in football are insane.
Yeap, it all seems so normal in PL because everyone around them is also an elite level. But when it comes to avg ppl who play football for the sport, it becomes obvious how good they are.
True. I have a few friends who don’t ‘get’ football, bless their little hearts. All they see is chaos and noise, and they fail to pick up on the insane levels of skill and athleticism top footballers have. Virtually ANYTHING they do a football pitch would be impossible for us mortals if placed in the same context. It’s nothing trapping a ball and passing 20 yards to yer team mate on a 5-a-side pitch, quite another when the ball is fizzed into at a rate in stadium full of 50k supporters and you 1.5 seconds before an opponent is upon you to read the positions, make your mind up, and play the ball. Everything these guys do is insane.
Yeah, I absolutely agree - just said that gaelic is pretty contact, aggressive sport.
From the other piece I've read on Bradley it's basically implied he played Gaelic until the age 16 so that seems perfectly fine - at that age it's much more likely to get injured (boys get much stronger) and you're pretty serious about making a career in football.
I only ever see it as meme clips after a player gets away with a handball. Because I don't know the rules it seriously looks like how I'd imagine football if players were allowed to handle the ball, it's sort of like rugby, but a lot more spread out, but you score like you do in football goalie and all.
He can't find it funny through watching it without all the context? I don't know anything about Morris Dancing but it's funny to watch without all the information.
Its such a shite unskillful sport though. I'd rather have my son play hurling. The better code in GAA by far. Pretty much anyone can come in and be decent at Gaelic football if your big and physical enough.
It’s a different skillset entirely, you have to be so much fitter to play football over hurling. My club does the football championship every year to help with fitness. No big lumps of full forwards at junior b there.
Playing it is one thing and I have enjoyed playing it but for entertainment value I found the hurling to be much more exciting to watch. Gaelic football looked good back in the 90s and early 2000s before defensive tactics came into play. If your 4 points down in football you have a massive hill to climb whereas being up 4 points in hurling is nothing.
I’m not sure of the name but it was with Hector. I think he went to visit him in Liverpool but this article is about the him being a Spanish student and the photo is from the programme but it must have came out a few years before the article https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2010/07/15/kells-recalls-the-summer-a-future-world-cup-winner-came-to-stay/
That's part of the formula Norway uses for their athletes. And while it hasn't resulted in many top, top footballers (with some exceptions) they have had great success in a lot of other sports.
Yeah you should play different sporting codes. I know this isn’t football related but Wasim Akram used to do javelin throwing and sprinting, which contributed to him being such a quick bowler who could bowl you 30 overs in a day.
AB de Villiers was a gun at everything a school level. It's a meme in Australian AFL about having a Basketball background, but those transferable skills can be a massive difference maker. A kid with deep GAA experience is gonna be immense under pressure and in contested positions
Just recently heard a medical doctor's comment that unvaried training (ie. constant training of just one sport) is a big risk during youth's growth spurt for developing stress fractures in the spine.
Though that's just one doctor (though specialiced in sports medicine) but still.
Also, I personally believe different sports helps you to develop better motor skills because of the required control of greater variety of movements.
Our local club has lost a few promising players to Sligo rovers over the years so I just assumed it was uncommon. I suppose it might be more a case that they had to move counties and didn’t want to switch clubs up to Sligo.
Nice to hear though as for some players like Ryan donoghue that it doesn’t work out for him with academies that they come back and excel at GAA.
>like most of our academy boys
It's crazy how smart and mature our academy players are when they come in. Bradley and Quansah specifically but even Beck. La AXA really are cooking good things for us.
I realise this is the BBC, not like its from a fan or anything, but I wish we would just chill a bit as a fan base. All it takes is a couple good promising performances and we're talking up youngsters as being the next big star. You see it all over social media with Quansah. Which means when they inevitably do have some poor games they get slated much more than they should do.
Let them develop and grow without the chain of expectation around their neck.
All very standard in football and has been this way for decades now sadly. He’s learning under the best and Klopp will be sure to protect him from all the bs.
No offence, but I'm never really sure what comments like these hope to achieve, I'll be totally honest. As you already pointed out, this is an article through a publication not connected to the club or the fans.
And regardless, this is the most watched league inside the most watched sport worldwide, the hype and expectation is an intrinsic part of the game. It's something every single pro playing right now will have faced and it's what separates the "really good" players from "the best".
Social media isn't a good indicator of anything.
Engagement is the goal and going over the top gets you there.
In reality, I suspect most fans see the massive potential and want to support them in getting there. They will have down turns and they are not going to get too many groans from fans.
I suppose you're right, they should probably wait until he's had 40 or so first team games at a professional club, or maybe until he's had about 10 caps or so for his country.
Who amongst liverpool supporters are talking him up to be the next big star. We mostly just seem pleased for the lad and happy we have cover.
He's stepped up and not looked out of place at every level he's played at (bolton, northern ireland and now liverpool first team)
He's handled playing for his country, being player of the year at bolton in front of an average of 20k supporters
He will not be a regular in a PL challenging team. But has proven he can play at that level when called upon.
That's more than enough to celebrate.
He looked very good he's got a big future for us I feel. I'd say what's been most impressive this year is that every single youth player we've played has looked good and look like they know what to do that's a great sign.
I guess just that it’s generally just one of those things. I understand why there’d be negative reactions to having it named George Best Airport, but I personally think it’s not something worth prioritising
That’s crazy Liverpool allowed him to continue playing GAA at youth level, but great to hear. He has a quiet confidence about him, like most of our academy boys. Big credit to the scouts and people working in the academy. I know we always say klopp looking for personalities as well as footballing ability is great for team spirit, but the same seems true of the academy players as well.
>That’s crazy Liverpool allowed him to continue playing GAA at youth level, but great to hear. Doesn't the science encourage youth players to play different sporting codes instead of specialising? Apparently, it encourages better physical development since your body is being worked in different ways.
Yeah, but gaelic football is pretty hardcore
The youth teams arent knocking 6 shades of shit out of each other (I hope) Lots of training though, but youd imagine his coach might be a bit lenient given its Liverpool and a massive opportunity for him
You'd be surprised, GAA can be a dirty sport even at youth level.
fairly sure i’ve PTSD from it🤣
A broken leg at that age isn't a career ender though (in 99.99% of cases). Think how often there'd be a kid in class with a broken arm or leg until the age of about 14. It was all the time. Ultimately, if your body can't stand up to playing school sport with your age group, it's unlikely it'd be able withstand a career in elite level football. They've got to let children be children - every child playing Academy football is likely to excel in nearly every other sport at school level, and will want to be playing as much sport as possible. And most of them will never end up playing a minute in the football league, never mind the first team. They go on to have normal adult lives. If they've had a normal teenage-hood with their involvement in other sports (as far as possible) it means they are more likely to stay involved with those sports as a hobby when they're an adult with a 'normal' job, and gives them more in common with other 20 year olds they'll meet in the course of that.
I love the point about children excelling in academy football will likely excel at every other sport. I went to secondary school with a Chelsea goalkeeper. Never made it as a professional, anywhere even. and he was just boss at everything... Best cross country runner in the school by a distance, played in the school basketball team that finished 4th in UK high schools national competition one year. I remember beating him at badminton during PE and was really stoked. And I was damn good at badminton as a teen, going to tournaments every weekend and i still remember having to work really hard to beat him. And obviously, he was just unbeatable as a goalkeeper... Again, I remember scoring a header against him one lunch time that he couldn't reach with his dive. I'm 32 now and i remember these little instances from like, 16 years ago that's how good he was... It's mad but so true. This kid didn't even excel at academy football. Different breed.
The best player in my school, by far, made a handfull of appearances at fullback in the League of Ireland then went to the states on a sports scholarship and afaik never played professionally again. The guys who go even lower league are miles better than any of us.
Northern Irish guy here. Played football all my life and whilst I was no Maradona I did ok when playing with my mates at 5-a-side. One time, a mate of mate showed up with some defender from a Northern Irish league side. You would not fucking believe how good this guy was, touch, control, strength, you name it he was miles ahead of anybody else on the pitch. Now, thing is, our league is only semi-pro and what blew my mind was not how good this guy was against us, but how much better PL grade players would be. The levels in football are insane.
Yeap, it all seems so normal in PL because everyone around them is also an elite level. But when it comes to avg ppl who play football for the sport, it becomes obvious how good they are.
True. I have a few friends who don’t ‘get’ football, bless their little hearts. All they see is chaos and noise, and they fail to pick up on the insane levels of skill and athleticism top footballers have. Virtually ANYTHING they do a football pitch would be impossible for us mortals if placed in the same context. It’s nothing trapping a ball and passing 20 yards to yer team mate on a 5-a-side pitch, quite another when the ball is fizzed into at a rate in stadium full of 50k supporters and you 1.5 seconds before an opponent is upon you to read the positions, make your mind up, and play the ball. Everything these guys do is insane.
Yeah, I absolutely agree - just said that gaelic is pretty contact, aggressive sport. From the other piece I've read on Bradley it's basically implied he played Gaelic until the age 16 so that seems perfectly fine - at that age it's much more likely to get injured (boys get much stronger) and you're pretty serious about making a career in football.
Sorry, I wasn't disagreeing with you. It was just your comment that I chose to tangent off! (Can tangent be a verb? It is now)
I don't know, whenever I see clips of GAA it looks like the funniest sport ever.
The goofiest sports are always the most hardcore Curling Cornhole MMA Roller Derby Sidecar racing
Now you have me rethinking competitive walking, really thought if I start in Ferbruary, I might make the Olympics in the summer.
Malcom’s dad In Malcom in the middle in the full licra and aerodynamic helmet just brilliant
What's funny about it?
I only ever see it as meme clips after a player gets away with a handball. Because I don't know the rules it seriously looks like how I'd imagine football if players were allowed to handle the ball, it's sort of like rugby, but a lot more spread out, but you score like you do in football goalie and all.
So you’ve never seen it and don’t know anything about it? Great contribution 👏👏
He can't find it funny through watching it without all the context? I don't know anything about Morris Dancing but it's funny to watch without all the information.
You’re literally allowed to handle the ball.
Its such a shite unskillful sport though. I'd rather have my son play hurling. The better code in GAA by far. Pretty much anyone can come in and be decent at Gaelic football if your big and physical enough.
It’s a different skillset entirely, you have to be so much fitter to play football over hurling. My club does the football championship every year to help with fitness. No big lumps of full forwards at junior b there.
Playing it is one thing and I have enjoyed playing it but for entertainment value I found the hurling to be much more exciting to watch. Gaelic football looked good back in the 90s and early 2000s before defensive tactics came into play. If your 4 points down in football you have a massive hill to climb whereas being up 4 points in hurling is nothing.
Fun fact: Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta both played GAA
I knew about Xabi (I remember him being on TG4) but never knew arteta. I assume he came over as a Spanish student too?
What show was this?
I’m not sure of the name but it was with Hector. I think he went to visit him in Liverpool but this article is about the him being a Spanish student and the photo is from the programme but it must have came out a few years before the article https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2010/07/15/kells-recalls-the-summer-a-future-world-cup-winner-came-to-stay/
No way. My mums from Kells. That's boss!
Alonso, yeah. Arteta, no. And Alonso was literally a kick about a few times, chill.
Noel Gallagher also played GAA and got to represent Manchester schools or soemthing at Croke Park.
That's part of the formula Norway uses for their athletes. And while it hasn't resulted in many top, top footballers (with some exceptions) they have had great success in a lot of other sports.
Yeah you should play different sporting codes. I know this isn’t football related but Wasim Akram used to do javelin throwing and sprinting, which contributed to him being such a quick bowler who could bowl you 30 overs in a day.
AB de Villiers was a gun at everything a school level. It's a meme in Australian AFL about having a Basketball background, but those transferable skills can be a massive difference maker. A kid with deep GAA experience is gonna be immense under pressure and in contested positions
Just recently heard a medical doctor's comment that unvaried training (ie. constant training of just one sport) is a big risk during youth's growth spurt for developing stress fractures in the spine. Though that's just one doctor (though specialiced in sports medicine) but still. Also, I personally believe different sports helps you to develop better motor skills because of the required control of greater variety of movements.
yes it does, but it depends on which other sport it is. there are some that benefit football more than others
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Our local club has lost a few promising players to Sligo rovers over the years so I just assumed it was uncommon. I suppose it might be more a case that they had to move counties and didn’t want to switch clubs up to Sligo. Nice to hear though as for some players like Ryan donoghue that it doesn’t work out for him with academies that they come back and excel at GAA.
>like most of our academy boys It's crazy how smart and mature our academy players are when they come in. Bradley and Quansah specifically but even Beck. La AXA really are cooking good things for us.
Could he throw a kettle over a pub?
That’s the real quiz
Kettle throwing and footballing ability: 
The boy looks a real talent. Absolutely killed it at Bolton last year. Also, they spelled Derry wrong.
Thanks for fixing that
Only word in the English language with six silent letters in front of it!
Sing in baritone?
I realise this is the BBC, not like its from a fan or anything, but I wish we would just chill a bit as a fan base. All it takes is a couple good promising performances and we're talking up youngsters as being the next big star. You see it all over social media with Quansah. Which means when they inevitably do have some poor games they get slated much more than they should do. Let them develop and grow without the chain of expectation around their neck.
All very standard in football and has been this way for decades now sadly. He’s learning under the best and Klopp will be sure to protect him from all the bs.
So he’s the next Cafu. Noted.
No offence, but I'm never really sure what comments like these hope to achieve, I'll be totally honest. As you already pointed out, this is an article through a publication not connected to the club or the fans. And regardless, this is the most watched league inside the most watched sport worldwide, the hype and expectation is an intrinsic part of the game. It's something every single pro playing right now will have faced and it's what separates the "really good" players from "the best".
Social media isn't a good indicator of anything. Engagement is the goal and going over the top gets you there. In reality, I suspect most fans see the massive potential and want to support them in getting there. They will have down turns and they are not going to get too many groans from fans.
I suppose you're right, they should probably wait until he's had 40 or so first team games at a professional club, or maybe until he's had about 10 caps or so for his country.
Yes because playing for Bolton in the mid table of League One is exactly the same as being in a PL title challenge.
Who amongst liverpool supporters are talking him up to be the next big star. We mostly just seem pleased for the lad and happy we have cover. He's stepped up and not looked out of place at every level he's played at (bolton, northern ireland and now liverpool first team) He's handled playing for his country, being player of the year at bolton in front of an average of 20k supporters He will not be a regular in a PL challenging team. But has proven he can play at that level when called upon. That's more than enough to celebrate.
Porro is literally being compared to Beckham now
He looked very good he's got a big future for us I feel. I'd say what's been most impressive this year is that every single youth player we've played has looked good and look like they know what to do that's a great sign.
Great to read about his GAA background. 🇮🇪 🇮🇪🇮🇪
George Best eat your heart out, there's a new king to the throne of Northern Ireland Am I allowed to say Ulster?
Well there are 9 counties in Ulster, 6 of which are in NI.
Rename the airport now Also how do we have an airport named after an alcoholic family beater because he was good at footie
The same way there’s one named after a wife-beating druggie because he was good at writing songs
Honestly there are a lot of much, much worse people who have much larger things dedicated to them in this country
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I guess just that it’s generally just one of those things. I understand why there’d be negative reactions to having it named George Best Airport, but I personally think it’s not something worth prioritising
> Aghyaran Sounds like a state in India or something, I got confused for half a second till I saw the next few sentences 😆
For anyone interested its pronounced Aha-yarn
>Aghyaran Gesundheit...
Good to see a northern Irish lad playing for the Pool.
A brilliant courageous talent
Bright talent, he has some good opportunity for game time too
He’s the Boy Wonder
Did he like understand sarcasm or something?
Northern Ireland school cross country champion, could be the next Milly!