22 Irishmen to make headlines in 2022
With 2021 drawing to a close, we look at 22 Irish players who will hope for a breakthrough year and an opportunity to grab the headlines in 2022.
2021 saw players like Jason Knight, Chiedoze Ogbene, Jamie McGrath and Andrew Omobamidele cause a lot of fuss among Ireland fans and although a couple of these names make the list, there are many more who could be hot on the lips of many should their potentials be fulfilled.
- Jason Knight (Derby County)
Approaching 100 first team appearances at club level and quickly becoming an established international, 2022 should be the year that Jason Knight continues to be one of Ireland’s most talked about players. Seems destined to move from a Derby side almost certain to drop to League 1 with only Premier League suitors mentioned. Still has a lot to develop to his all round game but on track to become Stephen Kenny’s key man this year.
2. Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion)
The big talk of Ireland fans in the latter half of 2021. With a few appearances on the Brighton bench, it seems Evan Ferguson is on the cusp of a first team debut having exceeded expectations at under-23 level despite still only being 17. Seems to have the full package and has the potential to be the ‘Irish Erling Haaland’
3. Taylor Gardner-Hickman (West Bromwich Albion)
A man-of-the match performances in his first start for West Brom, Taylor Gardner-Hickman has declared for Ireland and his versatility will be of huge benefit for Stephen Kenny, operating at either fullback position or as a midfielder. With Albion chasing promotion, he could be on the lips of many Irish fans should they reach the top flight with him one of the driving forces.
4. Will Smallbone (Southampton)
2021 should have been Will Smallbone’s breakthrough only for an ACL injury to ruin his season. He has come back ahead of schedule and despite looking rusty for the Ireland under-21’s has made a full recovery to make his way back into the Southampton first team. One of our most technically gifted players at Ireland’s disposal , Smallbone should be in the Irish senior side and a Premier League regular before the year is out.
5. Nathan Collins (Burnley)
Well and truly in the swing of senior football now, Nathan Collins has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and looks like one of Ireland’s most special players in years. There is a feeling that this lad can play for a really top club and may not only succeed Shane Duffy for Ireland but also exceed him. Should he get more game time for Burnley, he may be the target of a much bigger side should the clarets go down.
6. Shane Flynn (Leicester City)
After some bench appearances for Leicester, the clubs academy player of the year Shane Flynn will hope to follow in the footsteps of Ben Chilwell in becoming a youth graduate to make the left back slot his own. A hugely talented player who sometimes floats under the radar of Ireland fans, Flynn will hope to establish himself as Jim Crawford’s left-back in what is a problem position for Ireland.
7. Conor Noss (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Finally established in the Ireland under-21 squad and having made his first team appearance for Borussia Monchengladbach, it seems the next step for German-born Conor Noss is to get more consistent game time. He looks set to join Schalke in the Bundesliga 2 where the one time European giants look to gain promotion back to the top flight. Ireland don’t have many players of Noss’s quality and hopefully 2022 will be his breakthrough year for club and country.
8. Fetsy Ebosele (Derby County)
Wracking up plenty of appearances for Derby, Fetsy Ebosele looks like the ready-made replacement for Seamus Coleman. Operating as a right-winger for doomed Derby, the Wexford man has the physicality and defensive qualities to make it as a fullback and can operate off both flanks. Unlikely to leave the Rams even if they are relegated but will still be on Stephen Kenny’s radar given his meteoric rise.
9. Anthony Scully (Lincoln City)
Like Smallbone, Scully had his season halted by injury after gathering so much momentum but despite this, is likely to depart struggling Lincoln for the Championship with Blackburn and Millwall amongst his potential suitors. A natural finisher and tremendous dribbler, Scully is not far off the Irish squad and is perhaps better than some League One wingers in Stephen Kenny’s plans. Should he get back on track from injury, it could be the year he becomes one of Ireland’s most spoken about players in 2022.
10. Ross Tierney (Motherwell)
One of the bright young sparks in the Bohemians side that performed so admirably well in Europe, Ross Tierney made his expected move to Motherwell on the back of an overall impressive season. Seems to be the next step in his development but it will be interesting to see exactly when Tierney is immersed into the ‘Well’ first team after a congested season which included plenty of under-21 outings for Ireland.
11. Luca Connell (Celtic on Loan at Queens Park)
It seems mysterious that a Championship starter became an SPL reserve but Luca Connell continues to show his undoubted quality on loan at Queens Park from Celtic. Having already received a senior call up for Ireland as a teenager, the left-footed midfielder has a calmness and composure to his game that is well beyond his years. Given Celtics plethora of young players finally starting to get a chance under Ange Postecoglou, Connell could find himself a senior regular for both club and county by the time 2022 is out.
12. Kevin Zefi (Inter Milan)
One of the most spoken about Irish youngsters of 2021, Dubliner Kevin Zefi made his long awaited move to Inter Milan from Shamrock Rovers and has hit the ground running with the Italian giants. Surrounded by some of Europe’s most talented youngsters, Irish fans will have to be patient with Zefi but can rest assured that he seems to be beyond the right track for making it to the very top and being Ireland’s long awaited superstar.
13. Johnny Kenny (Sligo Rovers)
The hero of Ireland’s under-19 squad this year, Johnny Kenny has reaped the rewards of senior club football and could be one of the League of Ireland’s best exports in recent times should rumoured moves to Celtic or Hibernian materialise. Instinctive and full of flare, the Sligo Rovers player was a joy to watch for his club in 2021.
14. Armstrong Okoflex (West Ham United)
Another young Irishman to mysteriously have little joy at Celtic but is now becoming a regular on the West Ham bench with a debut on the cusp. Disgracefully left out of Jim Crawford’s Ireland under-21 sides against Sweden and Italy despite his incredible form for the Hammers under-23’s, Ireland fans will hope the headlines Okoflex makes is for a rapid rise for club and country and not an international tug of war inflicted by Crawford’s recklessness.
15. Harry Vaughan (Oldham Athletic)
Despite only being 17, Harry Vaughan is one of league 2 side Oldham Athletic’s key men and it may not be long before his rises up the leagues. Like Kevin Zefi, his low centre of gravity and technical brilliance could see him tagged as an ‘Irish Messi’ in 2022.
16. Liam Scales (Celtic)
One of the best defenders the league of Ireland has produced for many years, Liam Scales is starting to get some game time with Celtic despite playing close to a full season with Shamrock Rovers. Having already received several Ireland call ups, the 23-year-old who has operated as a left-back this year could be an ideal fit on the left of Stephen Kenny’s back three.
17. Gavin Kilkenny (AFC Bournemouth)
Perhaps one of the breakthrough Irish players of 2021, after years on the edge of the first team of Bournemouth, Gavin Kilkenny has finally been given his well deserved chance by Scott Parker who is slowly turning the Dubliner into a player of the same ilk as him. With the cherries pushing hard for promotion, Kilkenny could be Premier League and senior international midfielder before 2022 is out.
18. Dawson Devoy (Bohemians)
A player who could probably be playing in the UK already but wisely choose to continue playing first team football, Dawson Devoy was perhaps the star man on of Bohs European adventure. Has signed for another year with the Dublin side but will probably follow his former teammate ross Tierney across the water sooner rather than later.
19. Danny Mandriou (Shamrock Rovers)
A league winner with Shamrock Rovers after moving across the city from Bohemians and also received a call-up to Stephen Kenny’s Ireland squad. Can do things not many in the Irish squad are capable of and has been linked with a move to Celtic recently where he could link up with former teammate Liam Scales.
20. Joe Hodge (Wolves)
Another who will hope to put his injury woes behind him in 2022. Joe Hodge departed Manchester City with the hope of more opportunities at Wolves and will hope to get a decent crack at the Premier League side. Arguably one of Ireland’s most exciting young players, Hodge may need a loan move in 2022 to jump-start his career.
21. Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City)
2021 was probably Andrew Omobamidele’s breakthrough year but has stalled since Norwich’s promotion. Has had a mixed time when afforded game-time with an evidential rawness to his game. However, he is still trusted by Stephen Kenny and will be a key player this year for his country with another season in the Championship perhaps exactly what he needs to get his form back on track.
22. Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)
Like Omobamidele, 2021 was his breakthrough but 2022 could be the year that Mark Travers’s stock continues to rise with Premier League football a distinct possibility for Ireland’s third choice keeper. has come a long way since his nightmare performance in Belgrade and has gone on to keep 11 clean sheet so far this season in the Championship. A big year to come for the Maynooth man who will hope to keep his momentum going.
Nick, The Green Machíne
