The Premier League is flush with money, even more than in previous years, so the January transfer window might be a busy one.
Whether it will be for Irish players remains to be seen, but here’s five Irish players, some more than others, who could do with a move in the window:
Seamus Coleman
We shouldn’t even be discussing this. Seamus Coleman should be playing for one of the Premier League’s top teams. He’s 28-years-old, an experienced player and the captain of his national team. He has been consistently one of the best players in his position in the division over the past four or five years.
However, he remains at Everton, traditionally a big club, but not one who look like they’re going to be in contention for the top four or even silverware in the near future.
We should count our blessings https://t.co/JuwX8y1NSS
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 13, 2016
Ronald Koeman appears generally underwhelmed by the standard of the squad at Goodison Park, and it may take a few seasons to build a team capable of matching the new owner’s ambitions. The average age of the current squad is 27.4, with the central defence, in particular, looking like in need of an upgrade.
Coleman’s peak years could be gone by the time the club are in a position to challenge the established hierarchy in the Premier League.
The 28-year-old is also arguably at the stage where if he doesn’t move in the next window, or next summer, then he’ll never play for one of the Premier League’s top teams.
Coleman appears settled on Merseyside, and isn’t one to push for a move, but he would be perfectly capable of playing for a team in the Champions League. If the opportunity arises, which in an ideal world it would, the Ireland captain should take it.
Richie Towell
Richie Towell hasn’t started a league game since joining Brighton and Hove Albion last January on a free transfer from Dundalk.
During his former team’s European run this year, many on social media referenced Towell, and asked whether the Dubliner regretted his move to the Championship side.
But it’s still way too early to write-off Towell’s chances across the water.
It's a huge night for Richie Towell https://t.co/zcTizSZ6gI
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 16, 2016
Towell was comfortably the best player in Ireland before his transfer to Brighton. He scored 28 goals from midfield and was touted as earning a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad.
At Brighton though, he has found first-team opportunities hard to come by, making just two appearances over the past year.
However, there have been a number of reasons why.
Firstly, Chris Hughton’s side play a 4-4-2 formation, with two central midfielders. Towell is capable of playing in a two-man central midfield, but his more natural position is playing in the advanced midfield role in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Either way, Brighton had a settled side and pushed hard for promotion. It’s not easy for a newly-signed player to break into a team in such circumstances.
Wahey! https://t.co/0qloyOHifQ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 8, 2016
Towell also picked up an injury ahead of the current season, but has impressed for the U23 side, scoring three goals in three games.
He also found himself on the bench for a recent league game against Birmingham City, so is edging closer to some first-team football.
However, a loan-move until the end of the season, and regular first-team football, would be beneficial for the 25-year-old.
James McCarthy
James McCarthy has had a stop-start season and has been linked with a move away since Ronald Koeman replaced Roberto Martinez at Goodison Park.
Whereas the former Everton manager was a massive McCarthy fan, and took him to Wigan Athletic and the Toffees and played him in every game he was available for in the heart of midfield, Koeman doesn’t seem that impressed.
At the start of the season, the Everton manager played McCarthy at wing-back and appeared generally indifferent towards the player, doing little to suggest he would be leaving the club in the summer transfer window.
Decision time… https://t.co/ireq2iK38B
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 11, 2016
McCarthy picked up an injury at the end of August, and again in October, and was at the centre of a dispute between Koeman and Martin O’Neill. In recent weeks though, he has returned to the Everton starting XI, and played quite well.
However, reports linking the Toffees with a move for Morgan Schneiderlin, Manchester United’s forgotten midfielder, who would seem like a like-for-like replacement for McCarthy.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder would have options though, with clubs such as Celtic, West Brom, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United reportedly interested in a January move.
Whatever happens, McCarthy needs to find a club where he will play every week and go some way towards to fulfilling his potential. When he was 16, clubs such as Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United were interested. And just a year or two ago Arsenal and Spurs were understood to be interested.
He will probably never reach that level, but he has showed in games, particularly for Ireland against Germany, and against United for Everton in April 2015, that he is capable of being a very good player.
A team like Newcastle, who look certain to be promoted, would be ideal. Rafa Benitez’s measured, analytical approach would benefit McCarthy after years of playing under Martinez.
.@dionfanning on how James McCarthy was caught in the middle of a row between two stubborn managers https://t.co/l1tBey69PN
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 3, 2016
Robbie Brady
Never mind the election of Donald Trump or the UK voting in favour of Brexit, the most dumbfounding thing to occur in 2016 is the failure of any Premier League team to sign Robbie Brady.
The previous can broadly be explained by a backlash against decades of economic inequality.
It’s not quite as easy to explain why one of the stars of an international tournament, a 24-year-old capable of playing in numerous positions, with a wonderful left-foot and top-flight experience, wasn’t signed by a Premier League club. Especially in a summer when the effects of a £5b television deal kicked in.
Not worth it https://t.co/KivWykSF9x
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 20, 2016
Brady was reportedly priced out a move to Leicester City by his club. Norwich City are understood to have wanted £16m and the Premier League champions weren’t prepared to pay it.
Meanwhile, Moussa Sissoko signs for Spurs from Newcastle for £30m on the back of a few surging runs at Euro 2016. Something doesn’t add up, but hopefully, for the sake of Brady and the national team, that situation is corrected in January.
If the Dubliner was to move, it would be the third transfer of his relatively short career. The next one needs to a stable Premier League team.
Shane Long
Shane Long can look excellent when he’s on form. He’s terrifyingly fast, works hard, is the first line of defence through his constant pressing. He showed last season he’s capable of scoring goals.
However, when things aren’t going well, he looks like someone who took-up football too late.
In 28 appearances last season, Long scored 10 goals, his best return in the Premier League. He hasn’t scored in the league since May.
That was Shane Long's first goal for a long time https://t.co/N5Co7ftAA0
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 9, 2016
Long also seems to have fallen out of favour at Southampton.
The 29-year-old has made just four starts in the league this season, and a further nine appearances as a sub.
It looked as though he would get a run in the team when Charlie Austin picked up an injury, instead Long remained on the bench and Jay Rodriguez has been playing, and scoring.
Long will be 30 in January, and still capable of playing in the Premier League.
With Southampton out of the Europa League, a competition in which Long started four of the team’s six games, the Irish striker could find his first-team chances further limited.
A loan move until the end of the season, maybe to a team like Sunderland, where he would to play regularly, could help him the short-term.
