Ireland under-19 midfielder Cian Coleman has been named in The Guardian’s ‘Next Generation 2021‘ list after impressing for Leeds at underage level.
Irish football has seen a crop of exciting young talent rise to the fore in recent times and Cian Coleman is the latest to come on the radar.
Gavin Bazunu stole the show during the last international break when the 19-year-old goalkeeper stopped Cristiano Ronaldo from 12 yards. Fellow teenager Andrew Omobamidele was equally as mature beyond his years at the heart of the defence. While many others, including the likes of Adam Idah, Dara O’Shea and Troy Parrott, have also shown promising potential as of late.
Cian Coleman making waves at Leeds United.
Although results have been rather disappointing since Stephen Kenny took the reigns as Ireland manager, one thing he can’t be accused of is not giving young talent a shot on the international stage.
The Ireland team has transformed into a youthful and progressive footballing side over the last 12 months and what is most exciting is that there is a second injection of young blood ready to make its mark before long.
With so many fresh faces in the senior team at the moment, the generation below is in danger of being overlooked. Bournemouth’s Gavin Kilkenny, who started the Championship season brilliantly and West Ham’s Conor Coventry who’s currently on loan with Peterborough possibly deserve more recognition, and in the age-grade below them, there is an even lesser-known Irish midfielder who could just turn out to be the best of the lot.
His name is Cian Coleman and it’s not just The Guardian’s football writers who think he’s one of the best prospects in the Premier League. Coleman’s manager Marcelo Bielsa is also a big fan and invited the then 16-year-old to train with the first team during pre-season.
Quick mention for Ireland U19 midfielder Cian Coleman (17) who scored twice for Leeds U18s in their 5-2 victory over Liverpool this afternoon ??⚽️?
Cian trained with the Leeds first team in pre-season and is contracted with the PL club until the Summer of 2023 ?#COYBIG pic.twitter.com/KJQXaLpRMe
— Kenny's Kids (@KennysKids) September 25, 2021
Who is Leeds United midfielder, Cian Coleman?
Coleman was born in Pudsey, West Yorkshire but is committed to the Irish cause and has already represented the Boys in Green at Under-18 level on two occasions.
He has played at both centre-back and centre-midfield in the Leeds academy but after bagging two goals from the middle of the park against Liverpool’s U18s last month, it is suspected that his days in defence could be behind him.
According to The Guardian, Coleman is seen as the “new Kalvin Phillips” at Elland Road and is currently being coached into shape for the first team.
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— LUFC Youth Academy (@leedsutdacademy) July 14, 2021
Cian Coleman.
The 17-year-old recently scored one and assisted another in the White’s 8-2 FA Youth Cup victory over Wigan and was included on the bench for Leeds’s EFL Trophy fixture against Tranmere on the 14th of September.
Coleman has always played well above his age group and at the rate, he is going, he could plausibly be involved in Premier League games within eighteen months. The box-to-box midfielder played Under-21s football at the age of 15, so who is to say he won’t be able to play men’s football when he turns 18?
Ireland’s midfield hasn’t always been a strong point in years gone by but with Coleman, Conor Coventry, Joe Hodge, Ryan Johansson, Gavin Kilkenny, Andrew Moran and Dawson Devoy among the names coming through, maybe the future won’t be so bad.
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