In a league of his own
Egan the standout among Irish in the lower divisions
THE presence of Roy Keane on Sky Sports, and ITV too for those who have it, is a reminder of how long it’s been since Irish footballers decorated the top division of the English game and figured prominently in the end-ofterm honours lists.
As there are barely enough Irish lads to fill a Premier League XI these days, it’s the English Football League where the spotlight shines mostly from this side of the Irish Sea.
With the final post approaching in the Championship and League Two this weekend — League One is already done and dusted — who makes your EFL Team of the Year for 2021-22? And who has been your Irish EFL Player of the Year?
The choice for the gloves is a shoot-out between Mark Travers of Bournemouth and Gavin Bazunu of Portsmouth.
Both have played over 90 club games between them and have been undisputed first choice for their respective clubs.
While Bazunu has had the edge over Travers at international level, the Bournemough No1 gets my vote as he plays in the Championship which is a more demanding arena than League One.
And, following last night’s victory over Nottingham Forest, Travers will be lining out in the Premier League next season.
As Portsmouth missed out on the League One play-offs, Bazunu will return to his parent club, Manchester City, where it will be intriguing to see if Pep Guardiola decides to keep him on site at the Etihad next season.
Scott Carson, the City No 3 keeper, is almost 37 and Guardiola may feel the time has come for Bazunu to push Zack Steffen as back-up to Ederson. Taking a leaf from Stephen Kenny’s formation with the Republic of Ireland, we’ll go for a 3-4-3 formation. In the central defence, John Egan of Sheffield United is nailed on as he has spurred the Blades for a second-half promotion push. In 45 appearances, Egan has collected just five yellow cards which illustrates his high-calibre defensive qualities.
When it comes to staying on your feet and tackling cleanly, Egan sets the Championship standard.
While Darragh Lenihan has shipped 10 yellows and one red for Blackburn Rovers, he propped up a team that made a bold bid for the play-offs, which few imagined. On current form, Lenihan is due an Irish return to arms.
Sean McLoughlin of Hull City edges out veteran Richard Keogh (Blackpool) as the third man in central defence.
When Hull were slipping towards the relegation zone two months ago, McLoughlin helped shore up the defence and plot a course to safety. Along with Lenihan, Irish recognition can’t be far away.
At right wing-back, Cyrus Christie has prospered after signing for Swansea on loan from Fulham, chipping in with three goals in 22 appearances but Festy Ebosele, 20, of Derby County gets the nod.
His pace and dash on the flank has led to a summer move to Udinese. By then, the Enniscorthy Express may be a senior international.
On the other side of the park, James McClean edges out Ryan Manning (Swansea) and Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), although it’s a close call — the latter has had a stop-start season with injuries. Apart from 37 games, McClean’s goal threat from wing-back — he scored 10 times — was crucial as Wigan clinched the League One title.
In the engine room, Alan Browne was a powerhouse for Preston North End with 40 appearances even if his goals return, three, was modest.
Conor Hourihane (30 appearances for Sheffield United) and Jayson Molumby (30 for West Brom) have claims but Jason Knight again shone in a Derby County team weighed down by a points deduction.
Held back by a freak pre-season injury, Knight returned to find a club adrift in the Championship but played his part in a 38-game rescue mission which fell short.
Across the front, Scott Hogan with 10 goals in 36 appearances for Birmingham City outscored Callum Robinson who bagged eight in 46 games for West Brom after starting with three from three.
Troy Parrott, who scored 10 goals in 46 games for MK Dons, had a decent season, too.
But I’ve opted for a trio of Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham Utd), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic) and Michael Obafemi (Swansea City).
Obafemi hasn’t got a look-in under Kenny but 11 goals in 18 Championship games since February is outstanding. In that time, Robinson, first choice for Ireland, managed two.
Ogbene made 53 first team appearances for Rotherham, helping The Millers to promotion and EFL Trophy success at Wembley, where he scored in the 4-2 extra-time win.
Another marathon man is Keane who scored a remarkabler 27 goals in 48 games for League One champions Wigan.
The 29-year-old has claims for Irish EFL Player of the Year but I’ll go for Egan who has driven Sheffield United into a play-offs spot with champions Fulham to come on Saturday.
Egan versus Serbia goalmachine Aleksandar Mitrovic? What a final-day duel that promises to be. My Irish EFL Team of the Season is: Travers (Bournemouth); McLoughlin (Hull City), Egan (Sheffield Utd), Lenihan (Blackburn R); Ebosele (Derby Co), Browne (Preston), Knight (Derby Co), McClean (Wigan Ath); Ogbene (Rotherham U), Keane (Wigan Ath), Obafemi (Swansea C).