Reid leads new crop of talent

ANDY REID ticked off the names of the several players who, playing alongside him in Brian Kerr’s successful under-age teams are now in the senior squad and commented: “We all grew up together in football, we are friends as well as colleagues, and the number who have already played for Ireland shows what quality the manager had in those squads.”

Reid, at 21 years of age, has been a sensation this season with Nottingham Forest, winning the Nationwide Division One’s “Player of the Month” for October, and his potential was recognised by Kerr when he capped the versatile striker at U16 and U18 levels.

When Reid walked into the Irish senior camp for the first time over the week-end, he was surrounded by players who were colleagues of his in those teams: Gary Doherty, Liam Miller, Colin Healy, Steven Reid, John O’Shea, Richard Dunne and Joe Murphy.