Greening of Brighton a work in progress

Aaron Connolly may have appeared to be an overnight sensation when he marked his first Premier League start last weekend with two goals to sink Spurs, but Brighton have worked long and hard to nurture one of Ireland’s best young players, who could make his debut for Mick McCarthy’s side in Georgia tomorrow.

Connolly was courted by Manchester United, Aston Villa, Southampton and others, but it was the seaside club that secured his signing as a 16-year-old from Mervue United in Galway three years ago.

Connolly admitted in a 2017 interview that the club’s Irish connection was a major factor in his decision to put pen to paper when Chris Hughton was club manager and Shane Duffy a mainstay of the side. There were plenty of other young Irish players, too, thanks to the scouting network under academy manager John Morling, Ireland’s former U19 coach.

“Yes, the number of Irish players at the club is brilliant and has helped me a lot,” Connolly had said.

It has been easy to settle in with the U18s and more importantly with the U23s and having the Irish lads there was a massive help.

He also praised the facilities and the fact that Brighton is family-friendly: “The plans of the club and the facilities were a massive influence, but it was also the way the coaching staff treated me while I was on trial. That made my mind up for me because it’s such a family club, which you can see from the first team right through to the academy.”

Paul Barber, the club’s chief executive, has worked for The Football Association, Tottenham and Vancouver Whitecaps, was full of praise for Connolly, still only 19.

“He is a young lad who has done very well prior to getting into the first team squad,” said Barber this week. “He did well for the U23s and U18s and still has a lot to learn and a long way to go but we’ve been very impressed with his progress. He’s a young man with a lot of talent.”

Barber admits it is no coincidence the club’s Irish connection and progressive youth policy is paying off, with Connolly perhaps the first of many stars to breakthrough.

“We’re investing over five million pounds (€6m) a year in our academy system and John Morling is the academy manager. We’ve bought in Dan Ashworth (former FA Technical Director) as John’s boss and we believe in developing our own talent. We think that it’s potentially going to give us a competitive advantage if we can continue to improve our scouting network and unearth more players like Aaron. We’re never going to be able to compete in the big transfer fee market so we’re always going to have to be a little bit cuter and a little bit smarter.”

How far does Barber think Connolly can go? “The coaches would say he’s got all the talent, he needs to continue to learn the game. He’s got to keep his feet on the ground, make sure he looks after himself off the pitch as well as on it, continue to work hard, and anything’s possible.

Barber believes there is more talent to come from Ireland, and says it is easier for Irish players to adapt to English football – and life in England – than their counterparts from the continent and beyond.

“I’m sure Mick McCarthy and his coaching staff would like to think there are more young players to come like Aaron. Ireland’s always been a good breeding ground for good athletes, of all sports, and we’ve seen some great players emerge from Ireland. Roy Keane is a terrific example.

“I think there’s a there’s an opportunity for a fairly easy transition from one island to a slightly bigger island over the water!

“Culturally, it’s easier for for Irish players to adapt. There’s also a lot of support from back home. Aaron’s family come across to support him and watch him play and I think that helps as well. The language is not a barrier, the food is not a barrier.

So there’s a real opportunity for young Irish talent to make it in English football.

McCarthy got a first-hand report on Connolly from his assistant Robbie Keane, a man Barber knows well from his Tottenham days. “I caught up with him a couple of times when I was in the MLS and he was at LA Galaxy. But it’s great to see players like him and Jonathan Woodgate, who was also at Spurs, moving into coaching and management.”

And Barber believes Keane can be a success in management. “Robbie’s a winner, he’s an absolute winner, and a great professional. He always played the game at the highest level with so many different clubs, did well wherever he went, and was a great character around the football club.

“If you go back to Tottenham, there’ll be people who’ve been there years, who will still have Robbie, very, very high up on their list of favourite players. And not just because he was a good footballer, but because he was a good person, a great character.

“In terms of coaching, players look up to people that have played at the highest level and have been through some of the trials and tribulations that they face. I think there’s a real value in having people around the club who’ve played at the highest level. The game needs those people to keep coming through and to keep filling coaching positions.”