John Egan hopeful Adam Idah will be the spearhead for young Irish talent

John Egan on Adam Idah: “I was delighted that he got his first Irish start the other night and hopefully it's the first of many. Hopefully the young lads can keep improving and keep getting better and it only bodes well for the future of Irish football.” Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

John Egan is way too young to feel like an old man, even in sporting terms, but Adam Idah's rise from the Irish underage ranks had the 27-year old Sheffield United defender sounding like a grizzled vet ahead of tomorrow's Nations League encounter with Finland.

The Togher native, asked about Idah's senior debut against Bulgaria on Thursday night, reminisced about how he had once presented the Norwich City striker with an award when the latter was still in his early teens and banging the goals in for Corinthians in Cork.

“We played against each other in the Premier League this year and he put up a little picture of me presenting him with the award, and then me marking him in the Premier League, so it was quite funny,” said Egan. 

He's a really good prospect.

Idah's potential was evident when the pair first met six years ago, not just because of his talents but to a physique that was already well developed. Now standing over 6' 2”, Idah should be all the better if he adds a few extra pounds to his frame as he matures.

His debut in Sofia was, in retrospect, a perfect introduction to the senior international game. The Bulgarian centre-backs didn't mark him so much as suffocate him and yet Idah manufactured some superb touches that played teammates into threatening positions around the box.

“I was delighted for him,” said Egan. 

“I was delighted that he got his first Irish start the other night and hopefully it's the first of many. Hopefully the young lads can keep improving and keep getting better and it only bodes well for the future of Irish football.” 

Idah is still learning his trade in East Anglia and he spoke earlier this week about the benefits that come with doing that at a club where Teemu Pukki is the goalgetter-in-chief. 

It is the same Pukki who will be the main threat to Ireland in Dublin tomorrow.

Now 30, the Finn has been prolific for Brondby and Norwich for much of the last five years but he struggled to find his niche before that, a spell with Celtic included. England is the fifth country where he has played his club football and Egan knows what to expect.

“I've played against him in the Premier League and the Championship over the last couple of years. We've had a few good battles with Norwich. He's a good player, good movement, good finisher. 

"He scored a lot of goals in qualifying for Finland, so it's going to be a tough test.” 

Pukki will have watched the goal Bulgaria scored against the Republic with interest, how Egan and Shane Duffy lost sight of each other in front of their own goal and Bozhidar Kraev had time to take a simple through ball in his stride and find the net under Darren Randolph.

Sloppy was how Egan put it.

That shouldn't happen. We're experienced enough to know that we need to be narrower there, the two of us need to be tighter. We spoke about it straight after. We don't like conceding goals and hopefully we can put that to bed and get tighter.

This is only Kenny's second game but it will be his last until next month's Euro 2020 playoff away to Slovakia. 

Now is the time to iron out any kinks, generate as much momentum as possible and, while they are at it, claim a first Nations League win at the sixth attempt.

There will be no 12th man to drive them on. As was the case in Sofia, the players' voices will be echoing around the Aviva Stadium tomorrow and Egan knows it will make for a strange backdrop given the colour and the atmosphere that normally comes with games on Lansdowne Road.

“The fans haven't been allowed into the games for a while now so in a sad way you're kind of getting used to it but the Aviva is a different kettle of fish. 

"You're used to seeing the Irish fans there in full voice. It's going to be a lot different, but it's something that we're going to have to adjust to.”