Ireland international Festy Ebosele flourishes in Udinese win at AC Milan

MAKING AN IMPRESSION: Festy Ebosele during a Republic of Ireland training session. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Festy Ebosele continues to prove Wayne Rooney and Stephen Kenny wrong by starring for Udinese, earning the penalty that beat AC Milan at the San Siro on Saturday night.

A trip by Yacine Adli on the Ireland full-back enabled Robert Pereyra to convert from the spot past Mike Maignan on 62 minutes to give Udinese a first Serie A win of the season that keeps them three points above the drop zone.

Milan, who failed to score in back-to-back league games on home soil for the first time since January 2020, lost successive games at San Siro for the first time since September 2019.

Enniscorthy native Ebosele (21) moved to Italy in the summer after breaking into the Derby County team under Wayne Rooney.

The Manchester United legend forecasted his protégé to become a ‘superstar’ but didn’t agree with his decision to leave England on a pre-contract when financial difficulties impaired Derby’s ability to retain him.

"If you’re asking me if I think it’s the right move for him? then no I don't. I think he should stay in England,” Rooney said 18 months ago.

“Whether it’s a move where he goes there to go back to England, obviously we know Udinese are a sister club to Watford, we don't know.

"I think he should have stayed in England, kept learning to play the game here then he really has a chance. It is always difficult for a young player to go abroad."

“I said a few months ago he can be a superstar, he can be what he wants.

“He really needs to keep his focus, his concentration, and keep learning to develop. Just by sheer pace and power alone he has got something which every player wants.” 

Kenny, who handed Ebosele his first caps in the September defeats to France and Netherlands, wasn’t hot on the venture either.

“I would have been happy for him to stay at Derby and develop, personally,” noted Kenny, facing in the final games in the Ireland job, completing the failed Euro campaign away to the Dutch on Saturday week and the friendly at home to New Zealand three days later.

“Wayne Rooney has done a terrific job developing young players there, numerous players.

“He has done a remarkable job that Derby are anyway in contention to stay up, considering the kicks in the teeth they have had to deal with.

“They are consistently losing players every week and massive points deductions, and blooding all those players, he has been terrific.

"I would have been happy for Festy to stay there but it's (a step) into the unknown for us.

“I am not against [Irish players] going to Italy, so long as they play regularly. The key thing is they get an opportunity to play."

Ebosele has certainly done that and could be satisfied with his 85 minutes against the Rossoneri on Saturday.