Andrew Moran: 'If I can be half as good as Wes Hoolahan I'll be doing well'

Moran, on loan at Stoke from Brighton, is enjoying playing under new Potters manager Narcis Pelach. 

PLAYMAKER: Andrew Moran in action for the Ireland U21s against Italy. Picture: ©INPHO/Matteo Ciambelli

First things first. It’s Andrew, not Andy. At least as far as his mother is concerned. As for the surname? There are those in England who will always insist on calling him Mo-Ran rather than Moran. Either way, the 21-year old midfielder is making a name for himself.

On loan at Stoke City from Brighton & Hove Albion, the Dubliner had been left until now to blossom with the Republic of Ireland U21s while Jim Crawford’s team was pushing to qualify for next year’s European Championships in recent months.

It says a fair bit about a player that Damian Duff tried to sign for Shamrock Rovers’ U15s then that Moran has been promoted to Heimir Halgrimsson’s senior collective at the first opportunity now that the 21s are done and dusted for another campaign.

Watch this space.

Midfield has been the crux of Ireland’s problems in recent years. The national side is awash with good goalkeepers and central defenders. There is a burgeoning group of decent attackers coming on stream, but the collective lacks standout mids.

Moran grew up agog at the passing skills of Cesc Fabregas and David Silva. And he can wax lyrical about Wes Hoolahan’s influence for the Boys in Green at Euro 2016, the last major tournament to be decorated by Ireland.

“Brilliant player,” he said of ‘Weso’, “so if I can even be half as good as him I’ll be doing well.” Now listed as standing 5’ 10”, Moran took his time reaching this full height and he recently made a point of stating the need for underage coaches to overlook these physical realities when assessing the potential of the players under their care.

That said, he made light of any limitations in progressing from Knocklyon to St Joseph’s Boys, Bray Wanderers, Brighton, a loan at Blackburn Rovers last season and on to another temporary deal with Stoke City for the current campaign.

The question is where he might serve his country most effectively.

“I would like to think I am a creative midfielder so I don’t really mind where I play. Wherever I play, I can hopefully bring my strengths and do the things I am good at. I have been playing a bit deeper for Stoke this year and I have quite enjoyed it.

“So anywhere in midfield or out wide. I’m quite easy about where I play. We’ve got some brilliant players in all areas: hopefully I can show my strengths and if the gaffer thinks I am ready then hopefully I can get in.” 

Halgrimsson was asked about Moran at last week’s squad announcement and spoke of the need for players who can operate on both sides of the ball. Moran, he said, was an impressive operator with a good engine.

There have been three appearances off the bench for Brighton but he has packed his bags in a bid to learn his trade. Battling relegation from the Championship with Blackburn last season was a formative experience that he feels has stood to him.

Pre-season went well back at the Amex on the south coast but there was no point following up his 25 games and four goals at Ewood Park with a term on the bench, or with Saturdays to himself, so he sat down with new boss Fabian Hurzeler and mapped out a next step.

“Before I went out on loan, I was having conversations to make sure that going out on loan for the season was the right thing to do. They said I just needed to focus on getting as much experience as I can and to get little bits to work on, that I can improve on. I really enjoyed pre-season back there.

“He talked about being as consistent as I can. That was one thing I got better from last season. I had some really good games and then some not so good games. I just wanted to find that level ground where I was consistent week in and week out. We also talked about defensive stuff like winning battles.” Stoke clearly suits him.

The former Republic of Ireland international Jonathan Walters is sporting director at Stoke and he played a large role in attracting the 21-year-old to the Potteries where he is one of six Irishmen in Narcis Pelach’s first-team squad.

Moran has known Bosun Lawal forever and there are a few heads who shared a dressing-room with him at Blackburn there too. That helps. More important again is the fact that he is so in tune with Pelach’s style of play in the cut-throat Championship.

“It’s been brilliant. The gaffer knows I’ve not grown up playing as deep as I am so he’s been helping me loads.

“We all know exactly our jobs when we go out so you don’t have to think too much. You know where you’re supposed to be with pressing and in build-up. It’s been quite easy. The manager has helped me loads and coached me through it really well.” 

Watch this space.