THE latest talent to come off the conveyor belt of talent at St Patrick's Athletic made his way to Europe, not the UK, as 17-year-old Glory Nzingo is preparing for his first pre-season with French side Reims.
And Saints boss Stephen O'Donnell, while maintaining the hope that players at his club progress to the first team instead of leaving, feels that Nzingo's French move has cleared a path for other players to follow.
The Saints are in league action on Friday night, at home to a Drogheda United side who have already beaten them this term, with James Abwankah (17) now a member of their class of 2021, having made his debut in last week's win over Derry City. Fellow teens Ben McCormack and Darragh Burns are established in the Saints side, proving there is a pathway to the first team, but Zningo's move to Reims opens up doors previously closed.
"There could be a career path there but only time will tell," says O'Donnell, who began his own senior career as a trainee with Arsenal.
"From an international prospect going forward there is an avenue where the best young players will stay and play first team football in the League of Ireland before they go away, particularly to Britain as you have to be 18 now and I don't think it's a bad thing at all for our players to go to mainland Europe for our international perspective.
"In regards to technical ability and different cultures, it will only benefit the country and the nation as a whole. You saw it at Euro 2020, technical ability win out in the end and that's what happened on Sunday in the Euros final you saw how good Spain were in the semi-final, what Italy did to England in the final and it's not a and thing that the only window not open now is Britain, more doors have opened.
"We wish Glory all the best, he trained with us last year and did well. I'd seen Glory play for Ireland U15s, they were in a tournament in Spain, he was Ireland's best player that day and stood out. He's a player with a lot of ability and we wish him all the best, it's an exciting move for Glory," added O'Donnell, hoping to use this season to secure a return to Europe for next term.
"I said it to our boys last week, do we want to be getting prepared for European games this time next year?" he added. "We are enjoying the ride and enjoying our football but when you see the domestic teams playing in Europe, as a player I know what that's about, how exciting it is to go away to big venues, that's where you want to be as a player, to test yourself against seasoned pros and internationals and see how you shape up.
"I was in Tallaght on Tuesday and Rovers played very well, they were very unlucky not to go through in the tie, they are the games you want to play in."
