Republic of Ireland U21 boss Jim Crawford wants Tom Cannon to follow in the footsteps of Evan Ferguson and use him as an example on the international stage.
This week, it was reported that Ireland U-21 forward Cannon had been approached by the English FA regarding switching national teams.
Cannon, who was born in Aintree, England, qualifies for Ireland through his grandparents in Sligo. The Everton youngster has represented Ireland at U-19s, U-20s, and U-21s levels and had even been called up to Stephen Kenny's senior squad this month for the games against Greece and Gibraltar. However, he pulled out of Ireland's camp due to a virus, sparking rumors about his future.
After scoring eight league goals in 20 games for Preston North End on loan, he has admirers in both Ireland and England.
Crawford, who said the 20-year-old was "committed" to Ireland before a friendly against Iceland in Cork in March, added his take on the matter today.
The Ireland boss believes that Cannon can emulate Evan Ferguson's rise in football. Ferguson is 18 years old and is already one of the first names on the Ireland team sheet despite his tender age. Crawford believes that Ireland's track record of promoting youth to the first team should be considered by Cannon before he makes up his mind about which country he wants to play for.
Ireland U-21 boss Jim Crawford on Tom Cannon situation...
"For me, there are some countries that are very aggressive in recruiting players, and how many of those aren't playing with the senior team?
“I think it’s something that he has to think about."https://t.co/tN6U7irFzB— Seán O'Connor (@SeanOCSport) June 12, 2023
“We have a system here with the U21s; we've had so many players who were promoted to the senior team," said Crawford on Monday. “You look at examples like Evan Ferguson, who played with us last year. From the goal he scored against Israel, it was 55 days later that he was making his senior debut against Norway. In the game against France, there were eight to ten players who had played for the U21s and were playing against a team like France and doing fantastically well."
“Tom, I always knew that he was going to attract attention, but it's now up to him to decide what he wants to do. I can only use Evan Ferguson as a prime example. We gave him his debut when he was 16, and now he's playing with the senior team. I think that should be the north star for any player, to go and play senior international football."
Looking ahead to Ireland's triple header, Ireland was set to play against Gabon in Austria on Tuesday, but the African side opted not to travel. The young Boys in Green will face Ukraine on Friday and Kuwait on Monday, June 19.
The FAI stated on Monday that Ireland will play two games instead of three. The statement read: "The organizers of Ireland U21s' friendly against Gabon, which was scheduled to take place tomorrow in Austria, informed the FAI this morning that the fixture is off after Gabon elected not to travel. This is beyond our control, and Ireland will now continue preparations for Ukraine and Kuwait."
Republic of Ireland Squad - Greece & GibraltarGoalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)
Defenders: Matt Doherty (Atlético Madrid), Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Nathan Collins (Wolverhampton Wanderers), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough), Liam Scales (Celtic).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Reading), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Derby County), Jamie McGrath (Wigan Athletic), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).
Forwards: Adam Idah (Norwich City), Michael Obafemi (Burnley), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Mikey Johnston (Vitória de Guimarães, on loan from Celtic).UEFA EURO 2024 - Fixtures16/06 - Greece v Ireland, OPAP Arena, 7.45pm (21.45pm local time)19/06 - Ireland v Gibraltar, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm
