Liam Kelly

[WoodleyRoyal]

Cant see a thread for him, a good article here about him

http://www.sundayworld.com/sport/soccer ... man-united

He has been hailed by his manager Jaap Stam as ‘world class’ and now Republic of Ireland hopeful Liam Kelly is about to get the chance to confirm that status on one of the biggest sporting stages of them.
Reading will take on Manchester United in the FA Cup third round at Old Trafford tomorrow and while the return of Royals manager Stam to his former club will be the headline-grabbing story, Irish eyes - including those of national team boss Martin O'Neill - should focus on Kelly.

This gifted midfielder has been shamefully overlooked by Ireland's under-21 selectors over the last 18 months, as well as a succession of Reading managers who also chose to ignore the talents of a player who has the class to change the course of a game with a moment of magic.

Stam didn't take long to appreciate he needed to handle Kelly with a little more care and in the last couple of months, he has proved his worth as a Championship performer.

In many ways, this is a second coming for Kelly, with his introduction to the world presented in the form of an outrageous goal he fired for the Ireland under-19 side against Sweden back in 2013.



His long-range masterpiece fired in from the halfway line instantly became a YouTube viral hit but that magic moment did not prove to be the starting point for a career that has taken time to spark into life.

The last three years have been a tale of frustration for Kelly, as he has struggled to make his mark at Reading and has slipped off the radar with the Republic of Ireland underage squads.

All that changed when Stam arrived as Reading manager last June, with the former Dutch international quickly identifying Kelly as a player destined to make his mark in his first team.

"Liam is a quality player," confirms Stam. "He has got great skills, he is comfortable on the ball, he can go past players as well.

"His passing and technique is world class, and he's a player who can bring something extra to this team.
"He's not the biggest but he's strong on the ball in turning away from players - if you can turn away from a player, then you create a dangerous situation and Liam can do that for us."

It was high praise from a figure of Stam's standing in the game, with the former AC Milan defender instrumental in ensuring Kelly was handed his first big contract as he signed a deal that secures his future at Reading until 2019 last Friday.

Kelly further justified the club's decision to hand him a new contract with his first senior goal on Monday to spark a huge Reading comeback. With the Royals 2-0 down away to Bristol City, the Irishman was introduced as a 66th-minute substitute and struck just six minutes later to make it 2-1 as a Yann Kermorgant brace then sent Stam's men home with all three points.

"Liam Kelly made a difference when he came on; in his movement, in possession and also scoring that goal," the Reading boss told reporters following the comeback which sees his side sit third in the Championship with a game in hand on second-placed Newcastle United.

That a football great of Stam's gravitas was initially so eager to embrace Kelly's talents makes his rise all the more notable, with so many who have held the Reading job before the Dutchman refusing to look beyond the surface when passing judgement on this wonderfully inventive performer.

With Kelly standing at just 5'7'', a long list of decision makers associated with Reading and the Ireland international set up have been reluctant to put their trust in a player whose skills on the ball have always singled him out as being quite different to the rest.



Liam Kelly battles with Arsenal's Alex Iwobi during an EFL Cup game in October

This is an era when kids with pace and power tend to be selected ahead of those boasting precocious talent, with Kelly struggling to get beyond first base with tacticians under pressure to produce instant results.

Had this diminutive playmaker been born in Spain and raised alongside similarly-proportioned players who are judged on their talent alone, he would have prospered much earlier but at last his moment has arrived.

Kelly sensed he might get a chance to force his way into the Reading first team when Stam became his manager, with the centre-half who was a member of United's fabled Treble winning team of 1999 offering an alternative view of the Irishman he had at his disposal.

"It's been really nice this season, coming into the first team squad from the start when the new gaffer and his team all came to the club," says Kelly.
"When I heard that they were coming to Reading, I knew the Dutch style of play was how I like to play - it's a style I've come up through the Academy playing all my career so I know it would suit me down to the ground.

"But I also knew that I had to come in and put my marker down and hopefully that was going to be good enough for the gaffer.

"It was a fresh start not only for me but for everyone at the club, obviously it has been fantastic for me so far."

Kelly admits he is struggling to comprehend how the pieces of his career have finally slotted into place, just a few months after he found himself playing in the sixth tier of English football for Bath City.

His eagerness to drop down several steps in a bid to play regular first-team football was evidence of Kelly's desire to play and love for the game, with his brilliant performances for Bath sparking interest from several clubs.

While his future at Reading seemed uncertain, Kelly may have been looking for a move in this month's transfer window or when his contract expired next summer but his future is suddenly crystalised.

"It's been a bit surreal for me this year when you look back at the journey I have been on," he adds.

"To come from playing in the National League South to playing in the Championship and now I want more."
Kelly's emergence at Reading follows on from a fine tradition of Irish graduates making their mark in the blue and white shirts.

Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Shane Long are among the recent heroes who have become green, white and gold Royals, with talent spotting legend Eamonn Dolan leaving an Irish heartbeat at the club prior to his sad passing last year.

Ireland centre-back Paul McShane is the current Reading captain and it may be that O'Neill and his assistant Roy Keane - who played alongside Stam during United's glory years under Alex Ferguson - will soon be paying a visit to the club's Madejski Stadium to asses the talents of another potential Ireland star in the making.



With 34-year-old Wes Hoolahan in the latter stages of his career at the age of 34, the Ireland squad would welcome the arrival of a passing maestro who offers something a little different in the heat of battle and Kelly could be that wildcard.

As Keano and Stam would doubtless confirm, there would be no better venue for Kelly to announce himself to the watching world than at Old Trafford on Saturday.

[Sutekh]

Kelly with a match winning audacious 35 yard lob in the dying stages of the game tomorrow would do just nicely.

[Nameless]

He's literally growing since his new contract, no way is he 5' 7" !

[winchester_royal]

Wiki says 5'5 which is more believable.

Decent read but a tad hyperbolic. He wasn't ready for championship football 12 months ago as demonstrated in his u23 performances so to call his omission 'shameless' is going a little far imo

[CountryRoyal]

Bit OTT...

[SCIAG]

This is an era when kids with pace and power tend to be selected ahead of those boasting precocious talent, with Kelly struggling to get beyond first base with tacticians under pressure to produce instant results.

Had this diminutive playmaker been born in Spain and raised alongside similarly-proportioned players who are judged on their talent alone, he would have prospered much earlier but at last his moment has arrived.

Yeah it's a disgrace that Kelly was overlooked in favour of talentless bruisers like Oliver Norwood, Stephen Quinn, Lucas Piazon and Aaron Kuhl.

[CountryRoyal]

This is an era when kids with pace and power tend to be selected ahead of those boasting precocious talent, with Kelly struggling to get beyond first base with tacticians under pressure to produce instant results.

Had this diminutive playmaker been born in Spain and raised alongside similarly-proportioned players who are judged on their talent alone, he would have prospered much earlier but at last his moment has arrived.

Yeah it's a disgrace that Kelly was overlooked in favour of talentless bruisers like Oliver Norwood, Stephen Quinn, Lucas Piazon and Aaron Kuhl.

Tbf I feel including Kuhl with that lot is a bit of a pisstake.

[Lower West]

Wiki says 5'5 which is more believable.

Decent read but a tad hyperbolic. He wasn't ready for championship football 12 months ago as demonstrated in his u23 performances so to call his omission 'shameless' is going a little far imo

Totally agree. Still away off being able to play a full 90 minutes week in week out. Will see a lot more of a Swift/Kelly rotation this season.

[Royal Rother]

Looking forward to Kelly outshining Pogba this afternoon.

Well, he is World Class after all.

[Royalwaster]

Bit OTT...

It reads a bit like one those 'news stories' on FIFA .... i.e. Ba bla bla [Insert name] bla bla bla [insert name] ...

[Emeraldroyal]

Looking forward to Kelly outshining Pogba this afternoon.

Well, he is World Class after all.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but funny all the same.

Kelly has that ability absolutely no doubt in my mind. He has it all bar height

Both feet, great vision, tenacity and seems to be quite level headed.
Would love to see him put in a performance today but a selfish part of me also wants him to have a complete mare and keep the sniffing clubs away !

[Muskrat]

That's because sarcasm is also the highest form of humour. Kelly has the ability and confidence to be a great player despite his lack of stature. Hope he starts today because Old Trafford would be a great stage on which to shine.

[Davezk]

Our best player on the pitch vs. Man Utd. Looked very comfortable on the ball bringing it down on his chest and playing some nice passes. Could be a really good player for us.

[Hound]

Agree, best player by a distance for us

Evans, Kelly and Swift is potentially a top midfield

[Royal Rother]

Goofing gave MOTM to Joey.

Maybe Kelly was too small for him to notice.

[Oilroyal]

Liam put himself firmly on the radar today. Tidy player

[winchester_royal]

Goofing gave MOTM to Joey.

Maybe Kelly was too small for him to notice.

Surely not.

Typical Joey performance. 85 mins of brainless football masked by a couple of good challenges.

[Ian Royal]

Kelly did indeed look the pick. Didn't think VDB was poor, as much as both out of position and out of his league. Thought Blackett and probably Gunter were at least as big, if not bigger, liabilities.

[CountryRoyal]

Thought VDB was a liability. For a defensive midfielder he's pretty poor at defending. Gave his man 3 yards head start every time and then the defensive line he ran was all over the place.

I'm a massive fan of VDB but we need some better in the holding midfield role if we really want to push on.

[PieEater]

vdB was playing centre half today.