Latest news with #JimCrawford
Irish Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Venues and ticket details confirmed for Ireland's first two Euro U21 qualifiers
Ireland's first two European Under-21 Championship qualifiers will take place in Dublin and Cork. Jim Crawford's side will host Andorra at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday September 9, and Slovakia at Turner's Cross in Cork on Friday October 10, both with 7.30pm kick-offs. Tickets for the games - Ireland's final Under-21 home matches of 2025 - will go on sale the week of Monday, August 4. The Boys in Green have been drawn in Group D along with back-to-back European champions England, managed by former Ireland midfielder Lee Carsley, as well as Slovakia, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Andorra. During their most recent campaign, which ended in heartache as Ireland missed out on the play-offs on goal-difference to Norway, the team played in front of 5,000-plus crowds on three occasions. Crawford is looking for similar support this time around. He said: 'After playing so many games away from home in the last year we're really excited to be back on Irish soil with a new generation of Ireland Under-21s internationals. 'The support we've had in the last few campaigns in Cork and Dublin has been immense. The stats show we're one of the best supported Under-21s international teams in Europe which only reaffirms how much our fans come out to support football in this country. 'I look at those special occasions in Tallaght against Sweden, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina and the games in Cork against Iceland, Türkiye and Italy and on each occasion the crowd has got us over the line. 'They're a young team, with many faces people will recognise from the League of Ireland. The league is seeing a huge surge in crowds and these games are an opportunity for those fans and the communities in both cities to come out and see our boys represent our country.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Examiner
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Cork and Dublin to host Republic of Ireland Under-21 Euro qualifiers
Cork and Dublin will each host one of the Republic of Ireland Under-21s's opening two UEFA European Championship qualifiers. The young Boys in Green will play their first home game in 11 months when they take on Andorra in Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday, September 9 before they will then host Slovakia a month later in Turner's Cross on Friday, October 10. Ireland have been drawn against back-to-back European champions England as well as Slovakia, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Andorra in Group D of qualification. Jim Crawford's side played in front of huge crowds of 5,000 plus on three occasions previously with fans getting the chance to see now senior internationals caps Festy Ebosele, Andrew Moran, Rocco Vata, Sinclair Armstrong and Killian Phillips in action. And Crawford admits he is hoping for similar attendances this time around. 'After playing so many games away from home in the last year we're really excited to be back on Irish soil with a new generation of Ireland Under-21s internationals," he said. 'The support we've had in the last few campaigns in Cork and Dublin has been immense. The stats show we're one of the best supported Under-21s international teams in Europe which only reaffirms how much our fans come out to support football in this country. 'I look at those special occasions in Tallaght against Sweden, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina and the games in Cork against Iceland, Türkiye and Italy and on each occasion the crowd has got us over the line. "They're a young team, with many faces people will recognise from the League of Ireland. The league is seeing a huge surge in crowds and these games are an opportunity for those fans and the communities in both cities to come out and see our boys represent our country.' Ireland Under-21's home 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualifiers Tuesday, September 9 Ireland v Andorra Tallaght Stadium, Dublin Kick-Off 7.30pm Friday, October 10 Ireland v Slovakia Turner's Cross Stadium, Cork Kick-Off 7.30pm.
Irish Independent
10-06-2025
- Climate
- Irish Independent
Ireland U-21s struggle to find killer instinct against Qatar in final dress rehearsal for Euro 2027 qualifiers
Ireland have spent 10 days under the Croatian sun preparing for the white heat of 10 qualifiers for Euro 2027, yet Jim Crawford's U-21s remain cold in front of goal.
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jim Crawford is ‘sickened' by horrific LOI racism incident which shouldn't happen in this ‘new age, new Ireland'
IRELAND Under-21 boss Jim Crawford wants a zero-tolerance approach to racism — but insisted that any punishment must include education. Crawford has previously spoken out about racism in Ireland and called on 2 Jim Crawford has been an anti-racism advocate for a number of years 2 Victor Ozhianvuna suffered racist abuse on Shamrock Rovers' visit to Waterford FC But there continue to be football-related incidents, including when Crawford's team In the past two months, the FAI has reported racist incidents during the Ireland Just last week Shamrock Rovers' Victor Ozhianvuna was Crawford is sickened by the cases and hopes the culprits are punished severely. More on Irish football The former Shelbourne midfielder said: 'I think it is s**t. It's something I feel extremely strong about. 'Whoever made those comments to Ozhianvuna should be caught, reprimanded, barred from every club and put on an education programme. 'This is a new age, a new Ireland — get used to it. 'It's something that shouldn't happen, but it's going to happen. You've got uneducated people, naive people . . . Most read in Football 'But if there is anything I could do to help sort of promote new Ireland, I'd do it. I believe in it, there is absolutely no room for racism. 'Unfortunately it will always exist, you'll have those outliers, ignorant people. 'You can't make this up' - Irish fans in stitches at Ruesha Littlejohn's playful prank upon Katie McCabe's camp arrival 'Whatever punishment the person in Waterford gets, I'll be right behind it because they deserve it. 'But it also must come with education. I'm sure if you look at the people who do it, they are uneducated.'
RTÉ News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Jim Crawford seeking 'real north star' on Republic of Ireland's horizon
The back end of the Sport Ireland campus, where the FAI HQ stands, had a tranquil feel to it in the afternoon heat on Wednesday. While the blazing sun was responsible for the heightened temperature, earlier in the day, the road towards Euro 2028 had been simmering that wee bit more. While there's an entire World Cup campaign and Nations League to come between now and then, UEFA did confirm the qualification structure and the potential fate that awaits the Republic of Ireland senior team as one of the co-hosts alongside England, Scotland and Wales. The good news was that two spots at the finals tournament will be reserved for the two best-ranked host nations who don't qualify automatically. So no guarantee for the Boys in Green but the door is that bit more ajar. So it was with that backdrop that RTÉ Sport encountered Ireland Under-21 manager Jim Crawford within the FAI's press conference room with the squad he has named for next month's friendlies against Croatia and Qatar's Under-23s listed on the big screen behind him. It's an intriguing 24-man selection with a significant presence of players either produced by or still playing in the League of Ireland, including teenagers like Mason Melia and Cathal O'Sullivan who are well ahead of schedule in their nascent careers. And after near misses for in the last two Euro qualifying campaigns, Crawford is hopeful that his new crop can not only make the difference when the road towards the U21 Euros in 2027 begins in earnest from September but that the best of the bunch could have major tournament experience under their belt before 2028 when hopes are that they could graduate into a senior team that will hopefully be having a busy summer the following year. "I think that's the ultimate experience, qualifying for the European finals at 21s level and why would you say that? It's the stage that you're playing on, it's the amount of eyes that are on you from different leagues, (it) would be fantastic for the players to rub shoulders with top European players in such a stage (and) would be great for the players to learn," Crawford said. "So that to me is the experience that we're going after and I've no doubt about it, if we got to the finals and players performed well, it would certainly sky-rocket their careers wherever that is, whether Heimir takes them in for the next international window or they get a move from their current club. "But I think the possibilities would be endless for the players and first and foremost that's what we're after as a group is that the players enjoy the experience and get the most out of it. "But second to that is you stay competitive in your group to the very end and that's what we have been doing. But the real north star is to qualify for the finals." Crawford has taken particular pride in seeing some of the Under-21s he has capped getting drafted into Heimir Hallgrimsson's recent squads, with two more cabs off the rank for the seniors' June friendlies against Senegal and Luxembourg. "You've got Josh Keeley invovled in a League One play-off in Wembley Stadium (which is) brilliant and then you've got Killian Phillips... what a story that is," said Crawford fondly. "It's an amazing story where the first time I met Killian was in the FAI transition year course down in Corduff and he showed a real desire and passion for his football and then next thing I knew we were bringing him into the Under-21s and he never let us down." Phillips, who spent the season on loan at St Mirren from Crystal Palace, started out in the LOI with Drogheda United and his pathway is the most common one within the squad Crawford has named. While St Patrick's Athletic striker Melia will be linking up with Tottenham Hotspur in January after his big-money move, Cork City's O'Sullivan is being tipped to join Crystal Palace. The 18-year-old would be doing so with plenty of men's football experience in his legs given the Brexit rules have precluded a move to the UK at a younger age. And O'Sullivan's exploits mean that Crawford has no hesitation moving him up from the U19s. "Back when he was playing in the First Division, I was saying, 'OK that's great, can he now do it moving up a league into our top league?' And he has. I think he's been excellent and I'm looking forward to working with him," he said. "I haven't met him yet but I believe he's a great character and that's what we want, who we want as a group. "I know we have 24 players for this window. We want 24 players with strong characters that will do anything they possibly can to stay in this squad because, look, we had a big provisional list for this window and we had players who were also in the Premier Division, the First Division and all over Europe that haven't made it and I'm sure they're disappointed but it's about coming into camp in June, working hard and showing people how good you are as a player." Ireland will face England, Slovakia, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Andorra in the qualifiers and having taken on Scotland and Hungary in March friendlies, Crawford is hopeful that Croatia and Qatar can give his Boys in a Green another throrough examination in Zagreb on 6 and 10 June respectively. "They're the games you want. You want to be challenged. There's no point going and playing games against pot five or pot six teams where it becomes a little bit false and easy for players," he said. "Croatia first and foremost will be a real challenge to the players and it's one I'm looking forward to and I hope that the 24 players selected are looking forward to it and I've absolutely no doubt that they will."
