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Seani Maguire tips Cork City teen Cathal O'Sullivan to be Ireland's next big star
SEANI MAGUIRE has hailed Premier League-linked Cathal O'Sullivan as 'the best teenager in the country'.
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Sean Maguire has hailed young Cork City teammate Cathal O'Sullivan as the next big thing
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Nottingham Forest coach Andy Reid has been on a scouting trip to Turner's Cross in recent weeks to monitor Cathal O'Sullivan of Cork City
O'Sullivan, 18, has since linked up with the Ireland U21 camp after receiving his first call-up for friendlies against Croatia and Qatar.
And Maguire confidently predicted that senior caps will follow, adding that any transfer fee City receive this summer 'should be worth 10 times more'.
The 11-cap Ireland striker insisted: 'Young Cathal will make his own decision. He can be whatever he wants.
'He's one of the best young fellas I've played with, and that includes in England. Not just because of his talent, it's just his attitude towards everything.
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'That's what teams in England will look for first, because you can just see it clear as day how good he is on the ball. He's a joy to play with.
"When he eventually goes to England, I'll be gutted not to play with him again, because of how good he is.
'But I'll be keeping tabs on his career, because he'll definitely play for Ireland. He's that good. And he'll definitely go and play at the highest level in football in England.
'I genuinely think he's special, and he's the best in the country.
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'Whatever the club gets from him, he probably should be worth 10 times more. I can't speak more highly of him as a lad, because I see what he's like off the pitch.'
O'Sullivan is a diminutive and technically gifted winger, but Maguire also highlighted his physicality.
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The Luton-born player said: 'He's so strong. Even in training, there could be two or three lads hanging off him, and he just stands up.
You see him in games there, he's getting kicked, he's getting lashes in the back, and he just keeps going and going and going.
'He's a fit lad, he looks after himself, and he'll go on to have an unbelievable career, I've no doubts about that.
'His first touch is unbelievable, and it's not just his taking players on 1v1. He does the basics of football really well. He plays like a fella that's probably 10 years older than his age.
'I'd be interested to see where he goes next, but I think the world is his oyster because he's really that good.'
Maguire jetted off to Portugal with his family after scoring his third goal of the season in City's 1-1 draw with Shelbourne on Friday evening.
And Maguire hopes to get back to full fitness during the break, after admitting to being only 70% fit at the moment.
He explained: 'You can look at the mid-season break two different ways.
'You can go and just have a break totally away from football, but the message was clear from the manager that we'll be back in the Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and throughout the week leading up to the Bohs' game.
'You can't go away and not do anything at all. I think the lads need to be still at it.
'It's only 14 days away from the next game.
Maguire also praised new manager Ger Nash for the impact he was having on the relegation-threatened camp.
He added: 'He's just brought positivity. That's what we need in the group, a lot of confidence, because that's what we've been lacking the last couple of months.
'We're probably one of the youngest squads in the whole league.
'It's clear to see the improvements in the last 10 days or so.'
