It’s almost one year to the day since that special night in Cork. Just the mention of it brings a smile to Aidomo Emakhu’s face. It was the Ireland U-21 striker’s first competitive cap, also his first international appearance in front of a home crowd. And what a way to mark the occasion.
The Dubliner’s stunning 96th-minute winner against Turkey got his side off to a winning start as they target history in this Euro 2025 qualifying campaign. But heading into the return leg in Istanbul on Friday night, it’s not a time to be reflecting on past glories. The 20-year-old and his team are hell-bent on making more memories and booking their ticket to the finals in 2025, which will be hosted by Slovakia.
“It was a special moment but we have to want more. Just that feeling of wanting more can take us a long way, to never be too satisfied with what we’ve done,” said Emakhu, ahead of tonight’s qualifier away to Turkey.
“Obviously we’ve done unbelievable to be in this position [second in the group], all that work can be undone if we don’t do the work in the next four games. We’re at the business end of it and it’s to make sure we get over the line.
“I’m not sure what to expect in Turkey. It could be anything, but we have to expect anything. The game in Turner’s Cross had a bit [of an edge] to it but that’s why we play the game, just that feeling that something is on the line and representing your country at home. You are playing for pride as well.
“To be honest, we’ve a great opportunity to just go grab it and see ourselves as the first U-21 team to qualify for the Euros. It’s there for us, it’s an opportunity to be taken. Just take it game by game and not get too carried away.”
Sitting two points behind Italy with a game in hand, Jim Crawford’s men are in a great position to secure at least a play-off spot as they come into these final four qualifiers. From being seconds from a famous win over the top seeds last year, to suffering defeat away to Norway, before putting in a pair of strong displays in two June friendlies in Croatia, Emakhu says the strong bond this U-21 squad has feels more like a club team rather than an international side.
“Everyone is around each other, it’s almost like playing for your club. The biggest thing for me would be the togetherness off the pitch,” added the Millwall striker.
“I think that’s what makes us successful – staff, players, we’re all together. We’ve got a group chat, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, so we can all see how each other is getting on. Some of the lads are my closest friends. It’s important that relationships are kept, it means we’re not all arriving in as strangers who haven’t heard from each other in three months.
“For any new lad that comes into the group, we give them the respect and make sure they feel at home here, because obviously we’re away for quite a long time, 10-12 days away from your family. There is a reason why they’re here so it’s important that we help them so that they can express themselves on the pitch. The team spirit is huge.”
Ireland U21s Face a Tough Test in Istanbul
“It’s going to be an exceptionally tough game, no doubt about it,” added the U-21 boss, with Turkey in fifth having taken seven points from their six games to date.
“Turkey is nowhere near fulfilling their potential. Istanbul has a population of 15 million people and they should be higher ranked. They’ve a really good league which has attracted the likes of Jose Mourinho [to Fenerbache], they have a lot going for themselves.
“A lot of [their U-21] players have been promoted to the seniors and went to the Euros. It will be a hostile environment, but we had that in Israel [in the 2023 Euro play-off defeat] and it is part of the learning process for players. It’ll be sticking to the plan, but you have players like Andrew Moran and Mark O’Mahony, just to name two, who can change the game with a pass or a run to score a goal.”
Andrew Moran: The Creative Spark for Ireland’s U21s
Andrew Moran strikes the milestone of his 21st birthday on October 15 and his ambition is to celebrate by edging Italy for Euro U21 qualification.
To many, the fleet-footed midfielder is the creative link lacking in the Ireland senior team but, despite making his debut last November, he’s got tunnel-vision on U21 duty.
Never has an Ireland team qualified for the tournament and this generation have four games – concluding in Trieste against the Azzurri – to create history.
Their cause is bolstered by the positioning at their core of Moran.
He’s currently spending another season-long loan in the Championship from Brighton and Hove Albion, this time at Stoke City.
Patience is a trait he’s reconciled himself with. Whether it be Ireland or Brighton’s first-team, which he’s also sampled, those peaks can wait while he’s busy being a trailblazer.
“I’m fine being here,” he says with customary calmness. “It’s not like I’m thinking that I need to be in the seniors.
“This doesn’t feel like a step down because of our aims. We’ve been working towards this since March 2023 when we faced Iceland in a friendly at Turner’s Cross. It’s a brilliant squad with the ambition of qualifying. We are second place with a game in hand.”
Were they to remain there, a playoff – at a minimum – would be secured.
Next year’s 16-nation tournament in Slovenia will feature the winners of the nine groups, along with the best three runners-up. The remainder comprises playoff winners from matches between the second-placed teams.
There are some survivors in this squad from the one that came within a penalty shootout of ending the qualification drought the last time.
The Israel side which prevailed in Tel Aviv against an Ireland team which included Evan Ferguson performed so well at the Georgia-hosted finals that it earned them a berth at the recent Paris Olympics.
“Joe Hodge and Sean Roughan were involved and they still speak about it,” says Moran, who’d been part of that intake earlier in the campaign. “We want to make up for that and finally get over the line. It would be massive.”
At least four points in this double-header, away to Turkey on Friday in Istanbul at Tallaght Stadium next Tuesday, are imperative to maintain their trajectory.
Moran arrived into camp buoyed with his first Championship start of the year. It coincided with Stoke’s first victory, a late 1-0 win at Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle.
When assessing his loan option options last month, a familiar face helped the Potters jump to the top of the queue.
Jon Walters, appointed earlier this year as their Director of Football, could recommend the dynamo to manager Steven Schumacher.
“I would have worked with Jon when he was coaching with the Irish 19s,” outlined Moran. “He is a great person who has kept in touch with me since then so when I had a Zoom call with him and the gaffer, they were telling me the plans for the club and how the gaffer likes to play.
“I’m fairly level-headed and know the main area of improvement I’m looking for this season is consistency of performance.”
A New Generation Ready to Make History
Crawford is fully aware of the task ahead but he has a squad of players brimming with talent and ambition. The likes of Emakhu, Moran, and Hodge have already shown what they are capable of and will be looking to continue their development on the international stage. With the support of the fans and the belief in the squad, Ireland’s U21s have the potential to make history in Istanbul and beyond. The future of Irish football is bright, and these young stars are ready to shine on the world stage.
This campaign is a chance for these players to prove themselves and show what they can achieve on the international stage. With their talent and determination, they are well positioned to make a real impact on the U21 European Championship.
