sport news Ireland's talent factory has produced Brighton star Evan Ferguson trends now
Early Harry Potter films come to mind when discussing Evan Ferguson with Dublin's locals but it's Game of Thrones that Ireland's coaches would prefer to speak about.
The 18-year-old Brighton forward might be the poster boy revered by all in the profession but is just one heir to the throne in a class of young players full of 'fire and ice', according to boss Stephen Kenny.
Dreaming of a golden generation has long felt as far-fetched as the aforementioned science-fiction hits but, as Ireland launched their Euro 2024 quest, Kenny's Kids promised to create a magical true story. After going toe to toe with France, why not believe?
Hosting Didier Deschamps' World Cup runners-up on Monday came two years to the day after Ireland's lowest ebb in recent memory, a home defeat to lowly Luxembourg after a bruising loss in Serbia which all but ended World Cup hopes after two qualifying games.
Kenny vowed before the visit of Kylian Mbappe and Co to fight with 'fire and ice' rather than 'accepting a slow death', referring to their feeble Qatar qualification quest. And although their first battle ended in defeat to France, the future is bright for the valiant Boys In Green.
Evan Ferguson, 18, celebrates scoring his first senior Republic of Ireland goal against Latvia
The teenager is enjoying a breakthrough campaign, scoring seven times for Brighton
The youngster is inspiring hope for an upturn in Ireland's fortunes after several lean years
Much of that is thanks to the hard-working coaches and volunteers at St Kevin's Boys Club in north Dublin, Ireland's talent factory which has produced more than 450 caps' worth of stars including Liam Brady, Damien Duff, Ian Harte, Robbie Brady. Now it's Fergie time.
Noting the club's lack of funding, it is staggering to see its success. The walls at the clubhouse are decorated with pictures and director of football Ken Donohoe brims with pride as he points out well-known faces as youngsters on a tour of the building.
One snap shows former Chelsea star Duff, who won 100 Ireland caps, posing with old team-mate Nicky Byrne, who did not make it as a footballer but instead as a pop singer with Westlife.
'Some players you know will make it from when they are knee high,' says Donohoe, who has been a coach and director since the mid 1980s at St Kevin's, which is a not-for-profit football school which invests any money from the bottom upwards.
'The most important thing is to keep their feet on the ground.
'With good players, especially those you think have a chance, it's 60 per cent ability but the rest is mentality, behaviour, application. The worst thing is the parents. A lot of parents think their son has nailed it early on… they end up stopping playing by 18.
'All those who have made it have had sound parental advice, worked hard and learned to live with setbacks and pressure when they are no longer
