The 2021/22 Premier League season was closely contested at the top of the table, with Manchester City narrowly clinching the title by one point over rivals Liverpool. There were many great performances from players around the globe, but this article will focus on the players from the Emerald Isle who shined throughout this season.
Seamus Coleman
Seamus Coleman is a 34-year-old right-back who plays for Everton FC. Born in Donegal, Ireland, Coleman has been an integral part of the Everton team for over a decade and was a key player in their 21/22 campaign, where Everton narrowly avoided relegation. Coleman played 30 Premier League games for the Toffees, scoring one goal and providing one assist, as well as being a rock at the back. Everton would likely have been relegated without his performances.
Gavin Bazunu
The Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was on the books of Premier League title winners Manchester City during the 21/22 season before joining Southampton in June 2022. The Dublin-born goalkeeper has since recorded 13 starts for the Saints after a stellar loan spell for Portsmouth in League One. There’s a lot of anticipation about what this Irish man can achieve at the Premier League level, and, just like the spin of a roulette wheel at an Irish live casino, his performances need to be experienced live to truly appreciate what a talent he is.
Mark Travers
Another goalkeeper, Mark Travers, has been contracted to Bournemouth for the entirety of his career, with brief loan spells at Weymouth and Swindon Town. Travers had his breakthrough year in the 21/22 season, making 46 appearances and keeping 21 clean sheets throughout the Championship season. Now that Bournemouth have been promoted, he’ll be looking to make a similar impression on the Premier League stage.
Nathan Collins
The young centre-back from Leixlip had a rough start to the 21/22 Premier League season, only making a handful of appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, as the season progressed, he got more and more first-team chances, and boy, did he take them. He made a total of 19 appearances for the club in the Premier League, scoring two goals from centre-back. Collins will be looking to build on those performances and continue his good run of form into the 22/23 season.
Matt Doherty
Matt Doherty may not have been able to make the impression he wanted in the 21/22 season, as he was ravaged by injury. However, despite these injuries, he still clocked 15 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring two goals and providing four assists. The wide player from Dublin will be hoping that the 22/23 season will be a lot smoother for him, and, if he can stay injury-free, he’ll be able to consistently perform at the level he showed in the 21/22 season.
Shane Duffy
The 30-year-old centre-back from Derry has been a mainstay in the Brighton defence for the past few seasons, and the 21/22 season was no different. Duffy made 18 Premier League appearances for the Seagulls, scoring once. He put in some great performances at the heart of the Brighton defence and likely would have made more appearances if it weren’t for an injury-plagued end to the season.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many Irish players who have made the short trip across the Irish Sea to ply their trade in arguably the greatest league in the world. They’ve shown they can hold their own with the best, and we’re excited to see who will make this list next year.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login