Glentoran are one of the most successful teams in Northern Irish football, having won the top-flight title (in all its various forms) on 23 occasions in total.

Whilst the 2023/24 season hasn’t exactly gone to plan, the Glens find themselves in fourth place, over 20 points behind third-place Cliftonville. Consequently, Warren Feeney departed his role as manager earlier this month.

There are some vastly experienced players in the first-team squad, such as former Celtic forward Niall McGinn, ex-Rangers man Aidan Wilson and Shay McCartan, who spent time on the books of Premier League strugglers Burnley during his early career.

However, a very healthy number of young players are also breaking through from The Glens academy; 19-year-old left-back Jonathan Russell is a prime example.

The Glentoran Academy was established in June 2008 and is considered to be the fastest-growing football academy in the country. Many of its players have gained recognition at youth international levels. In 2015/16, 44 Glentoran players represented Northern Ireland at different age groups, twice as many as any other club.

Using EYEBALL, this tactical analysis piece will take the form of a scout report, highlighting some of the most promising stars within the academy system. We will showcase their individual skills and discuss what each player brings to the team’s tactics.

This particular analysis piece will specifically focus on players currently in the U16 team, who we believe will go on to have a significant impact for the club.

Cameron Reid

The first player we are going to highlight in this scout report is 14-year-old midfielder Cameron Reid. The youngster has shown his versatility by playing as a central midfielder or out wide on the left as an out-and-out winger, utilising his favoured left foot.

To begin this analysis, let’s look at how Reid influences the play when stationed out wide on the left. Glentoran U16s often look to overload one side of the pitch to drag the opposition out of their defensive shape. We can see here that the initial build-up play has taken place down the right flank.

Glentoran then looks to quickly work the ball over to the left, where we can see Cameron Reid hovering on the edge of the area (yellow circle). The 14-year-old is entirely unmarked and is in an optimal position to hit a shot with his slightly weaker right foot.

Furthermore, Reid has a wonderful ability to drift into pockets of space, especially in the penalty area. He times his runs very well and, as we can see here, gets in between the defenders when they are preoccupied with trying to stop one of his teammates.

On this occasion, he receives the ball, takes a touch, and hits a low drive at goal. Reid’s movement adds an additional attacking threat from midfield, which can unsettle opposing defences. Since he times these runs effectively, he often finds gaps in their defensive structure. Consequently, the young midfielder finds himself in potential goalscoring positions.

Whilst the Glentoran midfielder finds himself in optimal shooting positions, he doesn’t always take them. He averages 0.88 shots per 90, with 0.32 per 90 hitting the target. Of course, at just 14 years of age, there is still plenty of time for Reid to develop his goalscoring abilities.

Moreover, Cameron Reid loves to drive into space, cutting in from the left wing, as seen in this example. His ability to drive with the ball at his feet creates momentum and puts pressure on the opposition’s defence. He is someone who carries the ball forward into space, pushing the team up through the lines.

This means Reid can also break through the opposition’s defensive structure and create goalscoring opportunities. His direct style of play can catch the defence off guard and destabilise their organisation, opening up space for attacking moves.

Additionally, when Reid carries the ball forward, he provides the facility for Glentoran to transition from defence to attack, initiating quick counterattacks and bypassing the opposition’s midfield press. As the midfielder drives with purpose and pace, he allows his team to catch opponents out of position and exploit gaps in their defence.

Another factor in Reid’s ability to retain possession is his impressive physical profile for his age. He is strong in the duels and uses this to hold off opponents and shield possession from his opponent.

Cameron Reid is a midfielder with an extensive passing range that serves as a vital link between defence and attack, facilitating smooth transitions from defensive to offensive phases of play, as we can see here. He can initiate attacks from deeper, orchestrating play and creating opportunities for forwards to capitalise on.

In this example, Reid plays an exquisitely weighted pass forward into the path of his teammate, enabling Glentoran to transition from defence to attack. The young midfielder often looks to play line-breaking passes, in addition to creating shooting opportunities for others, averaging 0.88 key passes per 90.

Reid’s passing range adds unpredictability to the Glentoran U16 team’s attacking play, keeping opponents guessing and preventing them from easily anticipating the team’s next move. This diversity in passing options makes it more challenging for opponents to defend against, increasing the team’s overall attacking effectiveness.

The young midfielder is versatile, reliable, and very creative in his performances. Should he continue on this trajectory, he will certainly have a big future in football.

Charlie Campbell

The next player we are going to look at in this scout report is defender Charlie Campbell. As we saw with Reid, Campbell is a 14-year-old who puts in some excellent performances at the U16 level. Although listed as a central defender, Campbell has also occasionally been utilised as a right-back this season.

One of Charlie Campbell’s finest attributes is his ability to play line-breaking passes. This often initiates Glentoran’s transition from defence to attack. As he bypasses the opposition’s pressing lines and advances into midfield areas before bringing his teammates into play, the defender can trigger quick counterattacks as he provides a direct avenue for launching attacking moves.

In this instance, he receives a short pass from the keeper and travels forward with the ball. This movement attracts one of the opposition midfielders, who moves forward in an attempt to close down Campbell. The young defender is unfazed by this and looks to play a pass into the feet of the striker.

Additionally, he effectively becomes an additional playmaker for the team, especially as he loves to use his ball-carrying abilities by venturing into midfield areas. As we can see here, Campbell loves orchestrating attacking moves, distributing the ball to teammates in space, and initiating attacking sequences. This enhances the team’s creativity and ability to generate goalscoring opportunities from deep positions on the field.

The 14-year-old defender puts up some impressive numbers, including 1.27 key passes per 90, which demonstrates how effective he is at carving out shooting opportunities for his teammates.

Furthermore, Campbell’s manager allows him the freedom to get forward and join the Glentoran attack. In this instance, he recovers possession well into the opposition half and plays a pass out wide. He then continues his run forward into the opposition penalty area, making himself available as a crossing option.

Campbell’s desire to make things happen on the pitch can sometimes get the better of him. For example, in this situation, he has carried the ball forward out of defence and as we can see, this is forcing the opposition back.

The Glentoran defender opts to take a shot from some distance, which never troubles the goalkeeper. This is quite a poor decision, as there is a very good passing option to his right.

Of course, we must remember that Charlie Campbell is still developing and will most likely continue to improve his decision-making as he gains more experience.

Glentoran U16s employ an aggressive counterpressing system that looks to regain possession high up the pitch, limiting their opponent’s opportunities to transition from defence to attack.

This is an area where Campbell really stands out. He is aggressive in the duels, both ground and aerially. The 14-year-old averages 1.52 ground duels per 90 and 1.40 aerial duels per 90.

Moreover, we can see here that he covers the ground rapidly to close down the opponent when Glentoran turns possession over. Plus, the young defender knows how to use his body positioning to close off passing lanes, and as we can see here, his teammate is providing cover by tracking back, which shows how well-drilled this team is in its defensive responsibilities.

It is also worth noting that Campbell possesses excellent speed, which allows him to make vital recovery runs such as this. Here, he races back from the opposition half and recovers possession, reaching the ball ahead of the opponent. Campbell then utilises his physical prowess to hold off the attacking player and turn away from him, nullifying the danger.

With his in-game intelligence, defensive capabilities and playmaking abilities, Charlie Campbell is one to watch, for sure.

Cal Weatherup

The third player in this scout report is 15-year-old forward Cal Weatherup. The Glentoran attacker has put in some impressive performances at the U16 level, which has seen him step up and play at the U18 and U20 levels this season. Weatherup is a versatile player who can play anywhere across the front line, benefiting his team hugely throughout the season.

Weatherup’s ability to retain possession under pressure is phenomenal. He is capable of operating in small pockets of space, using his close control and quick feet to bypass the opponents.

Here, he receives the ball and seemingly dances his way through four opponents before getting into a shooting position. This is a huge element of Weatherup’s game, as he averages 5.0 take-ons per 90 minutes and is successful in 2.5 per 90 minutes.

By weaving past defenders and retaining possession in tight spaces, Weatherup can disrupt the opposition’s defensive shape, create openings, and generate goalscoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Furthermore, he provides a valuable outlet for the team in situations where space is limited. When surrounded by defenders, his close control and agility enable him to evade challenges and maintain possession under pressure. This ability to hold up the ball and link play effectively allows Glentoran to build attacks patiently and retain possession in advanced areas.

Moreover, Weatherup looks to make runs behind the opposition’s defensive line, especially during the attacking transition, as we can see here. Whilst he does not possess rapid speed, he times these runs well, showing excellent intelligence and reading of the game.

These off-the-ball runs force defenders to backtrack or adjust their positioning, thereby opening up gaps for teammates to thread the ball through to Weatherup. Plus, they provide a direct option for the team’s midfielders to play long passes over the top as the forward stretches the opposition’s defence.

On this occasion, Cal Weatherup latches onto the through ball and calmly goes around the goalkeeper, who has rushed out to the edge of the penalty area. This leaves Glentoran forward with an empty net, which he does not miss.

The 15-year-old has been in some fine form this season, averaging 4.8 shots per 90 with 2.1 on target per 90. Most of his shots (4.0 per 90) are from inside the area which shows Weatherup is not wasteful with his shooting, preferring to get into optimal goalscoring positions before unleashing a shot at goal.

The young forward embodies Glentoran’s high press with his athleticism and work-rate shining through. On this occasion, he chases down the defender who is looking to play out from the back and cuts out the pass, recovering possession in the attacking third.

Weatherup averages 3.5 tackles and 3.09 recoveries per 90, showcasing his willingness to put in the work defensively. His high pressing often triggers a domino effect on the rest of the team’s defensive efforts. The 15-year-old leads from the front and sets the tone for the team’s collective defensive intensity.

This then leads to turnovers in dangerous areas, as we see, creating immediate goalscoring opportunities for his team.

With his work rate, tactical intelligence and technical prowess, it has to be said that Cal Weatherup is a fantastic prospect within Glentoran’s academy. Given that he has already been playing at U18 and U20 levels, it’s fair to assume that the club are well aware of his talents. We think that it’s possible he could find himself on the fringes of the first team relatively soon.

Conclusion

This tactical analysis has highlighted three standout players under the age of 16 within Glentoran’s youth system.

The club are famous for bringing through some of the most talented players in Northern Ireland, and Cameron Reid, Charlie Campbell, and Cal Weatherup are three players we believe have big futures ahead.

Reid provides a dynamic creative outlet in midfield, while Campbell provides a strong defensive presence and excellent playmaking abilities. Meanwhile, Cal Weatherup is a dynamic force going forward with wonderful technical abilities.

Whilst the current campaign might not be going smoothly, the future looks bright for Glentoran as they have an abundance of talent within their ranks.