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Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Friday February 8 2008
Time: 1:28PM
UK time is: 07:27:09
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Pompey sign sought after keeper
Sky sports is reporting that we have 'won the race' to sign QPR keeper Liam O'Brien.
The 16 year old had impressed when he trained with us, and had already had trials with Arsenal, Villa, United, Newcastle and Sunderland recently - but we have managed to snap him up, with him said to have accepted a deal until the end of the summer, when he will then sign a 3 year professional contract when he turns 17.
We have paid QPR an undisclosed amount for the highly rated, and much sought after youth prospect. He is the latest in a string of talented youngsters that we have added to our ranks, so things are looking very promising for the future...
So we now have the England no.1 in David James, a very trustworthy deputy in Jamie Ashdown - although I feel he may will leave in the summer, the probable future Canadian no.1 in Asmir Begovic - another highly rated keeper, along with the new boy for the future O'Brien, although I cannot forget Nick Jordan either - although I am not sure if he will make it here?
I would say that O'Brien should be battling Begovic for the no.1 spot in some 2-3 years or so when James does either call it a day, or as is more likely finishes his career with Plymouth - this is the thought I know many of us have, after all he does live down this way and always speaks highly of the club...
Either way, our future is looking brighter all the time!
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Your Comments
great to see the club looking after the future now, it always used to be about the present. to sign somone under the noses of arsenal is fantastic, and we all know what his youth team is like!
jbaker
He does like to spot a good youngster, so it is nice to get this lad before them.
Owenspompey
with a name like 'liam o'brien' it would be safe to say he is irish right? alot of teams have looked at him, and arsene wenger knows his stuff so if we have managed to pinch him from under their noses he must be pretty good...
pompeyrug
Paul Hart had a hand in this I bet. He will attract all the good kids to the club because of his reputation. Good news though.
eastneydave
very true dave - we cannot underestimate the role that paul hart is playing in our future, he is one of the very best out there when it comes to talent spotting at a young age.
pompeyrug
Begovic is a keeper (ha ha)...and I'm not in the least biased :)
Toronto4Pompey
Its always great for the team to look to the future and get hot prospects. I doubt he will be ready for first team duties in 3 years tho, at only 20
whitestones
why would o'brien not be good enough? if he is good enough he'll be old enough as the saying goes...
pompeyrug
if begovic can be on the bench at 20/21, ready to step in if need be, then theres no reason why o'brien cant be. however jamo might still be here in 3 years, and we might have signed an older more experienced goalkeeper to replace jamo (older than begovic, not older than jamo). u never know...
jbaker
at last we might actually bring some players through the system and hopefully make an impact in the 1st team in the future it has been a long time coming!!
knocker
Toronto4Pompey.... Isn't he your next national Keeper (Bergovic?)... Maybe he'd be better off playing for the 'Blue Jays!'. anyway always good to see youth come into the club and although it's hard to 'blood' a lot of youngsters in the Premiership (too much at stake) If we can build a team to complete in the Carling Cup (similar to what Arsenal do) then the gys would over time gradually come through... but we need to be patient and also not expect every youngster to make it
Chix
Another one for the academy then.
storagematt
The academy is the biggest and best advance Pompey have made this season and I include the progress the other grades, including the first team, have made. This young players are Pompeys future both in their playing capacity and the revenue they will bring into the club if they are transfered.
frattonaussie
lest not forget, we signed paris cowan-hall from rushden and diamonds last season too. nice to see us paying out for some youngsters, rather than relying on local talent
jbaker
all I'll say is that he'll pick up some wonderful tips from the best English keeper around - David James!
merlin
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