John Egan: 'You could see the expectation when Evan was on the ball – everyone thought he was going to score'

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Ireland defender John Egan has heaped praise on Evan Ferguson just days after the striker scored his first senior international goal for the Boys in Green.

Egan watched on from the bench as the teenager struck against Latvia but was drafted on as a substitute to see out a narrow 3-2 win.

But the Sheffield United defender was pleased with the Brighton striker’s performance on his first Ireland senior start. 

“Evan has been really good,” Egan explained. “He is flying at club level and is coming in very confident. He is laid back around the place.

“He trains hard and wants to do well. He has a good attitude and if he keeps improving sky is the limit…”

Ferguson has also shone for Brighton in the Premier League in recent weeks having earned the trust of his club boss Roberto De Zerbi.

And in his last game before the international break he scored twice against Grimsby Town in the FA Cup.

“I always look out to see how the Irish lads are doing after my games and you can see that Evan is in a rich vein of form,” Egan added.

“You could see the expectation when he was on the ball last night from everyone that he was going to score. It was a matter of time really.

“I’m delighted for him to get his first international goal and to be an Irishman it is a really proud moment for him and his family. Hopefully it is the first of many.”



Egan has also enjoyed an impressive club campaign himself with Sheffield United.

The Blades sealed their place in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday with a dramatic 3-2 win against Blackburn Rovers – and are also second in the table.

But Egan is keen to focus on Ireland first this week before the business end of the season looms – with France set to face the Boys in Green on Monday.

“It’s been a good season and I have played a lot of games,” he explained. “We are in the mix for the FA Cup and for promotion heading into the last bloc of games.

“My focus is with Ireland this week – and hopefully we can get a positive result this week and then I will go back to Sheffield and look to crack on.”

He added: “We’ve played against some big teams over the last few years and have put in some of our best performances against them.



“We are looking forward to the next few days and getting ready for the game. We want to go out there together and put in a good performance for ourselves and the fans.”

John Egan was speaking at the launch of Circle K’s new partnership with the Football Association of Ireland. Circle K joins The FAI as Official Fuel and Convenience Partner, partner to the Men’s and Women’s National Teams and the first ever title partner of FAI Club Mark, the association’s grassroots award to improve clubs and help grow football in communities throughout Ireland. For more information visit circlek.ie

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