Corey O'Keeffe

Corey O'Keeffe
Personal information
Full name Corey James John O'Keeffe[1]
Date of birth (1998-06-05) 5 June 1998[2]
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Playing position Full back, midfielder
Club information
Current team
Solihull Moors
(on loan from Birmingham City)
Number 22
Youth career
200?–2008 Cadbury Athletic
2008–2016 Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016– Birmingham City 1 (0)
2018–Solihull Moors (loan) 10 (0)
National team
Republic of Ireland U16
2014–2015 Republic of Ireland U17 8 (1)
2015–2016 Republic of Ireland U18 3 (0)
2016– Republic of Ireland U19 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:33, 7 October 2018 (UTC)

Corey James John O'Keeffe (born 5 June 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a full back or midfielder for Solihull Moors of the National League, on loan from Football League Championship club Birmingham City. Born in England, O'Keeffe has represented the Republic of Ireland at levels from under-16 to under-19.

Club career

O'Keeffe was born in Birmingham and attended Baverstock School in the Druids Heath area. He was noticed by representatives of Birmingham City when playing for Cadbury Athletic, and joined their Academy in 2008.[2] He took up a scholarship with the club in July 2014.[3] Interviewed later that year, he assessed his strengths as attacking and heading, and felt he needed to improve his weaker foot.[2]

He signed his first professional contract, of two years, in May 2016.[4] He was an unused substitute for the Birmingham reserve team that lost the 2016 Birmingham Senior Cup final to National League North champions Solihull Moors.[5]

After impressing both for Birmingham's under-23 side and when training with the first team, O'Keeffe was given squad number 30 in December 2016.[6][7] He made his senior debut in the Championship visit to Newcastle United on 10 December, as a 74th-minute substitute in a 4–0 defeat.[8] That was his only first-team appearance in 2016–17.[9]

O'Keeffe signed a new three-year contract in August 2017.[10] Having made no first-team appearances in 2017–18, he joined National League club Solihull Moors on loan until 17 February 2018.[11] He went straight into the starting eleven for the following day's match, playing the whole of a 2–2 draw at home to Sutton United.[12]

International career

O'Keeffe played six matches for the Republic of Ireland U17 in qualification for the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, scoring once, and started two matches in the tournament proper as his country were eliminated at the group stage.[13]

O'Keeffe played two Ireland under-18 friendlies, against the Czech Republic in November 2015 and England in March 2016,[14] and played alongside Birmingham teammate Ronan Hale in a 2–2 draw with Germany U18 in May.[15][16] He appeared in both of Ireland under-19s' friendies against Austria U19 in September, captaining the side in the second match,[17] and played two of their three 2017 UEFA U19 qualifiers in October.[18]

Career statistics

As of match played 6 October 2018
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham City 2016–17[9] Championship10000010
2017–18[19] Championship00000000
2018–19[20] Championship00000000
Career total 10000010
Solihull Moors 2018–19[12][20] National League1000000100
Career total 110000000110

References

  1. "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Birmingham City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 5. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Blue kid on the block – Corey O'Keeffe". Birmingham City F.C. 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  3. "List of Players Registered as Scholars in Accordance with Rule C.3 Between 01/07/2014 and 31/07/2014" (PDF). The Football Association. p. 45. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  4. "Corey O'Keeffe pens professional contract". Birmingham City F.C. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  5. Dick, Brian (5 May 2016). "Birmingham Senior Cup final: Birmingham City U21s 1 Solihull Moors 2". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  6. Dick, Brian (23 November 2016). "Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett admits rookie Corey O'Keeffe is 'coming through the pack'". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  7. "Blues youngster gets squad number". Birmingham City F.C. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  8. "Newcastle United 3–0 Birmingham City". BBC Sport. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  10. "New deal for Blues youngster Corey O'Keeffe". Birmingham City F.C. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  11. "O'Keeffe makes Moors move". Birmingham City F.C. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  12. 1 2 "C. O'Keeffe". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  13. "Corey O'Keeffe: Under-17". UEFA. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  14. "Ireland go down to U18 friendly loss to Czechs". Football Association of Ireland (FAI). 30 November 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
    "Ireland U18s go down to England defeat". FAI. 27 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  15. "Young Blues duo named in Republic of Ireland Under-18s squad". Birmingham City F.C. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  16. "Ireland U18s draw with Germany in friendly". FAI. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  17. "U19 report: Ireland 1–0 Austria – O'Connor strike seals win". FAI. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
    "Report: Ireland U19 3–1 Austria U19". FAI. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  18. "Corey O'Keeffe: Profile". UEFA. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  19. "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  20. 1 2 "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
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