Taking opportunities: What Ireland can expect from Kasey McAteer
Amid reports that Leicester City winger Kasey McAteer is in the process of declaring to play for the Republic of Ireland, here’s what can Irish fans can look forward to seeing from a young player who is getting a reputation for taking opportunities - whether that’s a first-team chance, scoring in front of the Kop or the step up to international football.
The right-winger position has been a long-running saga for Leicester City fans. While Harvey Barnes had the left side sewn up for several years, the lack of balance was alarming and arguably a key factor in the club losing its Premier League status in May.
It was therefore concerning to get to the first game of this season with such an obvious problem still seemingly left unaddressed.
New manager Enzo Maresca selected Kasey McAteer for the role in that opener at home to Coventry City. It was a major declaration of trust in a player who had scored just once in 18 games while on loan at AFC Wimbledon in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, and whose previous minutes in a Leicester City shirt - 4 at MK Dons in the EFL Cup, 85 at Gillingham in the FA Cup - fell shy of 90.
If Leicester had stayed up, McAteer would have struggled to get any first-team football despite being at the club since the age of 8. From the glimpses we saw of him in action in cup competitions or for the Under 21s, he seemed a versatile but limited midfielder destined for a career in the Football League.
But a clean slate under Maresca meant opportunities for all, especially before the final pieces of the jigsaw were slotted into place. We hadn't yet signed Abdul Fatawu or Yunus Akgun when we began the Championship season, and there were chances for McAteer and Wanya Marcal-Madivadua to impress.
Taking his chance
In one of many echoes of Pep Guardiola's approach to management, Maresca seems to favour players who can understand his "idea" in specific positions rather than picking the best players available and fitting them to the system. So McAteer initially felt like something of a placeholder until we signed someone more reputable.
That's what we got when Yunus arrived from Galatasaray, fresh from having impressed on the right wing in a Champions League qualifying game. But in the meantime, McAteer had established himself as far more than just a placeholder - he'd been one of the best attacking players in the team, if not the league.
This smooth transition actually began amid a chaotic pre-season, including playing the full 90 minutes of the 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in Singapore exactly a week before the equally chaotic season opener. The first half hour showcased the new-look Leicester and McAteer seemed surprisingly integral to it, drifting in from the left wing to link play and create chances. His decision-making wasn't always optimal but he looked like he had something to offer.
When the league season kicked off a week later against Coventry, the end-to-end nature of the game was quite at odds with what we've seen since as Maresca's idea has taken hold. We were saved by a late Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall double, with the build-up to the winner including an intelligent cross-field dribble from McAteer.
In and out
It was something of a surprise when McAteer wasn't included in either of the next two matchday squads, with Marcal-Madivadua given starts in both. But, despite Marcal-Madivadua scoring his first goal for the club with a rocket against Cardiff, McAteer was back in for the trip to Rotherham towards the end of August and that afternoon at the New York Stadium is one he'll never forget.
In the first half, he was in the right place at the right time to nod in a Kelechi Iheanacho cross from close range. In the second, after Rotherham had equalised, he cut inside to strike an 84th-minute winner with his weaker foot in front of a packed away end.
At the final whistle, the other players pushed him to the front of the group to acknowledge the travelling fans.
Leicester's performance against Rotherham, while far from perfect, showed more of the control Maresca demands and McAteer clearly benefitted. Following the arrival of Yunus, McAteer started on the left in the next game - a 1-0 defeat to Hull. He was substituted before the hour as part of a triple change. At this stage of the season, Leicester were at a crossroads. We'd dropped points for the first time and we faced what looked like two of the most difficult away games back to back after an international break - Southampton and Norwich.
On the road
Yunus had struggled to impose himself on his debut and was dropped back to the bench at St Mary's with McAteer restored to the right side. There had been two main question marks over McAteer's ability on the opening day - did he have the composure to finish, as he'd failed to score a presentable chance in the first half that day, and was he quick enough, as he didn't appear to possess lightning pace. He'd answered the first at Rotherham and he backed that up at Southampton, while also addressing the second.
With Leicester leading 1-0 early on, Dewsbury-Hall won possession from a high press and looked up for options. He saw McAteer surging through midfield and picked out a sublime pass. McAteer followed up a deft first touch on his right foot with a precise left-footed finish and Leicester were 2-0 up on the way to a statement 4-1 win.
McAteer put in another impressive performance five days later at Norwich, most notably when part of a three-man breakaway alongside Dewsbury-Hall and Jamie Vardy. He played the pass to Dewsbury-Hall at the right time, made a run for Vardy and then, when the ball went instead left to Dewsbury-Hall, he got himself into position at the back post to tap into an empty net.
This goal, Leicester's second in a 2-0 win, came in the 87th minute. By now, it was becoming clear that the fitness levels were the best we've seen in a Leicester side for some time and that, combined with the opposition-draining nature of Maresca's system, meant the final minutes of games were bringing goals.
Silencing the Kop
While the signing of the exciting Fatawu meant McAteer was on the bench for the visit of Bristol City, he was restored to the starting lineup at Anfield and produced his best moment of the season.
When, just three minutes into the game, Konstantinos Tsimikas swung in a free kick from out wide, McAteer was the man at the front post. It went over his head and he watched Jakub Stolarczyk punch clear under pressure. When the ball was eventually won by a combination of Yunus and Marc Albrighton, McAteer was already approaching the centre circle. And when Yunus, three touches later, looked up to deliver the through ball, he was running clear of the last man in front of the Kop. Steadying himself, McAteer waited before guiding the ball into the far corner past Caoimhin Kelleher.
Those brief concerns over pace and composure in front of goal were long gone now.
It was also apparent that McAteer offered something different to the tricky Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu. While they possess the ability to get beyond their marker, McAteer's off-the-ball runs and finishing have made him look like more of a wide striker than a traditional winger. Some fans have even said they see his future playing through the middle.
Unfortunately, a hamstring injury four days later when coming on as a substitute at Blackburn has curtailed McAteer's exciting start to life as a Leicester City player. But he'll be back soon and he's already made that return something Leicester fans are keenly anticipating.
