Could Josh Cullen’s European Odyssey be Good News for Ireland?

Josh Cullen in action during Ireland's 3-1 win over Bulgaria on Tuesday, 10 September 2019.

Josh Cullen in action during Ireland's 3-1 win over Bulgaria on Tuesday, 10 September 2019. Credit: Al Robinson (ETPhotos)

Josh Cullen’s move to Anderlecht last summer took many by surprise. The midfielder spent 15 years on the books at West Ham United before joining the exclusive club of Ireland Internationals who have plied their trade abroad.

Cullen impressed during a two-year loan spell at Charlton Athletic in which he helped guide them to promotion to the Championship in 2019. However, when the chance to work under former Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany came up, it was too good to turn down.

Instant Impact

He took full advantage of his opportunity in Brussels by becoming a key player in the 2020/21 campaign as Anderlecht finished third in the league, a massive improvement on their eighth-place finish of the season before. They're hoping to go even better in 2021/22 and are currently priced 5/1 in the football odds to land their first league title since 2017.

The midfielder made such an impact in his first dozen games in Belgium that he was named captain for the 0–0 draw against Waasland-Beveren on 22 January 2021. He made a total of 31 appearances and the experience of battling for a chance to play in Europe would have been hugely beneficial to his development. Following the national playoffs, the Purple & Whites entered the Europa Conference League at the third qualifying round. All of this could be good news for the Irish national team with some crucial fixtures coming up in the next few months.

The Latest Pioneer

Players from Ireland rarely venture further than England or Scotland, but there have been some notable exceptions over the years. Liam Brady enjoyed an illustrious seven-year career in Italy in the 1980s where he featured for Juventus, Sampdoria, Inter Milan, and Ascoli. He picked up two Serie A titles during his spell in Turin, scoring the crucial goal against Catanzaro to land the 1982 title.

Kevin Moran joined Sporting Gijon in 1988 where he made played 33 games over two seasons. During his time there he became and a good friend and roommate of current Spain manager Luis Enrique.  A year later, John Aldridge switched to Real Sociedad to work under manager John Toshack and scored 33 goals in 63 appearances. He was the first non-Basque player to sign for La Real in decades and opened the door for others to follow.

Ian Harte switched to newly-promoted Spanish La Liga club Levante in 2004 after Leeds were relegated to the Championship. He became an instant hit with the fans by scoring the club's first top-flight goal in 41 years via a free-kick against Real Sociedad on the opening day of the season. The full-back went on to score a total of 10 goals in 66 appearances for the club before heading back to the Premier League with Sunderland in 2007.

Other notable exports include former Liverpool right-back Steve Finnan, who spent a year at Espanyol in 2008/09; Phil Babb, who won a league and cup double with Sporting Lisbon in 2002; and Robbie Keane, who struggled to make an impact after a £13 million move to Inter Milan in 2000.

England-born Cullen may have only made nine appearances for Ireland but his decision to move abroad at the age of 24 shows he has the kind of determination and commitment that could help him become one of the country’s most important players.