Curtis eyes senior Ireland involvement 'in the near future'
Sam Curtis is a young man in a hurry, with the Ireland right-back succession stakes already consuming the 18-year-old’s thoughts.
It was this time last year that he laid claim to the U21 equivalent, stepping into Jim Crawford’s first eleven at Turner’s Cross for his debut while still an under-19 player.
Plenty has gone on along the way to his eighth cap this Friday, the Euro qualifier away to bottom seeds San Marino.
His 60th and final appearance for St Patrick’s Athletic in November delivered an FAI Cup final medal before a record crowd at Lansdowne Road, doubling up as his farewell to the national landscape.
Once his 18th birthday was reached in December, the UK market was open to his talents.
Various European heavyweights such as Roma, Chelsea and Manchester City were monitoring the defender since he became the youngest Shamrock Rovers debutant in history at 14 but an invitation, through Keith Andrews, to Bramall Lane on St Stephen’s Day clinched his future.
Curtis, from Navan in Co. Meath, is now a Sheffield United player and a fully-fledged member of the first-team squad.
Club captain John Egan has acted as his driver while he awaits his test next week.
It’s unlikely they’ll remain a Premier League member next season but that was the risk he was willing to take when assessing his options.
Somewhere, not too far, along the line is the Ireland senior team.
Séamus Coleman is 35, Matt Doherty three years behind. Udinese’s speedster Festy Ebosele, at 21, appears to be the heir but Curtis is watching the pecking order with active interest.
“It’s not going to be easy filling the boots of those two, to even get in the squad, but I see that situation as a really positive thing for me.
“I’m in a good position and
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