The parallels between Shane Supple's career and James Talbot's is something the former is keenly aware of.
Supple joined Joe Coffey, Enda Coll, Jonathan Higgins and I for an in-depth Team 33 interview on the brilliant insights from his time as a goalkeeper for Bohemians, Ipswich Town and Dublin GAA.
You can listen to the full interview with Shane Supple just below or here. Or you can subscribe/stream on iTunes for free. For Liverpool fans, you'll find in-depth interviews with Stig Inge Bjornebye and Markus Babbel. Plus, Liverpool throw-in-coach Thomas Gronnemark also spoke to us recently.
Supple started out at Ipswich before leaving football after becoming disillusioned. He then played club and inter-county GAA for St Brigid's and Dublin respectively.
But he did return to soccer, first with non-league Crumlin United and then most notably for Bohemians.
His League of Ireland exploits led to an Ireland call-up for the 2018 friendlies against USA and France. Supple retired due to injury aged 31.
GAA Background
Talbot is the goalkeeper who has succeeded Supple as Bohemians No 1. And his own form in the Premier Division has earned him a call-up to the latest Ireland squad.
Like Supple, he returned from Sunderland in England, somewhat disillusioned. And similarly, GAA and then Bohemians has paved a road back to football.
"It's crazy what's happened to him in a short space of time as well," said Supple.
"But it is the GAA background as well, coming back from England and taking over at Bohs. He's done so well for the club as well and I'm delighted for him, because he had tough times. It could have gone the other way for him really."
Given James Talbot's youth, Supple sees "lots of potential" in a person he describes as a really "solid guy".
"Whatever he wants to do, whether he stays here or gives the UK a shot again, I don't know. But he seems happy now again," he said.
"It's great to see. I'm delighted for him and Bohs as well. He's a good lad. Hopefully the week or two he's in with Ireland goes well for him."
Any Ipswich fans reading this, we recently interviewed cult hero Martijn Reuser:
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