When Lionel Messi was starting out he was branded the new Maradona. But since he has become a legend in his own right, promising young players coming through are sometime tagged as the new Messi.

And according to Waterford United's chairman, Ireland has a new Messi of its own.

John O'Sullivan had this to say about a certain Sean Maguire:

"I'm a great fan of Lionel Messi at Barcelona. When I look at Seanie, he really reminds me of him."

Huge potential

Maguire is not a household name outside of League of Ireland circles but he has caused enough of a stir to earn himself a move to West Ham - at the tender age of 18.

Maguire certainly has huge potential. He was the only First Division player nominated for the PFAI Best Young Player of the Year award after a stellar season with Waterford.

The youngster netted 13 goals in 22 starts to become Waterford's leading scorer and also earned an Ireland U-19 cap. 

The 5 foot 9 forward has been praised for his pace and balance, as well as his versatility which has seen him play in the hole and up front. 

With such raw potential, it will be interesting to trak the Luton-born striker's progress now that he has signed an 18-month contract with a Premier League side.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce was sufficiently impressed to recruit him, so there is a chance that he could see some first-team action - which will be good for Ireland if Giovanni Trapattoni is inclined to give him a chance.

Recent trends suggest League of Ireland players do get a chance in England as James McClean can testify.

So Maguire could be introduced to a wider audience sooner rather than later.

But the most important thing is not to dimiss the hype per se but to take the pressure off Maguire in this crucial period of his development.

Image by ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy