It’s a big year ahead for Irish players looking to impress a new management team. Martin O’Neill has spoken of unearthing a hidden gem while some more established names will be hoping to make a bigger impact than they did with Giovanni Trapattoni. We could also see some new faces in the Irish set-up with a big second half to the season coming up ahead of the beginning of Euro 2016 qualifying in September.
The League Cup is the easiest way for English clubs to win a trophy. Although it warrants a place in Europe, it isn’t exactly held in the highest regard, with some football fans referring to it as a “Mickey Mouse” cup. However, the competition does give smaller teams a fantastic chance of winning some silverware, as we witnessed last year when Swansea beat League Two outfit Bradford in the final. We’ve taken a look at some of the sides that could be in contention for the trophy in early 2014.