a A new year brings new expectations to the new candidates who will revive Ireland’s struggling men’s team.
With such an overwhelming result in 2023 and limited competitiveness this year, it is a great opportunity to develop potential into a final product.
For a variety of reasons, 2024 may be too soon for the likes of Eilan Cashin, Luke McNally, Sinclair Armstrong, Callum Kavanagh and Casey McAteer to make an impression on the next Ireland manager, but others players are on the fringes or edges of Stephen’s team. Kenny has a lot to prove.
Evan Ferguson has reached double digits in caps, so here are 10 players with fewer than 10 caps who could be in contention for regular action.
Four friendlies between March and June, the first home double against Belgium and Switzerland, followed by six Nations League qualifiers between September and November, allowed this coterie to prove themselves. It will be a stage.
defender
Festi Ebosele: 21 years old. Number of caps: 2:
There has been plenty of right-back talent over the past decade, but with Seamus Coleman now 35 and Matt Doherty almost 32, they need a successor.
Ebosele started his career as a winger, but was converted into a defensive ram by Wayne Rooney at Derby County, before blossoming into that role at Udinese in Serie A. Two cameo appearances in a double-header between France and the Netherlands in September were Ebosere’s introduction to soccer. But why it was left unused in the window next to him was a mystery. I’m sure the new governor will correct that injustice.
Andrew Omobamidele. Age: 21 years old Cap: 6 years old.
Ireland’s last game, a 1-1 draw against New Zealand, was significant for Omobamidele as it was the first time in two years that he played 90 minutes in an Ireland jersey. He has won just six caps in his international career, which was highly anticipated after his debut against Portugal in 2021. This is due to an injury at Norwich City and a lack of playing time since Nottingham Forest spent £11m on the centre-back in the summer. How new Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo views Leeklip’s player in his plans will influence whether a move is possible in this slot, but it is unlikely that he will become Ireland’s mainstay. He certainly has the qualities to grow.
Jake O’Brien. 22 years old, number of caps: 0.
Lyon’s December Player of the Month was a late bloomer but quickly became a sensation on the continent. Manchester City’s mother group spotted the talent in the Youghal native who was on loan in Belgium from Crystal Palace last season, but John Texter stole his march by keeping him in his own club’s portfolio. is. O’Brien helped stabilize a rocky start to Ligue 1, scoring twice in the win over Lens and maintaining a solid defense that kept them out of the drop zone with three clean sheets before the Christmas break. If there’s one player on the Ireland squad who can break into crowded areas and provide depth, it’s the Corkman.
midfielder
Joe Hodge. 21 years old, number of caps: 0.
Being named captain of the Ireland Under-21s tends to suggest that promotion to the senior ranks is likely, and Hodge was on that path until a shoulder injury sidelined him for three months in October. Hodge is a rare player, an Irish holding midfielder who is equally adept at breaking up play while spraying passes wide and centrally. His 10 appearances for Wolves last season showed progress and new manager Gary O’Neill assured him he would be part of the plans despite early season frustrations. Hodge’s recent return to the first-team bench is another thing, but he will demand exposure to strengthen his own cause in Ireland.
Andrew Moran. 20 years old: Number of caps: 1.
The wiry midfielder, who replaced Hodge as Under-21 captain, made his senior debut late off the bench in Kenny’s incandescent song, but is unlikely to return to underage duty. Like his Blackburn Rovers teammate Sammy Schmodics, he has charmed Irish fans with a repertoire that was clearly lacking in the previous regime. However, unlike the uncapped Szmodic, he is the parent club he will be re-joining and Brighton are said to be thrilled with the impact he has had, having made over 22 appearances on loan to the Championship club. . His versatility, including operating as an attacking midfielder or behind the striker, adds to his appeal.
Will Smallbone. 23 years old: Number of caps: 5.
While not an unfamiliar face, the difficulty of stepping up into the tier from standout U21 players such as Athens vs. Greece in June highlighted the folly of predicting continuity for graduates. . There are many explanations for why he struggled, including tactical confusion, but he has shown what he is capable of at Southampton since donning the Ireland jersey.
winger/attacker
Mikey Johnston. Age: 24 years old, number of caps: 8 (2 goals).
The skillset is unquestionable, but will consistency be on the side of the toed-toe tricksters? His first goal for Celtic in four years last week came after the Glaswegian has struggled with injury. After another year on loan in Portugal, he suggested he had discovered some talent. His threat, expressed on the patch in his first year in an Ireland shirt, is in full flight and honing that trait will be high on the new man’s to-do list.
Finn Azaz. Age: 23 years old, number of caps: 0.
Our in-form, uncapped playmaker is largely unknown to Irish fans apart from a brief involvement in the U21 Euro play-off decider against Israel, but he put his hand up for the cap in March. Unai Emery is happy for Plymouth Argyle to show off his jewels – eight goals and nine assists in League One, seven goals and five assists so far this season in the Championship – but Aston Villa is the place where you can see him at his best.
striker
Tom Cannon. 21 years old, number of caps: 0.
Although he is not entirely sure about his allegiance, question marks about the player’s abilities, who recently turned 21, are less uncertain. Leicester City were under pressure to make an immediate Premier League return and were punted by paying £7 million for the Everton forward, but Cannon, who had recovered from a stress fracture, scored his first two goals in the Championship on New Year’s Day. . His new boss has to decide whether his vacation is worth the wait.
Aaron Connolly. 23 years old: Number of caps: 9.
Those heady days at Spurs, when Mick McCarthy allowed him to make his Ireland debut, seem like a long time ago for a player who has only regained the form and confidence he lacked during a difficult period on and off the pitch in the last six months. It seems to me.
Changing his voice in the Aviva dressing room may be just what his international career requires.
Interesting subplot on the role of national women
One of the FAI’s two management vacancies has been filled, but what about the position that new women’s coach Eileen Gleeson initially insisted was too important to walk away from?
Applicants must express their interest in the Head of Women’s and Women’s Football position by January 19th.
Mark Canham, the director of football to whom the successful applicant will report, and another senior member of the football department spoke about revisiting some of the candidates who missed out on Gleeson’s job exactly one year ago. .
What is interesting is that this is a fixed-term employment with no fixed period of employment. Gleeson has a strong chance of starting his opening year qualifying for next year’s Euros, but what if that falls through?
It wasn’t that long ago that team chief Sue Ronan was moved “upstairs” to a similar role touted during the extended major drought in 2016. .
During interviews after the application deadline, you should ask interactive questions.
No fairy tale ending for Hoban.
Barring any delays this week, the days of Pat Hoban leaving Dundalk for Derry City will be over.
The club’s record scorer, with 150 goals, spent 10 years with the Louth side and, after a few years off in England, went on to further glory under Stephen Kenny, Vinnie Perse and Filippo Giovagnoli. I got it back.
His relationship with teammate Stephen O’Donnell, who was responsible for much of that success, looked rosy when the fellow Galway native returned from St Pat’s as manager at the end of 2021.
However, the striker was not happy about being told he could leave with 12 months left on his contract.
Derry City are in the market for a striker and would be happy to take the chance to add to their former Dundalk squad, including Michael Duffy.
He may turn 33 in July, but injury-free Hoban remains a strong threat.
john.fallon@examiner.ie