Soccer

Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson notes value of Wyscout player-tracking app

Manager contrasts app-use and 24-hour trek across England to watch one or two players from a directors’ box

Heimir Hallgrímsson: 'You can tap into a team or tap into a player and get all his actions in the game.' Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Heimir Hallgrímsson: 'You can tap into a team or tap into a player and get all his actions in the game.' Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Gavin Cummiskey
Thu Nov 07 2024 - 23:00

Heimir Hallgrímsson understands that all politics is local.

The Republic of Ireland manager began his squad announcement, in advance of Nations League games against Finland and England, by congratulating Damien Duff and Shelbourne on winning the Premier Division title before concluding with a tutorial on how to use Wyscout.

Hallgrímsson opened the much-referenced app, used to track players across the world, on a big screen in the FAI offices in Abbotstown, to explain why it makes sense to use Wyscout rather than a 24-hour trek across England to watch one or two players from a directors’ box.

The example used was Wednesday night’s Championship fixture between Mark McGuinness’s Luton Town and Callum O’Dowda’s Cardiff City at Kenilworth Road.

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“If I wanted to go to yesterday’s Cardiff game, it would’ve taken me the whole day to drive there and drive back [to the airport],” he explained. “Here, you can tap into a team or tap into a player and get all his actions in the game. Time efficiency is so important to me, especially in such a short period, to get to know all the players.”

More evidence was needed.

“Let’s go with Cardiff and let’s go with Callum.”

Hallgrímsson dropped into the Wyscout app, clicked Cardiff City and clicked O’Dowda’s face to reveal every moment the wing back had against Luton.

Luton Town's Mark McGuinness earned a recall to the Ireland squad as cover for the injured Robbie Brady. Photograph: Mike Egerton /PA
Luton Town's Mark McGuinness earned a recall to the Ireland squad as cover for the injured Robbie Brady. Photograph: Mike Egerton /PA

“This will take me about 20 minutes to see everything he did in the game.”

The 29-year-old duly earned a recall to the Ireland squad as cover for the injured Robbie Brady with another 20 minutes set aside to pick McGuinness ahead of Jake O’Brien, who has only played 26 minutes for Everton in the Premier League since arriving from Lyon last summer.

“[Going to games] you see a bit more about their character, body language, runs off the ball. And you can meet the players.

“I am not saying you shouldn’t be going to matches, but there is a lot you can do outside matches. John [O’Shea] has been going to more matches than me.”

On the League of Ireland, Hallgrímsson would like to see more teenage talent like Mason Melia exposed to senior football before they move to a British or European club.

“First and foremost [Shels winning the league] ignites interest in football. Hopefully more younger players will be playing. Normally they will be sold before we pick them but there’s a lot of eyes on the Irish League and Irish football, so as soon as somebody is potentially good he’s probably going to be sold before we pick him.

“But, for sure, it’s possible sometime, I would never rule out that you can take a player from the League of Ireland.”

Séamus Coleman only left Sligo Rovers at age 20 but now 36, it appears that injury will continue to slow his international career. But unlike Matt Doherty and despite a lack of game time at Everton, Hallgrímsson continues to lean into the Ireland captain.

“It would be good to have him leading the squad [to the 2026 World Cup]. He’s a great character and it’s always good to have someone guiding the young ones. He’s important in that area. Even when injured, he offered to come and assist and be around us. [That] Shows how good a character he is.”

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent