Heimir Hallgrímsson has continually stated that the Republic of Ireland will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The direct route to North America next summer is to win a qualifier group including Portugal, Hungary and Armenia, across a rapid six-game schedule from September to November.
That leaves two friendlies against Senegal on June 6th in Dublin and away to Luxembourg on June 10th as the final preparations before Hungary come to the Aviva Stadium on September 6th.
Hallgrímsson’s 24-man squad, named over three weeks ahead of the Senegal game, is intended to address a problem that his predecessor Stephen Kenny was unable to solve.
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The majority of the Ireland player pool finished their club campaigns in the Championship on May 3rd. Kenny put damaging defeats, away to Armenia in June 2022 and Greece 12 months later, down to players being unable to rediscover match fitness in the middle of their off-season.
“Nobody realises how difficult it is to have a month off without playing and training and being 100 per cent fit in June,” said Hallgrímsson. “The risk is they come in 70 per cent fit, 70 per cent focused and they have a bad game.”
Instead, next month, the Ireland manager has told mainstays in the squad like Finn Azaz and Josh Cullen to enjoy a well-earned break.
There are three exceptions. Due to a lack of options at left back, Preston North End’s Robbie Brady is selected along with Bristol City pair Max O’Leary and Jason Knight.
The master plan, however, has already hit a snag after the FAI failed to secure two additional friendlies in May which would have given Hallgrímsson a chance to work with all his Championship players before sending them away on holidays.
“After the season they switch off, and to keep fitness levels for a month for two friendlies is tricky. Also mentally, just to switch on and switch off is tough for them.
“What we want is for these players to have a good off-season and come in flying in preseason and in September we will benefit from their rest.
“We expect to have no holiday next summer,” he added.
Having not reached a major tournament since Euro 2016, it is suggested that the word “expect” will not wash with a lot of Irish fans.
“We plan for success,” Hallgrímsson responded. “If you plan for success then you shouldn’t talk differently. I hope I’m not offending anyone but this is how we should all think: we are going to the World Cup.
“It’s one of the reasons why we are doing what we are doing. I know it’s different, leaving out good players, but it’s so different this World Cup [qualification campaign]. If we have everyone flying in September, October, November, we have a much better chance of qualifying.”
Before anyone spends €55 for a lower-deck seat in the Aviva to watch Senegal and their former Liverpool star Sadio Mané, they should know that Ireland will field a weakened side.
Ipswich Town forward Sammie Szmodics is also unlikely to return from injury even though he was named in the squad.
Similar concerns were expressed around the lack of minutes Séamus Coleman and Evan Ferguson have played in the Premier League this year.
“We are hoping Sammie will be ready in June, but it is unlikely. Troy Parrott has a groin injury but he is optimistic that he will be back. Festy Ebosele, as well, is coming back slowly.”
Less established internationals like Andrew Moran, Rocco Vata, James Abankwah and Mark Travers might, understandably, see the summer break as a missed opportunity, especially with four non-capped players – Shamrock Rovers defender Josh Honohan, Stade Reims midfielder John Joe Patrick Finn, goalkeeper Josh Keeley and Killian Phillips – filling their places.
Keeley, a product of the St Patrick’s Athletic academy, is currently on loan to Leyton Orient from Tottenham, while Phillips has impressed for St Mirren on loan from Crystal Palace.
Finn was born in Madrid but his late father, John Finn, hails from Ballyhaunis in Mayo. The 21-year-old showed enough potential, largely off the bench in Ligue 1, for Hallgrímsson to recently visit him in France.
“You can see his style is a bit different. He’s exciting but is he good enough now for this level? We’ll have to wait and see. We don’t have a lot of depth and height [in midfield] but he’s still young and we don’t know where the future takes him.”
Fresh from a positive meeting with Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley, Hallgrímsson continues his tour of League of Ireland clubs this week with a few days inside the ropes at Cork City and Cobh Ramblers.
“I’m trying my best to understand the culture, the football culture. I try to go and stay two or three days in different locations.
“After this I will go to Cork and stay three days there, looking at training and learning a bit about the people there, which they say are a little bit different – going down to the south capital.”
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Max O’Leary (Bristol City), Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Defenders: Séamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Josh Honohan (Shamrock Rovers), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Jake O’Brien (Everton), Andrew Omobamidele (Strasbourg, on loan from Nottingham Forest), Liam Scales (Celtic), Robbie Brady (Preston North End)
Midfielders: Jason Knight (Bristol City), Killian Phillips (St. Mirren, on loan from Crystal Palace), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), John Joe Patrick Finn (Stade De Reims)
Forwards: Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Evan Ferguson (West Ham United, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Celtic), Sammie Szmodics (Ipswich Town), Kasey McAteer (Leicester City), Festy Ebosele (Istanbul Basaksehir), Ryan Manning (Southampton)
