CALLUM ROBINSON IS a major doubt for Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifier at home to France next month with a hamstring injury. 

Cardiff manager Sabri Lamouchi today confirmed the injury Robinson sustained in the weekend win against Reading is a grade two hamstring tear, and has been ruled out until after the next international break. Ireland play a friendly with Latvia on 22 March before they begin a daunting Euro 2024 qualifying campaign at home to France on 27 March. 

“He will be not available for sure not before the international break”, said Lamouchi. “One month. The next five games he will be not with us.

“It’s his hamstring. At the end we supposed it was cramp. It was just a hamstring. We did some tests and it’s a grade two (tear). The next couple of games he will be not in the squad and not available to play.

“This is not good news. Because he was doing well. Scoring, assisting. He is our top scorer. And it’s difficult to score for us this year. So we need to find a solution. We can’t complain.

“I’m disappointed for him because he worked so hard against Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Reading, with assisting, scoring, great performances. We will miss him.” 

Robinson has scored five goals in 22 league games for Cardiff this season, having joined from West Brom on the final day of last summer’s transfer window. Cardiff are in a relegation battle in the Championship, and are just four points clear of the drop zone. 

Having emerged as a key goalscorer for Ireland in 2021, his influence on the team waned across 2022, though he did score the winning goal in Ireland’s final game of last year, a 1-0 friendly victory over Malta. 

While Robinson’s absence would be a blow, Stephen Kenny’s striking options have been improved by the returns to fitness of Evan Ferguson, Adam Idah, and Troy Parrott. 

Cardiff boss Lamouchi had better news for Kenny by confirming Callum O’Dowda’s availability for the weekend game with Norwich, following a scan on a knee injury.