AT THE END of his media briefing with journalists in the FAI boardroom yesterday afternoon, Heimir Hallgrimsson asked us all to stay back after class. He then plugged a HDMI cable into his laptop – today’s version of wheeling a TV into the room – and opened up his WyScout account, to show us its attractions and efficiencies.
WyScout hosts a truly enormous library of footage, all of which is indexed and easily accessible.
Within a couple of hours of full-time in a match, Hallgrimsson is able to click onto the profiles of any potential Irish squad member and review every one of their actions in a pre-edited video.
WyScout, then, is a rejoinder to the question, Why Scout?
Hallgrimsson gave this short tutorial as he is clearly, if not stung, then at least aware of criticism aimed his way for not regularly travelling to England to scout players in person. It’s not accurate to say he doesn’t go to games, but he chooses them more judiciously than his predecessor.
Hallgrimsson admitted WyScout footage does not always portray the full context of a game or a player’s position in the context of his team’s structure, and he will travel to games to asses players when making a call on a tight selection decision. He also calls on his UK-based assistant John O’Shea to do some of the scouting for him.
All these WyScout hours have helped Hallgrimsson familiarise himself with the Irish squad, but he wants to balance next week’s Nations League games with some more experimentation ahead of next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
Hence Matt Doherty is excluded, with Hallgrimsson again saying he wants to audition a couple of other options at right-back. Seamus Coleman has returned to the squad, but a hamstring problem has already thrown that into doubt. Coleman won’t play for Everton this weekend and so perhaps Doherty will yet be offered a scenic route back into the squad, with another right-back option, Andrew Omobamidele, absent through injury.
But that is no guarantee: the suspicion is that Hallgrimsson is not looking at alternate options to compete with Matt Doherty, but to replace him.
Hallgrimsson will have to replace his left-back, with Robbie Brady missing with an ankle problem. This may lead to resurrection of the brief online campaign for Ryan Manning, who was initially overlooked by Stephen Kenny before underwhelming when he was brought into the fold.
While Manning has started each of Southampton’s last four Premier League games, Hallgrimsson wants to road-test O’Dowda at left-back, as the Cardiff man was initially called up for last month’s games before being forced to withdraw.
“We still haven’t seen him play, or I haven’t seen him play for us, so that is the priority now”, said Hallgrimsson of O’Dowda.
Interesting, too, is the recall of Shane Duffy at centre-back.
“I really wanted to see the younger centre backs, we’ve a lot of up and coming and exciting young centre backs”, said Hallgrimsson.
“In the beginning we went for the younger players but I felt – especially last camp and the camp before – there was some areas we can improve. For example, we lost a lot of duels, especially against Greece in the first half. And his leadership, his character will probably help us in that area. It’s good to see what he brings in and I hope that will be the attributes he will come in with, with leadership, a little bit more steel and winning duels, especially set pieces.”
So while Hallgrimsson is looking at options in some areas of the pitch, he needs to find solutions elsewhere.
Most pressing is Chiedozie Ogbene’s absence: he underwent surgery on his achilles on Wednesday, and Hallgrimsson expects him to be absent for up to nine months. Ogbene, one of the first names on the team-sheet ever since Stephen Kenny gave him a debut in 2021, is thus unlikely to play again for Ireland until next September’s international window.
One option to replace Ogbene is Festy Ebosele, whom Hallgrimsson is not hemming into any one particular position. Right-back, right-wing back, right wing…Ebosele may be asked to play them all between now and next September.
With Jamie McGrath out and Alan Browne not deemed to have played enough football at Sunderland this season, Ireland’s midfield stocks look even thinner than usual. Andrew Moran has been called up now that his U21 commitments are over, and he is listed in a sparse-looking midfield along with Josh Cullen, Jason Knight, Jayson Molumby, and Finn Azaz.
Ireland need only avoid defeat at home to Finland next Thursday to guarantee a third-placed finish and avoid automatic relegation. They would then go to Wembley on Sunday in true bonus territory against England.
A third-placed finish – where Ireland have ended up in all of their previous Nations League campaigns – would not be enough to guarantee safety. In that scenario, Ireland would play a two-legged play-off next March against a runner-up in League C to ensure they remain in League B.
“That is the decisive game in the group, the Finland game”, said Hallgrimsson.
“Looking back on first game with them, it was a kind of good and bad performance, first half and second half. When we were on the front foot we played really well against them, as we did in second half against Greece. We try to find balance between low block and high pressing. We would like to be on front foot, we always take the opponent into consideration. We go into this camp with that mindset, yes.”
Hallgrimsson’s ultimate focus is on next year’s World Cup qualifiers, the draw for which will take place on 13 December. Next week’s games remain a balancing act between the necessity of avoiding relegation and the benefit of experimentation.
Ideal game to throw Osbourne in. No point moaning about lack of depth if we aren’t willing to try someone new.
@Phil O’ Meara: yes…. Give a 22-year-old his test debut away against the Boks at fullback, despite having played just 7 professional games at fullback for his province. Huge risk. Hope it pays off.
@Brenda Collins: We stand to learn more than him coming on as a sub in the last 10 minutes against Canada at home in the Aviva.
@Phil O’ Meara: not sure that AF is the type of manager to “throw” a player in. I’m guessing that he has shown up better in training. In my humble opinion they have accepted that CF is too slow for FB, and that JO’B lacks the physicality for this assignment.
@Phil O’ Meara: Would agree, if not now then when! Strange about OBrien, must have done something to piss AF off. Maybe he’s another Coombs.
@Phil O’ Meara: I’m not for one second suggesting we give him 10 minutes against Canada. I’m saying giving him his test debut by starting him in a position where he hasn’t played much rugby at the top level while also in the backyard of the current world champions is a big, big ask. I wouldn’t have perceived it as particularly risky if they started him in the centre where he’s played most of his rugby for Leinster. But at fullback against a team we know will target him by kicking the leather off the ball…. Well. That’s more than throwing him in at the deep end. It’s no slight on him. He’s obviously talented and I truly hope he does well. It could just end up being a very tough debut.
@Brenda Collins: firstly we have a gap at full back because of hugo’s dream, we have 4 top class centres so I’m not sure how we could drop Aki or henshaw to start him.
@Brenda Collins: talk to France. How many caps and tries did their little winger have before that quarter final … At the end of the day it’s a summer international, test him and see what’s there, failing might delay him but it won’t stop him.
@chris mcdonnell: I think it’s silly to have the view that a player’s development should always hinge on the question of “who would you drop?”
That’s not how we should develop inexperienced players. We give them opportunities. I’m just surprised the opportunity on this occasion is not in his natural position, and also surprised they’ve not gone with JOB at fullback, who’s a lot more experienced there (and maybe a bit faster?).
@Ciaran Kennedy: hmm tell that to some of the other players who played and faltered and then were out in the cold afterwards….
If we stay with the tried and tested, people moan that we are not expanding the squad. He gives youth a chance in a game at a venue that only one international team ever won at, and now it’s deemed an unnecessary risk.
It doesn’t really matter if we lose these matches. They are just friendlies really with nothing at stake except bragging rights. It is much more important that we build depth in key positions and I think this is a good call for the future.
@Neil “Montyman65” Montgomery: it still effects rankings. At the same time, you still need to experiment and find depth.
@Dave Kelly: Shouldn’t really affect the rankings much unless we get absolutely hammered in both tests. I know the Saffas are going crazy about these games but they don’t have real world implications for either team.
His kicking is very good. He rarely makes mistakes. Don’t see it as a big risk
@Tom Murphy: fielding high ball? Positional? Tackling?
There couldn’t be a harder place or team to face in your debut game at FB. This is a huge call from Farrell and makes little sense
Cometh he hour cometh the man! Farrell must have huge faith in Osborne’s ability and temperament to pitch him into a game that will be white hot in its intensity from start to finish.