AND SO WE finally reach the serious business. Heimir Hallgrimsson will today name his squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia, the first third of a six-game qualification sprint. You wait so long for games of true consequence and yet they’ll be over in the blink of an eye.
With Portugal almost certain to top the four-team group, Ireland’s task is to beat Armenia home and away and then scrap for their lives with Hungary for second place and a play-off. And with the very first game being Hungary’s visit to Dublin, Ireland have to make a fast start.
Hallgrimsson, however, should have reason to feel optimistic, as many of his key players are not only playing regularly, but are playing well.
Caoimhín Kelleher is firmly ensconced as Ireland’s number one now, and he won’t be giving up that status now he’s joined Brentford. That move is excellent for Ireland on a number of levels: at Brentford, unlike at Liverpool, Kelleher is likely to be as busy in matches as he will be for Ireland, while it also allows him strike a deeper understanding with Nathan Collins.
Collins has been promoted to Brentford captain in the off-season, and the number of club captains now at his disposal should please Hallgrimsson, given this is a hitherto callow Irish squad accused of lacking leadership. Seamus Coleman, Josh Cullen, Dara O’Shea, and Jason Knight are all captains of their respective clubs, too, while Matt Doherty is among the leadership group at Wolves.
Hallgrimsson’s own captain, Seamus Coleman, has not played yet this season, though has been on the Everton bench. Coleman has thus far been kept out of the Everton team by his compatriot Jake O’Brien, though Coleman will surely be called up later today, for his influence on the training pitch if nothing else.
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O’Brien, Doherty and Coleman are Ireland’s primary right-back options, though O’Shea can play there if necessary. Further down the depth chart at centre-back. James Abankwah has been playing regularly for Watford and seems the likeliest to fill a fifth centre-back position should Hallgrimsson decide he needs one. Jimmy Dunne has only played an hour’s worth of league football for QPR, while Andrew Omobamidele made a return from injury for Strasbourg this week. . . only to limp off with an ankle problem on Saturday.
The area that will most concern the Irish boss will be left-back. Robbie Brady won the player of the year gong for 2024 and has become a crucial player for Hallgrimsson, but he is currently sidelined with a calf problem.
Beyond him, Ireland’s options are threadbare. Callum O’Dowda is seen as a left-back at international level but Robbie Keane has returned him to the left wing at Ferencvaros, while Ryan Manning has been a bit-part player at Southampton in the early weeks of the season and is seen by Hallgrimsson as an attacking player, anyway. Given the lack of options, what chance we might see an SOS to James McClean? The player would certainly be open to it.
Scales has covered the position at times for Celtic this season, while Doherty has been pitched into the role occasionally for Ireland. Regardless, with Brady absent, it’s an area of huge concern. Josh Honohan would be an option, of course, and he is now back to something resembling his best form for Shamrock Rovers. His failure to make an impression during the summer window may count against him this time around, however.
Josh Cullen’s goal-and-assist turn in Burnley’s 2-0 win over Sunderland was much heartier news, and he is a lock to start for Ireland. The ever-durable Jason Knight, meanwhile, has played every minute of Bristol City’s season thus far. Jayson Molumby should also come back into the picture, having been a regular thus far under Ryan Mason at West Brom. Jack Taylor will surely remain in said picture, as a regular presence for Ipswich.
Will Smallbone is currently injured, and though Southampton manager Will Still believes Smallbone will get some minutes under his belt before the international break, his lack of match sharpness will count him out of the starting team against Hungary, if not the squad.
Bosun Lawal was called in as cover for Ireland’s most recent game – the 0-0 draw with Luxembourg you’ve already forgotten – and has been playing regularly at Stoke, albeit largely at centre-back. John Patrick Finn is highly unlikely to make the squad again today having managed all of 22 minutes for Reims in the French second division this season.
Killian Phillips and Mark Sykes have made more persuasive cases for their inclusion, playing regularly for St Mirren and Bristol City respectively. Jamie McGrath, meanwhile, has not made an impression under Hallgrimsson but has played the bulk of Hibernian’s minutes in league and Europe this season.
The forward line arguably provides most positivity at all. Finn Azaz is a key creator for Ireland, and he has happily returned to fitness and form for Middlesbrough, scoring in Saturday’s win over Norwich.
Ipswich duo Chiedozie Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics are meanwhile back to fitness and available for Ireland for the first time this year, while Mikey Johnston has shown no lingering disappointment to the collapse of his move to Flamengo, scoring for West Brom in their 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at the weekend. Festy Ebosele, meanwhile, is finding more game time at Istanbul Basaksehir, so such is Ireland’s depth in these positions that their most recent goalscorer, Kasey McAteer, is under pressure to retain his spot in the squad, given his relative lack of league minutes having just moved to Ipswich from Leicester.
In perhaps the most encouraging news of all, Evan Ferguson looked sharp on his full debut for Roma last Saturday, with his energy and defensive contributions praised by his new boss, Gian Piero Gasperini. Troy Parrott, meanwhile, cannot stop scoring: he has 10 goals in seven games so far this season. Adam Idah is enduring a more difficult start to the season at Celtic, but he has undoubted quality of a kind Ireland have rarely been able to hold in reserve. Not so this month.
Given this elision of form and quality, all of Tom Cannon, Callum Robinson, Sinclair Armstrong and Rocco Vata are likely to be looking on from a distance when the Ireland squad gathers at the end of the week.
While Brady’s likely absence is a significant blow, Ireland have plenty of reasons to approach next week with hope, if not outright optimism.
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Plenty of reasons for optimism as Hallgrimsson prepares to name first World Cup qualifier squad
AND SO WE finally reach the serious business. Heimir Hallgrimsson will today name his squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia, the first third of a six-game qualification sprint. You wait so long for games of true consequence and yet they’ll be over in the blink of an eye.
With Portugal almost certain to top the four-team group, Ireland’s task is to beat Armenia home and away and then scrap for their lives with Hungary for second place and a play-off. And with the very first game being Hungary’s visit to Dublin, Ireland have to make a fast start.
Hallgrimsson, however, should have reason to feel optimistic, as many of his key players are not only playing regularly, but are playing well.
Caoimhín Kelleher is firmly ensconced as Ireland’s number one now, and he won’t be giving up that status now he’s joined Brentford. That move is excellent for Ireland on a number of levels: at Brentford, unlike at Liverpool, Kelleher is likely to be as busy in matches as he will be for Ireland, while it also allows him strike a deeper understanding with Nathan Collins.
Collins has been promoted to Brentford captain in the off-season, and the number of club captains now at his disposal should please Hallgrimsson, given this is a hitherto callow Irish squad accused of lacking leadership. Seamus Coleman, Josh Cullen, Dara O’Shea, and Jason Knight are all captains of their respective clubs, too, while Matt Doherty is among the leadership group at Wolves.
Hallgrimsson’s own captain, Seamus Coleman, has not played yet this season, though has been on the Everton bench. Coleman has thus far been kept out of the Everton team by his compatriot Jake O’Brien, though Coleman will surely be called up later today, for his influence on the training pitch if nothing else.
O’Brien, Doherty and Coleman are Ireland’s primary right-back options, though O’Shea can play there if necessary. Further down the depth chart at centre-back. James Abankwah has been playing regularly for Watford and seems the likeliest to fill a fifth centre-back position should Hallgrimsson decide he needs one. Jimmy Dunne has only played an hour’s worth of league football for QPR, while Andrew Omobamidele made a return from injury for Strasbourg this week. . . only to limp off with an ankle problem on Saturday.
The area that will most concern the Irish boss will be left-back. Robbie Brady won the player of the year gong for 2024 and has become a crucial player for Hallgrimsson, but he is currently sidelined with a calf problem.
Beyond him, Ireland’s options are threadbare. Callum O’Dowda is seen as a left-back at international level but Robbie Keane has returned him to the left wing at Ferencvaros, while Ryan Manning has been a bit-part player at Southampton in the early weeks of the season and is seen by Hallgrimsson as an attacking player, anyway. Given the lack of options, what chance we might see an SOS to James McClean? The player would certainly be open to it.
Scales has covered the position at times for Celtic this season, while Doherty has been pitched into the role occasionally for Ireland. Regardless, with Brady absent, it’s an area of huge concern. Josh Honohan would be an option, of course, and he is now back to something resembling his best form for Shamrock Rovers. His failure to make an impression during the summer window may count against him this time around, however.
Josh Cullen’s goal-and-assist turn in Burnley’s 2-0 win over Sunderland was much heartier news, and he is a lock to start for Ireland. The ever-durable Jason Knight, meanwhile, has played every minute of Bristol City’s season thus far. Jayson Molumby should also come back into the picture, having been a regular thus far under Ryan Mason at West Brom. Jack Taylor will surely remain in said picture, as a regular presence for Ipswich.
Will Smallbone is currently injured, and though Southampton manager Will Still believes Smallbone will get some minutes under his belt before the international break, his lack of match sharpness will count him out of the starting team against Hungary, if not the squad.
Bosun Lawal was called in as cover for Ireland’s most recent game – the 0-0 draw with Luxembourg you’ve already forgotten – and has been playing regularly at Stoke, albeit largely at centre-back. John Patrick Finn is highly unlikely to make the squad again today having managed all of 22 minutes for Reims in the French second division this season.
Killian Phillips and Mark Sykes have made more persuasive cases for their inclusion, playing regularly for St Mirren and Bristol City respectively. Jamie McGrath, meanwhile, has not made an impression under Hallgrimsson but has played the bulk of Hibernian’s minutes in league and Europe this season.
The forward line arguably provides most positivity at all. Finn Azaz is a key creator for Ireland, and he has happily returned to fitness and form for Middlesbrough, scoring in Saturday’s win over Norwich.
Ipswich duo Chiedozie Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics are meanwhile back to fitness and available for Ireland for the first time this year, while Mikey Johnston has shown no lingering disappointment to the collapse of his move to Flamengo, scoring for West Brom in their 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at the weekend. Festy Ebosele, meanwhile, is finding more game time at Istanbul Basaksehir, so such is Ireland’s depth in these positions that their most recent goalscorer, Kasey McAteer, is under pressure to retain his spot in the squad, given his relative lack of league minutes having just moved to Ipswich from Leicester.
In perhaps the most encouraging news of all, Evan Ferguson looked sharp on his full debut for Roma last Saturday, with his energy and defensive contributions praised by his new boss, Gian Piero Gasperini. Troy Parrott, meanwhile, cannot stop scoring: he has 10 goals in seven games so far this season. Adam Idah is enduring a more difficult start to the season at Celtic, but he has undoubted quality of a kind Ireland have rarely been able to hold in reserve. Not so this month.
Given this elision of form and quality, all of Tom Cannon, Callum Robinson, Sinclair Armstrong and Rocco Vata are likely to be looking on from a distance when the Ireland squad gathers at the end of the week.
While Brady’s likely absence is a significant blow, Ireland have plenty of reasons to approach next week with hope, if not outright optimism.
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