SEAMUS COLEMAN WILL miss tomorrow’s Uefa Nations League meeting with Ukraine with a groin problem, with manager Stephen Kenny saying it is “too early to tell” whether his captain will be ruled out of the remaining games of this June international window against Scotland and away to Ukraine.
Coleman was substituted with 10 minutes remaining of Ireland’s loss in Armenia on Saturday, with Cyrus Christie his most likely replacement tomorrow night. Chiedozie Ogbene and Festy Ebosele are alternative options.
Gavin Bazunu misses out too, as he has left camp having fractured a rib. He has been replaced in the squad by James Talbot, with his call-up meaning Friday’s League of Ireland meeting of Bohemians and Finn Harps has been postponed. Caoimhín Kelleher will continue in goal in Bazunu’s absence, for what will be his competitive appearance at the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland need to get their campaign back on track tomorrow night as they bid to live up to their manager’s ambition to top the group. In spite of the underperformance against in Yerevan, Kenny says he will not make drastic changes to his starting line-up.
“We wouldn’t expect wholesale changes”, said Kenny at his pre-game press conference. “I see your point there is an advantage that someone who has played a match should be that much sharper, and the four-day turnaround is not too drastic, as opposed to between Wednesday and Saturday, although we did have the travel in between. I wouldn’t say there will be drastic changes after that.”
There won’t be any big addition to the squad either, with Kenny praising Will Smallbone’s contribution to the Irish U21s by adding that the Southampton playmaker will be part of the U21s squad who play Italy in Ascoli on Tuesday week.
“I would love to see him get a run of games because he definitely was exceptional yesterday”, said Kenny. “It was great to see that, he will obviously go and play in Italy next week for the U21s but he definitely has a future with the senior international team if he continues in that vein of form.”
Kenny won’t be throwing out his back-three system tomorrow night, giving the distinct impression today that Plan B is to make Plan A better.
“I don’t think I can look at the game against Armenia and say what we did wrong and then if we rectify that against Ukraine, as it is a different set of circumstances.
“Listen, we had enough chances to win the game itself. The first goal is obviously critical. We seen that in Azerbaijan, getting an early goal and winning 3-0. Luxembourg, getting a goal and winning 3-0. We had chances to score, several in the first half, obviously we had chances in the second half although they weren’t as clear cut, but we still had chances.
“We weren’t creative enough in that last half hour, for sure. They defended well against us and we only have ourselves to blame in that regard.
“But it is a game that we should have won. We should not have lost.”
Kenny said previously that the visit of Ukraine to Dublin would be remembered in 50 years, given the obvious backdrop to the game.
“The Ukrainian players, and the coaches, and all the staff, have been great ambassadors for their country amidst the chaos of their lives and their compatriots really, and the thousands who have lost their lives”, he said today.
“By continuing to play, they are keeping it at the forefront of whatever country they’re playing, within the media, within the European media because obviously there are features across Europe on the Ukrainian team and their contribution and how they played so forth in the games and it keeps the discussion very much in the news.”