Christie looks a gem, but we need more

When Cyrus Christie was named as part of the Ireland squad for these fixtures, there were raised eyebrows and questions of ‘who?’ Much googling ensued.

The Derby defender showed here on his debut that he is a serious prospect. Eligible to play through his grandmother Mary, who grew up in Clontarf before moving to Coventry, Christie certainly has plenty of promise and could well develop into an excellent footballer.

But for all of that potential, his route to international football provides further proof — not that much was required — that there remains a desperate lack of depth to the options available to Martin O’Neill away from midfield.