Heimir Hallgrímsson scours continent for June squad due to early Championship conclusion
NEW RECRUITS: Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and coach Fionn Prendergast with players during a visit to Knocklyon United MiWadi Football Camp in Dublin. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile.
England’s Championship is renowned for its relentless nature but the tier’s shuddering halt this weekend has convinced Heimir Hallgrímsson to scour the Continent for his June squad.
The Icelander believes the gap of almost five weeks from Sunday’s final fixtures to the double-header against Senegal and Luxembourg on June 6 and 10 is too much.
Hallgrímsson is writing off that cohort of his squad, only considering those from the Championship involved in the playoffs kicking off next week.
It means Tom Cannon (Sheffield United), Alan Browne (Sunderland), as well as Jason Knight and Sinclair Armstong (Bristol City) will be in the frame along with players from whichever team clinches the final fourth spot.
Middlesbrough’s Finn Azaz, so impressive in the March wins over Bulgaria, only has an outside chance of clinching sixth on the final day.
Whereas previous managers Giovanni Trapattoni, Mick McCarthy and Stephen Kenny arranged warm-weather training camps to maintain fitness of his idle players, a pair of extra friendlies planned from next week were abandoned when one of the opponents, from outside of Europe, cancelled.
All of these factors influenced Hallgrímsson to undertake a European trek last week across the Netherlands and France.
Troy Parrott of AZ Alkmaar has already become a favourite of the manager since he took charge last summer but defender Anselmo García MacNulty was watched in action for PEC Zwolle against Feyenoord. The Spanish-born defender was a mainstay of Ireland’s U21 team for the last two campaigns.
Another defender, Strasbourg regular Andrew Omobamidele, came under his gaze on the French leg of his tour.
Highly rated John Joe Patrick Finn didn’t feature for Stade Reims but like the others, the visit afforded an opportunity to meet and greet.
Their seasons running until May 18 boosts prospects of inclusion.
“Having watched the national team for a long time, the June camp has always been bad and difficult for us,” explained the manager who’d previously led Iceland and Jamaica.
“From the long Championship season with lots of games, two most weeks, these guys are probably carrying niggles here and there so need a break.
“To keep them fit for a month to play two games in June is always difficult. No matter how fit you are, your mind always goes into a holiday mode.”
Hallgrímsson's original plan was to use 40 players over four games in the last assessment in advance of the World Cup qualification sprint kicking off on September 6 against Hungary at Lansdowne Road.
Before they complete the four-team pool in the return match in Budapest on November 16, there’s home and away fixtures against top seeds Portugal and Armenia. First place guarantees a trip to the 2026 finals in USA, Mexico and Canada, with the runners-up entering a largest playoff series in tournament history.
His desired window cut in half, Hallgrímsson admits testing League of Ireland in the summer is less probable.
That said, harmonious relations with Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley have been reached after a public spat over the Ireland boss’s comments around Hoops players gaining a “career change” from their European strides.
“We had a chat over coffee,” explained the chief who included Bradley’s Cork native Josh Honohan in the provisional squad for the last window.
“I don’t think there was any issue between us. We just talked about things; I felt it went really well. We can help each other and that’s the way it should be.”
Hallgrímsson intends to speak with Séamus Coleman before deciding whether to issue a recall.
Since returning from injury, the full-back has featured on the bench at Everton without making an appearance, principally due to Jake O’Brien blocking his route.
With his contract expiring next month, and his 37th birthday approaching in October, the Irish boss would prefer to ascertain the intentions of the man he inherited as captain.
“It's always going to be Séamus that takes the next step on what he's going to do,” he explained about a delicate situation.
“Hopefully he will get some playing time now at the end of the season but his contract is finishing, so we'll first see what's going to happen.
“When you have an Irish player playing in his position, it's even a little bit weirder for me but it's really nice to see Jake coming in and doing as well as he has been doing.
“I need to give David Moyes a big-up for selecting and playing him. He's been so consistent and one of the reasons why Everton have been doing so well.”
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