Talking points: Hallgrímsson's future more certain and Parrott likely to be in demand
No that long ago, Heimir Hallgrímsson seemed doomed as Ireland manager. Now, a new contract looks likely. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
From last month speaking the language of a manager whose days seemed to be numbered, a week for the ages has wrapped a blanket of security around Heimir Hallgrímsson.
He’s the man that empowered his team to believe but moreover trusted their capabilities to recover from a static start to the campaign. Hallgrímsson’s contract is linked to Ireland’s involvement in the World Cup qualifying campaign and his reign might have ended after this 16th game if his team were unable to build upon Thursday’s triumph over Portugal. It would have been interesting to see what attitude the FAI would have taken had the game finished 2-2 and Ireland in third spot. Arguments for an extension were made on the back of Thursday but the fear of a barren 2026 may have persuaded them to headhunt a box-office Irish name like Roy Keane or Damien Duff. That hypothetical situation has been removed and the probability is that a new deal will be hatched and signed before the playoff in March.
Netherlands would be considered neverland for some Irish players but Parrott opted for the continent when a series of loan moves from Tottenham Hotspur yielded mixed results. Excelsior provided the platform to flourish and from there a permanent move to fellow Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar for €8m materialised last year.
His prolific form has continued this year, reaching double-figures by August and he’s got a Conference League encounter against Shelbourne on Thursday week to tackle. Parrott’s five goals in two qualifiers against teams of Portugal and Hungary’s quality will undoubtedly arouse interest from bigger suitors in bigger leagues around Europe. He was linked with a move to newly-promoted Leeds United in the summer but there’s serious interest from Bundesliga powerhouses. That the 23-year-old has a couple of years already out of his comfort zone will broaden the fanclub when the transfer windows open. The next one is on January 1 and the Dutch club are bound to be tempted by eight-figure offers from suitors.
A player of the Corkman’s calibre is worthy of the World Cup stage and he played a major role in ensuring Ireland are in the mix for the tournament heading into 2026. He was far busier than the Portugal test, forced into a succession of saves by the Hungarians on their home patch. Two stops in particular stood out. Both were either side of Ireland’s equaliser, the first him turning over a stinging shot from the left by Roland Sallai. His former Liverpool teammate Dominik Szoboszlai also attempted to squeeze the ball past him from the opposite side with five minutes left but he covered the angle brilliantly to get his palm to the crisp strike. On Kelleher’s last visit to Budapest with Ireland, he was back-up to Gavin Bazunu and received his debut as a second half substitute. His status as Ireland’s No 1 under this regime is absolute and it's clear to see the benefits he’s accruing from being an established first-choice since moving to Brentford. Ireland are in safe hands.
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