Heimir Hallgrímsson watches on as Troy Parrott scores hat-trick in AZ Alkmaar's annihilation of Ajax

HAT-TRICK HERO, AGAIN: Troy Parrott celebrates during the Dutch KNVB Beker match between AZ Alkmaar and Ajax. Pic: Marcel Bonte/Soccrates/Getty Images.

Heimir Hallgrímsson was in the Netherlands to watch Troy Parrott score a hat-trick in AZ Alkmaar's 6-0 KNVB Cup stroll over Ajax, bringing his tally to 24 for the season.

Ireland’s manager and new hero hadn’t seen each other since November, on the famous day Parrott’s hat-trick led Ireland to a World Cup playoff clinching win over Hungary.

A Christmas break of schedule allowed Parrott to join his family in Dublin for the festive period and after returning for Saturday’s Eredivisie win over Volendam, he resumed his scoring form against the nation’s most famous club.

Parrott grabbed AZ Akmaar’s opener after just two minutes, pouncing on a rebound when goalkeeper Vítězslav Jaroš, the Liverpool loanee, could only parry a shot from the edge of the box.

His second, to double the lead on 33 minutes, illustrated a different aspect of the 23-year-old’s attributes, as he latched onto a long pass upfield by goalkeeper Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro, brushed off his marker before firing a shot past the stopper who spent a season at loan at St Patrick’s Athletic.

Two more second half goals by Kees Smit and Peer Koopmeiners consolidated AZ’s place in the quarter-final before Parrott completed his hat-trick 10 minutes from full-time and Ibrahm Sadiq completed the scoring late on.

Hallgrímsson’s scouting duties for the playoff in Czechia on March 26 takes him to Southampton on Saturday. The Saints will have Ryan Manning and Finn Azaz in their ranks against a Hull City side featuring Corkman John Egan.