Stoke boss Robins insists Bosun Lawal likely to get Ireland call-up despite injury

The 22-year-old is an option to fill the Josh Cullen-sized void in the Irish midfield.

Republic of Ireland’s Bosun Lawal. Pic: Jim Coughlan/Inpho

Stoke City manager Mark Robins has insisted that Bosun Lawal is likely to be called up by the Republic of Ireland for the World Cup play-off against Czechia in Prague later this month.

Lawal is approaching a return from a hamstring injury and the 22-year-old is an option to fill the Josh Cullen-sized void in Heimir Hallgrimsson's Irish midfield.

The Stoke boss has some reservations about the versatile defender/midfielder being rushed back to action, and is eager to ensure he is available through to the end of the Championship season. 

Although uncapped at senior level, former Celtic man Lawal has garnered much attention and is now likely to be named in Hallgrimsson's squad when announced on March 19, and may well find himself as the midfield anchor in Prague six days later.

“I’m hopeful that I’ll get some, maybe a small number, back today for training," Robins said, while giving a fitness update on Lawal and England under-21 striker Divin Mubaya. "The others are going to be, I think, after the international break.

“In the case of Divin and Bosun Lawal, in my opinion they are close but not quite close enough, Divin possibly a little bit closer than Bosun. We’ve got an international period coming up and the likelihood is they will both get called up. That isn’t ideal for us, certainly in Bosun’s case. We’ve got to wait and see what happens there.

“I say he’s close but he’s still not fit and Bosun is a big, big man. He’s going to need some work to help him stay fit for the rest of the season. From my point of view I’d like him to be here and work through the international break. We’ll see.”