Hallgrimsson warns Ireland's Spain trip will be no holiday camp

Sammie Szmodics, Robbie Brady, Jack Taylor and Harvey Vale were unavailable for selection due to injuries while the Ireland boss has a winter training camp in mind for League of Ireland players

Heimir Hallgrímsson: "It's not like a hee-haw camp, where we just come in and enjoy ourselves." Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Scope to unleash iron shots up the lush La Finca golf fairways and take a dip in the Mediterranean will be available to Ireland’s squad next week but Heimir Hallgrimsson is prioritising a training camp over a holiday camp.

“It's not like a hee-haw camp, where we just come in and enjoy ourselves,” the Icelander stressed about a trip to Spain that begins tomorrow and concludes with Saturday week’s friendly against Grenada.

“We want to work on the things that we would like to improve in. And that's why it's important to have experienced players as well. Not only new faces.” 

Only seven members of the squad that lost the World Cup playoff to Czechia six weeks ago are included, creating space for a flood of newcomers.

Nine of the 21 players are uncapped, with this occasion being the first senior call-up for nine. Another player will be added ahead of Thursday’s departure to Alicante.

While the FAI indicated an entirely different selection will be picked for the two other friendlies, at home to Qatar on May 28 and away to Canada on June 4, it now seems a degree of overlap will occur.

Dara O’Shea, for instance, has seen his status as first-choice centre-back solidified by another stellar season. He played every minute of Ipswich Town’s 46 Championship games as they engineered an immediate return to the Premier League.

His clubmate Chiedozie Ogbene is another likely to be retained when the manager chooses his second squad straight after the workout against Grenada.

Midfielders Jayson Molumby and Jason Knight, barring injuries, should also stick around for the full post-season programme. Despite there being no World Cup to prepare for, motivation to stay involved for continuity purposes remains.

“I know how players feel after a long, hard season because they’re like 'off',” admitted the manager.

“But we want to see the characters of players that come in.

“Are they willing to push? Are they willing to step up? Are they willing to have good daily habits even though it's off-season for them?

“If they come in right after a season, do this week and then they're off before the next matches (against Qatar and Canada), then I think it's both mentally and physically the correct way to go.

“We're thinking about the players here.” 

Sammie Szmodics, Robbie Brady, Jack Taylor and Harvey Vale weren’t considered due to injuries while Alan Browne, John Egan and Will Smallbone are engaged in Championship playoff action over the next couple of weeks.

No League of Ireland representation has again caused a frisson of outrage but Hallgrimsson, whose contract extension runs until the Euro 2028 finals Ireland are co-hosting, has another gathering in mind.

He wants to use the domestic off-season next January to arrange a winter training camp. Although Stephen Bradley, manager of champions Shamrock Rovers, has been critical of communication around this concept, the Icelander is determined to proceed.

“It would have been nice but we would be interrupting the league,” he said, citing the LOI league programme for overlooking the likes of Victor Ozhianvuna, Matt Healy and Dawson Devoy for this trip.

“It would be unfair on some coaches to make the decision to play without probably their best player. If they are good enough they will be picked at some point.

“My answer to that one is we are thinking about a camp for mostly LOI players in January.

“That will be the next step, integrating them into the national team by making a platform for these players.

“We must be careful with our budget but there’s positive talks with the FAI and it's just a case of picking the correct time to go and finding opponents too.

“Sometimes doing something different takes time and I accept that.

“Given the LOI calendar, this makes sense to me. That’s the reason why all the nations with the same calendar are doing it. They try to expedite players who they think have potential to become national team players.

“Being in a summer league isn’t all negative because it gives advantages. This is, for me, one of them. People might disagree with me but this is my belief.

“Because it’s not a FIFA window, so all clubs can deny their players to be there. That's their right. They obviously have a right to their opinion if it's a clever thing to do, or a silly thing to do.”