Ireland star Evan Ferguson ruled out until October but Jaden Umeh set for second cap

BLIGHTED: Evan Ferguson of AS Roma is injured during the Serie A match in January. Picture: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

While the status of where and if Ireland play their autumn Nations League games remain up in the air, Heimir Hallgrimsson already knows he’ll be without one of his leading men.

The Ireland manager has revealed that Evan Ferguson’s ankle injury is worse than first feared with the Brighton and Hove Albion striker now expected to be out until October.

Ferguson hasn’t played since January 22 and returned to Brighton from his loan move to Roma shortly afterwards. He underwent surgery on his left ankle in March. At that time there was initial speculation as to whether Ferguson could return in time for the World Cup, had Ireland made it through the playoffs.

However, ahead of Ireland’s friendly clash with tournament co-hosts Canada in Montreal Friday night, Hallgrimsson said that the issue was more complicated than it initially looked and the 21-year-old will be sidelined for upwards of seven months with the injury.

Asked whether Ferguson would be ready for pre-season with his Premier League side, Hallgrimsson immediately poured cold water on things.

“No, I don’t think so,” said the manager. “I spoke to him last time two or three weeks ago, and it was more damage than the doctor thought in the beginning. So probably now he [will be] fully fit sometime in September or October but you never know. Hopefully it will be sooner.” 

BLIGHTED

Ferguson has been blighted by ankle injuries for some time, slowing what had been a meteoric rise for the former Bohemians man. While he has scored eight times in his 26 caps for Ireland, Ferguson is now being advised to take extra time this time around in the hope that he can truly solve the issue.

“I think for him and everyone, it would be wise to take this slowly and just leave it in the past instead of trying to rush it,” added Hallgrimsson.

Ireland trained at Stade Saputo on Thursday morning with a full complement of players by the end of the session. Winger Jaden Umeh joined his teammates mid-way through having rushed across town from sitting his Leaving Cert at the team’s downtown hotel.

Despite the demands of his exam schedule, with English Paper II on his schedule Thursday, the 18-year-old Benfica prospect has made a huge impression during the camp here this week. Having made his debut against Qatar last Thursday, a second cap looks highly likely against Jesse Marsch’s Canada.

Jaden Umeh with family at the Aviva Stadium. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“Everyone is fit, ready,” said Hallgrimsson. “The only player not at training is Jaden Umeh. Hopefully he will come later in the training session. When [his exam] is finished. 

"Some of the other lads find it strange to have a birth year this late in the group but [Jaden’s] been really, really good. 

He needs to take three exams during the camp, two of them in the middle of the night, this one in the morning.

“It needs to be in the same time as in Ireland. It is what it is. Being young comes with certain things as well. This is one of them and we encouraged him to do the exams, not skipping them.”