Potential Rep of Ireland Squad for Bulgaria Matches.
Ahead of The Republic of Ireland’s World Cup Qualifying campaign which gets underway in September, Heimir Hallgrimsson’s team have the small matter of their UEFA Nations League Relegation Play-Off against Bulgaria to deal with on the 20th and the 23rd of March.
These Play-Off games are vitally important for Heimir Hallgrimsson’s team as they look to keep their League B status for the next Nations League. The games are equally important for the manager as he continues to develop in his role as national team boss. The games against Bulgaria will be the Icelandic manager’s 7th and 8th games in charge of the Republic of Ireland’s Men’s National team since his appointment in July 2024.
Ahead of the games, I will look at the options available to the manager, as well as look at players trying to force their way into the manager’s plans as the team moves forward.
Options in Goals
The goalkeeper position is an area where the manager appears to have a plethora of options to choose from in the short and long term. Gavin Bazunu has returned from injury and is back playing on a regular basis on loan at Belgian side Standard Liege from Premier League side Southampton.
Bazunu was the nation’s No 1 for a prolonged spell under Stephen Kenny but injuries have seen his place taken by Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Kelleher has been solid for Ireland since Hallgrimsson’s arrival, so it will be interesting to see who the manager sees as his main keeper for these two matches.
What will he do in Defence?
It will be interesting to see what the manager does in defence moving forward into these Play-Off games, as well as the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. Will he use a three-man defence with wing backs, or will he revert to a flat back four like he has in his most recent games as Irish boss. The Irish side has plenty of centre backs to choose from, with the likes of Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea and Jake O’ Brien all playing regular first team football in the Premier League.
O’ Shea and O’ Brien are also capable of playing right back if the manager goes with a back four. Matt Doherty is another one who has forced his way into the manager’s plans at Wolves and become a first team regular again under club boss Vitor Pereira. The 33-year-old has been playing as a right sided centre back at Wolves but is equally adept at covering both full back positions.
Midfield Choices
Should the Irish manager decide to use a 4-2-3-1 formation moving forward he has quite a few possibilities to choose from in the midfield area. Josh Cullen has been a mainstay in the Irish midfield for a long time and has been a major part once more in Burnley’s quest to return to the Premier League this season.
Who might partner him in midfield is a big question for the manager. Andrew Moran has made 36 appearances for Stoke City this campaign and will add guile and creativity to Ireland’s midfield if selected. The same can be said of Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz, who has the second most assists of any player in this season’s Championship with 10. Jason Knight will certainly be one of the main options in midfield also. He has made 35 League appearances for Bristol City and is now the team captain at Ashton Gate.
Jack Taylor may have mostly featured off the bench for Ipswich this year, but he has still made 21 appearances in the Premier League and should be an option for Hallgrimsson.
The games are equally important for the manager as he continues to develop in his role as national team boss.
What About Up Front?
Whether the manager goes with one up top or two, we can be sure that Adam Idah, Troy Parrott, Sammie Szmodics and Evan Ferguson will be in the squad, fitness permitting. Idah has scored 13 goals for Celtic this season so far, including 3 in the Champions League, while Parrott has 17 in all competitions for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, including 12 in the Eredivisie.
Szmodics has had a mixed season in terms of injury with Ipswich this season but has impressed in a green shirt during his 10 caps to date. Ferguson has joined West Ham to regain his form and fitness after injury but has only featured off the bench so far for Graham Potter’s team, so has work to do to justify his selection against Bulgaria.
Potential Squad for Nations League Play-Offs (23)
- Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher, Gavin Bazunu, Mark Travers.
- Defenders: Nathan Collins, Dara O’ Shea, Jake O’ Brien, Matt Doherty, Callum O’ Dowda, Robbie Brady, Luke McNally, Liam Scales.
- Midfielders: Josh Cullen, Jason Knight, Jack Taylor, Finn Azaz, Mikey Johnston, Andrew Moran, Will Smallbone.
- Forwards: Evan Ferguson, Sammie Szmodics, Adam Idah, Troy Parrott, Tom Cannon.
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Liam Lacey
Liam is a sportswriter from County Laois in Ireland who specializes in delivering content on GAA and Football matters (though he does see himself as somewhat of a tennis aficionado also!). Liam has written about All Ireland Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships, Premier League, Champions League and International Football offering expert opinion and match previews and predictions. Occasionally even getting some right!