QuoteConor Coventry in with a shout? Seems to have started well in Championship this season
With the Hungary game just over two weeks away I'd imagine we'll see Hallgrimsson's squad announcement early next week. It looks like it might actually be competitive to make the squad for once - Wikipedia suggests we've called up 46 players in the last year, and he tends to go with squads of just 23. There are a few injuries, but not too many, so there will be maybe a few surprise omissions here.
Goalkeeper looks fairly straightforward with Kelleher, Bazunu and Travers all currently fit. O'Leary is injured but probably wouldn't have been in anyway and Keeley will likely miss out despite his good form.
At right back Doherty looks a certain pick (although he claims he's a centre back these days) and Coleman as captain will presumably be in if fit.
Collins, O'Shea and O'Brien will be among the centre backs. That potentially leaves a few players chasing one other place, including Dunne, Abankwah, McGuinness, Scales and Omobamidele. Scales may get the nod here, meaning some decent players in McGuinness, Dunne and Omobamidele may miss out.
Left back looks more straightforward with Brady out, O'Dowda and Manning appear to be the only realistic options unless a decision is taken to being McClean out of retirement. Honohan didn't feature in June so is unlikely to make the cut here.
In centre midfield Cullen and Knight will definitely be in. That would leave Taylor, Smallbone, Molumby, Finn, Coventry, McGrath, Phillips and Lawal battling for one or two remaining places. Not sure where Alan Browne is at these days. Taylor and Molumby to get in maybe, with the rest all missing out?
Azaz and Szmodics will likely be the attacking midfielders, with Moran out of sight in the US. Szmodics had an injury scare but it sounds like it's maybe not too bad.
On the wing it's competitive as well, with McAteer, Johnston, Ogbene, Ebosele, Sykes and Vata competing for maybe three places - the first three would be favourites there, but that would mean we wouldn't have the option to bring Festy on off the bench in either game.
That would leave room for three out and out strikers, which would likely be Parrott, Ferguson and Idah also squeezing in as a bench option despite his poor form.
So that would leave the squad as:
Kelleher, Bazunu, Travers
Coleman, Doherty, Collins, O'Shea, O'Brien, Scales, O'Dowda, Manning
Cullen, Knight, Molumby, Taylor
Ogbene, Johnston, McAteer, Azaz, Szmodics
Parrott, Ferguson, Idah
Last edited by Eirambler; 21/08/2025 at 6:12 PM.
Conor Coventry in with a shout? Seems to have started well in Championship this season
Its really not that complicated!!!
Yes, he has a small chance I think. A lot of similar options in centre midfield, with no absolute standout players there.
https://archive.ph/r1dAM
The Irish Times' take on the start of play here. If Ferguson starts the season well a topic of debate will be whether/how him, Parrott and Azaz can all be accommodated in the same starting 11. Or, given the poor form of the likes of Idah and Cannon, whether it makes sense to hold one of Parrott and Ferguson back as a bench option.
Not sure what to make of this one. It's so rare to have a forward coming into the window on great form (Sammie did it last year I guess, but was uncapped at the time - I'd rated Parrott higher, for right or for wrong). Kelleher at the other end - well Brentford are 1-0 up on Villa this afternoon so hopefully his season won't be quite as bad as it had the potential to be. If we've a bit of strength in nets and up front, we've always got a chance.
Hungary have only one twice in the last year, but in fairness they came third in the Nations League A group so they had tough games. Apart from being hammered in Germany and Holland they were unbeaten (which is a pretty big "Apart from"!) Kerkez has joined Szoboszlai at Liverpool but equally they've Callum Styles of WBA and Daniel Gazdag of Columbus Crew.
You have to worry about our midfield still, and indeed our full-back options. I know a draw isn't great for our qualification chances but I could see being happy with it. Not looking ahead to Armenia yet but they seem to have gone backwards since they beat us (one point from two games against the Faroes last year, though they still made it into a promotion playoff before getting stuffed 9-1 by Georgia).
It feels like we have a good few players in decent form at the start of the season - goalkeeper and defence should be strong enough with plenty of good options other than the usual weakness at left back.
If Ferguson can show any bit of form we look in good shape in attack as well - Parrott, Azaz and Johnston are all going well too.
Cullen seems to have started the season very well in midfield, Knight will give the usual 100% effort, below them it's more quantity than quality alright.
But overall I'd say we look in the best shape we've been in for seven or eight years, probably right back to just before the wheels came off for O'Neill.
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