HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON is hoping to unearth some rough diamonds as he once again casts the net wide. On Saturday, Hallgrímsson handed out first caps to seven players against Grenada with one of them, Jack Moylan, grabbing the headlines with a hat-trick. But the only three players involved in the Murcia match who have been named in the squad for matches against Qatar and Canada are James Abankwah, Jayson Molumby – who will be involved only in the first game – and Chiedozie Ogbene. And ten
of the others in the 24-man panel are uncapped meaning there will be many more debuts to come over the next three weeks. They range from 18-year-old Adam Brennan who, until February, had only played in the First Division to Corrie Ndaba, 26, who won his last Ireland cap a decade ago but has lined out against Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli this term. On the Shamrock Rovers wing-back, Hallgrímsson said: “First of all, he ticks all the boxes in our identity. “He is a
hard-working kid, he has good speed, both ways, he is good running back and defending. “He has this ‘no fear’ element in him. He would just go out and every player, it doesn’t matter how old or experienced they are, he would try his luck. “He’s very direct. He ticks in so many boxes. We would like to see him from a player in that position. And young as well. So if we can help him grow, fantastic.” On the Lecce defender, he said: “He
has a good left foot, good speed. It’s a strange situation at his club, he is playing against the best teams but not the lesser teams. “When they play three at the back, he is playing on the left. He can play both, centre-back position, and left wing-back or full-back. It will be interesting to see him. “We are probably trying him in both, just looking at him in individual training, see where his strengths and weaknesses are. “I haven’t spoken to him at all.
We are just interested to see where his level is. He’s had a strange path, it is unusual, we’ve had now Jack Moylan who had a similar kind of strange path. Now all of a sudden he is shining. “Milli Alli is another one, strange route, ended up in the national team. We just want to see all our options. These camps will give us the chance to look in the depth that we haven’t had before. We haven’t had it before. I hope players
say ‘I am here, you can’t not pick me from here on’. “When you have a chance to do a camp like this, all of a sudden you have a chance without the pressure of you need to win the game. You can look at players, you can work in peace and quiet with them. “It is just so valuable and new for us. I’ve been here for two years and never had a chance to do this. “Hopefully you can see from this game,
this guy is actually closer than you think. So, to have another four or five knocking on the door after the camp, that not only will bring depth in our squad, but it will put pressure on those normally who have been in the squad. “This is just thinking outside the box and trying to find this one jewel that we haven’t tried before. Hopefully we’ll have debutants to do well in the next camp.” Owen Elding will not make his debut as he continues
to wait for his Irish citizenship to be finalised but the Hibernian forward is going to train with the squad with Hallgrímsson excited to work with the ex-Sligo Rovers player. Hallgrímsson said: “He has had a brilliant season, absolutely brilliant season. I have seen that in a few games, some live. “What I have seen is his progression. “He has improved. He started playing a few minutes and then he increased. He has been a starter now. I don’t know where his ceiling is. But
he has really improved. He is really good.” Another former Bit O’ Red player will be there too with Séamus Coleman confirming on Friday he was leaving Everton to continue his playing career elsewhere, pleasing his international manager. He said: “We rate him highly. He is a big part of our plans going forward. He wants to play for Ireland. “Hopefully that is one of the key factors that he wants to continue playing, now he has decided not to be with Everton. He probably
isn’t feeling that he can get many minutes next season. “Anyone who would sign Séamus would have a fantastic player in all areas, like a leader, a motivator, a battery and a good player as well. I am just looking forward to seeing where he ends up. “He definitely can play in the Premier League. If he can play against the best teams on an international level, he can play in the Premier League. But you should ask him, not me.” But he is anticipating
changes in the make-up of his squad before they assemble next week and some players who were omitted after playing against Grenada might be needed after all. He said: “We think it is important to give them the extended holiday that they need after a long season. If something happens, we know they are here. We know they are ready. “We know they want to come in again. That’s a good thing to have. We planned only Chieio and James to be in both camps.
Molumby is now in the camp as well because have uncertainty on some of the players.” They include the League of Ireland contingent but also, potentially, Southampton duo Finn Azaz and Ryan Manning, due to play in the Championship play-off final on Sunday. Hallgrímsson said: “We are announcing a squad now a week before we meet up. Things might happen in the meantime.”
Heimir Hallgrímsson, Ireland football, squad expansion, international friendlies, football recruitment