‘If I am finished now, I can finish a happy man, knowing my kids saw me play and will remember'
For someone who was convinced he had 'missed the boat' when it came to a professional career abroad, after a series of unsuccessful trials in his teens, Dubliner Stephen Quinn has certainly turned out to be a survivor.
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Republic of Ireland's Izzy Atkinson departs Crystal Palace
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RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Nathan Collins Collins encouraged by 'solidness' in Republic of Ireland team
Nathan Collins is sensing growth within the Republic of Ireland squad as he hopes to sign off on the international window on a high, having experienced some lows around this period in the past. Friday's 1-1 draw with Senegal was encouraging, based on the performance and providing more minutes for newer faces in the green shirt. Kasey McAteer made his first start in the game and marked it with a goal, while Killian Phillips came off the bench for his debut. Bosun Lawal has been added to the squad for the game, and with no injury concerns after Josh Honohan overcame a knock, it gives Ireland the chance to experiment further this evening in Luxembourg. Collins is a young captain at 24 and has certainly had more bad times than good. He is happy to see some green shoots and knows there is the opportunity to build impetus going into the World Cup qualifiers in September. The Brentford defender wasn't involved in corresponding games last summer when there was an interim manager, but his overall feeling is a new platform is developing under Heimir Hallgrimsson. Collins said: "I just think there's a bit more of a base in the team now I think, just a bit of solidness in it. "I think last summer it was a bit up in the air regarding Ireland at the time. "Now the way the squad is, the way we have our manager here where everything is solidified, we're building our base, we're growing with that, and again we're just trying to keep creating momentum for us to get better. "Tuesday is going to be another tough challenge but it's another game for us to get better as a team and try to get another result to keep us going." The Dubliner is all too aware it is just small strides and winning matches against high-ranked opponents is what is required to deliver any chance of World Cup qualification. He has set sights on more improvements in Luxembourg, knowing the opposition may be at a slightly weaker level. "There were chances we conceded against Senegal where we could have defended better," Collins conceded. "We could have attacked the ball more. We could have been a bit more proactive and seen that game out. "I think if we want to get to that next stage, we have to see a game like that out. "I think we're definitely good enough. I think we're definitely good enough to go score another goal [in a game like that], but we're also good enough to not concede and not give them chances that we did concede, unfortunately. "They are little things we can grow on, and then there's loads of individual things as players, as defensive units, as attacking units, and we can grow a lot together. "But I think the take away from the last game is that if we can go and take our chances and go kill a game off, or if we can see a game out and just be solid, winning games like that will be massive come the World Cup." Such thought is a far cry to how 2024 finished for Ireland after a 5-0 humbling by England at Wembley. The game, against one of the best teams in the world, may have been a blessing in disguise according to Collins. This year has seen Ireland avoid defeat, albeit in easier fixtures. The pain of Wembley was something Collins has taken with him. "For me personally, it probably created a bit more of a hunger in me, especially a little hunger and desire to do better for Ireland," he admitted. "I think that one hurt a lot of people, I think it affected a lot of people, and it was probably nearly nice to have a little break away from everyone just to reset and get ready to go again. "Considering what happened, the hurt we felt, the dressing room after was not a nice place. "But for me it did definitely reset me to go and want to do better and improve for the next camp. It might have worked in a good way for us."
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Ireland newcomer set for first start in friendly against Luxembourg after impressing vs Senegal
KILLIAN Phillips is in line for his first Ireland start tomorrow night. The Crystal Palace midfielder - who had an impressive season-long loan at St Mirren - Advertisement 2 Heimir Hallgrimsson handed Phillips his debut on Friday against Senegal 2 Killian Phillips impressed at St. Mirren which earned him his debut And it appears as though the Dubliner will be rewarded for his display off the bench with a place in In a departure from the norm, Heimir Hallgrímsson allowed the media to stay for the entire eve-of-match training session. Usually, journalists, photographers and camera operators are allowed in for only the first 15 minutes meaning all they see is the warm-up. But he gave the green light for the media to stay for the full session and, as a result, saw a full 11 v 11 match after several drills. Advertisement Read more on Irish football And that gave an insight into the team Hallgrímsson is likely to pick for the final game of the season, mainly consisting of players wearing orange bibs. If that is the case, it would mean four changes from the team which drew with Senegal with Phillips, Liam Scales, Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott coming in for Ryan Manning, Dara O'Shea, Adam Idah and Jack Taylor. The team in organe had Caoimhín Kelleher behind a back four of Matt Doherty, Nathan Collins, Scales and Robbie Brady. The orange team had a midfield four of Kasey McAteer, Bosun Lawal, John Joe Patrick Finn and Will Smallbone and a forward pairing of Ferguson and Parrott. Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog After a water break, Josh Honohan was subbed in for Brady - and immediately floored Festy Ebosele with a firm challenge - with Josh Keely coming in for Kelleher. Max O'Leary was between the posts for the blue team with his back four comprising Jake O'Brien, Andrew Omobamidele, O'Shea and Manning. The 1% Club viewers in awe as 'genius' footballer wins £100k for charity - but would you have got final question right? The midfield quartet consisted of Ebosele, Phillips, Jason Knight and Andrew Moran with Taylor supporting Idah, as he did on Friday. But it would seem a reach for Lawal and Finn to start. Advertisement Lawal was only added to the squad at the weekend and started just one game for Stoke City in an injury-hit season, at right-back, in their final league fixture. As recently as Thursday, Hallgrímsson said Finn had 'to grow a little bit more as a player to be starting for Ireland. He's done well in training but we see he needs to improve in certain areas.' Therefore, it seems likely that it will be the team in orange bibs - bar the central midfield pairing - which will take the field against Luc Holtz's side. Phillips, 23, is a classic late developer. Having been overlooked by League of Ireland academies, he was still playing in the DDSL with Kilbarrack United before being signed by Drogheda United in 2020. Advertisement He had to wait until the following season to make the breakthrough at first-team level but his form resulted in a move to Palace in January 2022. He has yet to play for their first team but has gained considerable experience during loan spells with Shrewsbury Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Aberdeen and St Mirren. Of the five uncapped squad members - O'Leary, Keeley, Honohan, Finn and Lawal - the Bristol City keeper and versatile Shamrock Rovers player look most likely to win their first cap off the bench. IRELAND (probable): Kelleher (Brentford); Doherty (Wolves), Collins (Brentford), Scales (Celtic), Brady (Preston North End); McAteer (Leicester City), Phillips (Crystal Palace), Knight (Bristol City), Smallbone (Southampton); Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Ferguson (Brighton). Advertisement
