Sick as a Parrott - Heimir Hallgrímsson outlines team news ahead of Senegal test

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

Heimir Hallgrímsson will make a decision on Troy Parrott's availability for Friday's friendly with Senegal after assessing the AZ Alkmaar striker's reaction to a full training session.
Illness meant that Parrott was confined to his hotel bedroom all day Wednesday.
However, the Dubliner felt well enough to take part in Thursday morning's final training session before the first ever meeting with the 2021 African Cup of Nations winners.
Parrott will be monitored between now and kick-off, with Hallgrímsson confirming: 'Troy has been sick, he was sick yesterday and stayed in his room, but he was feeling much better this morning, so he was the only concern we have.
'Everyone else is fit, everybody is ready and looking forward to it. It has been a positive environment this camp, sharp players, and we're really happy with the sessions up to now.'
Speaking ahead of Thursday's training in Abbotstown, the Ireland boss continued: 'He is going to train today, so let's see how he reacts to the session.
'And after the session we'll look at it again before we finally select the team.'
When it comes to his starting-11, Hallgrímsson is keeping his cards close to his chest. There are five uncapped players in his squad - including Shamrock Rovers defender Josh Honohan - and some of them could see action over the games against Senegal and Luxembourg after impressing in training.
'The purpose of bringing in the new players was just to see them and evaluate them, and they have been good both fitting in the group and pleasant to have them, and on training growing into what we are doing,' he said.
'Obviously in the beginning for some it is a big step, and we could sense they were nervous in the first training but after that, it's been really positive.'
As for their prospects of getting on the pitch, Hallgrímsson said: 'The purpose of having a look at them is to see if they are ready to play. Whether it will be tomorrow or against Luxembourg or not at all, we will wait and see.
'Like I said, we have been happy with the players coming in, how they have coped with the environment and getting on board the messages and wanting to learn,that is the most important thing. Their will to learn is huge.'
Hallgrímsson anticipates a 'massive' test against a physical and high-quality Senegal who haven't lost in open play in their last 22 games. In that period, there was a penalty shootout defeat to the Ivory Coast in January of last year in the African Cup of Nations.
Summing up Ireland's opponents, he said: 'If you look at their matches and how they play, massive physicality, I'd say not only speed but running power, they come at you again and again, they look for the space behind you.
'If you watch Afcon, against a team like Senegal they always need to play against a low block, so they are specialists in finding pockets to play into a run into, a third man running in, so we will be tested defensively, massively, in this game, if they play like they have done.
'In their last 22 games they haven't lost, amazing for a national team to play 22 games without losing, and then they lost to Algeria, before that again, nine games without losing.
'So they are a massive team. The first goal is important and that's another aspect of the game when we play them, and individual qualities, similar to Portugal, all players can hurt you so one-v-ones will be massively important.
'Everything happens a little bit quicker, when we need to defend and that's a good step, if we are ready for that it's a good preparation for Hungary and Portugal.
'It's a different kind of opponent, they are looking for spaces behind us and it doesn't happen that often in Europe, normally there are a few passes before the teams play behind us but that's one of the things we need to look at and improve.'