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Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Comeback kid Robbie Brady hopes career renaissance takes him and Ireland all the way to the World Cup
When Robbie Brady ghosted between Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci and goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu to head home Wes Hoolahan's cross in the 85th minute of the Republic of Ireland's final group game at Euro 2016, everyone settled in for an epic international career. That was Brady's fifth goal from 26 caps. Currently, he has 10 goals from 70 appearances. Four days after scoring the winner against Italy in Lille, Brady converted a second-minute penalty against host nation France before a respectable 2-1 loss proved Ireland's last taste of major tournament football. The FAI duly named the former Manchester United youth star as their international player of the season – an award he received for the second time this week. READ MORE 'It shows how s**t you've all been if I'm winning this,' Brady informed his team-mates, to loud laughter. 'This one means a little bit more to me,' he added ahead of Ireland's friendly against Senegal at the Aviva Stadium on Friday. 'In 2016, I was a lot younger and playing really well at the time. Not that I expected to win then, because I was in a really good team, but I was in really good form. 'To come back now, after a little time out, the staff have helped me to get back to a level where I feel comfortable. I am playing some good football at the minute and really enjoying it, so it means a lot to me.' Now 33, the Dubliner's career had become a series of injury-stalled 'what if' moments. John O'Shea's decision to call on Brady in 2024, when he was interim Ireland manager, was a turning point. There are several reasons why Brady remains central to manager Heimir Hallgrímsson's plans. His goal and assist in a vital 2-1 defeat of Finland last year was a timely reminder of his ability. Ireland has had a shortage of left-backs for a generation, so that aspect is in his favour. His left foot is also quite the weapon for set-pieces, which adds further value to the Preston North End man. Robbie Brady heads home Ireland's winning goal against Italy in the Euro 2016 group game in Lille, France. Photograph: Carl Recine/Livepic/Reuters 'First of all, he is a good footballer,' said Hallgrímsson of Brady. 'But his experience, his knowledge, his character, his leadership skills – it is really important for us to have a player like him because we have such a young squad that is lacking the experience. We are really fortunate to have him.' After the 2020/21 season, Burnley cut Brady loose, which prompted the FAI to provide him with a fitness plan. Bournemouth revived his club career six month later, before he secured a move to Preston North End in 2022. He recently signed a contract extension at Deepdale. By 2023, however, his international career looked to be over when Stephen Kenny, the manager at the time, stopped calling him into camp. The friendly against Senegal, as well as next Tuesday's away match against Luxembourg, are tune-ups ahead of Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign. 'We know what it means to everybody,' said Brady. 'We know what a lift it will give the country, to go and qualify for a World Cup. [ Double header is perfect opportunity for Ireland trio of Parrott, Idah and Ferguson to hit the target Opens in new window ] 'And personally, it would be absolutely incredible to go and play in a World Cup. It will be full steam ahead now come September. Get ourselves in the best shape we can and be ready to go.' Brady accepts that the upcoming qualification campaign is his last chance to feature at another major tournament. 'There's no lying about it, I'm not getting any younger. But the team we have now, it's a physical, young team and it suited me to come in and play the role I've played. 'It's been great for me. We'll be looking forward to this tournament, we'll be looking to start well and hopefully qualify. But yeah, I'll be looking at this as probably the last [chance], there are no secrets about it.'
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
John O'Shea hoping new recruits can create competition ahead of World Cup qualifiers
John O'Shea is hoping for selection headaches and that the fringe players make their case for World Cup qualifying inclusion in the upcoming doubleheader against Senegal and Luxembourg. Heimir Hallgrimsson named an experimental squad, to a certain degree, for the end-of-season friendly internationals, leaving several key players out following a long season at club level. The two games, and the current international camp, are the last chance for the management to cast their eye over those on the periphery, as well as a few new editions to the squad with Josh Honohan from Shamrock Rovers, Stade de Reims' John Joe Patrick Finn, and Killian Phillips from St Mirren all included. Getting the balance right appears to be the approach to these two games with many players arriving into camp with varying levels of activity in recent weeks with club seasons ending, for some, up to five weeks ago. And the immediate aim is to get the team to peak for the first of the two games at Aviva Stadium on Friday night, which has seen the squad build the intensity within a more relaxed end-of-season style camp "Yeah, to a certain degree," said assistant coach, John O'Shea, when asked whether there was a more relaxed approach to the summer camp. "The test that Senegal will give us, and also Luxembourg away is not an easy game. So that's going to give us a different test. "First and foremost, Senegal, you can have a bit more relaxed atmosphere. Today was a more intense day in training, [then] we can relax a little bit more tomorrow in training in terms of the load. "But we've had to, because some lads are finishing at different timeframes over the last couple of weeks. You have to have that balance right of the training to make sure we're hopefully peaking for Friday evening." O'Shea admits that there is added scrutiny on the players' performances at training and going into the two games with a real focus on the squad that is going to take on the six-game qualifying campaign from September to November. And he is hoping that some players stand out from the crowd and really give the management dilemmas when it comes to nailing down the final contingent. "Without a doubt, that's always the perfect scenario that the manager and the staff have a difficult decision to make," said O'Shea. "First and foremost, it's always a difficult decision to pick a team. But then when you're picking the squad, you're saying to the boys now, players that are maybe not here, they're looking in thinking, oh, if he does well, if he comes on, if he does well. "But behind all that is the goal to qualify for a major tournament, the goal to have the reliability of knowing that if he gets injured, this guy done brilliant for us, we know he's ready to go. "Seeing that they're able to mix into the group, they know the scenario of the group in terms of what the coaching staff are looking for, what the management is looking for. "If someone really stands up and goes, right, I'm ready to go, it's a huge bonus." O'Shea offered his thoughts on some of the new arrivals and said that everyone has been impressed with their first involvement with the senior squad. "They've been impressive, plenty of good powerful running, good tackling, kind of intensity in training that they constantly bring, good characters," said O'Shea. "It's a little bit easier for Killian for example. John is settling in well but it's obviously a little bit different for him where he's coming in from France, but they've settled in brilliantly and like with any new players that come into the group, the players help them out as much as they can. "Josh Honohan, he's brilliant, he was having good battles with Festy Ebosele today and it was really good to see that he's able to compete and show what he's all about and that's what we want. "We want the players to come in and show that personality. And that's why they've been picked. And hopefully they'll get a chance to show that at some stage over the two games." Others have been involved before, and O'Shea is adamant that places are still up for grabs and the likes of Kasey McAteer can use this window to take his opportunity. "It was a difficult one at times for him (McAteer), but he finished the season very strong and he's looking at being really positive for next season, and to have an impact in these two games." Ireland have struggled in competitive fixtures at this time of year in recent campaigns, but the non-competitive aspect of this international window is allowing the management to build relationships and making stronger bonds throughout the squad as World Cup qualifying kicks in as soon as the new season starts. "Ultimately, it's for the coaching staff to have the time with the players to get to increase the relationship with the players, increase the bond with the players, to introduce one or two new players, all those little factors. "Yeah, it's awkward in the sense of the timing, it's different in the feeling of if these were qualifiers, the whole kind of reaction around it, but in the mindset, you have to build into what it can lead to qualifying for tournaments. "I think the bigger goal of qualifying for the World Cup in America, Canada, Mexico, that has to outweigh it. "If we get players to have an impact this week in the friendlies that suddenly help us qualify or score a goal to qualify for us for the World Cup, I think you'll say it was definitely worthwhile."
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Irish Times
Jason Knight glad to seize any Ireland opportunity despite long season
It can't be the easiest of tasks trying to sound full of the joys about international friendlies at the end of a long, wearying club season, but Jason Knight managed to achieve the feat in Abbotstown on Tuesday where the Republic of Ireland squad trained ahead of Friday's game against Senegal in Dublin and another away to Luxembourg next week. 'I could be in Albufeira,' the Bristol City captain smiled when it was put to him that sun, sea and sand might be a more attractive option than a training session on the outskirts of Blanchardstown at this time of year. 'But there's always time for holidays,' he said. 'These caps and these opportunities are golden and I'm trying to grab them as much as I can. This is the dream, this is where I want to be.' Little wonder he's in good form. While City's season ended in the misery of a 6-0 aggregate defeat by Sheffield United in the semi-finals of the playoffs for promotion to the Premier League, the 24-year-old Dubliner enjoyed an impressive campaign – one that earned him the club's player of the year award, and every other gong they had to offer. All of which has led to no end of chat about him attracting Premier League interest. He has nothing concrete to report on that front, but 'like anyone else, I'm ambitious, I want to play in the in the top division, but I'm relaxed about it as well,' he said. 'I've had a good season, I'm enjoying myself at Bristol.' READ MORE Assistant manager John O'Shea, sitting beside him, saluted the midfielder. 'He's new school with old school and it's a good school that he's from,' he said. 'I'm sure there are lots of people looking at him.' By then, O'Shea had to bat off questions about decidedly more solid transfer speculation in the form of Caoimhín Kelleher's later confirmed move from Liverpool to Brentford. 'It's not for us to to confirm anything,' he said, 'he was obviously at a very good club ... IS at a very good club,' he corrected himself, with a grin. Ireland assistant manager John O'Shea. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho 'We'd love our players to be playing, it's as simple as that,' he said of the prospect of Kelleher being a starter rather than an understudy from next season. 'He's proven the quality that he has every time he's been asked to go in as the number one for Liverpool, and he's shown that they haven't missed Alisson when he has been injured. The whole of Europe and the whole of world has seen what Caoimhín can do. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll get the benefit of it.' Evan Ferguson is another member of the Irish squad who could do with pastures news after his fruitless loan spell at West Ham from Brighton. 'No issues whatsoever,' said O'Shea of the 20-year-old's frame of mind when he joined up with the squad. 'You can't sit and sulk about it, and Evan hasn't. 'He was fantastic in training today. He showed real good strength, physicality, technical abilities that were never in doubt. He showed the type of player we know he is and hopefully he'll get the chance to show that in the next couple of games as well. And hopefully there'll be lots of good things to come.' O'Shea also doffed his cap to the squad's newcomers, Reims midfielder John Joe Patrick Finn, Leyton Orient goalkeeper Josh Keeley, Shamrock Rovers defender Josh Honohan and Killian Phillips, who spent the season just ended on loan from Crystal Palace at St Mirren. 'They've been impressive. Plenty of powerful running and good tackling, intensity, good characters. Josh Honohan has been brilliant. He had good battles with Festy Ebosele today, it's really good to see that he's able to compete and show what he's all about. And that's what we want. We want the players to come in and show that personality.' Knight, meanwhile, talked of the progress made by the younger members of the squad, most of them blooded by Stephen Kenny. 'We've matured since we were brought us in, there's probably seven, eight, nine, 10 of us who came in at the same time and now we have 20-plus caps. We want to do something with the national team, we want to get to the big tournaments, we want to be successful, all eyes are on the World Cup. But the performances have to back that up, we need to get the results as well.' Asked what pain barrier he was prepared to cross to play for club and country, Knight was clear enough. 'If the leg isn't off, I suppose.' Albufeira can wait.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
‘You can't sit and sulk about it' – John O'Shea backs Ireland striker Evan Ferguson to emerge from tough loan spell
John O'Shea says he has no fears about the state of mind of Evan Ferguson as he comes into the Ireland camp off the back of a disappointing spell in the Premier League. Ferguson had an unhappy stint on loan at West Ham from Brighton when he made just one start and failed to score, with his future at the Seagulls to be assessed ahead of the new term.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘It's not an easy thing for him to do' – John O'Shea backs Caoimhín Kelleher to blossom after Anfield exit
Ireland assistant manager John O'Shea is confident that the national team will reap the rewards of Caoimhín Kelleher's move away from Liverpool once his €21m switch to Premier League rivals Brentford is completed.
