05-05-2025
Hallgrimsson target recognised in latest ranking as ever-present run continues
Ireland Under-21 defender Anselmo Garcia MacNulty has followed up his chat with Heimir Hallgrímsson by making the latest ESPN Eredivisie Team of the Week.
The Seville-born youngster featured in PEC Zwolle's 3-1 win away to NAC Breda on Sunday, where his performance earned him a place at centre-back in the weekly-11.
It's not MacNulty's first time featuring in the Team of the Week, but this one comes fresh from a meeting with senior boss Hallgrímsson, who watched the 22-year-old play against Feyenoord late last month.
PEC lost that one 4-0, but MacNulty's performance in front of the Boys in Green boss had plenty of positives.
He is back in his more familiar centre-back role this season after spending last year as a left-back - an area that has been problematic for Ireland for some time now.
Hallgrímsson will later this month name a squad for the summer friendlies against Luxembourg and Senegal.
The Ireland manager has already stated that Championship players will be disadvantaged by their regular season ending last weekend.
The Dutch top-flight will continue into the middle of this month, with Zwolle facing Go Ahead Eagles, Willem II and FC Groningen in their remaining games.
So it represents an opportunity for MacNulty, whose mum Maeve hails from Kilmaley in Co Clare, to secure a first senior call-up.
He will also hope to finish the season with maximum minutes on the pitch. The former Real Betis and VfL Wolfsburg prospect is currently one of only two ever-present outfield players in the Eredivisie this season, having played every moment of PEC Zwolle's 31 league games to date.
Go Ahead Eagles defender Mats Deijl is the other player to have not yet missed any action.
