How Troy Parrott factor will influence Ireland v Czech Republic
Gavin Cummiskey
Ryan Manning deserves to start at left wing-back ahead of Robbie Brady. Manning has been exceptional for Southampton this season with six goals and three assists in the Championship while offering a lethal option from free-kicks. Brady has only registered 38 minutes for Preston North End since he limped out of Ireland’s friendly in Luxembourg last June. Considering Séamus Coleman and Chiedozie Ogbene have similar injury profiles, it feels too risky to start all three. The uncapped Bosun Lawal is set for a long international career but it would be a surprise to see him named ahead of Jason Knight as Josh Cullen’s replacement in midfield.
Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Séamus Coleman, Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Ryan Manning; Jayson Molumby, Jason Knight; Chiedozie Ogbene, Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott.
Ken Early
The formation will be 3-4-3 and six of these players pick themselves: Kelleher, O’Shea, Collins, O’Brien, Azaz and Parrott. It remains to pick one attacker, two central midfielders and the wing-backs.
Then you have to ask: do you believe in miracles? Not really . . . but then . . . what was Budapest? Can Séamus Coleman – with nine minutes of football since that day – really, seriously do it again? With the way this story has gone so far, he surely gets the chance to try. But can you expect Robbie Brady, with 38 minutes of football for Preston this season, to also do a Coleman? That’s asking too much. Ryan Manning, a regular for Southampton and an excellent performer when called upon in the qualifiers, should be the left wing-back.
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In central midfield, we know Heimir Hallgrímsson likes tall players. Last week, he mentioned how important height and size would be against the Czechs, who are a big side. The two tallest central midfielders in the squad are Bosun Lawal and Jack Taylor, but Stoke City manager Mark Robins has been screaming that Lawal is not fit enough to play this game. Assuming there is something to Robins’s complaints and he is not just sulking about Lawal’s call-up, I would go with Taylor and Alan Browne, who is not tall but is fully fit, is playing well for Middlesbrough, can score the odd goal and has 37 caps to Lawal’s zero.
That leaves the third player in the attacking line. Chiedozie Ogbene was usually that man in the qualifiers and his pace and strength have made him Ireland’s main out-ball. But he has hardly played since his injury in the Hungary game. How can he be sharp?
Harvey Vale is available now and his recent club form for QPR – scoring one goal and forcing another against Leicester, as well as creating another two against Portsmouth on the weekend – is better than Hallgrímsson’s other options. Physically, he is solid and technically, he looks a better footballer than Ogbene. It might seem crazy to give a young player their debut in a game of this importance, but given the alternatives, maybe the radical option here is also the sensible one.
Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Dara O’Shea, Nathan Collins, Jake O’Brien; Séamus Coleman, Alan Browne, Jack Taylor, Ryan Manning; Finn Azaz, Harvey Vale; Troy Parrott.
Kevin Kilbane
The only issue here is injuries. If Séamus Coleman and Chiedozie Ogbene are giving the manager the right messages in training, we have to go with them. We are light in midfield. This is nothing new. If Bosun Lawal had at least one cap or some minutes under his belt at Stoke City, we could have used his physicality. Jayson Molumby gives us a bit of steel alongside Jason Knight.
Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Séamus Coleman, Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Ryan Manning; Jason Knight, Jayson Molumby; Chiedozie Ogbene, Troy Parrott, Finn Azaz.
Malachy Clerkin
Heimir Hallgrímsson generally has two speeds when it comes to team selection – conservative at the outset, giving way to weaponised unpredictability as games progress. I expect him to start with the familiar five-at-the-back out of possession, with Séamus Coleman in from the start. I don’t think he can chance both Coleman and Robbie Brady coming off no minutes of football, so Ryan Manning will be down the left. Finn Azaz and Troy Parrott are nailed down in attack, so it’s three from five around the middle.
Jason Molumby and Jason Knight should fill two of those spots and maybe the last one goes to Sammie Szmodics? He has always played any time he’s been available to Hallgrímsson and could come in here ahead of Alan Browne, who the manager has never seemed to fancy.
As the game goes on, the likes of Ogbene, Idah and Brady will come into the reckoning. Hallgrímsson doesn’t mind handing out a debut in the white heat of battle – so Harvey Vale could be the wild-card.
Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Séamus Coleman, Dara O’Shea, Nathan Collins, Jake O’Brien, Ryan Manning; Jayson Molumby, Jason Knight, Sammie Szmodics; Finn Azaz, Troy Parrott.
Gordon Manning
Séamus Coleman might not have 90-plus minutes in the legs but for such a high-stakes game, his calming presence and leadership on the pitch could be crucial, especially in a nervy opening period.
In the middle of the field, Josh Cullen’s absence has created the biggest selection headache of all. Alan Browne could well prove to be the solution to that particular problem. Plus, he brings a goal-scoring threat, which is something Ireland have lacked from the middle of the pitch.
Over the last 60 games, stretching back to 2020, and despite going over a year without a call-up, Browne is Ireland’s highest-scoring central midfielder with four. He is a player with both pedigree and a point to prove. A decent combination.
Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Séamus Coleman, Dara O’Shea, Nathan Collins, Jake O’Brien, Ryan Manning; Chiedozie Ogbene, Jayson Molumby, Alan Browne, Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott
Mary Hannigan
You’d imagine about eight of Heimir Hallgrímsson’s team pick themselves at this stage. The only remaining questions involve Séamus Coleman’s fitness levels and who will replace the suspended Liam Scales and injured Josh Cullen.
He might not be getting much playing time this weather, but you’d definitely want Coleman and his wise auld head at the heart of this tussle, while the similarly battle-hardened Robbie Brady could be a temptation on the left. He’s only back from injury, though, so Ryan Manning would be the safer option.
Cullen’s replacement? Jason Knight or Jack Taylor, probably, although there’s been plenty of chat about Hallgrímsson opting for Bosun Lawal. We’ll go for Knight – so it’ll probably be Taylor or Lawal.
Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Séamus Coleman, Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Ryan Manning; Jason Knight, Jayson Molumby; Finn Azaz, Chiedozie Ogbene; Troy Parrott.
