REPUBLIC of Ireland striker Callum Robinson says there is not one discernible positive about playing games behind closed doors as he hopes to earn a recall to Stephen Kenny’s starting line-up in tomorrow night’s World Cup qualifier with Serbia in Belgrade.
The West Bromwich Albion man was ruled out of Ireland’s last five fixtures last October and November due to COVID-related issues but is in the shake-up again for the start of a new campaign.
Aaron Connolly is struggling with a rib injury while Shane Long, James Collins and Troy Parrott are other striking options for the manager.
With games being played in empty stadia for the best part of a year, Robinson can’t wait to have fans back.
“I can’t speak for everyone. Some lads might like it, less pressure, maybe the Gaffer can get his message across quicker. But it’s not for me.
“Hopefully fans will be appreciated a little bit more because we realise what it’s like without them. I’d say 90 percent of footballers would want the fans back in the stadium.
“It’s not the same without them. Scoring a goal or getting a massive result, Denmark away, for example [June 2019], and celebrating in front of your supporters - you remember those celebrations. So it is different. We need to get the fans back and hopefully we’ll be in the World Cup and the fans can be there.
“I don’t care what anyone says, you have that extra five per cent in you when the fans are there.”
Robinson, who has scored just one goal in 12 since making his international debut against Wales in the previous Nations League campaign, believes the amount of personnel changes the manager had to make from game to game last year because of COVID made it almost impossible to judge the team’s progress.
“There’s been too many changes in the team. Two or three changes now and again [is okay], but now with COVID the manager had to change four players, nine players, 10 players,” said the 26-year-old.
“By the time I was sitting on my couch watching the games, the whole team had changed. It’s hard enough to make those changes at club level, but at international level you know how tough it is.
“Hopefully everyone can stay COVID-free and we can keep the squad together this time.”
Caoimhín Kelleher, Conor Hourihane, Kevin Long and Callum O’Dowda were forced to withdraw for the games against Serbia and Luxembourg (Saturday), while Aaron Connolly and James McClean are carrying knocks.
Kenny added Darragh Lenihan of Blackburn Rovers and Conor Coventry of West Ham to the travelling party that touched down in Belgrade yesterday.
