IT’LL be a while before COVID stops being mentioned at Republic of Ireland press conferences, while manager Stephen Kenny fielded more questions about the players who weren’t named in his 25-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers than those who will take part.
In a rare face-to-face, socially distanced press conference, the Ireland manager was queried about the respective futures of goalkeeper Darren Randolph and Ciaran Clark both of whom did not make the cut for next month’s triple header against Portugal (a), Azerbaijan (h) and Serbia (h).
The out-of-favour West Ham United ‘keeper Randolph, capped 50 times, missed the end of season get-together in Spain with the Irish squad citing an ongoing hip problem.
In Randolph’s absence, Man City’s Gavin Bazunu, currently on-loan at Portsmouth, has pushed his way into the number one spot – and with the Irish facing an uphill struggle to qualify for next summer’s World Cup, there is significant doubts over the 34-year-old's international future.
But Kenny insisted there were no retirement bells ringing for any of those who were left out of the squad.
“Darren started preseason and then he had COVID himself and missed the first few weeks,” Kenny explained to a small number of reporters at the FAI’s Abbotstown headquarters.
“He is back training and, ideally, I think Darren wants first team football - I think that would be great for him - just to go and play.
“The other three goalkeepers [Bazunu, Caoimhin Kelleher and Mark Travers] have done really well; they have all been in good form so that was the decision that was made on that front."
In the previous two qualification campaigns Randolph was one of the few outstanding players – but his days as Ireland’s number one look numbered.
Kenny added: “Listen, he has been an excellent goalkeeper for Ireland, 50 caps and has done really well. Darren just needs to get an extended period of training and play games again and I am sure he will come back into contention again."
Asked if Randolph was considering retirement, Kenny replied: “Definitely not.”
Clark’s absence was more to do with the manager’s personal preferences for the central defensive berths.
Kenny wasn’t swayed by watching Clark in Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out loss to Burnley on Wednesday night and has instead opted for new boy Nathan Collins who had a fine game in the same game for the visitors to St James’s Park.
Dara O’Shea, John Egan and Shane Duffy are jockeying for central defensive berths while Matt Doherty can slot into the role if required, with Collins as a back-up option.
“The centre backs all did very, very well in the June window. They were all exceptional and then we added Nathan Collins to that because we think he has terrific potential, Nathan - really, really has a lot of potential, so that was the decision we made.”
COVID has ruled Callum Robinson out of the Portugal clash in Faro next Wednesday night. The West Brom striker, who has contracted the virus for a second time in a year, might return for the home games against Azerbaijan and Serbia as his quarantine period ends the day before the Irish take on the group leaders Portugal.
Yesterday’s press briefing felt like Groundhog Day with Alan Browne another COVID absentee.
The Preston NE midfielder was deemed a close contact of a positive case and while he’s struggling with injury, his international manager is still hopeful he can play some part in next week’s home qualifiers against Azerbaijan (Saturday, September 4) and Serbia (Tuesday September 7).
“Alan Browne was a potential starter against Portugal, to be honest, but he is a close contact, so he wasn't involved in Preston's games last Wednesday or Saturday, but he also has some kind of injury around his hip.
"So, the situation is that he is not available for the first game against Portugal but we are exploring bringing him in for examination into Dublin for the next two games.”
Enda Stevens, Callum O’Dowda, Jason Knight and Cheidozie Ogbene are all ruled out due to injury but there are returns for Brighton striker Aaron Connolly and Newcastle’s Jeff Hendrick who both missed the Spanish camp.
Kenny’s midfield would appear an area of concern with Harry Arter and Jason Molumbay playing reserve team football at Nottingham Forest and Brighton, respectively.
Injury-plagued Robbie Brady is another notable absentee and is on the look-out for a new club with Celtic believed to be interested in signing the Euro 2016 star.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Portsmouth, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City), Nathan Collins (Burnley).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle United), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Harry Arter (Nottingham Forest), Jamie McGrath (St. Mirren), Jayson Molumby (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Attackers: Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), James Collins (Cardiff City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Troy Parrott (MK Dons, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Shane Long (Southampton), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth).
