Ogbene the stand-out performer in end of season games that extended Heimir’s options
Time on field not ideal for some of the LOI debutants
Ben Dorgan, Guest columnist
The international season for Heimir Hallgrimsson and his Republic of Ireland men’s squad has drawn to a close with the two end of season friendlies against Qatar and Canada - and what did we learn ahead of the Nations League games to come this autumn?
A 1-0 win in the Aviva followed by the spoils shared in Montreal concluded what was a frantic and emotional rollercoaster of a campaign for the Boys In Green.
In another life, the squad would be currently on an extended stay in North America following the Canada fixture, gearing up for the World Cup finals.
Though cruelly that wasn’t to be, these two fixtures did give us a short insight into what could lie ahead for the upcoming Nations League campaign with a mix of raw talent and experienced heads all on show over the last two weeks.
One name amongst the happiest in the camp is someone who’s been involved in the setup - and perhaps also a first name on the team sheet - for some time now.
Chiedozie Ogbene went through some injury hell this season, rarely seeing a consistent run of the pitch both during his loan with Sheffield United and with parent club Ipswich Town, with the latter’s season resulting in promotion to the Premier League.
The Cork man netted Ireland’s equaliser against the Canadians last weekend, a rebounded finish from Troy Parrott’s saved spot kick. A goal naturally will do a world of good for a player when you’ve had a season like Ogbene’s. But after maybe the toughest period in his club career, the last two fixtures showcase that he remains an integral part of this Irish squad and now as one of the more experienced players.
At 29, Cheo finds himself playing a different role in the camp while also solidifying a place in the starting team, exemplified when speaking earlier this week about his pride for fellow Cork man Jaden Umeh who made his international debut whilst also sitting his Leaving Cert.
Umeh also showed his glimpses of quality in both games and despite not yet making a senior appearance for Benfica, it wouldn’t shock many if he is included in the squads for the Nations League campaign.
A skillful and direct forward with a lot of promise, his ability was clear to see in both fixtures.
Another Ireland debutant over this window was Bohemians captain Dawson Devoy, who played the first-half in Montreal. I found that many on X (Twitter) were needlessly quick to get on his back in what was 45 minutes of football in a game that did not suit a midfielder of any quality, with the tactics from either side not so easy on the eye in that half.
Whether Devoy is to be seen again in the national colours will be revealed in the future, but to see a League of Ireland player start for the national side is something that should be regarded as way past a sympathy call up for our domestic league.
Elsewhere in the squad, more specifically the defensive operations, we again witnessed Heimir’s loyalty to the mainstays of his back five.
A generous number of minutes for Seamus Coleman, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Liam Scales and, despite an own goal to his name, Jake O’Brien reaffirmed that these are the figures likely to lead out from the back once more in Autumn.
Add the impressive introductions of Corrie Ndaba and James Abankwah to this and the defensive side of things is seemingly taking care of itself.
Overall, these were two good run-outs for the extended squad with international debut’s aplenty and perhaps that is the biggest talking point from both fixtures.
There is room for some gripe with the manner of the debuts handed to some players however. Looking specifically at Joe Hodge, Kian Leavy and Adam Brennan for example who were all introduced to the fray in an Ireland shirt for the first time at the end of the 90 minute mark against Canada.
No doubt a proud moment for all three of them, but being given at the very most maybe five minutes to impress felt slightly unjust given the talent these players have.
Again, it’s great to see features in the media with players from our domestic league getting senior caps in Leavy and Brennan, something that seems to happen once in a blue moon these days. But surely more minutes for the three lads mentioned could have been afforded to really showcase what they’re about.
Regardless, I think that international window is one that brought more positives than negatives.
Ultimately, it showcased that there is lots to build on from the World Cup qualifying campaign that let the nation dream for a split second once more.
It can’t be seen as a once in a lifetime opportunity gone by but rather a building block for some success in small doses in the next few years which is aided by an outpouring of young talent.
That can start with the Nations League campaign in Autumn. Though the focal point of our opponents in that group may be a certain state in the Middle East and the ramifications around the fixture, there is a chance to solidify momentum behind the national side once more with a good campaign.
That is most definitely achievable with the depth of squad we now have at our disposal.