As the Premier League soap opera cranks back into action this weekend to distract us all, Heimir Hallgrímsson and his scouting staff will find themselves taking in more Southampton and Everton games than those at the top end of the table. And it is not just the English leagues that they will need to keep a close eye on. Here we take a closer look at some of the players that the new Ireland manager will be hoping can make their mark on a new season.
Ireland’s dearth of options in the middle of the park means there will be a lot more eyes on how the 24-year-old performs for the Saints. Smallbone was vital to Southampton bouncing straight back up last season, scoring seven goals and creating roughly the same number for his side. It followed on from a fine Championship season on loan with Stoke.
He has played nine times in the Premier League as a wispy youngster, before an ACL injury curtailed his progress – three games into the 2020/21 season. He was out for almost a year and when he returned, he struggled to get back into the team and was farmed out to Stoke. However, Smallbone played 46 times for the Saints last season and has been given the number 8 shirt, that once belonged to James Ward-Prowse, for the year ahead.
His set-piece delivery and ability to get into the box from midfield can become key weapons for both club and country. With Ryan Manning at left back and Gavin Bazunu, when he comes back from injury, also part of Russell Martin’s plans, Hallgrímsson may be a regular visitor to St Mary’s over the coming season. The saga over Cannon’s international future came to an end when he made his senior debut in the 3-0 loss to Portugal back in June.
There had been a bit of a tug-of-war over the striker, born to an Irish family in Liverpool. Having signed for the Foxes from Everton, his boyhood club, a back injury curtailed his involvement early in the Championship campaign. He scored two goals on his Leicester debut, a 4-1 win over Huddersfield, but injuries and the number of strikers in the squad, such as the evergreen Jamie Vardy, limited his opportunities.
Steve Cooper took the helm after Enzo Maresca left for Chelsea but has only used Cannon off the bench in pre-season friendlies. However with Kasey McAteer – who has also committed to Ireland – also at the Foxes, there should be the odd visit to the King Power. The gifted forward, who turns 20 in October, was back in the headlines this week when there was a rumour that Manchester United were going to revive their interest.
The striker’s form did take a nose-dive last season before it was cut short by a persistent ankle issue. He didn’t score in 21 appearances for Brighton from November to March. However, the prospect of Meath man Ferguson working under Fabian Hurzeler, the Seagulls’ highlyrated young head coach, is certainly exciting.
The young German coach, who is only 31, transformed Johannes Eggestein while he was in charge of St Pauli, so it bodes well for the young Irish centre-forward, once he gets past his injury issues compromising the start of his season. It feels like a significant season for both Collins and Brentford. This is the first summer in a while that the big centre-half hasn’t been subject to a big-money move and he has become a key part of Thomas Frank’s plans.
He started 29 Premier League games last season, making 33 appearances in all. He missed four games in November and December through an ankle injury. Given he has been playing senior first-team football since he was 18, it’s easy to forget Collins is only 23.
He can still be guilty of the odd lapse in concentration, but he will only improve with another season on the frontline. Brentford’s rumoured interest in Dara O’Shea, superb in Burnley’s 4-1 win over Luton on Monday, is also an intriguing development from an Irish perspective. Should they sign O’Shea, it will give the international teammates a chance to cement their understanding in a club environment.
The towering centre-half has taken a circuitous route to the big-time – via Cork City, Crystal Palace Under 23s, Swindon and Molenbeek in the Belgian second division before coming of age with Lyon last season. The 23-year-old Youghal native highlighted how convincing Séamus Coleman and Sean Dyche were in getting him to sign for the Toffees. Dyche is one of the better managers for a young defender to continue their education under, but the concern will be O’Brien having to bide his time on the bench, behind Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski.
But his chance will come at some point this season and O’Brien has already proved himself ready to seize it. The former U21 international is still uncapped at senior level, although he earned warm praise from Stephen Kenny for his contribution to a training camp in May of last year. Signed from Peterborough, the 26-year-old midfielder only started seven Championship games in Ipswich’s promotion bid, but he was Kieran McKenna’s most used option off the bench, pitching in with a few crucial goals and assists.
Given Ireland aren’t blessed with midfielders, the presence of Taylor – who has Longford roots – along with striker Liam Delap (son of Rory), means that a few trips to Portman Road may prove worthwhile for the Irish scouting staff. The Galway youngster, aged 20, will require quite the jump in the pecking order to establish himself in the Magpies’ rearguard. However, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is a fan.
‘Alex did really well, I think the beauty of his performances in pre-season have been versatility. He has played left-back and centre-half, as well as right-sided centre-half,’ Howe said. Murphy, who can play left-back or in central defence, featured five times for Newcastle on their pre-season US tour and the Ireland U19 international is currently in negotiations to extend his contract at St James’ Park.
And with Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles both injured, Dan Burn might be needed in the centre, opening a vacancy on the left. Now 22, the centre-forward finally accepted that the breakthrough at Tottenham wasn’t going to happen when he moved permanently away from North London last month. But this seems to be a shrewd move for the Dubliner.
He enjoyed a productive time in the Eredivisie, scoring 17 goals and registering five assists while on loan with Excelsior. It wasn’t enough to keep the Rotterdam club up, but his impact was noted with Parrott suggesting himself that the style of play in the Dutch league suits him. He also scored the winner in Ireland’s 2-1 win over Hungary in June.
If he picks up where he left off in the Netherlands, it can only be a good thing for Ireland. The protracted transfer saga that saw the Cork man move permanently to Glasgow is finally over and Idah can concentrate on what he did so well for Brendan Rodgers’ side last season – finding the net. Having strikers that are scoring regularly is a boost for any international manager and Idah should do that in Scotland, where he should be aiming for more than 20 this season.
There is also the promise of Champions League football and the convoluted nature of UEFA’s revamp should give Celtic some winnable games – and Idah the chance to score in Europe..
