The Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualification campaign begins next month.
Mick McCarthy’s Ireland side travel to play Gibraltar on March 23, three days before hosting Georgia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Two wins, a couple of goals and no mention of Ireland lacking a natural goalscorer will represent a strong start for the new manager as he seeks to ensure the national team’s place at the Euros in 2020.
McCarthy has spent the winter months trying to recruit players and scouting the current crop available to him.
Nathan Redmond, Will Keane and Patrick Bamford are among those the Ireland manager has reportedly approached about representing the country.
It remains to be seen if they will be recruited to the cause. The same for Declan Rice.
Rice's talent means that regardless of which country he chooses to represent, he is destined for the top | @RobRedmond10 https://t.co/y0affUzG3Q https://t.co/kx9bQgdgVa
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As such, it is difficult to know for sure what McCarthy’s first team will look like and even what will be the makeup of his squad.
The best case scenario for the Ireland manager will be Rice shunning England’s advances and Redmond also declaring for Ireland. Patrick Bamford is an interesting option and would help the team in a problem position.
Will Keane is 26 and has scored just seven goals in his senior career.
Mick has been busy https://t.co/fIVwnUzoXD
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We have drawn up some potential teams that McCarthy could select for his first qualification games, from the most likely to the most hopeful.
Of course, injuries will be a factor between now and the matches but hopefully Mick has a full squad to select from.
If Rice and Redmond do not declare for Ireland, which seems likely at the time of writing, here is the team McCarthy could pick for the March qualifiers from the players currently available:
Darren Randolph starts in goal.
The Middlesbrough ‘keeper was one of the few players to emerge with credit from the Nations League campaign and he also prevented Ireland from suffering a defeat to Northern Ireland back in November.
He has recorded 13 clean sheets from 29 games for Tony Pulis’ side in the Championship this season.
The central defensive pairing is Shane Duffy and Ciaran Clark. Duffy has been one of Ireland’s most in-form players this season, and the Brighton defender is certain to start under McCarthy. He is Ireland’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with four goals.
Alongside him, we have selected Clark. The Newcastle United defender is no longer an automatic starter at club level, playing only 11 times in the Premier League this season. But he still warrants a place in this defence alongside Duffy.
The pair formed an effective partnership for the World Cup qualification campaign and are a threat from set-pieces. Clark has three goals this season.
In the full-back slots, we have opted for Seamus Coleman at right-back and Enda Stevens at left-back.
Despite his patchy club form this season, Coleman is the team’s captain and McCarthy will not drop him, even if Everton do and Matt Doherty continues to excel for Wolverhampton Wanderers. There is also a way to accommodate both in the same Ireland team.
Stevens has been quietly impressive in his appearances for Ireland and is arguably the team’s best option at left-back. He has only missed one game for Sheffield United in the Championship this season, helping the side mount a promotion push.
The former Shamrock Rovers full-back has been one of the best Irish players in the division this season and Ireland’s most in-form player in his position. McCarthy must try not to mirror his predecessor’s frustrating policy of playing players out of position.
In midfield, we have selected Conor Hourihane, Alan Browne and Jeff Hendrick.
Hourihane established himself at club level as an attacking midfielder. However, he has the skills required to be a deep-lying midfielder for Ireland.
Against the weaker sides in the group, the Aston Villa midfielder could be suited to playing in a pivot role, taking the ball off the back four and getting Ireland playing. The team can’t be allowed to aimlessly hoof the ball away as they did under McCarthy’s predecessor.
Ahead of him, we have selected Browne and Hendrick. Browne has excelled for Preston North End this season, scoring 10 goals and registering four assists.
The Cork-native is just 23 and deserves his chance based on his displays for Preston.
Hendrick’s club form hasn’t been as impressive. The Dubliner has failed to replicate his stellar performances from Euro 2016 in recent years. However, Ireland’s new manager may give him a fresh start after he struggled for the final year under O’Neill.
On the right wing, we have selected Doherty. The Wolves’ wing-back simply must start for Ireland after a brilliant season in the Premier League, scoring three goals and registering five assists. He has become one of the team’s main attacking outlets.
Doherty could slot into this side on the right-wing, with Coleman at full-back. He could still take up the same positions he does as a wing-back for Wolves and could be as important an attacking outlet for Ireland as he is for his club.
Matt Doherty could be the solution to Man United's problem position | @RobRedmond10 https://t.co/GDhQ7RzM1x
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On the left, Robbie Brady should start if he can get a run of games under his belt at club level before March. If not, James McClean should get the nod.
Up front, Shane Long may start, but not for his goalscoring prowess. The Southampton forward has scored just eight goals in his last 97 club appearances. However, he is a tireless worker and an ideal option if McCarthy’s team aim to press from the front.
He doesn’t have to be a prolific scorer to be effective. If Long can press and hound opponents, win set-pieces and bring others into play, he will be doing a valuable service for the team. Ireland can then, hopefully, capitalise on dead-ball scenarios.
As detailed by Alan O’Brien, McCarthy’s sides are proficient from set-pieces. Last season, his Ipswich Town team scored the fourth-most goals from set-pieces and only six teams in the Championship conceded fewer from this phase of play.
This could be Ireland’s best route to goal in the short-term.
Here is how the team could look if Rice does decide his future lies with Ireland:
The West Ham United star would slot in at the base of midfield and the remaining two midfield positions would be decided between Browne, Hourihane and Hendrick.
If Redmond also declares for Ireland, here is how the team could line out:
Redmond has traditionally played as a wide forward. However, new Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has used him in a central position to great effect.
In eight games playing behind the striker, Redmond has two goals and two assists. In his 17 Premier League appearances before moving into the position, he scored just once.
He has played 38-times for England Under-21s and made an appearance for their senior team in a friendly. But is still eligible to play for Ireland through his Irish-born mother.
McCarthy said he would he would be “delighted” if he could convince Redmond to switch allegiance.
In the teams below, Bamford, Redmond and Rice have all declared for Ireland before March, which seems unlikely.
Don’t expect to see Ireland to line out like this in March.
Here are more realistic lineups for the games against Gibraltar and Georgia and alternatives to the first team suggested.
Sheffield United forward David McGoldrick, who has six caps for Ireland, comes into the side. The undecided Rice, Bamford and Redmond drop out.
McGoldrick has been in excellent form for Sheffield United this season, scoring 11 goals and registering three assists in 30 Championship appearances. McCarthy knows the player well from their time at Ipswich together. He should, if fit, be involved in March.
McCarthy does not have world-class players available for selection. However, with the right coaching, a clear tactical plan and some motivation from McCarthy, the team should be competitive again.
