I am not sure if it’s been long enough yet to suggest it’s time to get over another Ireland heartbreak from two weeks ago. It was the best 40 minutes of football I’ve seen from our international side in a while and it seemed destined that another big game at the Aviva Stadium was on the horizon.
There’s no need to delve on the mistakes of what happened and chances missed because then this will just be a piece on the depression that football gives us sometimes. At present, the torment of a penalty shoot out loss on Thursday night remains at the forefront of the Boys in Green’s minds, but let’s hope they can realise soon that a Euro 2028 campaign on home soil is a massive opportunity.
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At the start of November, Ireland were gone. We had no hope of qualification until two massive, dramatic wins against Portugal and Hungary. Giving Irish fans a few of the best nights as fans we’ve had in years. Those results brought the feel good factor back to the team and saved the job of Heimir Hallgrímsson. With the dentist in the chair until Euro 2028 at least, it’s time to look ahead at what we could do, rather than what could’ve been done.
Ireland aren’t qualified for the tournament just yet, but they have been given a far easier road to entry than they have in any competition before. Per Sky Sports, there are a few ways for Ireland to get through;
All four host countries will go through qualification, with two automatic places set aside for the best-ranked host nations who do not qualify on the pitch.
If at least two of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland qualify, then all four nations will appear in the tournament.
Depending on the number of spots used by the host nations, the number of final tournament spots decided by play-offs may vary between two and four, in one of the three following scenarios:
Both reserved qualifying slots for the hosts used: Eight teams compete in two paths for two final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.
One reserved qualifying slot for the hosts used: Twelve teams compete in three paths for three final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.
No reserved qualifying slot for the hosts used: Eight teams contest four home-and-away play-off ties, with the winners advancing to the final tournament.
In essence, it would take a massive f*ck up for us not to be there. So how about we start getting excited. Firstly, our core players will still be around and in and around their ‘prime’ years, hopefully in the best years of their career’s. Caomhin Kelleher, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Liam Scales, Jason Molumby, Jason Knight, Finn Azaz, Troy Parrott, Adam Idah, Jake O’Brien, Harvey Vale, James Abankwah, and Bosun Lawal were all involved in this squad and goalkeeper Kelleher will be the oldest of them all at that stage, at only 29-years-old.
There is already a core group of excellent, young players who will only continue to develop and get better before the tournament is afoot. Unfortunately, it looks like Seamus Coleman will be retired by then and what a shame it is. Also, by that stage, Chiedozie Ogbene will be in his 30s, hopefully still being able to offer us his pace up top in a steely veteran role, along with the currently injured Josh Cullen.
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As well as that, we could even look at the players who weren’t involved in the last two outings. The aforementioned Cullen is one, but the big one is obviously Evan Ferguson. The striker seemed to start well at Roma before picking up a series of injuries that has eventually led to him sitting out the rest of the season. Expect a summer move for the Drogheda born striker and a way for him to regain his form and find his way back into the international set up.
Jack Taylor may be another steady eddy in midfield by the time the tournament rolls around. Festy Ebosele and Mikey Johnston will be disappointed that they couldn’t be involved this time around but if they can get consistent on their club form they could force their way back into the set up. Someone who we seemed to have forgotten about is Andrew Omobamidele. Now plying his trade in Strasbourg after a not so successful spell at Nottingham Forest, he still boasts an array of talent. Quick and strong, he has now cemented himself at the heart of an exciting Strasbourg side and is back to his best. Many were surprised that he wasn’t included in this squad and with John Egan likely hanging up his Irish jersey soon, it’s time to get him back into the fold.
More excitingly are the youngsters who we have heard so much about. A lot of this is hopeful thinking and praying that these players can fulfill the potential that us fans have heaped on them.
Firstly, exciting winger Rocco Vata. The exciting winger broke into Watford’s first team last season and finished the year with three goals and four assists. This term has been less than fruitful with only 12 appearances in the Championship but has contributed with two goals and two assists. He had a bad hamstring injury that kept him out until November and could only play until January before re-aggravating the same injury that required surgery and will now keep him out until the end of the season. A tough break for the 20- year old who was really starting to come into his own and show what he can do. He already has 1 cap under his belt and will be hoping that he can return to his best and push his way into Heimir’s plans.
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Next up are the tale of two young goal scorers, bled from the League of Ireland. Mason Melia and Michael Noonan are two players who have lit up our own Premier Division with their youthful energy, class and finishing from such a young age. Both players have been given the same treatment as Parrott and Ferguson, in so far as they are young strikers who Irish fans and media have hyped up to make it to super stardom.
Melia has made his move to Spurs for a record fee and it seems that Noonan’s last year playing for Shamrock Rovers is the current one. Melia will probably be looking to go out on loan to get some game time if he can’t push his way into Tottenham’s first team and same with Noonan if he doesn’t find first team football wherever he lands. However, if both players can get into first teams and start showing their class early, who knows if they could be involved? This one may be a stretch for the two lads and perhaps the World Cup in 2030 is more realistic but why not be optimistic about it.
A player who’s career has showed flashes of breaking out is Andrew Moran. The technically gifted midfielder has yet to put his stamp on senior football after a hugely successful term in Brighton’s youth ranks. He had two seasons in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers (2023/24) and Stoke City (2024/25) where he made 70 appearances over the two seasons and contributed 15 goals and assists. During those terms he showed his class in midfield and what he can offer when given a run of games.
Unfortunately, with all Brighton & Hove Albion’s quality around his area of the pitch he couldn’t break into their first team squad and found himself out on loan with Heung Min Son at LAFC. Quite a strange loan move to Major League Soccer saw him make only ten appearances before a permanent deal to Preston. This is where Moran needs to finally make a mark. This move could kick his career off in a way so many expected and finally get him consistent first team minutes. Moran is a creative player and could become an integral part of the Irish side as these types of players are the ones we tend to lack, if he can get consistent minutes with Preston. I think come the next qualifying campaign, he will be right in the mix of it and be pushing to be in the midfield just behind Parrott and Ferguson.
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What about a certain super Jacky Moylan? After impressing during his stint with Shelbourne, the former Bohs academy graduate has made the move to Lincoln City and has improved every season since landing in League One. This year, by far his most impressive, notching an impressive 9 goals and 5 assists in 26 league games, the most important goal coming against Reading at the weekend. In the 96th minute he broke away from the home side defence and kept his composure to fire his side back into the second tier of the English football pyramid for the first time in 65 years. A massive moment for the young Dub who will surely be setting his sights on continuing this form in the Championship and having a go at the international set up too.
There are also the likes of Cathal Heffernan and Jaden Umeh who starred in Ireland’s u19 World Cup campaign last year who will need to push on at their clubs if they are to start to make their marks, but both have hugely exciting careers ahead of them.
It’s a bright future for Irish football in my eyes. Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself on this one but it’s better to look forward than reminisce on what could’ve and probably should’ve been. I like the thought of Ireland in the Aviva in their first game at a major competition since the Euro’s campaign of 2016. Kelleher still guarding the goals. A back five of Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Andrew Omobamidele and Liam Scales. Jason Molumby to anchor the midfield and protect the defense with the likes of Vale, Moran, Cullen or Azaz just in front of him and the two golden boys Parrott and Ferguson up top.
Maybe a few changes in midfield to a more defensive set up with Lawal or Knight but in my somewhat delusional dreamland here I see us playing on the front foot and really getting at teams. Nonetheless, delusional or not, us fans can afford to get excited for what’s to come and we could really see that side stamp it’s mark at Euro 2028.