Heimer Halgrimsson’s record as Republic of Ireland manager reads: Played 2, Lost 2. Yes football is all about results and if our new manager had won his first two games against England and Greece then we wouldn’t have newspaper columnists filling pages on the Icelander’s scouting plans. After the defeats to England and Greece Halgrimsson admitted that he had no immediate plans to travel to England every weekend to watch Irish players in action. For now Heimer says he happy to share the scouting load with his coaching staff, John O’Shea and Paddy McCarthy.
Since his appointment in July Halgrimsson has been a regular at League of Ireland games, but it’s unlikely that any League of Ireland player is going to make the international squad. The most promising players in the League of Ireland are usually signed up by English clubs. The new manager says he prefers to check on Irish players via an Italian website Wyscout, but his critics say that that’s not as good as watching players live and in person.
Halgrimsson selected a squad of 24 for his first two games and 18 players were used. Josh Cullen and John Egan, who missed the first two games, are likely to be fit for the games against Finland and Greece next month and it will be interesting to see if the manager makes any significant changes when he announces his squad for those October fixtures. For now Heimir is using the same squad that he inherited from Stephen Kenny, with Leicester City’s Kasey McAteer the only newcomer.
I think Halgrimsson is more direct than Kenny in his after-match comments. Kenny tended to talk up his players, whereas Halgrimsson tells it like it is. After the 2-0 defeat to England he said: ‘‘We have to admit that we were second best in this game by far.’’ Then after the 2-0 loss to Greece he said: ‘‘There is a lack of confidence, the jersey feels too heavy for some players and they cannot play like they do for their clubs. It will get better when the players start to take decisions quicker. This hesitation allows our opponents to take advantage.’’
Yes, we don’t have a great array of talent right now, but a manager also needs a bit of luck. Stephen Kenny couldn’t “buy a win” and the new man will also need a bit of luck on his side to turn things around. Cheidozie Ogbene had the ball in the net with a brilliant first-half strike against Greece, but his effort was ruled offside; that’s the kind of luck or break I mean.
Egan, meanwhile, joined Burnley from Sheffield United in midweek and was on the bench for the new club, who won 1-0 away to Leeds. Cullen was a second-half sub for the club. Hollywood actor Will Ferrell, who bought a minority stake in Leeds earlier this year, was introduced to the Elland Road crowd before the game.
KELLEHER MULLS MOVE
AWAY FROM LIVERPOOL
While on international duty with the Republic of Ireland last week Caoimhin Kelleher said he might have to leave Liverpool to get regular first-team football and that the decision to remain at Anfield this season wasn’t down to him. The Cork-born keeper said: ‘‘Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like that’s 100 per cent my decision but at times it’s not always in my hands.’’ Apparently clubs were willing to take Kelleher away from Anfield during the summer, but Liverpool said he was not for sale. No one can blame Kelleher for wanting to secure a No.1 spot somewhere as whenever he has been called upon for Liverpool, he has shown how good he can be. The only problem is that at Anfield, Alisson Becker, one of best goalkeepers in the world stands in his way.
Kelleher was probably inclined to speak after speculation that Liverpool has agreed a deal to sign Georgia’s goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia next Summer. For his usual Friday press conference Liverpool manager Arne Slot was asked about Kelleher’s comments. His reply was straightforward, saying: ‘‘I would be really worried if a player comes out saying, ‘I don’t care about playing first-team football, I like it so much on the bench and I want to stay there for the rest of my life.’ That would be a bigger worry for me. It’s normal that they want to play. But it is also normal that a club like this, that tries to compete for trophies, has more than 11 players that can play. I think Caoimhin has shown many times in the past few years, and even in pre-season, that he’s ready every time we need him. It is a good thing he wants to play. Who knows, he is going to play for us in the future, but at this moment it is quite clear Alisson is our No.1.’’
Alisson was in goal on Saturday when Nottingham Forest won at Anfield for the first time since 1969. Hodson-Odoi escaped the attentions of Conor Bradley and curled a shot past Alisson to give manager Slot his first defeat as Liverpool manager. Meanwhile Manchester City are now the only club with a 100 per cent record after four series of games in the EPL. On Saturday Erling Haaland scored both goals as City beat Brentford 2-1 at the Etihad. It was Haaland’s 9th goal in four games and overall his 99th goal in 103 games for City. Arsenal are now in second place after they beat Spurs 1-0 to win the 210th North London thanks to a header from their Brazilian Gabriel However, the goal probably should have been disallowed as television replays showed that Gabriel pushed his marker Romero as the corner kick was being delivered. Newcastle United are now third after a 2-1 away win over Wolves where Matt Doherty was a second-half sub. Nathan Collins played the full game for Brentford against Man City, while Evan Ferguson was a late sub for Brighton in their 0-0 home draw with Ipswich. Dara O’Shea and Sammie Szmodics both started for Ipswich and Ogbene was a second-half sub.
Meanwhile Mark Travers, who was Kelleher’s deputy in Dubin last week was in goal for Bournemouth, who were beaten 1-0 at home by Chelsea. Regular Bournemouth keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is on loan to the Cherries from Chelsea, was ineligible to face his parent club and manager Iraol gave Travers his first start this season. Seamus Coleman, who was injured playing against England at the Aviva, was not it the Everton squad for the trip to Aston Villa on Saturday. For the second game in succession, Everton led 2-0, but lost 3-2, though it wasn’t as dramatic a collapse as against Bournemouth. Irish defender Jake O’Brien, who joined Everton from French club Lyon in July, made his EPL debut as a second half sub for Toffees, who like Southampton are without a point after four games.
EPL results: Aston Villa 3, Everton 2; Bournemouth 0, Chelsea 1; Brighton 0, Ipswich 0; Crystal Palace 2, Leicester 2; Fulham 1, West Ham 1; Liverpool 0, Notts Forest 1; Manchester City 2, Brentford 1; Southampton 0, Manchester Utd 3; Tottenham 0, Arsenal 1; Wolves 1, Newcastle United 2.
HAMILTON ON TARGET
Former Irish international C.J. Hamilton was on target as Steve Bruce made a winning start as Blackpool manager with a 2-1 win over Exeter in League One. The 29-year-old, who won his solitary cap against Ukraine in June 2022 gave the Tangerines the lead against Exeter after 19 minutes and they eventually won 2-1 Bruce, who admitted that he was interested in replacing Stephen Kenny as Irish manager, had been out of work since being sacked by West Bromwich Albion in October 2022. The 63 year-old has managed more than 1,000 competitive games for his 12 previous clubs who include: Birmingham City, Hull City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
Galway’s Conor McCormack celebrates scoring for the home side at Eamonn Deacy Park on Monday night, but Shamrock Rovers went on to win 2-1. [Inpho/James Crombie]
DERRY SINK SHELS IN
CUP, NEXT UP LEAGUE
Derry City must now feel they are capable of catching Shelbourne at the top of the League of the Ireland. The Candystripes are currently four points behind the Reds with seven series of games to be played, but after an impressive 2-0 win over Shelbourne in an FAI Cup quarter-final tie at the Brandywell on Saturday Derry must now fancy their chances. The last series of Premier Division games on Friday Nov. 1 will see Shelbourne travel to the Brandywell. Neutral supporters were probably hoping that Derry would avoid Bohemians, who beat UCD 4-0 in the quarter-final, in the draw for the semi-finals, but it will Derry will make the trip to Dalymount on the week-ending Oct. 6. Drogheda, who beat Athlone Town 4-1 in their quarter, will fancy their chances of making the final as they have got a home draw against First Division Wexford FC, who beat Treaty United 4-0 in their quarter-final.
In the League of Ireland John Kenny scored twice against his former club as Shamrock Rovers beat Sligo Rovers 4-0 in Tallaght on Friday night. Rovers manager Stephen Bradley is not giving up on that five in-a-row dream, and it got another boost on Monday night with a 2-1 away win over Galway United.
