Republic of Ireland v Norway, Aviva Stadium, Thursday, 7.45pm – Live RTÉ 2
At a distance of 3,500 miles from the Doha desert, where the eyes of the world turn Sunday evening to witness Qatar versus Ecuador, the Republic of Ireland’s enduring love affair with its supporter base continues apace.
About 45,000 tickets were sold for this shindig before news filtered through that Erling Haaland will not play. The fixture’s potential for enduring memory probably disappears along with the Manchester City phenomena so everyone could do with Michael Obafemi bagging his third international goal of the year or we might be granted a sneak peek into the future.
Should Evan Ferguson, at just 18 years and 29 days old, find the net on debut he will take a scoring record off Robbie Keane.
Ireland manager Stephen Kenny downplayed the chances of Ferguson being capped tonight or in Malta on Sunday as much as he has talked up Callum O’Dowda’s recent form for Cardiff City. That indicates a slight adjustment to the current 3-5-2 approach, with Chiedozie Ogbene and O’Dowda sitting behind Obafemi.
“It’s a dilemma,” said Kenny of playing Ogbene and Obafemi up front together. “Getting characteristics that complement each other is important. They can play together at certain times but Callum Robinson is doing well too. So there’s big decisions. Callum had a brilliant spell before the June window. They both did. Michael has only started three games for us. It’s hard to believe that because he’s had such an influence. There’s an element of competition. I’m sure the three of them will feature tomorrow at some stage.”
Rapid promotion
And not Ferguson, seemingly. The teenager’s rapid promotion is due to injuries to Adam Idah and Troy Parrott, not to mention Will Keane and Scott Hogan, but this match needs something to lift it from its off-Broadway anonymity.
“It is premature, he has come in early, he hasn’t played that many games for Brighton’s first team,” said Kenny, before telling us what he really thinks of Ferguson. “We rate him highly, he has come through the underage international teams and he has been very, very good: he is a different profile to the strikers we have. He is strong and aggressive in the air, he scores different types of goals, headed goals. He is someone who has achieved a lot in his tender years. He has a chance of being involved but no guarantees at the same time.
“We want to pick a strong team. We want a strong performance. Some other players are coming into contention who have been playing well at club level and we have to take that into account. When you say that there is an implication that other players are not playing as well so there are many factors that go into picking the team, and someone like Callum O’Dowda who is playing well at club level at the moment has to come into our thinking and we have to consider that.”
Jason Knight’s absence — this international window is not official enough for League One club Derby County to release the midfielder — means Kenny might put Jayson Molumby alongside Ireland’s footballer of the year Josh Cullen, with Matt Doherty and Robbie Brady as wing backs.
A back three of de facto captain John Egan, Nathan Collins and Dara O’Shea already looks settled, although Andrew Omobamidele’s return to fitness could prove irresistible next year.
Norway come without two strikers, Haaland and Aelxander Sorloth of Real Sociedad, with 35 international goals between them, and while Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard will lead from midfield, the Irish players may feel the need to reward their patient and loyal supporters with an end of year performance in Dublin to atone for the mini-collapse against Armenia last September.
“Every time you’re called up to play for Ireland it’s a special feeling,” said Egan. “I think the whole group feels that personally, there’s great camaraderie, everyone gets on really well, everyone looks forward to meeting up and coming away with the squad. We really enjoy the training and what we are trying to do on the pitch, we love playing for his country so any time I’m called up — and I am sure I speak for everybody — we are really honoured and proud and we just can’t wait to meet up and hopefully get on the pitch and represent the country.”
Next time they reappear at the Aviva, La Marseillaise will be belted out as potential two-time world champions visit on March 27th.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (possible): Bazunu; Egan, Collins, O’Shea; Doherty, Cullen, Molumby, Brady; O’Dowda, Ogbene; Obafemi.
