Considering Séamus Coleman‘s inspirational return to the Republic of Ireland squad last month, there was a growing suggestion that James McClean could win his 104th cap against Portugal at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday night.
The opportunity to bring the 36-year-old out of international retirement was put to Heimir Hallgrímsson on Wednesday morning before training in Abbotstown.
The Ireland manager provided the same reasoning for calling up the uncapped Kevin O’Toole ahead of McClean as he gave for excluding Coleman from the squad last September – a lack of game time.
“He was in our thoughts,” said Hallgrímsson. “It was just his playing time has been really limited. But he was in our minds. We talked about him, yes.”
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McClean played 22 minutes in Wrexham’s 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday, prior to which he had not featured for the club since October 3rd. Hallgrímsson would have watched the game on his preferred analysis platform, Wyscout, as the uncapped Ireland midfielder Conor Coventry lined out for Charlton.
Since Robbie Brady suffered a calf injury against Luxembourg last summer, Ireland have struggled to replace the veteran wing back. Matt Doherty was shifted from right to left for the 2-2 draw with Hungary in September before being replaced by Ryan Manning for the 2-1 loss in Armenia.
A clump of injuries to Callum O’Dowda, Josh Honohan, Bristol City’s flexible midfielder Mark Sykes, as well as Manning’s suspension indicated that uncapped Dundee United captain Will Ferry would be retained in the squad, but Hallgrímsson turned to O’Toole, who only turned professional three years ago.
The difference between O’Toole and Joey Lapira are those three years of professionalism. The 26-year-old was drafted by New York City FC in 2022 while Lapira was an amateur player, fresh out of Notre Dame University, when Steve Staunton capped him against Ecuador in 2007.
The selection of another, largely unknown American ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Hungary brings into question the FAI’s strategy to recruit players born outside Ireland.
“Obviously, there have been injuries in the group in the position that I play,” said O’Toole this week, “so I understand that my moment might come sooner than I’d expect.”
When Hallgrímsson was asked who he is considering to start at left back against Portugal at a sold-out Aviva Stadium, he name-checked two centre halves – Dara O’Shea and Liam Scales – and Coleman before mentioning O’Toole.
“We’ve used [O’Shea], for example, probably in all positions, Scalesy has played there, Séamus has played there. Kevin O’Toole, obviously, is brought in as a left back, so there are a few options we’ve been talking about and working on.”
Scales is a left footer who played wing back for Shamrock Rovers before his move to Celtic in 2021, so the Wicklow native could keep the New Yorker in reserve until Manning returns from suspension to face Hungary in Budapest on Sunday.
