JEFF HENDRICK IS emblematic of the odd and liminal space in which many of Ireland’s internationals currently find themselves: regulars for their country; hardly even bit-part players for their clubs.
Stephen Kenny played seven Premier League players across the recent games with Azerbaijan and Qatar, with only Shane Duffy a regular at his club.
Caoimhin Kelleher is firmly second-choice at Liverpool – though was recently called the best goalkeeper of his age in Europe by Jurgen Klopp – while Nathan Collins and Andrew Omobamidele are not yet first-choice options at Burnley and Norwich.
Adam Idah has played all of 23 minutes since his last appearance for Ireland, while Matt Doherty and Hendrick haven’t played at all.
Doherty’s absence is partly injury-enforced: he is not first-choice at Spurs but would have appeared in the Europa Conference League but for injury. He is fit again now, but his involvement against Vitesse on Thursday is complicated by Spurs’ managerial upheaval.
Hendrick, meanwhile, is fit but out of favour at Newcastle United. He had fallen from Steve Bruce’s first-choice team last season, and interim boss Graeme Jones couldn’t even find a place for him in the matchday squad against Chelsea last Saturday.
This despite his fine performances for Ireland in Baku and particularly in Dublin against Qatar, which Stephen Kenny called Hendrick’s best performance in an Irish shirt.
“He has re-discovered his form so I do feel, probably, him not playing for Newcastle is based on his form from last season carrying over, not getting an opportunity”, said Kenny of Hendrick.
“He has turned a corner, rejuvenated himself and played well for Ireland but he has not really got the opportunity at Newcastle this year. He did lose his form when he went there initially, and so forth. That was the case but he addressed that and got himself right and for us, he is playing very, very well.
“It is just one of those things, the new manager went with a midfield two in their system which is 5-4-1 or a 5-2-3 and he found himself left out, because he has performed really well for Ireland and probably in the last number of games, he has been very good.”
Aaron Connolly didn’t even make it off the bench for Ireland in October, a sign he has been eclipsed in the Irish pecking order by Chiedozie Ogbene. Connolly played Brighton’s League Cup tie last midweek – remarkably, his first 90 minutes at first-team club level in two years – and has played a total of 56 minutes in the Premier League this season.
Kenny revealed Connolly almost left Brighton on loan at the start of this season.
“He’s a talented young player who hasn’t played that much, it’s hard at Premier League level to get football. He nearly got a potential loan move at the start of the season, it didn’t materialise. Brighton wanted to hold onto him so hopefully he gets to play more football now but it’s hard, Brighton are going well, just playing with one striker in the system they have and at the weekend [against Liverpool] they went without a striker really. Maupay didn’t play.
“They played Trossard who is a traditional number ten or wide player as their highest attacking player. So it’s not easy for young players in the Premier League trying to get an opportunity, it’s not easy. It’s tough to get gametime and that can affect your sharpness and so forth. There’s no doubt he’s a very talented player and will come good over time.”
Robbie Brady, meanwhile, has found a club: he signed for Bournemouth last month, having been unattached since leaving Burnley at the end of last season. Kenny says he won’t be ready for next week’s double-header of World Cup qualifiers with Portugal and Luxembourg – the squad is named on Thursday – but will be part of Ireland’s future.
“There’s no reason Robbie can’t get regular football and be a big part of our future, as he is very talented. Okay, he’s gone from a situation where he was probably number one on the team-sheet and maybe Ireland’s best player to a situation where he was out of contract and clubless.
“That can appear dramatic on the face of it, but he would have been a good signing for any club and will be a good signing for Bournemouth. So he’s just getting up to speed now, and I’m sure he will be a very good addition to them.”
Kenny received several boosts on the injury front ahead of his squad announcement on Thursday, with Jamie McGrath, Caoimhin Kelleher, Jason Knight, Troy Parrott and Matt Doherty all set to be available.
Stephen Kenny was speaking to promote the launch of the Fr Peter McVerry Trust’s Christmas Appeal. For more information and to make a donation, visit the website.
Hes not getting picked because he hasnt played a good game against decent opposition since around 2016! Absolutely robbing a living the last 5 years
Why are the comments so negative about Irish players all the time..? We have what we have. Why not get behind them.?
@Davy Evans: because, unfortunately it takes so little intelligence to be a critic. Constructive criticism takes time, effort and knowledge and most aren’t capable or just can’t be bothered.
@Karl Mc Cauley: spot on.
@jonathan , “right about the coach” hardly Mystic Meg prediction or that they will spend big over next 2 windows. More to the point is that Hendrick is not a premiership standard player
Hendrick is not a PL player and you don’t get picked in midfield for a PL team having played well at home against Qatar. The top flight in England has changed greatly over the past 20 years or so with world class players from all over the world in every squad. We don’t have world class players in our squad and we’re ranked 50th in the world so we shouldn’t have an expectation that our players will be getting regular games. They need to be playing regularly with Championship teams and try to fight their way into the PL.
@GrumpyAulFella: world class in every team is a bit of a reach. Newcastles current squad isnt that brilliant that it’s beyond the realms of possibility that hendrick could get more of a run out than he has been getting. Man for man they are probably one of the worst teams in the league. St Maximin is the only player with them you could realistically see even making the bench at the likes of City, Pool, or Chelsea.
@Fred spins kdb: yeah agree but being one of the worst squads, he’s still down the pecking order there. He’s a Championship player and he’d be better off there in a team scrapping for promotion getting regular game time.
@GrumpyAulFella: What is Hendricks natural position though? There are times when he looks a decent attacking centre mid, often he’s been played as a defensive center mid. Sometimes played on the right of a middle three. I think that’s come against him in the last few seasons but I would agree that he does not look PL standard lately.
@Bert Carolan: I’d have him as a CDM. He doesn’t have the creativity or engine to be a CAM in my opinion. Stick in front of the back 3/4 and have him break up play and start moves.
I can see Newcastle doing a massive clean out come the transfer window as every decent player in Europe who’s off contract will be putting their hand up to get more money than they are worth for a year or so. That should save them from relegation, then come the summer tfr window they will buy big. The Big Prince wouldn’t be buying the club if he didn’t want it to be a success with goals of winning the PL in at least 5 years time. That’s my prediction anyway. I was right about the coach. Bad timing though, but still.
@Jonathan Nolan: no way will there be a clear out in January, there is still issues surrounding who is actually running the club day to day which is what took so long for Bruce to be sacked, there best best is to bring in a few older heads with experience and keep them in the league, marcelo brazovic is out of contract next summer and inter are desperate for cash so he would be a great signing, Aaron Ramsey is not getting a game at juve and maybe add in a decent central defender and right wing back and they will get themselves out of the hole
If Qatar were a club team they wouldnt make the cut in the championship so playing well against them in a meaningless friendly cuts no mustard with anyone.
@Michael McGrath: And the Republic of Ireland are ranked 4 places lower than Qatar in the FIFA rankings.
@Rory Devlin: says it all then really doesn’t it