Norwich City: Christos Tzolis’ Fortuna Dusseldorf loss
Christos Tzolis’ Fortuna Dusseldorf lost a 3-0 lead to miss out on promotion to the Bundesliga via the promotion/relegation play-off.
Ireland caretaker boss John O’Shea faces balancing act to deal with broken dreams and rising stars for double-header
We can take it Liam Scales, Adam Idah, Jake O’Brien and Will Smallbone will have beaming smiles as part of their luggage when they hook up with the Ireland squad later this week and start preparations for the international double-header against Hungary and Portugal.
Many of their compatriots will, however, struggle to summon up enthusiasm when a side picked by a caretaker manager, given no assurances about his long-term job prospects, aim to be better than just cannon fodder for two teams fine-tuning their plans for Euro 2024.
O’Shea names his squad later today for the June friendlies and there is the potential for some debuts. O’Brien has to start after his stunning season with Lyon in France and Kasey McAteer should finally get into the green jersey almost a year after he was brought in by Stephen Kenny’s scouting team.
Expect more game-time, too, for newly capped players Sammie Szmodics, Finn Azaz and Andy Moran.
Caretaker O’Shea has to get results but also needs to take care of some bruised egos after what’s been a punishing season for a batch of Irish players.
Five senior players are headed for the second tier after relegation for Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United, so Dara O’Shea, Josh Cullen, Michael Obafemi, Chiedozie Ogbene and John Egan all drop a division.
More Ireland international players have been relegated from the Premier League than won a major trophy (Scales and Idah landing the Scottish Cup and league, Caoimhín Kelleher taking home the League Cup with Liverpool) in the season just gone. That said, O’Brien’s French Cup run with Lyon is noteworthy, as is Festy Ebosele’s part in Udinese avoiding Serie A relegation and Troy Parrott’s ongoing contribution to his Dutch club’s relegation fight.
