Oct 29,2024
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson would have been heartened by much of what he saw from Irish players across the weekend.
Evan Ferguson scored his first Premier League goal in almost a year, Sammie Szmodics found the net for Ipswich, Troy Parrott converted a penalty for AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie and Adam Idah also got a goal for himself while on Celtic duty.
Meanwhile, both of the main goalkeepers currently available to him during Gavin Bazunu's long-term absence, Caoimhin Kelleher and Mark Travers, started in the English top flight, with the former involved for Liverpool in a huge game at Arsenal, whilst the latter impressed for Bournemouth against high-flying Aston Villa.
However, injuries to Chiedozie Ogbene and Robbie Brady overshadowed those positives. Both will miss the November window when Ireland will face England and Finland in the Nations League.
But it's Ogbene's setback which appears to be longer-term after being stretchered off during Ipswich's 4-3 defeat to Brentford on Saturday after what appeared to be a non-contact situation.
The prognosis for the Cork man seems pessimistic with his club manager Kieran McKenna saying that "it looks like it could be an Achilles tear" which would mean a lengthy lay-off.
And given how integral the winger has become for the Boys in Green, the fact that his absence which would be expected to stretch into the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign represents a severe blow at international level.
"I know people have said to me that, 'well, Festy Ebosele can do just as good a job'. Festy's early couple of games, he's looked really good but Ogbene's been our best player probably over the last 18 months.
"Even games where we haven't played well, he's been the torch-bearer. He's been the one picking up the ball and driving at people, getting us up the pitch.
"So I do think we'll miss him. I'm sure every Ireland fan is cursing their luck because just as we look to be turning a corner, getting a bit of momentum which we had to fight so hard to get, we've lost one of our better players."
Ebosele made a positive impression as a substitute against Finland earlier this month when he set up Brady's winning goal in Helsinki but the Watford loanee, who has largely played at wing-back for his clubs, remains relatively inexperienced at senior international level.
"I hope Festy will go in and do really well and we won't miss Ogbene as much as perhaps we could've," Treacy added.
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As for Ogbene going forward, Ipswich manager McKenna did wonder aloud about the potential that it could be a lay-off in the six-to-nine month range if it is confirmed to be an Achilles tear.
"That's just a really horrific injury," former League of Ireland goalkeeper Barry Murphy said on the podcast.
"When you watch back at it, he kind of plants his foot and goes to power off it at the same time, all in one motion, and the sheer force on the joint at that point I think is where it snaps and just from reading reports it feels like somebody's hit you from behind and you're not sure what's going to happen.
"It's such a complicated injury coming back after surgery because the foot has to be kept so stable to stop it re-tearing and it's an injury you see more in the NFL and NBA, and thankfully not too much in football."
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