Heimir Hallgrimsson believes that Seamus Coleman has a big role to play in Ireland's upcoming World Cup campaign, despite the captain withdrawing from the current squad through injury.
The 36-year-old played a limited role throughout Everton’s recently completed Premier League campaign, where the Toffees finished a creditable 13th, never in danger of relegation as in recent campaigns.
And while the former Sligo Rovers defender is out of contract at Everton, the club stalwart is expected to continue his journey down to the banks of the River Mersey and into the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as the gates of Goodison closed for the final time in relation to men’s top-flight football.
"Seamus Coleman got injured in the last game at Goodison and will be out for about three weeks, so not eligible for us," confirmed Hallgrimsson, speaking at this morning’s press conference in Dublin.
But the manager was quick to emphasise the importance of Coleman from a playing perspective, coupled with the invaluable experience that he brings to the dressing room, and his influence on the younger players.
"He is a leader in this squad, and you cannot have his experience in many players. His experience, his leadership skills are one thing, but his quality as a player is another thing as well," said Hallgrimsson.
"He's been playing at the highest level for such a long time, so it's a shame for me and, of course the national team, not to have him around, but hopefully there will come another time for him, hopefully it will be just the off-season and he'll come fit and flying.
"I know he's gong to be at Everton in whatever role, maybe a little bit more leadership role, but it's for him to answer if he's going to continue playing or not.
"It's his decision, but I'm hoping - and I know the Evertonians are hoping - he will continue playing."
And when pushed on whether Ireland fans can expect to see Coleman lining out in the upcoming qualifiers, the manager showed the regard that he holds the player by adding, "that's for him to decide, not me".
Sammie Szmodics has been a key player under Hallgrimsson's tenure
Hallgrimsson was hoping to have Sammie Szmodics involved for the end of season fixtures, as Ireland take on Senegal at Aviva Stadium and Luxembourg away in next week’s friendly games, however, the Ipswich striker’s return suffered a slight setback.
Szmodics missed a large chunk of the second half of the season at Portman Road but had returned to fitness for Ipswich’s final Premier League game of the season, coming off the bench for the last 15 minutes in the 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.
"The last time we were here (in early May), we kind of explained that we had Sammie Szmodics in the squad. We knew that he was injured, we were hopeful that he would be ready," said the manager.
"He played, I think, 10, 15 minutes in the last game for Ipswich, but the ankle got swollen afterwards, so we decided it's not worth the risk to have him in our squad now.
"Hopefully he will have a good pre-season and come in flying in September."
One player who does now have a chance to impress Hallgrimsson and play his way into contention for the six-game World Cup shoot-out in the autumn is Andy Moran.
The young Brighton midfielder, who spent the season on loan at Stoke City, impressed Hallgrimsson during his brief stint on the pitch at Wembley where Ireland were beaten 5-0, and Moran is now in line to feature in one or both of the summer fixtures.
"We decided to call in Andy Moran as a kind of a winger-ish type," explained Hallgrimsson.
"We're pretty short on wingers, so he has played that before, made a good impression when we played England away and wasn't involved in our last camp, so [it's] a good chance for him to show himself and cement himself in the future squads.
"His playing time at Stoke got less and less, maybe because it was a loan but we know his qualities, we see him as a part of the squad in the future, he is still young but he has qualities to play more position than one.
"He made a good impression with the minutes he played against England when he came in, in a tough game, he really impressed us, the last camp was more or less down to the playing time he had at Stoke, we also have good players in these positions."
And the manager ended on a positive note by confirming that one of his key players will be fit and raring to go when Ireland entertain Hungary in that opening World Cup qualifier in early September.
"Yeah, he will be available," said Hallgrimsson, when asked for an update about another Ipswich man who missed most of the season through injury, Chiedozie Ogbene.
"According to him he is going to be the fittest player in pre-season so definitely in September he will be ready for us."
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