SEAMUS Coleman proved Heimir Hallgrimsson wrong last year and the Ireland manager is happy to admit it.
At the start of this World Cup qualification campaign, Hallgrimsson left the Donegal veteran out of his squad because he hadn’t been playing regularly for Everton. However, after a nightmare start - one point from the first two games - Coleman was recalled and Ireland looked like a different team with the Killybegs native on the field.
Since the dramatic 3-2 win against Hungary in Budapest last November, Coleman has played just 10 minutes for Everton but Hallgrimsson has learned his lesson. The mentality monster from Tir Chonaill is of course included in the squad for next Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia in Prague and, if Ireland win, the final against either Denmark or North Macedonia in Dublin on March 31.
“Seamus proved me wrong,” said the Ireland manager.
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“Coming in, he just proved me wrong. He was ready when I was doubting him and when you’re wrong, you learn. That’s life, you do mistakes and you take wrong decisions and to grow you need to learn from those things.
“Definitely in Séamus’s case it was the wrong decision at that time.”
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Coleman has been joined in the squad by fellow veteran full-back Robbie Brady. Dubliner Brady, who made his senior debut 14 years ago, has missed the entire campaign up to now and has featured just twice for Preston North End since regaining fitness.
However, Hallgrimsson wants to harness the passion the Euro 2016 hero brings and with Liam Scales suspended Brady could return to action in Prague.
“Hopefully he will be the same as Séamus,” said Hallgrimsson.
“I’ve had him before and he was probably our best player in the last campaign. In that Nations League tournament, he was consistently one of our best players.
“It’s been quite a long time since he played so it’s always in the back of my mind. I’ve been proven wrong once so hopefully he can do that.
“We know that his mentality will overcome a lot of things, he’s not played for a long time but I know it’s up in his head.
“He was crying at missing the last matches but, like Seamus, he’s a genuine Irish person that breathes and lives for the national team.”
Hallgrimsson has also kept faith with Sheffield United winger Chieodozie Ogbene. The Cork native was one of several loan signings made by the Blades and is now languishing in the club’s U21 team because they can only play a maximum of five loan players.
Despite his lack of first team game-time, Hallgrimsson insists Ogbene’s stats are good.
“I know he is fit and he’s only not playing because he’s an on-loan player,” he said.
“He’s playing all the U21 games and his numbers are really good. We know that he’s fit and flying and he’s eager to come in.
“He’s just an optimistic dude all of the time, he see things clearly and knows what he’s to do to be 100 per cent with us and he’s done that.”