Why LOI advocates' voices 'are being heard a lot more'

It's a sign of where the League of Ireland is moving towards, that one of the major talking points ahead of Heimir Hallgrimsson's Republic of Ireland squad announcement last Thursday was whether any domestic-based players would make the cut.

Indeed, the Boys in Green senior manager had had to answer questions about that over a number of weeks, from The Late Late Show all the way to his press conference last week.

Much of that stemmed from sharp criticism from Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley in regard to comments Hallgrimsson had made whilst praising the Hoops' progress in the league phase of the UEFA Conference League before Christmas.

Bradley had felt that the Ireland manager's words had implied that Rovers players' European successes could pave the way for moves elsewhere.

But Hallgrimsson has since denied that interpretation more than once, although he did move to apologise in the event that his points may have been misconstrued.

The Iceland native had included current Rovers player Josh Honohan and Johnny Kenny, who's back at parent club Celtic, in his provisional squad but ultimately neither made the final squad for this week's UEFA Nations League play-off matches against Bulgaria.

However, a precedent may have been set with a growing sense that the voices of Bradley and other contemporaries like Shelbourne boss and international centurion Damien Duff carry increasing weight in debates about matters of importance within Irish football.

It was a point that former Drogheda United, Shamrock Rovers and Longford Town defender Graham Gartland approached on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

Gartland pointed out that the league always had ambassadors willing to speak out, name-checking Brian Kerr, Pat Fenlon, Pat Dolan and Paul Doolin among the most prominent, but added that the current context has allowed the contemporary leaders to be heard loudly and more often.

"I just think it's being heard a lot more," he said.

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You can watch Graham Gartland's LOI chat from 55 minutes in.

"The reason it's being heard a lot more is that the level is - not equating but, back then you had players who were playing Champions League for Manchester United and we were semi part-time so it was very hard to fight that corner and say we need to be in and around this.

"There were a lot of lads who came out of our era in the 2000s that went on and got more than 50 caps - the likes of Seamus Coleman and James McClean. (David) Forde the goalkeeper, Wes Hoolahan, there were a lot of players who came out of the League of Ireland during that full-time period that went on to have really good international careers and there's no reason why players coming out of this generation can't do the same, Liam Scales being one example of that."

The 2007 league winner added that while much work is needed to grow the league in the areas of facilities for example, strides have been made to allow the LOI clubs and stakeholders to grasp the conch.

"The biggest say comes from the fact that teams have done well in Europe, the league has grown exponentially in terms of eyes on it, the media and all that stuff around it, the quality has grown as well, so you're able to then have that argument.

"The fans have led this because they're constantly coming in the door and that increases everything. That increases the spotlight, the sponsorship.

"So now the argument is, 'look what's coming here, help us with it', instead of dampening that. 'Build it up instead of putting it down' and that's where I think the arguments are being a little bit more heard."

As for no domestic-based players in the current squad, Gartland felt Honohan might have been a tad unfortunate but pointed to the sheer degree of competition in the defensive sector.

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"(Hallgrimsson) is honest enough and man enough to say, 'Look, I apologise, I was misinterpreted,'" he said.

"I think the likes of Johnny Kenny, his form in the Europa Conference was exceptional. He was really good, he was a top player for Rovers and one of the most dangerous players they had, him and (Neil) Farrugia, and they've probably missed him.

"But he hasn't got the minutes at Celtic, so it would be hard to put him in ahead of the lads who are in there and getting minutes.

"Obviously Evan Ferguson, (people) might say he isn't getting the minutes but he has played for Ireland previously.

"Josh Honohan is a bit unlucky to miss out but you're unlucky in a sense that the players in ahead of him are playing at a Premier League level or Championship level.

"James Abankwah's playing with Watford, Jimmy Dunne (at QPR), Matt Doherty is playing in the Premier League with Wolves, so I think Josh Honohan is a little bit unlucky for two reasons.

"Obviously the Conference League form and just the people that are in ahead of him. Sometimes that happens. Somebody in your position is playing at a higher level.

"But I do feel down the road, there is a place there for Honohan. Who else comes out of the pack in League of Ireland, I don't know, but we'll just have to wait and see how the form goes. The league won't settle down for another ten games and then you can see where the players are at.

"But in terms of those two players, you're probably thinking they're a bit unlucky but there's reasons why don't make the full squad in the long run.

"But the fact that they're being spoken about as being in the squads on an even keel, on merit, that's where you want to get to in the League of Ireland and that those conversations are just normal now."

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