Heimir Hallgrimsson Keeps Seamus Coleman Close as Ireland Name Squad
Heimir Hallgrimsson says it was "tempting" to pick Seamus Coleman for the Republic of Ireland squad. In the end, the 38-year-old was not among the 24 players named for the Nations League matches against Austria and Kosovo, but he still has a role to play. BBC Sport
Coleman has not played since June. He has been without a club since leaving Everton in the summer. He has 81 caps for his country, and he has said he wants to start playing again.
Instead, he will take on what Hallgrimsson calls a "hybrid role". He will train with the squad, but he will also support the coaching staff in a leadership capacity. It keeps an experienced defender around the group while he looks for his next club.
The Nations League is the competition between European national teams that runs alongside qualifying for major tournaments. Ireland are in League B3, a group in the second tier. They sit third and have won one of their last four games. RTÉ Sport
Ireland travel to Linz to face Austria on Saturday 14 November. They then host Kosovo at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to finish their campaign in this window.
The squad news is a mix of returns and absences. Captain Nathan Collins is back after missing the opening four group matches with a calf injury. Harvey Vale also returns after missing the previous games.
There is bad news too. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu is injured, so Mark Travers comes in to replace him. Evan Ferguson (ankle), Josh Cullen (knee) and Jaden Umah (thigh) are not included because of injury. Owen Elding will drop down to the Under-21 squad for this window.
Hallgrimsson's goalkeepers for both matches are Caoimhin Kelleher, Max O'Leary and Travers. Ireland will need points to climb their group, and the picks show a manager trying to balance fit players with those who are returning from injury.
For fans, the most interesting thread is Coleman. He is a player who wants to play, yet he is not on the official list. Watching how that arrangement works over the next few weeks will say a lot about what Ireland can offer a senior player who is between clubs.
