Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has made a notable impact at Everton this season following his transfer from Chelsea, but he might soon have to make an important decision regarding his international career. The Football Association of Ireland is contemplating reaching out to Dewsbury-Hall to gauge his interest in joining Heimir Hallgrimsson’s squad. Despite being born in England, the midfielder is eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland due to his family heritage. The ECHO has learned that Dewsbury-Hall is on Hallgrimsson’s radar, and the Irish FA is keen on exploring a potential call-up. Notably, the Leicester City academy graduate has yet to be capped by England at any level.
Everton captain Seamus Coleman said: “Everybody is gutted. We came here and we wanted to put a bit of pride in the shirt and what I see Ireland to be. Hard to beat and everyone fighting like you wouldn’t believe. I do think as a group we find it easier against the bigger nations, but that shouldn’t be the case. And all eyes now are on Tuesday and trying to keep it alive.”
Heimir Hallgrimsson expressed: “It’s just painful, really painful and a heartbreaking result. Sometimes we coaches try to look at performance when we lose games. I think what we planned to do, our game-plan, worked. Team effort, team-work were excellent. There was a lot of energy put into this match. Just being so close and ending up with nothing going back to Ireland is painful. That’s my reaction to the game. Maybe you want to ask about tactical things and stuff, but this is how I feel after the game. It’s painful.”
Dewsbury-Hall isn’t the only player on Hallgrimsson’s radar. The manager revealed in August that he had discussions with Louie Barry, the Aston Villa midfielder currently on loan at Sheffield United, about joining the Irish setup. This indicates a broader strategy by the Irish FA to strengthen their squad by tapping into players with eligibility through heritage.
Meanwhile, in a recent World Cup qualifier, Ruben Neves saved Roberto Martinez’s side with an injury-time winner after Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher. However, Everton’s Seamus Coleman, who played 86 minutes, expressed disappointment over some refereeing decisions by Ivan Kruzliak. This match highlighted the competitive spirit and challenges faced by the team, as they aim to maintain their standing in international football.
About The Author
