Players move in hope of future international rewards

This week saw a lot of players move to new clubs, in order to secure game time before squads are picked for the Euro 2016 qualifiers. Nearly all the players that moved are outside of the national team set-up at the moment and they will hope that good performances for their new clubs will finally justify a place for them.

Roy Carroll has returned to English shores, after completing a move to League One side Notts County. The veteran goalkeeper joins on a free transfer from Greek team Olympiacos, where he had spent the last three seasons, winning three championships in a row. Carroll is oldest member of the Northern Ireland international squad at the age of 36 and he currently has thirty five caps to his name.

One veteran that won’t be moving anywhere is Wes Hoolohan. The 32 year-old has signed a new two-year deal with Norwich City which will keep him at the club until July 2017. The former Shelbourne midfielder has played nearly two hundred times for the Canaries and he will be an integral part of their squad as they prepare for life in the Championship. Hoolohan has only played twelve times for the Republic of Ireland, scoring once in the 2-0 friendly win over Poland.

Norwich will be playing Reading in the Championship next season and they have completed the signing of Simon Cox from Nottingham Forest. The striker is the Royals’ first signing of the season and he has signed a two-year contract. Cox has made thirty appearances for the Republic of Ireland so far, scoring four goals. However, he faces competition from a lot of players for a starting spot up front.

One of those players is Leon Best, who joined Derby County on loan from Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers. Best finished last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Blackburn, where he scored six goals in sixteen appearances. Best has made seven appearances at international level for the Republic of Ireland, but he has failed to find the net so far.

Josh McQuoid is another striker hoping to break into his national team. The Northern Ireland international has also completed a loan move, moving to League One team Coventry City from Bournemouth. McQuoid finished last season on loan too, playing fourteen times for Peterborough United, scoring once. The 24 year-old has played five times for Northern Ireland but his last appearance came in 2011.

Strikers were the main transfer targets this week and another to move was Stephen Elliot. The 30 year-old has signed a one-year deal with League Two side Carlisle United. Elliot has been without a club for the past season and last played for Coventry City during the 2012-13 capaign, where he scored four goals in twenty four appearances. Elliot made the Republic of Ireland squad regularly, between 2004 and 2006, due to good performances at Sunderland. He played nine times, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win over Cyprus in a 2006 World Cup qualifier.

Blackburn Rovers have also loaned out Anthony O’Connor to Plymouth Argyle on a six-month loan deal. The defender was also sent out on loan last season to Torquay United. He went on to play thirty one times for the Gulls as they were relegated from League Two. O’Connor is a current u21 international for the Republic of Ireland, making eight appearances so far.

Samir Carruthers has joined MK Dons for an undisclosed fee from Aston Villa. The winger was on loan at MK Dons last season and played twenty-eight times, scoring twice, and he has impressed enough to sign a three-year deal with the club this week. Carruthers has ten caps at u21 level for the Republic of Ireland and has scored three goals.

Another u21 international on the move is Cian Bolger. Like Carruthers, Bolger has completed a move to the team he finished on loan with last season. The defender has signed a two-year deal with Southend United after joining from Bolton Wanderers. Bolger has played once for the Republic of Ireland u21 international team.