- Macdara Ferris
- Mon, May 22 2023
Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers wing back Neil Farrugia will spend this week at the Republic of Ireland training camp in Bristol under the watchful eye of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny.
Farrugia’s domestic manager Stephen Bradley is delighted with the call up for the Rovers player who turned 24 last Friday, saying it is a reward for his performances this season and the hard work in coming back from surgery on a tendon injury.
“Neil has been the standout player in the league,” said Bradley after his team’s 2-1 defeat to Drogheda United on Friday. “He has been brilliant. He fully deserves it and I'm delighted for him. It will be a good few days for him in that environment and they can have a look at him up close.”
The wing-back tops a number of attacking stats on Wyscout including key passess, progressive runs, 1 vs 1 and dribbling.
“He’s a player who has had a frustrating time (with injury). He deserves tremendous credit as he had 18 months where he really had to dig in and dig deep. That is hard mentally more than anything. The staff have done brilliant work with him – Glenn (Cronin), Stephen (McPhail) and Eoin (Donnelly – Rovers’ strength and conditioning coach). We are seeing the rewards. There is so much to come from that kid.”
“Neil is delighted. He is the type who takes things in his stride and gets on with it. It isn't about one call up and be happy. It is about going and making an impression for the next one.
They are standards we demand from our players. We want them to come here and get better and push on and strive to play for their country.”
Farrugia was on standby for Ireland duty last November without receiving a call up but has played under Kenny at under-21 level. He is the only outfield League of Ireland player who is part of a 22-man squad for this week’s four-day training camp at the Robins High Performance Centre in Bristol ahead of the June EURO 2024 qualifiers in Athens and home to Gibraltar.
With goalkeepers Gavin Bazunu, Caoimhín Kelleher and Mark Travers all still involved with their Premier League clubs, Bohs ‘keeper James Talbot and Derry City’s Brian Maher are in the training squad (along with Bristol City’s Max O’Leary).
Both goalkeepers have worked with Stephen Kenny before with Talbot part of the Ireland squad for games most recently against Belgium and Lithuania and Brian Maher was part of an Ireland camp in March last year.
Shamrock Rovers’ Jack Byrne is not included in the training camp but could be an option for the June qualifiers. “Stephen (Kenny) has a lot of players all over to choose from and it is his call,” said Bradley when asked about Byrne. “What I know is that Jack is back playing at levels where he could easily play at that (international) level.”
Ireland Squad - Bristol Training Camp
Max O'Leary (Bristol City), James Talbot (Bohemians), Brian Maher (Derry City);
Danny McNamara (Millwall), Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Sean McLaughlin (Hull City);
Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Josh Cullen (Burnley), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Neil Farrugia (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County);
Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Tom Cannon (Everton), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Michael Obafemi (Burnley), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic).
