Will Smallbone

Wouldn't be annoyed to see him in the squad tomorrow simply for the fact that he could potentially be a big player for us in the near future 

I don’t think he will be called up tomorrow or even October but could certainly see him being called up by November if he plays/features off the bench weekly and impresses with Southampton (with Holjberg gone I suspect he will). I agree I think he looks a player and don’t think he’d be out of place in the squad tomorrow btw.

Pretty much it isn’t it I’d want a big price him being in it tomorrow. I agree with leftfoot btw wouldn’t mind seeing him picked I think he seems to have a real bit of quality about him. Could easily be in the squad if not pushing for a start next spring if he continues rolling along with Southampton and considering the mass Hassenhuttl seems to have in him no reason why wouldn’t be playing regularly for them with luck.

From the perspective of pure merit he should be in there, given his stand-out performances in the PL in the second half of the season, above and beyond the likes of say Idah, Parrott or O'Dowda (or even Brady).

But also in terms of the type of player he is: our squad is missing that kind of ball-playing midfielder and could genuinely benefit from his inclusion.  Also, being very young and Nations League being a solid competitive basis for integrating players, without world cup qualifying points at stake, it seems a missed opportunity.

My own suspicion is that there is more to this than meets the eye, but I hope I'm wrong.  Kenny said early doors Smallbone would be in the U21s.  However, if he was from Sheriff Street, Cork or Galway with 9 starring PL appearance (mostly after lockdown), I suspect he'd be in there.

If I'm wrong in that suspicion, it does seem a wasted opportunity to not get him involved.  His high potential for having a big role for us in years to come seems obvious - and Nations League are the games to lay the foundations for that.

I hope we don't end up regretting omitting him.

His development has been rapid this last few months but he's only represented Ireland at U19 and so it's logical to get him into the 21s, to get a better feel of how Kenny wants to play etc.

There's club games between now and the October squad which will have a bearing on that lineup.

If Smallbone is featuring for So'ton regularly and is still omitted, then we can ask questions of Kenny's choices but, for now, all seems above board and logical.