Former Boys in Green international Keith Treacy believes Stephen Kenny should consider calling up Blackpool full-back Andy Lyons to the Republic of Ireland squad in June.
This time next month, the Euro 2024 qualifiers will be on the cusp of resuming with a pivotal fixture against Greece on 16 June before Gibraltar visit Dublin three days later.
The build-up that double-header has already been impacted by injuries with Ireland and Everton captain Seamus Coleman having recently undergone surgery on a knee injury sustained at the start of May - his Toffees manager Sean Dyche pointing to a return in time for next season.
Matt Doherty will almost certainly start, injury permitting, in the right wing-back slot in June but has received minimal game-time since joining Atletico Madrid in the January window.
While Alan Browne has slotted into that role when called upon by Kenny, one option to add depth at right wing-back includes Udinese's Festy Ebosele, who was called up to the senior squad once last year and has been earning increased game-time in Serie A of late.
One of the others is former Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians defender Lyons.
The 22-year-old has been able to adapt to Championship life with Blackpool to good effect since making the move across the Irish Sea in January and weighed in with four goals in 17 league games despite the Tangerines' struggles en route to relegation.
And speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, Treacy opined that Lyons has done enough to push for a place in Kenny's squad even if a first cap is unlikely in the upcoming window.
"I think Stephen Kenny should bring him in, I think he's been that good but in terms of playing him I think that'd just be a step too far," he said.
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The former Blackburn and Burnley player continued: "I'd have no problems with Andy Lyons coming in. I know Blackpool have obviously had a poor season but individually I think he's done very, very well, just cutting his teeth in the English professional game.
"He's been impressive and popped up with a few goals so if Lyons was to come in, I'd be happy. I don't think he'd start (in June) just because the water's too deep. These are qualifiers, these are big, big games and having not played for Ireland at all (at senior level) and never been in a training camp before, he's not tasted it.
"So if he were to come in and didn't do well, you'd feel a personal responsibility to him, you don't feel like testing him at that level, although looking from the outside in, he looks like he would be very, very capable.
"But you feel like you owe it to him to give him a few minutes in a friendly just to test him."
Elsewhere, Derby County activated an extension in Jason Knight's contract. However, the Ireland midfielder is expected to move on from the League One club.
The question is where next and Treacy feels the 22-year-old will have plenty of options in England as well as further afield.
"For his development, I think he should go to a Championship club or a Werder Bremen or something like that," he said in reference in the purported interest that came from the Bundesliga club last summer.
"You look at what (Josh) Cullen did at Anderlecht before coming back to the Championship as a route back into the Premier League.
"You would be looking at something like that to try and get the same sort of pathway.
"I think a decent, strong Championship club, maybe somebody who's going to challenge for the play-offs, would be ideal for him.
"And like I said, I wouldn't be averse to Europe because in my time, agents, mothers and fathers, everybody was dead set against it because if you went to Europe and didn't play well you were very quickly forgotten about but that's not the case these days so you can throw the dice a little bit more."
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