Stephen Kenny is cautiously optimistic that Evan Ferguson will be fit to face the Netherlands in Saturday's Euro 2024 encounter in Amsterdam.
The young Brighton striker was on the injured list when the squad reported for duty ahead of this week’s double-header, with Ireland also playing a friendly international against New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday.
Ferguson, along with Chiedozie Ogbene, Jamie McGrath and Will Smallbone needed injury scans after arriving in Dublin, and while the manager is not expecting all four players to make it, he is hopeful the teenage star will be available for selection.
Ferguson missed the vital international window in September through injury, proving unavailable for the crucial games against France in Paris and the Dutch in Dublin, however, this time around, the former Bohemians forward is suffering from a different strain.
"I'm cautiously optimistic, we'll see," said Kenny, when asked whether he was optimistic if Ferguson would be available.
"September was a little bit different because obviously he had the knee pain and it's not that this time and he's been brilliant.
"He could easily have been ruled out because he wasn't available for his club at the weekend and Evan has been terrific, he's reported, he's determined to play this week and he's shown a great attitude, a brilliant attitude coming in.
"He seems to be really positive in his outlook and we'll see how he goes between now and the weekend. But he's shown a great determination to come in this week and want to play."
And Ferguson will be a key member of the squad should Kenny’s side realise the manager’s aim of securing a famous away win in Amsterdam.
Ireland have not had many great away victories in World Cup or Euros qualifiers and the manager believes that the Scotland win in 1987 was the biggest ever achieved.
Beating the Dutch on their home turf would certainly be a major victory and perhaps throw one last casting vote for the manager to maintain his tenure over the team, however, unlike that famous win at Hampden Park in 1987, which helped Ireland qualify for Euro 88, there is nothing riding on the outcome of this one.
"It’s a great game really, we go to Amsterdam to play Holland," said Kenny. "A terrific game and one that we are looking forward to. It’s a full house in Amsterdam, the players have not experienced that before, going to play Holland away.
"It’s been mentioned earlier in the week, that in Ireland’s history, our best away result is reportedly Scotland in 1987, Scotland away.
"We have gone close to a couple ourselves, very close. People might doubt the possibility, but the objective is to try to go to Holland and get an extraordinary win out there, and all the players to make their mark, individually and collectively in Amsterdam. And that has to be the objective."
Kenny believes that his team are already a difficult proposition, and backed it up with referencing very encouraging performances against top-quality opposition, however, Ireland have also been easily beaten on too many occasions over the past three years, and the manager accepts that those are the results that could stand against him.
"All of the games we’ve played against the top teams, whether that be Portugal home and away, Serbia home and away, Scotland home and away, Ukraine away and definitely France and Holland at home.
"They are really top teams - the centenary game against Belgium - they have been fiercely contested games of football.
"We come out on the tight margins, we've drawn some of them [3 - Portugal, Serbia, Ukraine]. Obviously, we beat Scotland.
"I don't feel we were far away in those games. From my point of view it is about improving some of the small details, some of the goals we conceded and being more clinical when we create chances."
"We'd a lot of good moments in the game against Holland in September, we were absolutely kicking ourselves. We could have gone 2-0 up and to concede that goal after 20 minutes, from the penalty, from the counter-attack. We were kicking ourselves with that.
"They have players that can dominate a game, they can control a game and they've a lot of pace in wide areas. They are an exceptional team but we must go there intent and belief and absolutely with conviction.
"Every game is different. But generally, I think we're on the right track in a lot of games and played very well in a lot of those games, but we have to, obviously, turn those draws into victories and defeats into draws, certainly that's what we have to do."
And as for the manager’s chances of staying on in the role for the 2024 Nations League campaign, Kenny was asked whether he could use a famous away victory against the Dutch as a bargaining tool with the decision makers at the FAI.
"Number one, I haven’t bargained anything, or made a case," stressed Kenny.
"More or less I’ve kept my head down, worked hard, tried to, ultimately prepare the team this week for these games. Just focus on this game.
"They’ve a lot of high-calibre international players playing at the highest level. We’ll get a real tough game on Saturday night, and we have to rise to that challenge, and do our utmost to put in a big performance.
"No point talking about implications, where are we if we win."
Watch the Netherlands v Republic of Ireland on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player this Saturday from 7pm, follow a live blog on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to commentary on RTÉ 2fm
