Sammie Szmodics should no longer be called up to the Republic of Ireland squad, according to former Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Barry Murphy, after the Ipswich forward pulled out of consecutive internationals windows before subsequently featuring for his club days later.
Szmodics was included in Heimir Hallgrimsson's original squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Armenia but withdrew in advance of the games.
Three days after the Armenia match, the 30-year-old started for Ipswich against Middlesbrough in a Championship fixture last Friday.
The versatile forward has been dogged by ankle-related injury issues since mid-January and before the Boro game, his club manager Kieran McKenna had said that he would need "a course of injections" in order to be able to play.
In September, Szmodics did start for Ireland in the 2-2 draw against Hungary but withdrew from the squad ahead of the subsequent defeat in Armenia. Three days later, he featured for 27 minutes as Ipswich thrashed Sheffield United 5-0.
Those minutes at the Aviva against the Hungarians are the only ones he has accrued in the Boys in Green jersey during 2025, having been a regular the previous year.
Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, ex-Hoops, Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic shot-stopper Murphy was left unimpressed by the fact that Szmodics started for Ipswich on Friday despite having again pulled out of an Ireland squad and believes Hallgrimsson needs to a draw a strict line under the situation.
"I think he shouldn't call him up at all. I think he should be cutting ties with him. It's probably a little bit harsh but I think he's shown a real contempt for the jersey," said Murphy.
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"He's made himself available for Ipswich after not being available for Ireland three days (earlier). We've all had those injuries where you've got to come through and fight your way through that injury.
"But this is World Cup qualifiers. This is the pinnacle. It should be the pinnacle of your career, going and playing in these games.
"He played in the East Anglia derby (against Norwich City on 5 October), played 87 minutes, pulled out of the Ireland team and is available for 67 minutes against Middlesbrough."
Murphy added: "For Heimir, it's asking questions and making a rod for his own back when he keeps calling him up and he keeps (withdrawing), so for me I just wouldn't call him up again."
Meanwhile, over the last week, the Liverpool Echo have reported that the FAI are exploring the possibility of trying to bring Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall into the Ireland fold.
The former Chelsea and Leicester City player has never been capped by England at any level and is eligible for the Boys in Green.
Given the paucity of quality in midfield for Ireland, Murphy said Dewsbury-Hall should be called in at the earliest opportunity if he is amenable to swapping international allegieance.
"Get him in and get him capped," he said.
"You get him in, he's a quality player and I think he'd add something to the team that we don't have at the moment.
"Go out and give him that option and say, 'Listen, you're going to come in and there's a chance you're going to start, you're going to be in the squads going forward'.
"Take that option away from England where if he progresses over the next season or two, he's going to get capped by England if he wants it. You've got to take that option away, get him in early, and obviously we're missing someone like him in the squad at the moment."
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