Tweaking the League of Ireland calendar could be a potential solution to facilitate the call-up of domestic-based players to future Republic of Ireland men's senior training camps, says FAI director of football John Martin.
On Tuesday, Boys in Green manager Heimir Hallgrimsson named a mostly experimental 21-man squad for a training camp in Murcia, Spain that will also feature a friendly against Grenada next Saturday, 16 May.
Nine of the call-ups are uncapped but there was no place for League of Ireland players, with Hallgrimsson explaining that doing so would result in "interrupting the league".
He went on to reiterate his long-held desire for a camp in January that could be solely dedicated for League of Ireland players given the February-to-November nature of the domestic club calendar.
While a January slot brings issues of its own given it coincides with clubs' pre-seasons and falls outside of designated FIFA match calendar windows, Martin said Irish soccer's governing body could explore other avenues to give Ireland managers the chance to put together camps and friendlies featuring LOI talent.
"You could maybe tweak the domestic calendar as well for May," he said after delivering an FAI football department update briefing at Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.
"We didn't want to disrupt the League of Ireland season. But if there were no League of Ireland games, this (Murcia) camp could have been a really nice blended League of Ireland/League One/youth player squad.
"January, (we) just have to look at the feasibility of it, like does it work for the clubs? Does it work for the players in terms of their load where they're at in pre-season and does it work for opponents?
"There is a commitment there for a development piece. It's just trying to pick the right one that we get bang for it.
"But say, if you reach out to League of Ireland clubs and they don't want to release players in January, then that is that.
"We have seen (Shamrock) Rovers and Shels last year still playing until Christmas so that would rule those players out. Those would be the different scenarios you would look at.
"I like the idea of it. But I think maybe have a look at the calendar as well as that, because the league start dates come back a week as well.
"With a club hat on, it would be difficult to let a Dawson Devoy maybe go for ten days. We will sit down, talk to the clubs, talk to Heimir, talk to Mark (Scanlon, League of Ireland director) and figure out what works best."
On means of trying to create mid-season space in May for example, Martin pondered: "Can you be creative, throw an extra Monday night game in and there are no games this weekend? Do you come at it that way?
"Players will be in season, they'd have games under their belt, you wouldn't have to disrupt the domestic so they can give the best of themselves."
Meanwhile, Martin confirmed that John O'Shea's new contract to remain as Ireland assistant manager is "imminent" with paperwork being finalised.
In regard to Paddy McCarthy, who combines his role in Hallgrimsson's backroom team with a position as a first-team coach at Premier League side Crystal Palace, Martin said the association would be keen to keep him aboard in the long-term.
"Paddy's is a slightly different situation," he said.
"Paddy is part of our team and will be part of our team until the point that maybe someone takes him away from us, would be the best way of looking at it.
"The focus is on Palace at the moment and getting that over the line. But I have had some long, great conversations with Paddy and we will hold onto Paddy until the day that we can't. As it stands he will be staying on as part of it but we'll sit down properly at the end of Palace's season as I appreciate he has a lot on there. He's huge for us."
Below the senior men's and women's set-ups, the remaining coaching vacancies for the underage national team grades are expected to be filled in the near future.
At present, James Scott, Keith O'Halloran and John Cotter are the lead coaches in place with two more to be appointed. Richie Smith and Mark Connors are two of the support coaches in situ, with three more to be brought on board.
Martin explained that the roles would no longer be fixed to any particular grade whether it's the under-15s, 17s or 19s, with coaches expected to move fluidly between the various set-ups as required.
The Ireland under-17s will be going to a second successive World Cup at the end of the year.
Colin O'Brien, who lead them to the last-16 in Qatar last year, left his role as head coach as part of wider staff cuts within the association late last year. Thus, at present a lead coach to take the reins for this year's tournament - also in Qatar - is yet to be decided upon.
"(That) hasn't been decided. We have a June camp, a September camp and then the tournament itself. Someone will be appointed to oversee those three camps," Martin said.
"The likes of Mark Connors who was with the group will absolutely be with the group in Qatar as well, but we will finish these appointments hopefully today, tomorrow, it's close. By the end of the month we should have announced all of those appointments and we'll mix and match what we think best suits each age group."
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