Sunday’s Republic of Ireland hour saw John Duggan, Gavin Cummiskey & Shane Keegan discuss Ireland’s Nations League campaign
Watching on as the Republic of Ireland warmed up for a recent Nations League game Gavin Cummiskey laughed to himself in the irony of the world class quality of Stephen Kenny’s goalkeeping panel, with only one jersey up for grabs.
“It’s terrible I was watching Gavin Bazunu, Caomhin Kelleher and Mark Travers warm up behind the goal and you know they’re three Premier League goalkeepers, it’s just such a pain that it just would happen to us” he smiled.
“Arguably these three guys are going to turn into our three best players over the next ten years, but such as life” he added.
Cummiskey went on to say that Bazunu’s recent signing with Southampton and it’s benefits for his former club Shamrock Rovers is a “great example and arguably a benchmark for how league of Ireland clubs can negotiate for their footballers in the coming years.”
That crucial potential first team football it seems is what may set him apart from his Republic of Ireland positional rivals. The question remains however, will that still be the case next season?
“I think Bazunu will start for Southampton in the Premier League, I think Travers will start for Bournmeth in the Premier League and I think Kelleher will play the Carabao Cup again so by September it will be a no brainer in that sense you know who Kenny should pick” says Cummiskey.
Shane Keegan echoes Cummiskey’s comments, citing that while he’s “not quite as sure if it will work out for him as well again this coming season by staying at Liverpool”, that “thing is he’s now made himself so important there at Liverpool that I don’t think that they would in any way be open to him leaving.”
“He’s a super goalkeeper but his problem is we seem to have an absolutely generational talent in Gavin Bazunu who has been the outstanding player for us in 2021.”
“Bar Caomhin Kelleher literally getting four man of the match appearances in those consecutive games I think for me as soon as Bazunu comes back he will absolutely be the starting goalkeeper.”
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