While Wales manager Chris Coleman has reaped the benefits of introducing exciting young talent like Ben Woodburn to the international scene to good effect in the last two qualifying matches, Ireland manager Martin O'Neill has not appeared as willing to take the risk on younger talent.
Speaking top Richie on our Panel alongside ex-Ireland striker Stephen Elliott and journalist Phillip Quinn, St Patrick's Athletic player Ger O'Brien touched on that issue as the Boys in Green's 2018 World Cup qualifying hopes hang by a thread.
"Are they good enough? That's the question. On the one hand, we don't know because we haven't seen them and you're sort of saying, what level are they playing at," said O'Brien of our own up and coming players in the age categories below senior.
"We're talking about bringing in Scott Hogan. Me and Stephen were talking about it outside. Our underage teams have actually done alright at tournaments. I remember Paul Doolin's team went to the Euros under-19s maybe four or five years ago. I think [John] Egan might have been playing in that team and a couple of others.
"Like, who was our centre forward that time? Who was our right winger? I was only speaking to one of the members under-21s international team - they were in Azerbaijan this week - and he was running through the team with me and I was saying, 'Who was next to make the step up? Who's ready to come through?' He was saying, 'I don't know'.
Declan Rice ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
"[Declan] Rice played in midfield. He's playing left sided centre back for West Ham, so he's sort of saying, 'Maybe him, because he's only after being put in by West Ham'. There's not much else that he could say about who's definitely going to come in and play. Like, Manning scored a couple of goals. He's playing for QPR in the Championship. Is he ready? His opinion was, 'I don't think so'. But then again, we haven't seen him to be able to see can they make that step."
Elliott also shared his thoughts, saying that, "We need to start looking a little further afield" and adding that, "Me, I'd rather see Seanie Maguire in the team".
English born Hogan's availability for Ireland had been unclear for some time but he has now declared, although Maguire remains Elliott's preferred option in the pecking order.
"The Adrenalin I had when I made my international debut, it was the best moment of my life because it's something you dream about as a kid," he said.
"You see Sean Maguire and he's a passionate Irish kid. I just think there's something about - I'm not saying anything against Scott Hogan - I hate all that humming and hawing. There's been discussions loads of times where about, 'oh, do I want to play for Ireland?' But that doesn't sit right with me. Fair enough if you're English and you're brought up in the Irish way, you're more than welcome and you deserve it. But I would have Sean Maguire a million times ahead of him just because I think he'd have more of a heart to go out there and it would be so much more to him than anyone else."
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