How long can Martin O’Neill continue to ignore him?
The Republic of Ireland have called upon a 39-man squad for their two play-off legs against Bosnia and Herzegovina. They’re nearly down to the bare bones now as Stephen Quinn’s omission through injury meant the manager couldn’t recall the same 40 players he did for the Germany and Poland clashes last month.
So he had to settle for just 39.
Five ‘keepers yet again make that list. Nine strikers do as well.
It seems that anyone who’s available and willing – or at least half way available and willing – is brought in to the boss’s provisional international set-up and we go from there.
Or so you’d think.
There is one man who has been left out in the cold. One man continually overlooked. One man who has watched 11 players from currently lower ranked English clubs – never mind Scotland and America – come into the squad ahead of him.
What is Martin O’Neill’s problem with Stephen Gleeson?
Since the start of the year, Gleeson has played every one of Birmingham’s 13 league games and their cup defeat at Aston Villa. He has scored twice as well just for the craic.
The midfielder has helped guide the club to sixth in the Championship table, one point off of second place. He could be a Premier League player by the time the Euros come around and there’s not even a mention of his name.
Not even in a 40-man squad.
The Dubliner was capped twice as a teenager, making his debut under Steve Staunton back in 2007, but he hasn’t gotten a sniff of a call-up since.
Meanwhile, four non-capped players have joined the squad. Players at a lower standard and players not getting a look in with their clubs are ahead of Gleeson in the national pecking order.
Man City’s Jack Byrne might be an argument too but he’s on loan at Cambuur, second bottom in the Dutch league. Plus he’s still in the underage ranks and there anyway if needed.
Joey O’Brien is only coming back from injury, so too is Burnley’s Cork defender Kevin Long, whilst Brian Lenihan is yet to make any impact at Hull. We’ll not go in to the Stephen Ireland business.
So here’s Gleeson. 27 years of age. Playing every week. Top of the pile of the very few players unselected by Martin O’Neill. And he’s frozen out.
Ah, the injustice.
Honestly though, when it seems like everyone else is making the squad willy-nilly, when we’re working with a group of 40 players, Stephen Gleeson is the man who can feel most aggrieved at being left out.
Before you ask, Paul Green has played eight games for Rotherham thus far, scoring one goal.
Republic of Ireland squad:
David Forde
Shay Given
Kieren Westwood
Darren Randolph
Rob Elliott
Richard Keogh
Marc Wilson
Seamus Coleman
Cyrus Christie
John O’Shea
Alex Pearce
Shane Duffy
Ciaran Clark
Paul McShane
Stephen Ward
Greg Cunningham
Robbie Brady
James McCarthy
Jeff Hendrick
Darron Gibson
Harry Arter
Eunan O’Kane
Glenn Whelan
Paul Green
Aiden McGeady
James McClean
Alan Judge
Anthony Pilkington
David Meyler
Jon Walters
Wes Hoolahan
Shane Long
Daryl Murphy
Kevin Doyle
Anthony Stokes
David McGoldrick
Adam Rooney
Simon Cox
Robbie Keane
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