As undoubtedly encouraging as Euro 2016 was from an Irish point of view, there are some things for Martin O'Neill to worry about ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. Ireland's squad was the oldest at Euro 2016, and O'Neill will soon have to find an adequate replacement for John O'Shea, who, at the age of 35, is in the twilight of his career. Ireland certainly have options: Ciaran Clark has proven in the past he is a good defender (the Bosnia game springs to mind), Richard Keogh is always reliable, and Shane Duffy will likely become a mainstay if he can cut out the sloppy mistakes that come about through lapses in concentration.
Martin O'Neill has today been given another option in defence in the form of QPR's Grant Hall. Hall is 24, and told GetWestLondon.co.uk that he has ambitions to play internationally, with England or Ireland:
I still have international aims. Every player hopes to play for their country. It's every player's dream.
I'm just concentrating on myself and what I have to do at QPR. Every boy's dream is to play for their country.
I'm also eligible for the Republic of Ireland as my grandparents are Irish.
Hall signed for Tottenham in 2012, but failed to make a senior appearance for the club. He was farmed out on loan to Swindon, Birmingham and Blackpool, before making a permanent move to Loftus Road last year. Hall was a first-team regular, and was awarded the Supporters' Player of the Season award.
Here is a highlight reel from one of those games:
