With the end of the club season in most countries fast approaching, attention will soon turn to the international scene. While the wisdom of having an international window at the end of a long club season can be debated, there is no doubt that June will be huge month for the Republic of Ireland.
Stephen Kenny's men will play in two vital Euro 2024 qualifiers, travelling to take on Greece on June 16th before hosting Gibraltar three days later. A victory against Gibraltar will be expected, although the fixture against the Greeks could well be a decisive one.
Ireland will need to take a positive result from that one if they are to harbour any hopes of grabbing an unlikely qualification berth from this group, with fixtures against France and the Netherlands still to come. They certainly can't afford to lose the game in Athens, a result which could well end their hopes of a top two finish only a couple of games into the campaign.
Evan Ferguson is sure to play a key part in June, having recovered from his recent injury issue. It seems those in the Greece camp have certainly been keeping a close eye on his progress this season.
Greece manager lavishes praise on Evan Ferguson
Evan Ferguson has experienced a remarkable rise this season, starring for a Brighton team that looks likely to secure European football in the weeks ahead. That is no mean feat for an 18-year old.
He has already been linked with a move to the likes of Spurs and Chelsea, although he looks all but certain to stay at Brighton for at least one more season having recently penned a new deal at the club.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Greece manager Gus Poyet said that he would not be surprised to see him move to one of those clubs mentioned above in the near future.
If he gets a chance to play regularly in Brighton, he is going to be a top player. My former team in Brighton will hate me for saying this but he's a player they can look forward to selling in the near future.
If he plays regularly next season, then the following year I would not be surprised if he goes to one of those clubs [Chelsea/Spurs]. Strikers are very difficult to keep hold of when clubs want them.
When I looked at him in the beginning I thought, 'yes, he's ok'. Then you look closely, really watch the game, I watch the players individually to prepare for our game in June and I thought, 'wow'.
He is going to be top class, and you need to consider his age, he's unbelievable for someone of 18. I always said if someone is ready to play in the Premier League at 18, he's different.
I can't say he will reach the levels of [Wayne] Rooney or [Michael] Owen but when those players scored at an early age and performed, they should have a great career ahead of them.
That is quite high praise for a player at such an early stage in their career.
The prospect of Evan Ferguson reaching his full potential is certainly a very exciting one for Ireland supporters.
SEE ALSO: Tomás O'Connor And The Other Irish Descendants Making Waves In Argentinian Football
