While a number of players impressed with their performances in France this past summer, there is no question that two players emerged as the real stars of the campaign.
The likes of Wes Hoolahan, James McClean, and Seamus Coleman all earned praise for their performances (apart from the Belgium game, of course, in which nobody really stood out), but Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick were the headline grabbers for their outstanding performances, and the fact that they were both on the books of Championship sides going into the tournament meant that big moves were surely on the horizon.
The rumours and reported interest came thick and fast, and while Jeff Hendrick was linked to all three promoted sides in Middlesbrough, Hull City, and Burnley, Robbie Brady's name was being linked to the Champions League.
Leicester City were interested, but a move to the Premier League never materialised for Brady, and considering Burnley were willing to break their club transfer record to sign Jeff Hendrick, many Irish fans were puzzled that the former Manchester United and Hull City man would be spending the season, until January at least, in the second tier of English football.
Martin O'Neill shares that sentiment and even went as far as to suggest that he must be playing better for his country than his club because he has been so impressive inside the Irish camp, while speaking to The Irish Times.
I am surprised, I must admit, that he is not playing in the Premier League. Particularly on the strength of what he did in the Euros and I actually think Jeff Hendrick was transferred on what he’s done at the Euros, not really what he’s done for Derby in the last year.
He's been really terrific. And very adaptable. I feel there are two positions he can play equally as well. I feel he can see a lot of the game coming from a left-back position and that’s fine and I wouldn’t have a problem playing him there which he has done.
And if we moved him into the middle of the field in games if we play three in the middle and he’s on the left side of that, he can get forward and do things with it.
I have been championing his cause now for the last couple of years. Does he play brilliantly for us, maybe better than he has done at club level? I don’t know is the answer but he has been exceptional for us.
We build him up, he’s great and you keep telling him he’s great and then he’s fantastic, absolutely. He does a couple of daft things in matches, you know, like everything else but overall he is a really, really fine player.
Norwich fans have been less than impressed with Brady's start to the season, but countless players who played the minutes that Robbie Brady did, or even less, have had slow starts.
For Ireland, Brady is someone who will be an integral part of the Irish team for the foreseeable future, whether he's playing in the Championship or the Champions League.
