Having had three years in charge, it's not too much to say that the next two games could be Stephen Kenny's most important as Ireland manager.
The team will play Euro 2024 qualifiers against France and the Netherlands in September, a pair of fixtures that could decide the manager's future. It has been said that two losses in those games could force the FAI to make a coaching change before the year is out.
As a result, there is no doubt that Kenny will be counting on the main players in his squad to stand up and be counted. But who are those players?
The makeup of the Ireland team has changed dramatically over the last couple of years, meaning that some relatively new faces have already become key figures in the setup.
With that in mind, we have decided to rank the five most important players in the Ireland squad.
First, a quick insight into our thought process here.
The depth in a given position matters quite a bit for these rankings. For example, Gavin Bazunu is one of Ireland's best players, but the squad also has a brilliant backup in the form of Caoimhín Kelleher. As a result, it could be said that the team would not suffer from Bazunu's loss as much as they would from other players.
Similarly, the less depth in a position, the more important the starter in that role is.
Considering all of this, here's what we came up with.
Ranking most important players in Ireland squad
5. John Egan
With Seamus Coleman struggling quite a bit with injuries over the last 18 months or so, John Egan has acted as the de facto captain in the Ireland camp for large stretches during that period.
As the squad continues to get younger, his importance within the group continues to grow. He is a leader and organiser at the back.
In terms of his own talent, Egan has been Ireland's most consistent defender over the last three or four years. At 30-years old, he is very much at the peak of his powers.
Honourable mentions: Gavin Bazunu, Dara O'Shea, Seamus Coleman, Jason Knight, Chiedozie Ogbene.
4. Matt Doherty
Had these rankings been done 12 months ago, Matt Doherty would have placed much higher. He was the most important player in the team for much of Stephen Kenny's tenure, often acting as the key creative outlet along with his duties at the back.
Unfortunately, he has stagnated quite a bit over the last year. He hardly featured at Spurs or Atletico Madrid last season, while he has not played in any of Wolves' three leagues games so far in the current campaign. In contrast, the players ahead of him are trending in a different direction in their careers.
In saying that, a fit and firing Matt Doherty remains a massively important player for Ireland, especially when you consider the system Kenny uses and Coleman's fitness issues.
3. Nathan Collins
It is not a coincidence that Nathan Collins has broken the Irish transfer record two summers in a row, with a pair of clubs willing to fork out fees of over £20million to sign him. He is the prototypical modern centre back, being equally comfortable defending as he is with the ball at his feet.
It is his ball playing ability that makes him such a key part of the Ireland team, with Collins often acting as the link between the defence and midfield by stepping into the middle third in possession. From there, he is more than capable of picking out both short and long range passes.
He already looks like a future Ireland captain.
2. Josh Cullen
Josh Cullen is the only holding midfielder in the Ireland squad that has shown he is capable of performing consistently at international level. It really is that simple.
He is arguably the first name on the team sheet under Stephen Kenny, at least until the arrival of the player ranked no. 1 on this list. The side looks much poorer when is not in it, both in and out of possession.
Cullen is an excellent passer, with possessing the ability to keep the team ticking over with quick and short passes. Without the ball, he covers a huge amount of ground and has an excellent sense of positioning.
His importance to the team cannot be overstated.
1. Evan Ferguson
Having an 18-year old at the top of these rankings would be a strange move in regular circumstances. Then again, Evan Ferguson is not your regular 18-year old.
Ireland have been calling out for a prolific forward ever since Robbie Keane retired, with their lack of goals becoming a real issue over the last few years. The Brighton striker looks like he has the ability to rectify that problem, already having a couple of international goals to his name in a handful of appearances.
In truth, goals are only part of the story in terms of what he brings to the team.
Ferguson's linkup play is incredible, especially for a player of his age. He makes everyone around him better, something that you can rarely say about a player of his experience. As well as that, the drop off between him and the other strikers in the squad is dramatic.
Despite having earned only six Ireland caps, he is already the most important player in the team.
SEE ALSO: Jamie Carragher Quick To Call Out Andros Townsend's Nonsense Newcastle Comment
