It's 37 days until Ireland's first game of Euro 2016. It's even less until Martin O'Neill names his squad for the tournament - that's just three weeks away.
The Ireland manager said that he intends to name his 23 on the day after his side play the Netherlands at the Aviva.
Apart from Shane Long - who is in the form of his life right now - what Martin O'Neill has a deficit of are strikers in goalscoring form. After finishing top scorer in the Championship last season, Daryl Murphy has scored just ten times for Ipswich in 2015/16. Robbie Keane is only just returning from injury and realistically is only an option off the bench. Kevin Doyle has also only just returned from injury.
Options up front are pretty thin for O'Neill. During March's friendly against Slovakia, he resorted to playing James McClean as a striker due to injuries.
Even this close to the tournament, it seems O'Neill is looking to expand his choices.
Roy Keane was apparently in attendance at Huddersfield vs Brentford today to watch Scott Hogan.
The 24-year-old Brentford striker only recently returned to action after 18 months out injured.
Since returning from injury, he has hit a serious hot streak of form. After scoring a late equaliser against Bristol City three weeks ago, he scored braces against Cardiff, Fulham and again today versus Huddersfield.
That leaves him on seven goals in his last four games.
7 - Scott Hogan has bagged seven goals in his last four games for Brentford, including braces in each of his last three. Hero.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 7, 2016
Hogan was born in Salford but qualifies to play for Ireland through his grandparents.
The possibility of a call-up to Martin O'Neill's squad is not something which he is really contemplating right now. Last week he told Get West London:
I got called up at Rochdale for the [Ireland] 21s but we had a game on the Friday and my manager didn't want me go so I didn't go.
I spoke to Judgey (Alan Judge) a couple of times and he's had a reporter ring him and ask him. They've tried to get in touch with me but I don't want to consider that.
There are much more things I'm worried about than declaring what country I can play for. My grandma and granddad are Irish – my late grandfather was as well.
I'm eligible to play for them but I'm a Brentford player and the last thing I'm thinking of is who I'm going to represent internationally. It's getting ahead of myself a bit too much.
Picture credit: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
