The eyes of many Republic of Ireland fans will be transfixed on the results of newly
promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town this season.
The Tractor Boys, who achieved back-to-back automatic promotions under boss, Kieran
McKenna, are back in the top flight of English football for the first time in over two
decades. More importantly, their first team squad now consists of four Republic of
Ireland internationals.
The Tractor Boys are one of the current favourites for relegation from the Premier
League. Using the odds from the sports betting at LeoVegas, a licensed site covering
match and outright odds, they currently have Ipswich priced at 60/1 to finish in the top
half in their first season back in the top-flight since 2002.
The Boys in Green, playing in blue
Midfielder, Jack Taylor, was part of Ipswich’s Championship promotion-winning squad in
the 2023/24 season after joining in the summer of 2023 from Peterborough United.
Taylor struggled for regular game time last term, due largely to the irrepressible form of
fellow midfielders, Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo. However, Taylor remained part of
McKenna’s 25-man Premier League squad and has since played a part off the bench so
far this season. So much so that Ireland’s new boss, Heimir Hallgrimsson, saw fit to call
Taylor up for the first time, eventually securing his first senior cap in the Nations League
clash with Greece in October.
In the heart of Ipswich’s defence is Irish international defender, Dara O’Shea. The
former West Bromwich Albion captain was signed from Burnley in a £10m deal in
August, adding some Premier League experience to Town’s defensive options. He’s
been a regular in the Ipswich backline under McKenna, even playing through the pain
barrier with recent reports suggesting he’s played with a broken bone in his back.
O’Shea is a rock-solid competitor for the Republic of Ireland. Aged just 25, O’Shea
already has 30 caps for his country and the Dublin-born stopper will look to keep the
Tractor Boys in the Premier League to maintain his place in Hallgrimsson’s defensive
backline. O’Shea has undoubted versatility for club and country, with his ability to fill in
at full back, as well as his favoured right-sided centre back position.
At the other end of the pitch, one of the newest additions to the Republic of Ireland
senior squad moved to Portman Road after a landmark 2023/24 season in the EFL
Championship with Blackburn Rovers. Forward, Sammie Szmodics, sealed the protracted transfer to Ipswich in an £8m move, after finishing last term as the
Championship’s top goal scorer.
Szmodics, who hails from Colchester, just 20 miles south-east of Ipswich, saw the move
to Suffolk as a great opportunity to play Premier League football and move closer to his
family. Szmodics already has two Premier League goals to his name, scoring at
Manchester City. He also coolly slotted home a right-footed effort in the recent 4-3 loss
at Brentford. He’s been more effective in away games thus far, utilising his directness
on the counter-attack. He played for Ireland in their recent 2-0 home defeat to Greece in
the Nations League.
Szmodics was also joined in the Ipswich forward line by Luton Town winger, Chiedozie
Ogbene, who signed for £8m from the Hatters. Ogbene was one of the brightest sparks
during Luton’s brief sojourn with the EPL last season, with Rob Edwards’ side relegated
back to the Championship. Ogbene’s raw pace and physicality was a much-needed
addition to McKenna’s right-sided forward options.
Heartbreak for Chiedozie Ogbene
Ogbene was enjoying his most effective game yet in an Ipswich shirt when he suffered
a tear in his Achilles, with Town 2-0 up at Brentford in the first half. Ogbene was
stretchered off and it was no coincidence that Ipswich lost impetus down the right flank
as a result. It’s since been confirmed that Ogbene will miss the rest of the 2024/25
season, focusing firmly on rehabilitation ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Another year of EPL exposure for O’Shea, Taylor and Szmodics should do no harm at
all for the Republic’s senior squad. The Green Army would surely be delighted to see
Ipswich establish themselves as a Premier League club for the long term.