Evan Ferguson and Gian Piero Gasperini(Image: Elianton/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has all but ended Heimir Hallgrímsson’s hopes of bringing Evan Ferguson in for Ireland’s two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Hungary.
Hallgrímsson called the 21-year-old into his squad in the hope that Ferguson would be fit enough to feature.
His three goals in four qualifiers so far have kept Ireland in the qualification picture – however the prospects of nicking a top-two spot appear to have grown slimmer with Gasperini’s update.
He was speaking after Sunday’s 2-0 win over Udinese, a match that Ferguson had to watch from the stands as he was not fit enough to even feature on the bench.
Afterwards, the Roma chief simply said: “Ferguson isn’t fit.”
He added that Ferguson and his other injured players, including Paulo Dybala and Leon Bailey, would remain behind in Rome during the international break to recover from their injuries.
“We hope to get someone back during the break,” Gasperini said.
Hallgrímsson had been hopeful of bringing Ferguson in to play some part in the final two qualifiers, despite the youngster suffering an ankle injury in the opening seconds of Roma’s 2-1 win against Parma on October 29.
He was earmarked for a return just after the international break, but that didn’t stop Hallgrímsson from naming him in his 25-man squad.
He explained the rationale behind his inclusion, saying: “He expects to be in the squad [on Sunday]. That is where his mind is and we just bring him in to assess him. But if we lose a striker, have a plan B for that.”
Celtic striker Johnny Kenny, who scored his fourth goal in less than two weeks during the Bhoys’ 4-0 win over Kilmarnock on Sunday, is likely to get the nod.
Hallgrímsson said on Thursday: “We were thinking about calling [Johnny Kenny] in. He would be the next in line up front.”