Four Bristol City players are set to be international action following the end of the domestic season in JuneJamie Knight-Lebel, Jason Knight and Max O’Leary will all be in international action next month(Image: EFL and Getty Images)
For the majority of Liam Manning’s Bristol City squad, the next few weeks will provide a rare chance to relax and recharge after what has been one of the most memorable seasons in recent memory at Ashton Gate.
After a 17-year absence, the Reds finally ended their time away from the Championship play-offs. While the Premier League dream came to a record-breaking end at the hands of Sheffield United, this has been a season of immense progress in South Bristol that simply cannot be undervalued.
Of course, given the nature of the modern game, pre-season is already looming around the corner. Before we all know it, the Robins will be back at the High Performance Centre to take on the dreaded Bronco and various other fitness tests as City prepare to go a step further next season. However, for a couple of weeks at least, club football is on hold and the playing squad and Manning alike can enjoy a few weeks of thinking about anything but next season.
That is unless you’re on international duty. If that’s the case, it is a whole different ball game with a round of international fixtures to be played over the first and second week of June before the final stamp can truly be put on what has felt like a never-ending campaign.
Fortunately, for the majority of the City squad, the Robins don’t have too many players in international action over the summer. But to keep you across who is in action, as well as when and where, Bristol Live have compiled a list of what the June international break holds for Manning’s squad…
READ MORE: Bristol City fans review 2024/25, share thoughts on transfer window and what must happen nextREAD MORE: Bristol City contract state of play after Reds publish retained list following play-off campaignJason Knight and Max O’Leary – Ireland
It seems slightly unfair that two of the three Bristol City players to play every single minute of Championship football this term are among those whose holidays have likely been delayed, but knowing both Jason Knight and Max O’Leary’s character, I doubt either player is exactly disappointed to be included in Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side for June’s fixtures.
Interestingly, the FAI’s announcement bulletin noted the fact that Halgrimsson had decided to leave ‘the vast majority of Championship players’ out of his squad in order to aid such players’ rest and recovery over the off-season. Knight and O’Leary are two of three players from England’s second tier included in the squad alongside Preston North End’s Robbie Brady.
Having won their promotion/relegation play-off against Bulgaria in March, Ireland have friendlies to look forward to at the start of next month. The Boys in Green first welcome Senegal to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Friday, June 6 before travelling to Luxembourg for their second friendly of the break on Tuesday, June 10.
Bristol City captain Jason Knight will link up with Ireland(Image: Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Since making his international debut in October 2020, Knight has been a regular starter for Ireland and the Bristol City skipper will be hoping to add to his 37 caps this summer. Despite being a consistent inclusion in international squads, O’Leary is yet to make his debut for the Boys in Green. Perhaps next month could finally see him given his chance ahead of September’s World Cup qualifiers.
Jamie Knight-Lebel – Canada
Fresh off of the end of his season-long loan with Crewe Alexandra in League Two, Jamie Knight-Lebel will link up with the Canadian national side for the fourth successive international break.
The 20-year-old played 33 times in the league this season, and scored three goals from defence, to help Lee Bell’s side to a 13th-place finish. In truth, it was a frustrating end to the season for the Railwaymen who had occupied one of the automatic promotion places in late January, but ultimately finished eight points adrift of the play-offs. However, it will have been a valuable learning experience for the young defender, particularly as it was his first loan move away from BS3.
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Now, his attention turns back to the international stage where he will be hoping to make his full debut in one of Canada’s two friendlies. Jesse Marsch’s side first host Ukraine on Saturday, June 7 before facing off with the Ivory Coast on Wednesday, 11 June.
While Knight-Lebel came off of the bench to feature in the final quarter of an hour of Canada’s win over Suriname during the November international break, he is yet to start a game for Marsch’s side. Perhaps the upcoming friendlies will provide him with such an opportunity.
Adam Murphy – Ireland U21s
He may be yet to make a splash in the Bristol City first team, but it feels as if Adam Murphy is beginning to find his feet in the West Country having managed to put together a consistent run of games for the Robins’ Under-21 side. Injuries really limited the midfielder’s involvement in the first half of the campaign, however, since February, the teenager has been a regular starter for the Young Robins.
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His availability at a domestic level has been rewarded internationally once more as Murphy will be a part of Ireland’s Under-21 squad this summer for fixtures against Croatia and Qatar as preparation continues ahead of September’s European Championship qualifiers.
The Young Boys in Green take on Croatia at the Gradski Stadion in Zagreb on Friday, June 6 before facing Qatar at the same venue on Tuesday, June 10. City will hope that Murphy can come through both fixtures unscathed so that he is fit and ready to take part in pre-season.
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