Robbie Brady buoyed by Irish growth amid World Cup dreams
The renaissance of Robbie Brady's career has even taken the Dubliner a little by surprise.
In 2021, his time at Burnley came to an end and there were fears that the trajectory would be only downward.
The FAI provided a fitness plan before a season with Bournemouth in the Championship was hampered by injury.
Preston North End took a fancy to Brady in the summer of 2022 and while the first season saw regular first-team football, he began to fade from the international picture, Stephen Kenny looking elsewhere despite Ireland's struggles.
Brady could only control his own form at Deepdale, but admits it was a challenging time as he was outside the tent for the entire Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
"You have to keep a level head and keep that belief in yourself," he told RTÉ Sport's Tony O'Donoghue. "It was all about getting myself back in good shape and contention. I never stopped believing I could do that."
Did he think he may have played his last game in green?
"At one point I did. I think a lot of people had written me off and thought they might never see me again, and maybe a couple of times I thought that myself."
With Kenny exiting the Irish hotseat, Brady's former team-mate John O'Shea was brought in to steady the ship before a permanent appointment.
Brady's previous contributions in an Ireland shirt, plus his consistent form at wing-back for Preston saw his re-introduction to the international arena.
A little over 12 months later and the 33-year-old has penned a new deal with Preston – a 12-month deal signed last month – and was crowned the men's senior player of the year earlier this week.
Heimir Hallgrimsson has liked what he has seen, with Brady's value clear for all to see with his goal and assist in a vital 2-1 defeat of Finland last year.
"I felt I had a good time last year with Ireland. I didn't expect to win it (the award), but I'm delighted I did."
Brady doesn't gloss over the "sticky period" Ireland endured over the past few years, suggesting the game-management and the know-how in getting over the line was lacking.
Momentum has been building following back-to-back Bulgaria wins in March, and Hallgrimsson's side have now won four of their last six matches, with a chastening night at Wembley also in the mix.
Brady says the mood music in the camp – a point also made by striker Adam Idah this week – is changing.
"It's the confidence each one of them has in themselves is a little different to previous years. They have a lot of belief in themselves and a lot of them are playing fantastic football at club level.
"Putting a few results together and getting a bit of momentum is so important, especially at international level.
"It's difficult when you're not picking up results, it's dampening for the supporters. What it means to people when we are winning, you can sense it, you can feel it. The whole mood changes, not only in the camp, but outside it."
Tonight's friendly against Senegal follow by a meeting with Luxembourg are the latest games allowing Hallgrimsson find out a little more about his squad, and in particular those on the periphery of the team looking to stake claims for starting berths with September's World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia on the horizon.
The Icelander is bidding to lead the Boys in Green to a first World Cup since 2002. Should he manage to achieve that, a huge travelling support would be expected to flock to North America.
Brady – the match-winner against Italy in Lille and an early goalscorer in the 2-1 defeat to hosts France – has happy memories of Ireland's last appearance at a major tournament at Euro 2016, and has allowed himself to think of what next summer could look like.
"It's exciting thinking about it," he said. "What a lift it would give everyone, to be part of a tournament like that. We have seen in previous tournaments, the fans have travelled in mad numbers. If we could manage to quality, it would be absolutely incredible."
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