WORLD THE WAIT

Hallgrimsson Says Ireland looking into a January camp, as prize for winning March play-offs emerges

- BY MARK McCADDEN

HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON has resurrected the idea of a training camp, potentially involving a friendly or friendlies, in January as Ireland prepare for the World Cup playoffs.

Without an international window, he would be restricted in who he could call up to his squad.

However, he revealed at last night's World Cup draw that he was speaking with other coaches in Washington about the idea of some form of gettogether early in the new year.

“Tve been talking to some of the coaches here about the possibility” he said. “Hopefully that will happen. But everybody has to agree on it, the association and the opponents and where were playing, ete.

“Hopefully something like this will come up from being here, for example, with all the coaches out here!’

Hallgrimsson originally floated the idea when he was unveiled in the summer of last year as the new Ireland manager, citing his experiences while in charge of Iceland.

He called up home-based players and fixed friendlies against other Scandinavian countries that operated summer leagues.

However, the FAT's financial struggles saw that placed on the backburner.

With a potential moneyspinning World Cup place on the table, the association might be convinced to push the boat out this time around.