Preston North End ace Robbie Brady is back in the Republic of Ireland fold and is looking to make up for lost time after nearly 18 months of frustration.
The 32-year-old has racked up more than 60 caps for Ireland but has been through some lengthy spells out of the squad.
For instance, Brady was capped against Qatar in March 2021, then didn’t play again until September 2022.
Brady’s last appearance before this international break was in a 2-1 defeat to Norway back in November 2022 and he wasn’t involved at all from the start of 2023.
Brady was left out of the entire Euro 2024 qualifying campaign but was recalled by interim boss John O’Shea for games against Belgium and Switzerland.
The PNE man started against Belgium on Saturday, featuring as a left wing back – a position he knows very well from his time at Deepdale.
Brady helped Ireland secure a 0-0 draw against a strong Belgium side, playing 81 minutes before being substituted for the final stages.
So how did Brady get on ahead of his return to PNE this week? Let’s take a look at the ratings from the Irish media…
Irish media praise PNE’s Robbie Brady
Brady was given an 8 out of 10 by the Irish Independent, who felt that he linked up well with Blackburn Rovers ace Sammie Szmodics and put quality crosses into the box.
Nobody scored a higher rating for the Irish Independent and only fellow wing back Seamus Coleman matched his 8 out of 10 rating.
Balls.ie went with a 7 out of 10, praising Brady as ‘very tidy on the ball’ in tight areas whilst also hailing his ‘lovely’ deliveries into the box from open play and set pieces.
They suggested that this was one of Brady’s better performances for Ireland in recent memory and it was a similar verdict from the Irish Examiner.
They gave Brady a 7 out of 10 too, branding his display a ‘good performance’ and felt that he could have taken the penalty which Evan Ferguson squandered.
The Irish Times handed Brady a 7 out of 10 as well, appreciating his strong defensive work and his overall work rate up and down the left flank.
Brady has come in for criticism at times this season with PNE fans certainly questioning his performances earlier in the campaign.
The 32-year-old has enjoyed a much more encouraging start to 2024 and his stunning goal against Blackburn Rovers saw him earn some deserved praise.
PNE captain Alan Browne feels that Brady receives undeserved criticism at times and will have surely enjoyed his performance – and the ensuing praise – from Saturday’s display.
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