Gavin Bazunu calls on young guns to fire Ireland to victory

Gavin Bazunu has called on the young players in the Ireland squad to assume senior status and start getting results with the national team.

"Young players with a lot of potential" was the phrase referenced by the Ireland goalkeeper in relation to the growing group of squad members who have gained considerable experience at international level since Stephen Kenny took over the role back in 2020.

And while the players in question are all at the start of their careers and still in their early 20s, the Ireland number one has issued a rallying call to his team-mates to stand up and be counted.

A transitional period in Irish football has seen the manager totally transform the look and age profile of the squad, and while many of the performances have been admirable, the required results have not been forthcoming.

The current campaign has all but run its course, however, with the prospect of a home-based European championships in 2028, Bazunu believes that now is the time to start winning games.

"I think we have a great squad," said Bazunu, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday.

"We've been called 'young players with a lot of potential’, but I think it is now time for us to step up as a group, to build this really good culture within the squad and start putting in high class performances and getting results.

"I think it’s been mentioned in the group that we have a lot of the senior players who are not in the squad so it’s time for a lot of the younger lads, you know we call them young lads, but a lot of us have a lot of experience playing at international and club level, so it’s time for us to step up and take that role."

Bazunu puts himself front and centre of that particular battle cry, and while he has firmly established himself