Keith Treacy: Shane Duffy bench role a good wildcard against France

Former Republic of Ireland international Keith Treacy believes Shane Duffy retains value as a wildcard option off the bench for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifier against France in spite of limited game-time for Fulham this season.

The centre-back has made just four Premier League appearances totalling two minutes since signing for Fulham last summer and has only played in two other games in the cup competitions.

Duffy, who turned 31 on New Year's Day, was not involved in Ireland's squad for friendlies against Norway and Malta in November due to personal reasons but there is a sense that he has dropped behind Nathan Collins, Dara O'Shea, John Egan and Andrew Omobamidele in the centre-back pecking order during the latter half of last year, having been left on the bench for the final two Nations League games against Scotland and Armenia two months earlier.

But with Stephen Kenny set to name his squad on Thursday for the Latvia friendly and France's qualifier visit to the Aviva Stadium, Treacy emphasised what Duffy could still bring to the squad.

"If you're looking at it on paper, he shouldn't be in the squad," he told this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

"But I think Duffy's a great option off the bench. I don't think we can play him (from the start) because he's not match fit and it'd be a huge, huge ask for him.

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Treacy said it was Duffy's ability to make himself a nuisance in the opposition box and potentially find the net as he has seven times before in an Ireland jersey - four times