GREENZONE: It’s your ultimate club-by-club guide to all 50 Irish players in the EFL Championship and who are the ones Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson should keep his eye on

Heimir Hallgrimsson doesn’t need an excuse to tune into the Championship, given England’s second tier can comfortable sell itself as probably the most thrillingly competitive league in all of football.

But the Ireland manager does have more reason than most to keep an eyes across this most volatile of Divisions, with Irish players at all but four of the clubs in the Championship and more than 50 whom he can call upon among the various squads.

As ever, the three teams that dropped down from the Premier League are among the favourites to go back up. Typically, the strongest team in the division – West Ham – are one of the few not to have any Irish players, although they haven’t given up on their pursuit of Troy Parrott.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s calm leadership and Jarrod Bowen, a player far too good for the second tier, committing to remain at his boyhood club suggests that not even the Hammers can mess up their promotion challenge, although the thing about the Championship is that it is impossible to predict – and the difference between success and failure is often paper-thin.

That’s one of the reasons why there is such managerial churn in the Championship. Over the past four seasons, there has been a change in manager on average every 15 days in the division. Granted, those numbers are skewed by Watford’s presence, but there’s no such thing as job security for those in charge.

Brian Barry-Murphy, on whom most eyes will be on here, should have plenty of credit in the bank, though. The Corkman did a fine job in getting Cardiff City out of League One, with the second youngest squad in that division. Even if things are a bit sticky for the Bluebirds at the start of this season, Cardiff will probably keep the faith with their impressive manager. At least, they should.

Burnley and Wolves, the other two relegated sides, should also be in the promotion picture, but this season, even more than others, teams will be fluctuating between going up and trying to survive, as after 35 years, they have tweaked the play-off system and made two extra places available.

It means that a team in 18th or 19th in March can still dream of getting a few results and climbing the table into eighth by the end of the season. If nothing else, the two extra play-off places will just make the Championship more unpredictable and volatile. And all the more reason for Hallgrimsson and his coaching staff to keep a close eye.

Here we run through the list of all the Championship clubs with Irish interest as the whole thing kicks off.

Blackburn Rovers: Ireland under-21 Connor O’Riordan will hope to establish himself in the Rovers defence after been farmed out on loan on three separate occasions over the past two seasons – to Cambridge, Crewe and Doncaster. Sean McLoughlin was virtually ever-present for Blackburn last season, and the 29-year-old Cork native, who spent six years at Hull City, will be keen to build on that.

Bolton Wanderers: There was an Irish flavour to Bolton’s return to the Championship with Johnny Kenny, on loan from Celtic, firing in goals and Fergal Harkin being the club’s director of football.

Harkin, who has worked with Manchester City, remains in his role although Kenny went back to Parkhead in the hope of impressing Martin O’Neill. Apart from the Donegal man overseeing football operations, there are a couple of Irish goalkeepers battling it out for the number one jersey – Jack Bonham and David Harrington – while veteran defender Cyrus Christie adds much-needed Championship experience to the squad.

Lewis Temple, signed from Shelbourne in January, has gone on a season-long loan to Oldham Athletic in League Two.

Bristol City: Jason Knight is a mainstay of Bristol’s midfield and captain of the Robins, having made 126 appearances for the club since joining from Derby in 2023. Luke McNally’s progress since arriving from St Pat’s was stymied by an ACL injury in 2025 but it feels like a big season for the Enfield-born centre-half.

Bristol went back to Pat’s to sign Ireland youth international Adam Murphy and also nabbed Billy O’Neill from Bray Wanderers. Both are in the under-21 squad but will be hopeful of opportunities.

Burnley: It wasn’t just Ireland’s World Cup hopes affected by Josh Cullen’s ACL injury as the Clarets sorely missed their captain’s assuredness in the middle of the park in their doomed bid to survive in the Premier League. Burnley’s chances of an immediate return may be tied up in how swiftly their skipper returns.

Michael Obafemi is fast becoming the forgotten man of Irish football. He has yet to establish himself in his three years at Turf Moor, which has been marked by a number of loan spells – the latest of which, to Blackpool in League One, ended in February after an ankle ligament injury brought his season to a premature conclusion.

Cardiff: There will be a lot of Irish eyes on the Bluebirds this season. Brian Barry-Murphy’s first year in charge saw them climb out of League One – with a very young squad. Jack Moylan marked his debut for the club – following his signing from Lincoln – with a goal. The former Shelbourne star joins Joel Bagan and Callum Robinson as the Irish players at the Cardiff City stadium, but it will be the man in the dugout who will attract most attention.

Charlton: From Mark Kinsella to Dean Kiely to Matt Holland, a lot of Irish players have been fan favourites at the Valley. Connor Coventry is hoping to add to that list, the former West Ham player now a firm part of Charlton’s midfield.

Millenic Alli made his senior Ireland debut in the summer and the Lucan native will be hoping to add something to the Charlton attack after leaving Portsmouth. Ireland under-21 goalkeeper Tiarnan Brooks is also in the squad as is former Millwall defender Danny McNamara.

There’s also plenty of Irish in the coaching staff, with Curtis Fleming assistant manager to Nathan Jones and Stephen Henderson, part of the famous Dublin goalkeeping family, the goalkeeping coach.

Derby County: The loan deal that brought Sammie Szmodics to Pride Park from Ipswich was extended at the start of this month and will run for the season, with an obligation to buy the 30-year-old attacker should he make an unspecified number of appearances. Szmodics reunites with John Eustace, who served briefly as an assistant to Stephen Kenny with Ireland. Under Eustace at Blackburn, Szmodics played the best football of his career, winning the Championship’s Golden Boot in 2023-24.

Lincoln City: Although the Imps have lost Moylan, there will still be plenty of interest from these shores over the coming season given Mason Melia’s season-long loan. It will be interesting to see how the teenager is used as Lincoln try to consolidate in the Championship. He will have one familiar face in the dressing-room with former Shamrock Rovers star Josh Honohan while former Ireland striker James Collins is also there and Paul McShane is first-team coach. Oisin Gallagher, a young defensive midfielder signed from Derry City, has been sent on loan at League Two outfit Barnet.

Millwall: Mark Sykes is the only Irish player at the Den, but off the field, former Ireland under-21 international Steve Gallen, from the prominent London-Irish footballing family, is the sporting director for a club who almost achieved an extraordinary feat last season, nearly getting into the Premier League.

Norwich: The former Dundalk starlet Vinnie Leonard turned 18 over the summer, meaning he signed a contract with the Canaries, although the sense is that the Navan youngster might be sent out on loan.

Portsmouth: Eoin Kenny came off the bench in last week’s EFL Cup defeat to West Ham to make his Pompey debut and it’s hoped that the 20-year-old can bring his Dundalk form– he was named the Premier Division’s Player of the Month for July – to England’s South Coast. He is part of a growing Irish contingent at Portsmouth, with Galway native Connor Shaughnessy a mainstay of their defence while Franco Umeh, older brother to Benfica’s Jaden, will be looking for a more pronounced role this season. Former Coventry captain Michael Doyle, who won a solitary cap at senior level in 2004, is also first-team coach.

Preston North End: There used to be a sizeable Irish gang at Deepdale, but the release of Robbie Brady this summer means that Andrew Moran is the only Preston player that Hallgrimsson will be keeping an eye on. It feels like a big season for the technically gifted midfielder, who turns 23 in October.

QPR: Given the location of Loftus Road, QPR has always had deep links with the Irish community of West London. Club captain Jimmy Dunne, who has forced his way into Hallgrimsson’s thinking, continues that tradition as does Harvey Vale. A number of academy players also come from a London-Irish background.

Sheffield United: Another club with a long connection to Ireland and Hallgrimsson might have reason to visit Bramall Lane. Matt Doherty has joined the Blades on a one-year contract while Mark McGuinness, who played 25 times for them last season, will hope to add to his two caps.

Tom Cannon will be keen to spearhead their attack, having scored twice on his Ireland debut against Grenada back in May while Sam Curtis will hope to make an impression on Chris Wilder, with the former St Pat’s player having spent the past two seasons farmed out on loan at St Johnstone, Peterborough and Chesterfield.

Southampton: The Saints will feel they should be in the Premier League and all eyes will be on them as spygate continues to hang over the club and manager Tonda Eckert. Finn Azaz and Ryan Manning will be among those looking to make amends, although Gavin Bazunu is being linked with a move away, with Derby County among those looking to take the out-of-favour goalkeeper on loan. Romeo Akachukwu will be hoping to make an impression after spending last season at Colchester while Irish youngsters Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh and George Moloney are also in the squad.

Stoke City: All fingers crossed that Bosun Lawal’s progress will be unhindered and he can become the combative presence that Ireland need in midfield. Former Cobh Ramblers player Raphael-Pijius Otegbayo is still a teenager and may be farmed out on loan but ex-Man City youth player, and Ireland under-21, Gabriel Kelly has been making an impression pre-season. Former Ireland captain Jonathan Walters remains the club’s sporting director, having been linked with the Director of Football role in the FAI in the past.

Swansea City: The club partly owned by Snopp Dogg and Luka Modric doesn’t have many Irish on their books, but Hallgrimsson will be keeping an eye on Adam Idah’s form in front of goal which may necessitate trips to South Wales. Defender Josh Key has also made himself available to Ireland.

Watford: James Abankwah has returned to Watford’s sister club, Udinese, after two successful loan spells at Vicarage Road, although they might be keen to bring him back. For the moment, former Celtic trainee Rocco Vata is the only Irish player currently with the Hornets.

West Brom: Jayson Molumby remains a key player for the Baggies, the Waterford man having made 142 appearances in the past four years. He shares a dressing-room with international teammates Max O’Leary and Mikey Johnston, who recently made a return after the bad ankle injury that ruled him out of the play-off in Prague.

Wolves: Ireland under-age international striker Nathan Fraser is back in the Wolves squad, having had a loan spell in the Belgian second tier, which was so disrupted by injury that he only made four substitute appearances.

Wrexham: The departure of James McClean back to his hometown club and Eoghan O’Connell joining Stockport means there are no Irish players with the Championship’s Hollywood side, but Knockbridge native Kevin Mulholland has played a key part in their rise. Having initially worked as their physio, the Louth man is now the club’s head of performance, sports science and medicine.

 

FIVE TO WATCH

Bosun Lawal (Stoke)

Heimir Hallgrimsson has been keen to give the Dubliner an audition to see if he can provide the ballast desperately needed in Ireland’s midfield, but hamstring issues severely curtailed opportunities last season – and led to a bit of an outburst from Stoke boss Mark Robins when he was called into squad. The 23-year-old’s versatility means he has played across Stoke’s defence, as well as in midfield, but his calmness in possession and his game-reading ability suggest his true home will be at the base of midfield, as long as he can stay fit.

Mason Melia (Lincoln City)

There were a raft of clubs who were interested in taking the Wicklow teenager on loan. Going to the Championship novices indicates a player that knows his own mind. Tottenham are sending Melia out for a season, so the 18-year-old can develop physically. He already knows the rigours of senior football through his time at St Pat’s. The Imps are likely to face a struggle to remain in the division and there will be a lot of games where they don’t see much of the ball. If Melia does get his chance up front, he might have to live on scraps.

Harvey Vale (QPR)

A decorated England under-age international – he skippered their under-19 team that included Alex Scott, Liam Delap and Jarell Quansah to European glory in 2022 – Vale bolted into the Ireland squad ahead of the World Cup play-off in March, courtesy of his Kerry grandparents. The 22-year-old is comfortable on either wing but has also been used by QPR as an attacking midfielder. Likely to see more of him in a green shirt in the upcoming Nations League campaign.

Jack Moylan (Cardiff City)

Intriguing move for Moylan, considering he was one of the driving forces of Lincoln City’s promotion. Cardiff, though, are a much bigger club and the Dubliner will also be working with Brian Barry-Murphy in South Wales, two factors that influenced his decision. Made the transition from Shelbourne to League One with ease, scoring 11 goals for the Imps last season. There will be a bit more pressure on him in Cardiff, but given he scored a hat-trick on his international debut, that doesn’t seem to bother him.

Millenic Alli (Charlton)

The four-year deal that the 26-year-old winger has signed at the Valley is reward for his perseverance and resilience as he has had a couple of spells in non-league football, in the sixth and seventh tier, since coming over from St Francis. The long-term deal also gives Alli a bit of security in a career where he has moved around a bit and under Nathan Jones, he could flourish at Charlton and add to the Ireland cap he earned in the summer. Certainly worth keeping an eye on,