STEPHEN KENNY admitted Covid-19 could continue to wreak havoc with his plans.
But he believes he has built a squad equipped to deal with adversity.
After two home friendlies in March — their opponents have yet to be confirmed — Ireland’s next competitive matches will be in June.
Home and away games against Ukraine will bookend an international window which will also see the Green Army travel to Armenia and host Scotland.
They will then wrap up their Nations League Group B1 campaign with matches away to Scotland and at home to Armenia in September.
Four games in three different countries in the space of 10 days would be challenging enough at the best of times.
Ireland and Armenia — as the two lowest seeds — came off worst with logistical arrangements.
But throw in Covid-19 — which has already caused serious problems for Kenny since he took charge — and the potential for disruption is clear.
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The Ireland boss said: “I remember the Nations League game against Wales getting a call, actually, at 1am, to say that five of the starting XI were ruled out as one player had failed a test and the other four were close contacts.
“So we have to change five of the starting XI on the morning for a 2pm kick-off. Those are the challenges we face.
“That point we got against Wales kept us up, it means we are in Group B and gives us the chance to try and win Group B instead of being in Group C.
“We cannot predict what will happen, the concern is that a lot of the players who were double vaccinated have been ruled out again.
“We didn’t anticipate that. We’d a case where the player was double-vaccinated and still got Covid, was still ruled out. That is a different element and seems to be causing further problems.
“But I do think we have built a squad. Apart from being able to cope with losing players and so forth, we are able to cope with the demands of a four-game window. Because that’s new for the players, even the three-game window when Slovakia beat us on penalties and we had to play Wales when we lost players and we lost more players and had to go to Finland.
“So, it was two away trips, one to Slovakia and back to Wales and back on to the plane to Finland, that was the first time the players ever experienced two away trips in the one camp.
“Now we have four games, we have to go to Armenia and go to Ukraine, so the demands are high.
“That’s why we have been building a squad with two players that can play right wing-back, two players that can play left wing-back, five centre-backs, four midfielders.
“We are building a squad that we are going to need. It will not be a set 11 for these four games, there will be an element of rotation and so will the other teams.
“I think it is only ourselves and Armenia that have those double trips. They seem to be favouring the top seeds in relation to the Ukraine play Scotland and Ireland in the one trip, Scotland have two home games to start.”
NO FEAR
Kenny said there was no way for Ireland to object to the fixture list which seems at odds with Uefa’s policy of limiting some combinations in groups in order to minimise travel.
Having away games in Ukraine and Armenia back to back or in different windows would be far easier to contend with.
But Kenny said: “It’s a challenge but not one I’m fearful of. I’m excited about it.
“As a manager, when we had seven games in 21 days, it never really bothered me. I never complained, as long as everyone else did.
“It’s when other teams get other advantages, that can be difficult, but if everyone has four games, well then that’s fine. We’ll make sure that we’re ready.”
The Tallaght man is eager to ensure he has a full squad to choose from — viewing it as the start of the Euro 2024 campaign.
He said: “We are third seeds so third favourites to win the group, but our ambition is to win the group, or at least to try and qualify to get a play-off place for the European Championships.
“Second, I am informed, is most likely to get you a play-off, so we certainly want to give ourselves every opportunity to do that.
“We will need everyone as it is a real test over the ten days with the two trips in the middle of that. That is a real, real challenge.
“The reason I spoke about having the ambition to win is because that is important.
“Traditionally players at this time of year, not just Ireland but other countries, would find it difficult to get players released with pressure from clubs, with players having to get tidy-up operations, and maybe injections and injuries.
“Not for a European Championship or a World Cup, but for an international window, but we need everyone, we can’t have anyone pulling out in June. We need all our players.
“We need everyone because this tournament is important to us and getting to the European Championships in Germany is everything for us and we have to be geared up for it.”
Kenny conceded that the club situation for some of his players was not helpful but he said: “I can’t give one generic message to all my players, everyone’s individual situation is different and the clubs control their destiny sometimes.
“I prefer if players are playing regularly and some players aren’t and that is not ideal.”
SQUAD GAME
But he has not written off the chances of veterans Darren Randolph, James McCarthy and Robbie Brady forcing their way back into contention.
Randolph, 34, was Ireland’s undisputed No 1 between 2016 and 2020.
But he no longer even makes the squad after slipping to third-choice at West Ham.
A move to Celtic has not resulted in the weekly football McCarthy, 31, would have hoped for while 29-year-old Brady has only just broken into the Bournemouth team after 3½ months without a club.
Kenny said: “Nobody has opted out, we don’t have huge numbers . . . we don’t want anyone opting out.
“Darren is capable of getting back playing at a good level for sure, he’s not old by goalkeeping terms at all, he’s still got plenty of football left in him.
“James has had a few games at Celtic but needs a run of games but I wouldn’t like to rule anyone out.
“To the best of my knowledge there has been no retirements or anything like that.”
As well as his own situation, Kenny is keen to see his staff sorted out with new contracts but says it is not as big an issue for people like Anthony Barry and Dean Kiely because they also have club roles.
He said: “We’d like to keep it intact and that would be the idea.
“They both want to stay on board and are very much an important part of the set-up going forward.”