Republic boss Kenny bemoans lack of player development under predecessors
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McGrath, Omobamidele, Ogbene and Mandroiu are hoping to make their Republic debuts in June
Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has bemoaned a lack of player development under his predecessors after naming a youthful latest squad.
Uncapped quartet Andrew Omobamidele, Jamie McGrath, Daniel Mandroiu and Chiedozie Ogbene all received first call-ups for the Republic's friendlies with Andorra and Hungary in June.
Kenny is yet to win as Republic boss.
"Some might feel it's too much change too quickly and I understand that viewpoint," said the Dubliner.
"But in my opinion, that is necessary because we've had absolutely no development for about eight or nine years."
Kenny drafted in Shamrock Rovers midfielder Mandroiu, Rotherham United winger Ogbene, St Mirren midfielder McGrath and Norwich City defender Omobamidele after having already promoted 15 players from the under-age groups, 13 of whom have now been capped.
Mandroiu has impressed for Rovers after joining the League of Ireland champions from Dublin rivals Bohemians in December, while McGrath scored 17 goals for Scottish Premiership side St Mirren during the 2020-21 season.
Ogbene has made 41 appearances for Rotherham, who have just been relegated from the Championship, while Omobamidele has been fast-tracked into the senior set-up after establishing himself for Norwich in recent months as the Canaries earned promotion back to the Premier League.
Omobamidele made his full debut for Norwich in April
"We've had one player through in nine years and nobody really looking at that, and then a huge demographic between players (who are) 29 and 30 and 20 - and very little in between," added Kenny, who is keen to pump fresh blood into his squad after falling to World Cup 2022 qualifying defeats by Serbia and Luxembourg in March.
"We have a bigger vision for what we want to achieve going forward by integrating these players. Not all of them will become top-class international players, but a number of them will.
"We've got a lot of talent and we want to see it develop, we want to give it the opportunity to develop and we want to see the team triumph. That's certainly what we want and we have a clear idea of how we want to do that."
The Republic face Andorra in Barcelona on 3 June before taking on Euro 2020-bound Hungary in Budapest five days later.
'There will always be opportunities'
Defender Lee O'Connor, who is on loan at Tranmere Rovers from Celtic, returns to the squad for the first time since making his debut against New Zealand in 2019, while goalkeeper Darren Randolph is included after missing the March internationals through injury.
However, experienced Irish internationals James McCarthy, Ciaran Clark, Jeff Hendrick, Enda Stevens and Alan Browne are among those absent from the latest panel which, Kenny feels, offers a chance for the unheralded contingent in his squad to stake their claim for a regular berth.
"There are always opportunities," he said.
"We will be missing players invariably through injury in September. It happens. You need players who can adapt to that and play."
The Republic will begin their training camp in Girona, Spain on 28 May before travelling to Barcelona for the Andorra game.
Swansea City duo Conor Hourihane and Ryan Manning will link up with the squad following the Championship play-off final against Brentford on 29 May.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Rochdale, on loan from Manchester City)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee O'Connor (Tranmere Rovers, on loan from Celtic), James McClean (Stoke City), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Conor Hourihane (Swansea City, on loan from Aston Villa), Harry Arter (Nottingham Forest), Jason Knight (Derby County), Jayson Molumby (Preston North End, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Jamie McGrath (St Mirren), Daniel Mandroiu (Shamrock Rovers).
Forwards: Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), James Collins (Luton Town), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers).