Republic of Ireland: Kenny praises Parrott's 'knuckling down' after setbacks

Troy Parrott in action for MK Dons against Plymouth in DecemberGetty Images

After regaining his starting role for MK Dons, Parrott could feature for the Republic of Ireland against Belgium on Saturday

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has praised Troy Parrott's work ethic in "knuckling down" at MK Dons after some difficult months in the 20-year-old striker's fledgling career.

The Tottenham man's stint at the League One club is his third loan spell.

Parrott lost his MK Dons first-team spot amid a bout of Covid, but is now playing regularly again.

"Troy has had to sacrifice himself a little bit for the team at MK Dons," said Kenny.

Parrott has been touted as a prospective Republic of Ireland star since his early teenage years, but his inability to make the breakthrough at Tottenham has seen him have loan periods at Millwall and Ipswich before agreeing a season-long stint with MK Dons.

Kenny added: "He's had to play in a variety of positions. He had a little period where he lost his place - he had Covid and he got sent off after he came back from Covid in a cup game.

"You are thinking, 'right, he's got a job to do to make sure he stays in the international squad because this is a little period for him, a little test for him'.

"But he knuckled down and he had about six consecutive matches where he played the full 90 minutes.

"Even though the manager was making three substitutions in the attacking areas, he was the one who was never taken off."

Inpho

Parrott has earned 10 Republic of Ireland caps after making his international debut against New Zealand in November 2019

Dubliner Parrott, who has accumulated 10 Republic caps after making his debut against New Zealand in November 2019, has helped MK Dons reach third position in League One and he could find himself playing against the world's top-ranked side Belgium in Saturday's friendly in Dublin.

"He has not probably scored the amount of goals he'd like to have scored, but he has sacrificed himself," said Kenny.

"He got two last week against Cheltenham, but he has certainly sacrificed himself for the team and has put in tremendous work and has been a great team-mate to the players."

Parrott felt he had no option but to make loan moves in the hope of getting first-team football.

"I needed to be playing if I wanted to get to where I wanted to get to," said the forward.

That came as music to the ears of Kenny, for whom he played previously at under-21s level.

The Republic boss added: "Nobody [else] deserves credit, only himself for knuckling down and realising the amount of work he had to do to get himself right. I think he is going to improve from here and he will only get better."

Meanwhile, Kenny has called up uncapped duo, Bohemians keeper James Talbot and QPR defender Jimmy Dunne after Bournemouth's Mark Travers and Blackburn's Darragh Lenihan were ruled out by injury.

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