Ipswich Town: Sammie Szmodics on Republic of Ireland experience

The 29-year-old has worked his way up from the lower end of the football pyramid to reach the Premier League, making the step up with the Blues this summer after leaving Blackburn Rovers.

However, he’s also been working hard to get recognised by the Republic of Ireland, which happened back in March when he was handed his senior debut. Since then, he’s featured six times for them and has become one of their key players.

“It’s been amazing,” he said. “It’s a completely different type of world, international football.

“I dreamed about playing in the Premier League. International football is probably something that you never dream of because you never think you’re going to get there.

“To represent Ireland is amazing. You get to play against other countries, big countries like England. You play against their superstars.

“I’ve worked all my life to get to this stage and I’d be stupid not to take it all in.

The 29-year-old started against England last month (Image: PA)

“Now’s probably the time I’ve got to work the hardest and learn the most. I’ve got to where I want to be and I want to stay here – I don’t want to be going back down to the Championship.

“I want to stay in this league and play at this level I’m at, so a lot of hard work still needs to go in.”

Of course, Szmodics isn’t the only Irish international at the club. There have been four call-ups this month, with Chiedozie Ogbene, Dara O’Shea and Jack Taylor also set to be involved in upcoming Nations League B games against Finland and Greece.

“I think it’ll be quite good for us with the likes of Chieo and Dara, obviously Rene Gilmartin the goalie coach,” he admitted. “Ireland are taking over – it’s the Republic of Town now, I think!

“We are taking over, but it can only help the country when you have players playing for the same country and club.”

Szmodics hopes they’re not done yet, admitting that he’ll have to have a word with Liam Delap, who’s eligible to play for them despite featuring for England Under-21s.

Of course, Delap could choose to pursue an international career with England. From the experience of playing against them in Dublin last month, it certainly wouldn’t come as a surprise to Szmodics.

Szmodics had conversations about representing Hungary at international level (Image: Ross Halls)

“It was amazing. They’re a really good team with really good individual players,” he admitted.

“It was a tough test for us. The new manager has come in at Ireland and we don’t get a lot of time on the grass, some camps are only a week long with two games. You don’ get a lot of time on the grass to train and plan for these games.

“It was a great experience. Now we’ve got two tough games coming up in the Nations League in October. Then, if all’s well and good, England at Wembley, which is something that everyone will look forward to.”

Of course, all of this could’ve been different. While on the fringes of the Republic of Ireland national team, Hungary approached Szmodics about playing for them. Eligible via his grandfather, he ultimately stuck to his guns and remained adamant that there was only one country he wanted to represent.

“The manager [Marco Rossi] came out and said some words about me in the press. I’ve always been honest – there was a conversation,” he revealed. “I wasn’t getting in the Ireland team under the last manager for whatever reason, so they just rang to see if I was ever interested. I wasn’t.

“It’s something that didn’t interest me, but there was a conversation. The new manager came in at Ireland and, since then, I’ve never looked back.

“John O’Shea gave me that first cap, he’s the assistant manager. It’s a big trust to go in and play for a country, so he’s shown trust in me. Hopefully I’ve shown him in my performances that it’s somewhere I want to be.”