Hendrick: Troy Parrott's Confidence Is Sky-High, He'll Be Ireland's Second Top Scorer Without a Doubt

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Ireland star Jeff Hendrick has hailed the sensational form of Troy Parrott and the renewed threat of the national team.

Hendrick was stunned by Parrott 's Nations League goal against Austria , and believes the Real Betis striker is certain to become Ireland 's second top scorer, though catching Robbie Keane would be a huge ask.

The former midfielder has also assessed whether Ireland must stop throwing away leads, a reported £85m move back to Spurs , the emergence of Jack Moylan , and who is next in line for a Premier League step.

Troy Parrott

Where Does the Austria Goal Rank Among Ireland's Best?

Troy Parrott 's goal against Austria - I just couldn't believe it. I was watching it, and you think, as he gets the ball and how far out he is, it's just him and the defenders, and he starts running. You're thinking, how far can he get before maybe he just gets a shot off? Or then does he check back and do players arrive? But to do what he did, he's just full of confidence right now. The nutmeg, and then after the nutmeg you think he's going to shoot, and then he chops it and eventually puts it through the keeper's legs. You just think that that's a guy whose confidence is sky-high.

What he's done over the last eighteen to twenty-four months has been special, and for me it's just amazing to see because he had a hard time in England . He never really found his feet at a club, and I know he had a couple of injuries. But it just shows going abroad has really suited him, and we've seen it now with even English players going abroad and staying abroad because it's not the be-all and end-all playing in the Premier League . Troy knows what suits his game now, and being abroad definitely suits him.

Confidence is the biggest thing. I think it's an amazing goal and it's something we don't see often, especially from Irish players. But for me, there are obviously bigger goals; he's scored bigger goals, more crucial goals. They don't maybe look as nice on the eye as the other night, but I always take into account what the goal means. I think doing it in the Nations League isn't as big as the qualifiers, like what he did against Portugal and against Hungary .

Could He Catch Robbie Keane's Tally?

I think with Troy Parrott , at the age he is and the confidence he has, I don't see it dropping off. He's going to be Ireland 's second top scorer, without a doubt. Getting to number one and catching Robbie is going to be something really, really difficult to do. I know Troy started at a good age to maybe catch him, and he's scoring goals now. But I just think he has to keep doing this now for eight more years minimum. I think that's a big, big ask. He's shown he has the potential to do it, and it'll be something else if he does. For Ireland to have maybe two players with sixty-odd goals, or seventy goals, say, if he was to catch him, it's something special for such a small nation. Not many countries would have players who have scored that many.

Will His Efforts Be in Vain if Ireland Keep Throwing Away Leads?

I like to see Ireland be where they keep a clean sheet or are hard to beat. But now Ireland have turned the corner a bit, where they're showing more promise in their attack and scoring goals. But now the next stage is to keep that, but then not let in goals, sort of keep a clean sheet or make it harder for teams. If you think about it, there's good defenders there, a great keeper, and good players all around. It's just probably having that desire to hold on to winning the games and making it hard for other countries.

Now, I know it's difficult; countries are getting better and better, and the gap's not as big now between countries, especially the same size as Ireland . But yeah, I'd just like them to hold on to these leads now. It's taken so long for Ireland to be a threat and for people to fear them again. There was a bad four or five years where nobody found it hard playing Ireland . I was playing in some of those games. It was probably a nice style of football, but without the end product and leaking goals. Now the end product's there; they just need to shore up the defence a little bit.

Would Parrott Prefer to Move Forward Rather Than Back to Spurs?

Troy Parrott back to Spurs ? So far he's been pushing forward; I think he knows what he wants and what suits him. Going abroad was a bit of a bold move; not many Irish players were doing that. I think he found out what works for him. I know in the summer as well there were little bits of interest from West Ham , Everton , or Spurs , and he went to Real Betis . He looks happy there; he looks confident, and he's already scoring for them.

They won't be in a rush to sell him. So I think he just needs to continue progressing as he is. I don't know if he has that itch he wants to scratch by going to the Premier League . I had that after the Euros in 2016; there were a couple of moves abroad, or there was the Premier League carrot dangling, and I had to go and give it a go. But I don't know, with him already being at Spurs and being around that, if he's as hungry for it, or if staying abroad. Like I've touched on before, you look at top English players staying abroad now. He might look at that and decide to do the same.

The Next Generation

Who Else Has Impressed During the International Break?

Jack Moylan has impressed me. Just the way he's come from the League of Ireland , gone over, done his business, got his move, carried on doing his business, and got into the Ireland setup. I just think he's a big, powerful lad. He's good technically; I wouldn't say amazing, but I think just the way he's gone straight into the Ireland setup, it looks like he's played more than six games, say. It looks like he's been there for twenty-odd caps.

Four goals in six games, that's a really good stat to have, and I think he's fitted in. He's playing alongside Troy Parrott , and he's giving Ireland something a little bit different. I think for what he's done, coming from the League of Ireland , going to England a bit later than people normally do, and he's just carried on and kept improving. He's gone from League One to the Championship , and he's just carried on. I've enjoyed seeing him come in, and it's sort of been fearless, the way he's just put the green jersey on and taken it in his stride.

Who Is the Next Player Ready For a Premier League Step?

I think for Jack Moylan , not just yet. It's probably too soon. I think he needs to do a full season minimum in the Championship and keep doing it with Ireland as well. A good few of the players are in the Premier League already. I think they've made that step up, especially the defenders. Moylan would be one, but maybe in eighteen to twenty-four months would be right. Adam Idah , who was at Norwich and then Celtic , is another, but again, I think he just needs to play regularly this year and score goals at Swansea .

If you look at the attributes you need in the Premier League , you need to be big, strong, and quick. He's got all of those, but now he just needs to put it together week in, week out. He's at a good club in Swansea , and he's already scored a couple of goals, but now he just needs to prove it to himself, let alone the outsiders, that he can be the main man at a club. If he can do what Troy is doing and just get that confidence of scoring goals,

I've seen glimpses of it from him. I've played with him; I've trained with him. He's got a bit of everything. It's just now he's at that age where he needs to put it all together, because if he does put it all together, he could scare a few defenders in the Premier League with the pace and power he has.

Off the Pitch

Would It Take Millions to Tempt Roy Keane Onto Reality TV?

I'd say it would take a good amount to get Roy Keane on I'm a Celeb, but I do remember in the Ireland setup, we used to always have snacks and watch it; it was quite a popular show then. I'm not 100%, but I'm sure Roy said that would be the one show he would do if he was to do something. But now he's on TV more; I don't know if that changes things.

I think if you're offering him the right amount, he'd give it a go. I think he'd be quite funny in it, especially if you could put the two of them in together, Roy and Wayne Rooney . Traitors is a huge thing now. I think he'd be good at that, to be fair. I'd like to see him at that, but I couldn't see him doing Strictly Come Dancing or anything like that. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? I think he'd be quite good. He's a clever man, but yeah, camping in the jungle, yeah, he seemed like he'd want to have a go at it.

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