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Callum Robinson has been an important figure for the Boys in Green in the last number of months.

Callum Robinson provided quite the stir last year before Ireland’s trip to Azerbaijan, but he has answered his deafening critics with vigour and confidence since then.

In doing so, he has established himself as one of Stephen Kenny’s key men ahead of a crunch Nations League window in June.

The Boys in Green have made little secret of their desire to win their Uefa Nations League group outright, and if they do, Robinson is likely to play a major role in doing so.

“We’re definitely going into the four games confident because we have some real good young players..”

Speaking to the Irish media for the first time since his Covid-19 vaccine related comments in October, the West Brom forward may have been forgiven for being reserved in his comments and tone.

Saying that, he was anything but, with his bubbly and charming personality coming to the fore.

“We’re definitely going into the four games confident because we have some real good young players, and senior players. You always need that balance.

“It’s four games that are very close together, but we have a big enough squad to deal with that. We know that these four games are important for us if we are going to get to the tournament.”

He added: “We’ve got a tough group. We all know that but I think, as we’ve grown as a group before, people would be saying it would be hard, but I am thinking really positively about it.

“I back the players and the staff. Tactically we have come a long way over the last year and a half. We have a really good chance, but at the end of the day we have to do it on the pitch. We have been, but now it’s time to start with the business end for us.

“These are the games that are going to get us to the tournament and we have got to get as many points as possible.”

“It can go everywhere around the world, but I didn’t expect it to be such a big thing..”

Robinson has now grabbed headlines for the right reasons, unlike his previous spell in the front pages worldwide last year.

Despite saying that he was unfazed by the reaction to his comments at the time, he did admit being surprised by the gravity of the reaction to what he said.

“It surprised me a little bit because I didn’t think it was going to blow up like that. I didn’t expect that, but it did not affect or scare me.

“It comes.. You sit here and you know that stuff is going to go worldwide or in this country or that country. It can go everywhere around the world, but I didn’t expect it to be such a big thing.”

Just days after his comments, Robinson’s international boss then claimed that his Ireland side were ready to compete for top spot in the Uefa Nations League.

And even with the brash nature of Kenny’s words, Robinson did agree with the former Dundalk supremo that the Boys in Green could do so.

Gavin Bazunu saves

“We were with him when he said that. We know the ability that we have got, with the players and the staff. I would probably say the same as what the gaffer was saying even then.

“Way back when the results weren’t going our way and he was under pressure, I could see what he was trying to do. It’s hard, and we are not seeing each other every day, and we are trying to change quite a lot..

“As soon as we have had more camps together the better we are getting, so I believe as much as him.. Why can’t we top the table?”

Callum Robinson.

This four-game window has been likened to a tournament in many quarters of the Ireland squad, with Robinson aware of the importance of the games.

“To win them all,” he replied on what would be considered a good ‘tournament’ for Kenny’s side. “We’re going to be realistic, and we know that we are coming up against some top sides.

ireland azerbaijan talking points

“If we get the most points that we can and give 110% in every game.. The teams have got a lot of quality, and I wouldn’t put Scotland higher than Armenia or Ukraine.

“They’ve all got good quality. I always say, think about ourselves and if we perform, we have enough talent to beat all three.”

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