Jack Moylan has been the standout Cardiff City star of the international break. The Bluebirds playmaker has featured in all four of the Republic of Ireland's matches over the past three weeks and emerged as one of Heimir Hallgrimsson's most highly regarded players.
Hallgrimsson has been hugely impressed by the speed of his progression. So much so that the Ireland manager has already labelled Moylan a 'national treasure' after the 25-year-old's remarkable rise.
Rapid rise from League One to international acclaim
“Imagine, nobody was speaking about Jack Moylan until we played him in Grenada. And that is what a summer camp can give us,” Hallgrimsson said after Ireland's 1-1 draw with Israel.
“Sometimes I’ve been laughed at when I’ve said that a January camp would be good. In Iceland we always found one player that was close to the squad or the team after.
“But this May window, we played with Grenada, we found Jack Moylan and he just punched in and did well that game. And then from then on, he’s been close to the starting XI, just the rise of this player is incredible.
“When you look back, he was in League One in Ireland [First Division with Wexford FC] and now he is almost a national treasure. And everybody is speaking about him, so it’s a quick rise for the kid. I hope he will continue on the same path.
“I don’t know where his ceiling is, but he’s been good.”
Eventful three weeks for Moylan
It has certainly been some international break for Moylan. Ireland began with a 1-0 defeat by Kosovo before a resounding 3-0 victory over Israel, with Moylan scoring and assisting in a fantastic display.
They then secured a 2-2 draw with Austria before the 1-1 stalemate with Israel, bringing an eventful three weeks to a close. But Moylan has undoubtedly been one of the major positives.
The Cardiff man has not only impressed on the pitch, but also won plenty of admiration for his support of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who took a stance over the fixture against Israel. Moylan wore a black armband during the match to remember those who have lost their lives in the Gaza conflict. After scoring against Israel, he removed the armband and kissed it in a poignant gesture.
It has capped a superb few months for Moylan, who has quickly become one of Cardiff's most important players since his summer arrival.
Bagan makes Ireland debut
Moylan was not the only Cardiff player to enjoy a successful international window. Joel Bagan made his senior Republic of Ireland debut against Israel, fulfilling a long-held ambition for the Cardiff left-back. He was then introduced from the bench in the return fixture against the same opponents to add another appearance to his international record.
After his debut, Bagan paid tribute to his grandparents. “Proud to have made my senior international debut for Ireland,” he wrote. “That was for you Nan and Grandad.”
The defender's involvement will be particularly encouraging for Cardiff, with Bagan having long established himself as an important part of Barry-Murphy's squad.
Frustrating Wales break for Ashford
It was a different story for Cian Ashford. The Cardiff forward earned his first senior Wales call-up during the break after an impressive start to the season at club level. The 22-year-old was not included in the matchday squad for the opening games against Portugal and Denmark, before being brought into the 23 for the subsequent matches against Norway and Denmark.
However, Ashford remained an unused substitute in both fixtures. It means he will have to wait a little longer for his senior Wales debut. There is no shortage of optimism around the forward, though, and his maiden call-up represents another significant step in his development.
Joel Colwill also added to his Wales tally during the break. The Cardiff midfielder came off the bench in two of Wales' fixtures, taking his senior international appearance total to four. The academy graduate continues to establish himself within Steve Tandy's Wales squad and will hope his latest involvement can lead to further opportunities.
Anyadike makes Wales history
There was also a notable moment for Cardiff's academy during the international break. Noah Anyadike became the youngest player ever called up to the Wales Under-21 squad at just 15 years old. The teenager was named among the substitutes for Wales' first game against Belgium but did not get on to the pitch. He will now hope to make his debut when Wales face Austria tonight.
There are several other Cardiff youngsters hoping to feature, too, with Rob Tankiewicz, Ronan Kpakio, Tanatswa Nyakuhwa and Dakarai Mafico all in contention. Noah Williams has also enjoyed a particularly memorable international window, captaining Wales Under-19s in two of their matches.
