Heimir Hallgrímsson keeping options open ahead of Kosovo game in Dublin on Tuesday

Séamus Coleman will not feature against Austria in the Republic of Ireland’s penultimate Nations League tie in Linz on Saturday night despite taking a full part in training with the squad this week.

Coleman has been without a club since he left Everton last summer. The 38-year-old’s last game was his 81st cap against Canada in June, when he played 70 minutes.

“No, we didn’t expect to include Séamus in the squad today,” said Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson before training.

“On Tuesday [against Kosovo in Dublin], we don’t know the situation. We can maybe answer that after this game. We have five players on a yellow, so we don’t know how many we will have in the squad. We might need to call in players.”

Having described Coleman’s role as a “hybrid” coach and player for this camp, Hallgrímsson could promote the former Ireland captain to the panel if one of the five players currently on yellow cards – Jayson Molumby, Liam Scales, Ruan Manning, Adam Idah Conor Coventry – pick up a second caution in Linz.

If Ireland beat Austria and Kosovo, they will top Group B3, earning them promotion to League A and a second seeding for the Euro 2028 qualification draw, which will take place in Belfast on December 6th.

Over 2,500 Irish fans applied for tickets to attend Saturday’s game in Linz, far exceeding the away allocation of 1,800 tickets.

Austria manager Ralf Rangnick is expected to give 17-year-old Sturm Graz midfielder Luca Weinhandl his debut against Ireland.