Evan Ferguson could feature in an old school strike partnership for the Republic of Ireland.

Their boss Heimir Hallgrimsson is ready to return to the Republic’s traditional little and large hit squad as he looks to bring greater firepower to his team.

Ireland have prospered in the recent past when they have played with a front two, with the partnerships between Frank Stapleton and John Aldridge and record scorer Robbie Keane and Niall Quinn among the most notable.

Four games into his reign ahead of Thursday night’s Nations League clash with Finland in Dublin, Hallgrimsson wants his team to be flexible, but has admitted a front two would be his preference.

He said: “It will also depend on who we are playing and what are our attacking options. If we can create more with two strikers in the centre, that is something we need to be flexible on.

“What players are available? Who are we playing and what kind of defence they have, will they have possession like Greece did? Then we need to adapt.

“It’s something I like. Playing two strikers gives you options that you don’t see much in the game today.

“But we have other ways of hurting teams by playing with one striker. It’s how you see the game in your head and decide to go with this.”

The current crop of frontmen includes a pair of players who fit the mould of big man and pacy sidekick in the shape of Ferguson and AZ Alkmaar forward Troy Parrott.

Asked if that was a combination he might use against the Finns after his attempt to do so in Greece last month was thwarted when Parrott had to drop deeper to help counter the home side’s midfield dominance, Hallgrimsson said: “Yes.

“If you’re talking about the past, it was usually a big one and a quick one. They’re kind of a combination of those. Troy and Tom Cannon run into space, Finn (Azaz) and Sammie (Szmodics) too find spaces. Evan is really good in front of goal.”