{Published in the Evening Echo - Sat 20th Oct 2007}
The Republic of Ireland’s faint hopes of qualifying for next year’s European Championships ended with an appalling 1-1 draw at home to Cyprus in Croke Park on Wednesday night. The memory of an encouraging draw with Germany only four days earlier was completely erased in what must rank as one of the worst nights in Irish football history.
Revenge was the word on everyone’s lips prior to the Cypriot encounter. A year since the 5-2 humiliation in Nicosia meant both a victory and decent performance were the minimum requirements for our final home qualifying fixture at Croke Park. A mid-week evening kick off coupled with the sparse attendance marked a huge contrast from the atmosphere four days earlier against the Germans. These facts cannot be used as excuses for the utter rubbish that was served up in a woeful Irish performance. It was a truly dreadful experience; the players looked devoid of ideas and inspiration against at best, an ordinary Cypriot side.
This is the last straw for the Irish football public. I along with thousands of other supporters have simply run out of patience with Steve Staunton and the FAI. It has nothing to do with the cost of purchasing a match ticket (€70), travelling to Dublin by train (€61) or finding accommodation in the capital. It is the fact that even after a full European qualifying campaign we (a) still lack a basic style or pattern of play, (b) still don’t know what our strongest starting eleven is and (c) have a manager incapable of picking players in their correct positions on the team. Staunton’s bizarre selection policies (Finnan at left back, Keogh on the right wing, O’Brien in midfield) have served only to de-motivate the players rather than inspire and improve them. The team’s performance in the majority of the Group D qualifiers simply confirms that his impact on the training ground has been minimal.
The treatment of Joey O’Brien is the most obvious example of a manger not utilising a young Irish player to his full potential. O’Brien started centre-back against the Germans having just returned from a long term injury. In fairness to him he played superbly and did all that was asked of him in an encouraging display. Four days later Staunton asked the same player, who had performed heroics in the centre of defence, to switch to central midfield for the Cypriot game. O’Brien had a nightmare. The Bolton Wanderers right back was completely lost in the centre of the park which resulted in him giving away possession and space to the visiting midfield. It took until half time for Staunton to realise his error but by then O’Brien had faded completely. In the space of two matches the Irish manager had reduced a player full of confidence from his Saturday night performance to a gibbering wreck after the Cyprus debacle. Staunton was brought in by the FAI to bring young players like Joey O’Brien into the senior fold and establish them in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers next year. The inexperience of Staunton in his handling of this situation shows he is clearly not the right man for the job.
How has it come to this? We have talented players in our squad who regularly appear in the top English league. Shay Given, Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and Steve Finnan are players who could realistically walk on to any Premiership first eleven but look nervous and lacking in confidence when playing for their country in recent months.
John Delaney has a lot to answer for. Forget the spin doctors as Irish football is now in free-fall and shows little sign of improving under Staunton. It is not so long ago since the FAI Chief Executive promised a “world class manager” and we ended up with the Walsall reserve coach. Delaney has embarked on a thorough review of Irish football at grass-root level recently and this is a welcome development. The Chief Executive has botched the most important decision he was asked to make since taking office; find a manager with relevant experience to progress the senior side with a view to qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa. For this glaring blunder alone, his position has become untenable.
It is difficult to criticise Staunton, as the ex-Irish International played with such distinction for his country during a golden period in Irish football. His pride and determination were clearly evident every time he pulled on the green jersey during an illustrious international playing career. The Drogheda man’s inexperience as a manager should have been reason enough to prevent him from obtaining the top job in Irish football. Nevertheless, it is plainly obvious that he is completely out of his depth as an international manager. Staunton should never have been put in this position in the first place and this is where John Delaney must shoulder the blame. The Republic of Ireland needed a qualified manager to come in after Brian Kerr was axed but the FAI failed to appoint the correct person for the job and as a result we find ourselves in this precarious position.
The dismal performance of Don Givens’ U21 side in the 3-0 defeat at home to England in Turners Cross only added to the misery of a dreadful week for Irish football. Few if any of the Irish U21 players stood out on the night which is a concern for the future. Are there any talented players coming through the ranks once the likes of Kilbane, Finnan, Given and Dunne have retired from the International scene?
It is a depressing time to be an Irish football supporter. The excitement and anticipation of attending an international fixture has been replaced with a sense of pessimism and nervousness that we are incapable of beating even the most ordinary of opposition at international level.
Should Steve Staunton go? Yes. Should John Delaney go? Yes. Knowing the way the FAI operate neither of these scenarios are likely to occur before the World cup qualifiers begin.
Ger McCarthy
Monday, October 22, 2007
Republic Of Ireland vs. Germany - A Fan's View
The Republic of Ireland and Germany's European Championship qualifier ended in a 0-0 draw in a packed Croke Park on Saturday night. Normally a competitive qualifying game against such illustrious opposition would involve an exciting build-up and tense atmosphere generated by an expectant full house.
On the night, the Irish crowd got behind the boys in green but appeared to have already accepted that the team's best opportunity of qualifying for a major tournament would have to wait until the next (World Cup) campaign. All the fans required was a performance full of effort, passion and commitment and they certainly got it from a determined Irish team.
The German fans travelled to Dublin in huge numbers and were in great voice in the Drumcondra pubs just hours before the match. News of the inclusion of both Joey O'Brien and Andy Keogh in the starting line up was the main talking point amongst Irish fans in the run up to the game. O'Brien's inclusion was generally accepted as it was forced upon Steve Staunton due to an injury to John O'Shea. Keogh's appearance on the right wing caused many raised eyebrows in the local taverns as either Liam Miller or Aidan McGeady was expected to start ahead of the Wolves striker.
In the Stadium, video clips displaying highlights of the Irish team's qualifying campaign brought the crowd to life just prior to kick off but the tension that was evident before the Slovakia game was definitely absent. Even in the warm up the German player’s exuded supreme confidence looking every bit like a team that had already qualified for the European Championships. The Germans were making all the noise from Hill 16 with a sea of black and white chanting and jumping in unison. The Irish responded in kind with the canal end rising to their feet with a chorus of 'Stand up for the boys in green' as the atmosphere finally began to crackle.
Steve Staunton's pre-match comments in the official programme were telling: "I believe in 11 months time when we kick off the World Cup qualifying campaign that we will have a squad strong enough to have a good shot at making it to South Africa". In other words the Irish manager was clearly stating that the current campaign was all but over and to wait for the World Cup qualifiers. Unfortunately a sizeable portion of fans in my section of the stand begged to differ. Many Irish fans chanted to have the ex-International full back removed from his managerial post as soon as possible.
There were plenty of goalmouth incidents throughout a lively match to keep the home fans on their feet. Robbie Keane’s glaring miss brought the loudest groan of the night when the Spurs striker snatched at a chance with only Jens Lehman to beat. The biggest laugh of the night was reserved for the Croke Park Stadium announcer who inadvertently referred to the visiting side as West Germany. A Freudian slip if ever there was one!
When a Mexican wave began to flow across the stands with 15 minutes still remaining you knew the fans had mentally switched off as the game inched towards a 0-0 draw. Despite the final result you just felt the Germans could have gone up a gear or two if they absolutely needed the win.
The general consensus afterwards was that Ireland had played as well as they have in any of their other qualifiers to date but lacked the creativity and quality in the final third of the pitch to really trouble the Germans. There was plenty perspiration but - apart from Andy Reid - little inspiration.
Ger McCarthy
On the night, the Irish crowd got behind the boys in green but appeared to have already accepted that the team's best opportunity of qualifying for a major tournament would have to wait until the next (World Cup) campaign. All the fans required was a performance full of effort, passion and commitment and they certainly got it from a determined Irish team.
The German fans travelled to Dublin in huge numbers and were in great voice in the Drumcondra pubs just hours before the match. News of the inclusion of both Joey O'Brien and Andy Keogh in the starting line up was the main talking point amongst Irish fans in the run up to the game. O'Brien's inclusion was generally accepted as it was forced upon Steve Staunton due to an injury to John O'Shea. Keogh's appearance on the right wing caused many raised eyebrows in the local taverns as either Liam Miller or Aidan McGeady was expected to start ahead of the Wolves striker.
In the Stadium, video clips displaying highlights of the Irish team's qualifying campaign brought the crowd to life just prior to kick off but the tension that was evident before the Slovakia game was definitely absent. Even in the warm up the German player’s exuded supreme confidence looking every bit like a team that had already qualified for the European Championships. The Germans were making all the noise from Hill 16 with a sea of black and white chanting and jumping in unison. The Irish responded in kind with the canal end rising to their feet with a chorus of 'Stand up for the boys in green' as the atmosphere finally began to crackle.
Steve Staunton's pre-match comments in the official programme were telling: "I believe in 11 months time when we kick off the World Cup qualifying campaign that we will have a squad strong enough to have a good shot at making it to South Africa". In other words the Irish manager was clearly stating that the current campaign was all but over and to wait for the World Cup qualifiers. Unfortunately a sizeable portion of fans in my section of the stand begged to differ. Many Irish fans chanted to have the ex-International full back removed from his managerial post as soon as possible.
There were plenty of goalmouth incidents throughout a lively match to keep the home fans on their feet. Robbie Keane’s glaring miss brought the loudest groan of the night when the Spurs striker snatched at a chance with only Jens Lehman to beat. The biggest laugh of the night was reserved for the Croke Park Stadium announcer who inadvertently referred to the visiting side as West Germany. A Freudian slip if ever there was one!
When a Mexican wave began to flow across the stands with 15 minutes still remaining you knew the fans had mentally switched off as the game inched towards a 0-0 draw. Despite the final result you just felt the Germans could have gone up a gear or two if they absolutely needed the win.
The general consensus afterwards was that Ireland had played as well as they have in any of their other qualifiers to date but lacked the creativity and quality in the final third of the pitch to really trouble the Germans. There was plenty perspiration but - apart from Andy Reid - little inspiration.
Ger McCarthy
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