A one all draw with Serbia marked the beginning of Giovanni Trapattoni’s reign as new manager of the Republic of Ireland last week. Ger McCarthy looks back on the Croke Park encounter, the opening two months of new Irish manager’s reign and outlines what lies ahead for the boys in green in the coming months.
A late Andy Keogh volley earned the Republic of Ireland and debut manager Giovanni Trapattoni a deserved 1-1 draw at home to Serbia in Cork Park last Saturday night. The opening match of the Italian’s new regime failed to produce a much needed victory and Ireland have now failed to register a competitive win since defeating Denmark 4-0 in Aarhus back in August 2007. The new Irish manager announced an initial 40-man preliminary squad in April. This was eventually whittled down to 28 players ahead of a two-week warm-weather training camp in Portugal. Notable absentees from the squad included Shay Given, Lee Carsley, Kevin Kilbane, Steven Reid and Joey O’Brien through injury while John O'Shea and Richard Dunne each had prior club commitments. Robbie Keane's non-attendance was known well in advance although there was some confusion as to the actual reasons behind the Irish Captain's absence. Rumours of stag parties in Las Vegas proved false although the Spurs striker returned in time for the Serbian encounter but failed to clarify his whereabouts during the two week camp.
On the training pitch Trapattoni’s boundless energy and obvious enthusiasm appeared to rub off on the players, especially the newcomers who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience. “I know the famous players – I want to know the young players. And I will learn a lot about them over the next two weeks”. Ireland played two warm up games against lower league Portuguese opposition as part of their two week excursion. A disappointing 1-1 draw with Portimonese was followed by a flattering 3-1 victory over Lagos. Neither of the matches inspired much confidence in the media yet the performances of Glenn Whelan, Andy Keogh and Sean Scannell were encouraging. "His enthusiasm on the pitch is amazing, he has so much energy and that reflects on the players"- Robbie Keane. The Irish backroom staff worked their squad hard on the basics such as corner-kicks, free-kicks and throw-ins. "The first days there was a little bit of nervousness but every day my players improve, they have belief in themselves," noted the Italian. The most important element of the get-together was for Trapattoni to get the philosophy of how he wants to play across to his players. By the end of the fortnight the Italian stated “I'm satisfied that we have put in place the different foundations we need to challenge”.
KEOGH STRIKES
Trapattoni received a rapturous welcome from the home fans before his Croke Park debut last Saturday night. Expectations were high ahead of the first serious fixture since taking over the Irish job in which two new caps: Glenn Whelan and Damien Delaney were each handed their first international starts. The opening half proved a disappointment with neither side in the ascendancy. Ireland went close with a Robbie Keane effort that was hacked off the line but in truth the first 45 minutes proved largely forgettable. Ireland switched their formation to 4-3-3 with the introduction of Daryl Murphy for Keane in the second period. Trapattoni looked outraged at the concession of the opening goal with 20 minutes left and rightly so. Paul Mc Shane was the culprit for attempting to play offside but failing to legislate for the remainder of the Irish back four who were 10 yards behind him. Pantelic gave the returning Dean Kiely no chance with the simplest of finishes. It was a comical goal to concede and exactly the type of stupid defensive error Trapattoni must eradicate as soon as possible. On a more positive note the Irish fought back valiantly and netted a deserved equaliser right at the death. Damien Delany’s throw found the head of Murphy who flicked on for the impressive Andy Keogh to arrow an unstoppable volley high into the net. Trapattoni offered an honest assessment after the game: “The second half…I think we lost a little bit of concentration to concede the goal. We didn’t deserve to lose the game. It was a beautiful and good reaction by our team. I think that the team looked in order. It was important to have the mentality we showed and I hope and dream we can go far with that mentality.” Trapattoni has now clearly stated that Ireland will need to take something from every game irrespective of the opposition.
A LOOK AHEAD
The Italian’s confident performance in communicating with the Irish press and media over the past two months has proven a welcome contrast to the “I’m the Gaffer” mutterings of previous incumbent, Steve Staunton. The decision to invite Trapattoni and Tardelli to the televised Ford FAI Cup draw proved a master-stroke. Both Italians came across as genial characters with a genuine interest in the domestic scene. The reaction of the Irish bench to scoring a late equaliser on Saturday night was also significant. Marco Tardelli did his best impression of his 1982 World Cup winning goal celebration by racing out to embrace his manager. A beaming Trapattoni waved a finger in the direction of his bench seemingly indicating that the genesis for Keogh’s set-piece equaliser came from the training pitch in Portugal. Even Liam Brady managed to crack a smile! If his new squad show half the energy and enthusiasm for success that the new Irish backroom staff obviously does then Ireland has every chance of improving in the coming months. What is vital to future success is adopting the winning mentality of the manager and transferring his philosophy into victories on the road to South Africa 2010.
Next on the agenda for the Republic of Ireland is another friendly international taking place in Craven Cottage against South American side, Colombia. After that The Republic will travel to Oslo on August the 20th to face Norway before the opening World Cup Qualifier against Georgia in Tbilisi next September. Stephen Ireland, Steve Finnan and Andy O’Brien are still missing from the current setup although Trapattoni remains confident that most if not all will return to international duty in the coming months. The 69 –year-old is correct in urging a note of caution to Irish fans ahead of the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. "I am happy with how much progress has been made, but there is still room for a lot of improvement", he stressed while also reminding supporters "I am not God."
Showing posts with label Rep Of Ireland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rep Of Ireland. Show all posts
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Domestic Bliss?
Giovanni Trapattoni’s decision to travel to the North next Tuesday to watch Pat Fenlon's Irish Under-23 side in action against their northern counterparts is a welcome development for Irish football. Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli will have a chance to scan an eye over the current cream of the crop of Irish domestic football with a squad composed completely of Eircom League players.
Hopefully the likes of Dave Mooney from Cork City and Mark Quigley from St. Pat’s will put in decent performances and demonstrate the undoubted talent currently plying their trade in the Eircom League. It is unlikely that most of the players on view would have the sufficient quality necessary to elevate themselves to the full international setup. But if stories circulating about the potential legion of withdrawals from the upcoming training camp in the Algarve are to be believed then it is quite possible one or maybe two domestic players could be called upon.
These are exciting days for Irish soccer. A new management team with an experienced and successful manager at the helm has re-ignited the public’s hopes of possibly qualifying for the World cup in South Africa in 2010. Trapattoni needs to build on the feel-good factor surrounding Irish football. A couple of encouraging performances in the upcoming friendlies against Serbia and Colombia will provide the Italian with the foundations to build for a successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
Hopefully the likes of Dave Mooney from Cork City and Mark Quigley from St. Pat’s will put in decent performances and demonstrate the undoubted talent currently plying their trade in the Eircom League. It is unlikely that most of the players on view would have the sufficient quality necessary to elevate themselves to the full international setup. But if stories circulating about the potential legion of withdrawals from the upcoming training camp in the Algarve are to be believed then it is quite possible one or maybe two domestic players could be called upon.
These are exciting days for Irish soccer. A new management team with an experienced and successful manager at the helm has re-ignited the public’s hopes of possibly qualifying for the World cup in South Africa in 2010. Trapattoni needs to build on the feel-good factor surrounding Irish football. A couple of encouraging performances in the upcoming friendlies against Serbia and Colombia will provide the Italian with the foundations to build for a successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
When Irish Eyes Aren't Smiling
Sunderland Clearout the Irish
-------------------------------
The potential clearout of Republic of Ireland internationals from the Sunderland first team in the upcoming months is a disappointing if hardly surprising development. The Irish players in question could find themselves out of contract and without a club with the World Cup Qualifiers fast approaching.
It’s hardly the ideal preparation for Giovanni Trapattoni either if a large portion of his probable squad will be unsure of their futures ahead of vital friendlies and a training camp in the coming weeks. The current Irish squad needs as many players as possible regularly playing in the Premier League if we are to have any hope of making South Africa in 2010.
Paul Mc Shane, Anthony Stokes and Liam Miller are three individuals who could and should have done better this season with the Black Cats. Roy Keane is correct in his assessment that too many of his buys have underperformed but from an Irish point of view it is going hinder the preparations of the new manager and his staff if selected international players are not 100% focused in the coming months.
Under17’s lose two on the bounce
--------------------------------
The Republic of Ireland suffered their second successive defeat in the UEFA U-17 Championships campaign in Turkey yesterday when Switzerland triumphed 1-0 following an unfortunate Gavin Gunning own goal.
Manager Sean McCaffery and his players should still take heart from the Ireland have been competitive in each of their game in what has undoubtedly been a disappointing campaign thus far. The opening Group defeat to France and now the 1-0 loss at the hands of the Swiss means the Irish will be travelling home from Turkey earlier than expected.
I can’t help thinking the 10th year anniversary of Brian Kerr’s successful European campaign and its increased media coverage might have had an adverse effect on the squad. McCaffrey is an excellent manager and will no doubt continue to nurture what is a refreshingly talented age group containing quality players such as Celtic’s Richard Towell, Man United’s Robbie Brady and Ipswich’s Paul Murphy too name but a few.
-------------------------------
The potential clearout of Republic of Ireland internationals from the Sunderland first team in the upcoming months is a disappointing if hardly surprising development. The Irish players in question could find themselves out of contract and without a club with the World Cup Qualifiers fast approaching.
It’s hardly the ideal preparation for Giovanni Trapattoni either if a large portion of his probable squad will be unsure of their futures ahead of vital friendlies and a training camp in the coming weeks. The current Irish squad needs as many players as possible regularly playing in the Premier League if we are to have any hope of making South Africa in 2010.
Paul Mc Shane, Anthony Stokes and Liam Miller are three individuals who could and should have done better this season with the Black Cats. Roy Keane is correct in his assessment that too many of his buys have underperformed but from an Irish point of view it is going hinder the preparations of the new manager and his staff if selected international players are not 100% focused in the coming months.
Under17’s lose two on the bounce
--------------------------------
The Republic of Ireland suffered their second successive defeat in the UEFA U-17 Championships campaign in Turkey yesterday when Switzerland triumphed 1-0 following an unfortunate Gavin Gunning own goal.
Manager Sean McCaffery and his players should still take heart from the Ireland have been competitive in each of their game in what has undoubtedly been a disappointing campaign thus far. The opening Group defeat to France and now the 1-0 loss at the hands of the Swiss means the Irish will be travelling home from Turkey earlier than expected.
I can’t help thinking the 10th year anniversary of Brian Kerr’s successful European campaign and its increased media coverage might have had an adverse effect on the squad. McCaffrey is an excellent manager and will no doubt continue to nurture what is a refreshingly talented age group containing quality players such as Celtic’s Richard Towell, Man United’s Robbie Brady and Ipswich’s Paul Murphy too name but a few.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Liam Brady appointed to Irish International Setup
Liam Brady, former Irish midfield legend and current RTE football pundit has finally joined the backroom staff of Giovanni Trapattoni in the new Republic of Ireland international setup. Ger McCarthy analyses Brady’s credentials and the potential issues facing the 52 year old in Ireland’s upcoming friendlies and World Cup qualifying campaign.
Former Republic of Ireland Captain Liam Brady began life as part-time assistant to the new Irish manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, by travelling to the Madejski Stadium in Reading to run the rule over a host of Irish players last weekend. Brady was joined by fellow assistant Marco Tardelli, to watch the Premiership game between Reading and Manchester City where Irish players Shane Long, Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt all impressed. It marks a new beginning for the former Arsenal, Juventus and Republic of Ireland midfielder after agreeing a two-year deal with the FAI. Brady will be maintaining his position as Director of Arsenal's youth academy as Arsene Wenger has agreed to let him combine his new international role as long as it doesn’t interfere with his day to day job with the young Gunners.
"I've been to see Trapattoni and had a good meeting with him."I want to do it now, assist him, and hopefully soon I'll be speaking to the FAI" Liam Brady, prior to being appointed to the Irish international setup.
Career
For those too young to remember Brady will always be remembered as a cultured, left-footed, central midfielder with remarkable technical skills, high-quality passing ability and excellent close control. Born February 13, 1956 in Dublin, Brady began his playing career in London. He made his debut for Arsenal in 1973 and went on to appear in three FA Cup finals in a row between 1978 and 1980 along with fellow Irish international Frank Stapleton. He was crowned PFA Player of the Year in 1979 and finally left the Gunners in 1980 following over 300 appearances to join Italian giants Juventus for a fee of £500,000. Brady’s silky skills and accurate passing made him a firm favourite with the Turin fans and he helped Juventus win consecutive Serie A titles in 1981 and 1982. Unfortunately the arrival of the French star, Michel Platini in the summer of 1982 meant Juventus had to sell the Irish midfielder. This was due to the restriction on the number of foreign players per squad in Serie A at the time. Brady continued his Italian odyssey by appearing for Sampdoria (82 – 84), Inter (84-86) and Ascoli (86-87), before returning to London to finish his playing career with West Ham (87 - 90). He won 72 international caps, scoring 9 goals. Disappointingly, he never represented his country in a major international tournament (Euro 88 or Italia 90) as a result of either injury or suspension. While playing for Arsenal, Brady earned the nickname "Chippy". The name stuck not because of his extraordinary ability to chip the ball with such accurate precision but rather for his fondness for fish and chips!
Credentials
So what does the Dubliner bring to the role and what are the credentials that will benefit the new Irish managerial setup? Firstly, Brady knows both Trapattoni and assistant boss Marco Tardelli well from his time in Italy in the 1980’s. Secondly, he speaks fluent Italian which will be crucial in communicating the instructions of Trapattoni to the Irish players in the early part of the new manager’s tenure. Finally (and most crucially of all) his continental experience as both a manager and player, allied with his excellent work for the Arsenal Youth academy, will hopefully grant him the respect he deserves in the Irish dressing room. “I was a senior international player for 16 years from when I was 18 until I was 34 and I am really looking forward to working with Giovanni Trapattoni and trying to qualify for the World Cup Finals,” said Brady recently on RTE. “I had a meeting with Mr. Trapattoni during which he clarified the role and I am very happy with what he expects of me. He wants me to work with the players - which is of most interest to me - and also to be on the bench and in the dressing room during games. He sees me as someone he can talk to along with Marco (Tardelli). I will also be part of the scouting network and will be going to as many games as I can to monitor the players in the squad and also track the progress of up and coming players,” added the former Irish international. Brady’s familiarity with the current Irish squad from his time on the RTE football panel will be of huge benefit to Trapattoni. Residing in England will also allow the Dubliner to travel to the various Premiership matches with Tardelli and monitor the Irish players progress on behalf of the new manager.
Hazards
Compared to his foreign footballing success and international playing experience, Brady’s managerial career offers a stark contrast. He managed Celtic from 1991 to 1993 and Brighton from 1993 to 1995. Neither spell could be regarded as successful especially at Celtic, where Brady failed to win a single trophy. He left Brighton in acrimonious circumstances in 1995 following a disagreement with the Club chairman. There is also the danger of his influence becoming diluted having to juggle two jobs; Director of Arsenal’s Youth Academy and his new position in the international fold. Brady stated recently "The board of directors and Arsene Wenger are quite happy for me to do this and to keep my job at Arsenal". Arsenal’s recent success at youth level in capturing the FA Premier Youth League and the FA Youth Cup highlights his outstanding work for the North London club. It is the reaction of the current Irish players to the appointment of Brady that will be of most interest to Irish soccer fans. The Dubliner’s criticisms of players such as Aidan McGeady and Stephen Hunt, whilst working for RTE, were sometimes quite harsh. His position on the television football panel required him to express his views honestly on the Irish players and to an extent, the FAI. Respect from the players should come from his experience as an international player, his in-depth knowledge of the European game and more importantly his contribution to Irish football as one of the greatest midfielders ever produced by this country.
There is no doubting Liam Brady’s reputation as a former player, his current influence on the young players at Arsenal and his candid opinions on Irish football as a TV pundit. Brady represents another step in a new, exciting setup for the Republic in an attempt to return the country to the top table of international football. One of the former Arsenal midfielder’s first tasks should be to try to persuade Steve Finnan of Liverpool to re-consider his decision to retire from the international scene. Having an Irishman in the new Italian-styled managerial setup is also important as Brady represented his country with such distinction for many years. I hope Brady will earn the respect of the current Irish squad on the training pitch in the upcoming training camp in the Algarve and be allowed to transfer his vast international experience of over 25 years in football to the benefit of the Irish players. Only time will tell if the appointment of Liam Brady will be a successful one for Irish football.
Former Republic of Ireland Captain Liam Brady began life as part-time assistant to the new Irish manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, by travelling to the Madejski Stadium in Reading to run the rule over a host of Irish players last weekend. Brady was joined by fellow assistant Marco Tardelli, to watch the Premiership game between Reading and Manchester City where Irish players Shane Long, Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt all impressed. It marks a new beginning for the former Arsenal, Juventus and Republic of Ireland midfielder after agreeing a two-year deal with the FAI. Brady will be maintaining his position as Director of Arsenal's youth academy as Arsene Wenger has agreed to let him combine his new international role as long as it doesn’t interfere with his day to day job with the young Gunners.
"I've been to see Trapattoni and had a good meeting with him."I want to do it now, assist him, and hopefully soon I'll be speaking to the FAI" Liam Brady, prior to being appointed to the Irish international setup.
Career
For those too young to remember Brady will always be remembered as a cultured, left-footed, central midfielder with remarkable technical skills, high-quality passing ability and excellent close control. Born February 13, 1956 in Dublin, Brady began his playing career in London. He made his debut for Arsenal in 1973 and went on to appear in three FA Cup finals in a row between 1978 and 1980 along with fellow Irish international Frank Stapleton. He was crowned PFA Player of the Year in 1979 and finally left the Gunners in 1980 following over 300 appearances to join Italian giants Juventus for a fee of £500,000. Brady’s silky skills and accurate passing made him a firm favourite with the Turin fans and he helped Juventus win consecutive Serie A titles in 1981 and 1982. Unfortunately the arrival of the French star, Michel Platini in the summer of 1982 meant Juventus had to sell the Irish midfielder. This was due to the restriction on the number of foreign players per squad in Serie A at the time. Brady continued his Italian odyssey by appearing for Sampdoria (82 – 84), Inter (84-86) and Ascoli (86-87), before returning to London to finish his playing career with West Ham (87 - 90). He won 72 international caps, scoring 9 goals. Disappointingly, he never represented his country in a major international tournament (Euro 88 or Italia 90) as a result of either injury or suspension. While playing for Arsenal, Brady earned the nickname "Chippy". The name stuck not because of his extraordinary ability to chip the ball with such accurate precision but rather for his fondness for fish and chips!
Credentials
So what does the Dubliner bring to the role and what are the credentials that will benefit the new Irish managerial setup? Firstly, Brady knows both Trapattoni and assistant boss Marco Tardelli well from his time in Italy in the 1980’s. Secondly, he speaks fluent Italian which will be crucial in communicating the instructions of Trapattoni to the Irish players in the early part of the new manager’s tenure. Finally (and most crucially of all) his continental experience as both a manager and player, allied with his excellent work for the Arsenal Youth academy, will hopefully grant him the respect he deserves in the Irish dressing room. “I was a senior international player for 16 years from when I was 18 until I was 34 and I am really looking forward to working with Giovanni Trapattoni and trying to qualify for the World Cup Finals,” said Brady recently on RTE. “I had a meeting with Mr. Trapattoni during which he clarified the role and I am very happy with what he expects of me. He wants me to work with the players - which is of most interest to me - and also to be on the bench and in the dressing room during games. He sees me as someone he can talk to along with Marco (Tardelli). I will also be part of the scouting network and will be going to as many games as I can to monitor the players in the squad and also track the progress of up and coming players,” added the former Irish international. Brady’s familiarity with the current Irish squad from his time on the RTE football panel will be of huge benefit to Trapattoni. Residing in England will also allow the Dubliner to travel to the various Premiership matches with Tardelli and monitor the Irish players progress on behalf of the new manager.
Hazards
Compared to his foreign footballing success and international playing experience, Brady’s managerial career offers a stark contrast. He managed Celtic from 1991 to 1993 and Brighton from 1993 to 1995. Neither spell could be regarded as successful especially at Celtic, where Brady failed to win a single trophy. He left Brighton in acrimonious circumstances in 1995 following a disagreement with the Club chairman. There is also the danger of his influence becoming diluted having to juggle two jobs; Director of Arsenal’s Youth Academy and his new position in the international fold. Brady stated recently "The board of directors and Arsene Wenger are quite happy for me to do this and to keep my job at Arsenal". Arsenal’s recent success at youth level in capturing the FA Premier Youth League and the FA Youth Cup highlights his outstanding work for the North London club. It is the reaction of the current Irish players to the appointment of Brady that will be of most interest to Irish soccer fans. The Dubliner’s criticisms of players such as Aidan McGeady and Stephen Hunt, whilst working for RTE, were sometimes quite harsh. His position on the television football panel required him to express his views honestly on the Irish players and to an extent, the FAI. Respect from the players should come from his experience as an international player, his in-depth knowledge of the European game and more importantly his contribution to Irish football as one of the greatest midfielders ever produced by this country.
There is no doubting Liam Brady’s reputation as a former player, his current influence on the young players at Arsenal and his candid opinions on Irish football as a TV pundit. Brady represents another step in a new, exciting setup for the Republic in an attempt to return the country to the top table of international football. One of the former Arsenal midfielder’s first tasks should be to try to persuade Steve Finnan of Liverpool to re-consider his decision to retire from the international scene. Having an Irishman in the new Italian-styled managerial setup is also important as Brady represented his country with such distinction for many years. I hope Brady will earn the respect of the current Irish squad on the training pitch in the upcoming training camp in the Algarve and be allowed to transfer his vast international experience of over 25 years in football to the benefit of the Irish players. Only time will tell if the appointment of Liam Brady will be a successful one for Irish football.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Italian's Job
Finally, after an exhausting and sometimes frustrating 112 day search, Giovanni Trapattoni, seven-time Serie A winner and former Italy coach, has been appointed as the new manager of the Republic of Ireland football team.
The 68-year-old Italian will take up his new position once his contract with Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg expires at the end of May. There are no guarantees with any new appointment but at least the FAI now have an experienced manager with years of success at European level in the hot seat. The days of 'taking a chance' on the likes of Brian Kerr and Steve Staunton have been replaced with a vastly experienced manager who Irish fans can justifiably hope will make us more organised, harder to beat and hopefully, World Cup qualifiers. Despite having one of the most experienced CV’s in European football, Trapattoni’s name didn’t appear as a potential candidate for the Irish job until well into the selection process.
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE…
“When I coached at Bayern Munich I was trying to change their mindset but was met with resistance. You can't change a mentality in three months. I wanted to get them thinking differently on a tactical level" - Giovanni Trapattoni.
The much maligned FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney, deserves huge credit for overseeing the appointment of one of the most respected coaches in Europe. Delaney was rightly chastised for previously giving the Irish job to the vastly in-experienced Steve Staunton. This time around he announced the formation of a three-man selection panel (Ray Houghton, Don Givens and Don Howe) to source a new manager. The difference this time was Delaney would not be a direct influence on the eventual selection, merely the person who ratified the panel's final recommendation. For many months names such as Gerard Houllier, Graeme Souness, Paul Jewell, Billy Davies, and Terry Venables hit the headlines as likely candidates for the new job. The FAI, to their credit, refused to bow to intense media pressure for a quick appointment. The board was rewarded for their patience when news broke of the former AC Milan, Juventus, Inter and Bayern Munich manager’s interest in taking the job. Once Trapattoni’s name was mentioned as a potential candidate it meant the FAI had ‘raised the bar’ in terms of quality and experience. The next challenge facing the FAI in obtaining such an experienced manager was meeting the inevitable higher wage demands. Enter billionaire Businessman, Denis O’Brien.
LOADS OF LIRA
John Delaney revealed the FAI had accepted an offer from Denis O’Brien to pay 50% of Giovanni Trapattoni’s salary as Irish manager at the press conference in the new FAI headquarters in Abbotstown last week. The donation (believed to be in the region of €1.25million) from the Irish billionaire provoked a huge debate on the national airwaves and mainstream media. It was revealed that O’Brien had written to the FAI the previous October, shortly before the exit of Steve Staunton, offering financial assistance to the association. It was an offer the FAI simply couldn't refuse as it helped to raise the bar in terms of the calibre of manager they could hope to attract to the managerial position.
The Chief Executive went to great lengths to stress that Mr. O’Brien did not want to influence any decision and just wanted to make it easier for the FAI to put up the type of package that would attract a top-class manager. His offer was put to the Board of Management in November and accepted, once it was made clear that he would have no interference or influence on the process.
At face value, this is a magnificent gesture from O’Brien, as it no doubt paved the way for the FAI to ratify Trapattoni’s eventual appointment. One possible issue with the ‘no-strings’ donation has been suggested in relation to the Association’s current sponsorship deal with Eircom which is due to expire shortly. Denis O’Brien is heavily involved with rival mobile-phone company, 02, so it will be interesting to see whom the FAI turns to in their future sponsorship deal(s).
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
"I always say that in addition to being a coach, I'm also a priest. I go into each player's room, tell them if they have been picked or they haven’t been picked and explain the reasons behind my decision. I talk and explain. It's a bit like confession."
The words of Giovanni Trapattoni, giving an insight into the type of man-management skills the Irish players can look forward to in the next two years. The Italian’s coaching will certainly mean a more organised defensive approach to matches and hopefully an end to the Republic’s poor International away record. Expect five man midfields with a lone striker to form the backbone of the new Trapattoni tactical approach. Many Irish players and fans may not be enamoured with this new defensive formation but would do well to heed how the Italian has previously dealt with criticism of his formations. While Trapattoni was in charge of the German Bundesliga outfit, VfB Stuttgart, his cautious defensive methods did not go down well with some of the Stuttgart squad. Two players came out and openly criticised their coach’s defensive tactics; they were immediately dropped. Outspoken internationals such as Stephen Hunt may well find himself in trouble if his recent penchant for outbursts is anything to go by.
"Ireland are not a second-rate team, they are supposed to be a first-rate team," insists Trapattoni. "Qualifying for the World Cup in 2010 will be hard, and playing against the Italian team will make me proud, but it should be possible for Ireland to come first." These are encouraging if hardly surprising words from the new Irish manager ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign. Let's hope this appointment heralds the dawn of a new era and a return to the top-table of international football for the Republic. This may well turn out to be the Italian's final job in international or club football so what better way to sign off than guiding the Republic of Ireland to the 2010 World Cup finals.
The 68-year-old Italian will take up his new position once his contract with Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg expires at the end of May. There are no guarantees with any new appointment but at least the FAI now have an experienced manager with years of success at European level in the hot seat. The days of 'taking a chance' on the likes of Brian Kerr and Steve Staunton have been replaced with a vastly experienced manager who Irish fans can justifiably hope will make us more organised, harder to beat and hopefully, World Cup qualifiers. Despite having one of the most experienced CV’s in European football, Trapattoni’s name didn’t appear as a potential candidate for the Irish job until well into the selection process.
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE…
“When I coached at Bayern Munich I was trying to change their mindset but was met with resistance. You can't change a mentality in three months. I wanted to get them thinking differently on a tactical level" - Giovanni Trapattoni.
The much maligned FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney, deserves huge credit for overseeing the appointment of one of the most respected coaches in Europe. Delaney was rightly chastised for previously giving the Irish job to the vastly in-experienced Steve Staunton. This time around he announced the formation of a three-man selection panel (Ray Houghton, Don Givens and Don Howe) to source a new manager. The difference this time was Delaney would not be a direct influence on the eventual selection, merely the person who ratified the panel's final recommendation. For many months names such as Gerard Houllier, Graeme Souness, Paul Jewell, Billy Davies, and Terry Venables hit the headlines as likely candidates for the new job. The FAI, to their credit, refused to bow to intense media pressure for a quick appointment. The board was rewarded for their patience when news broke of the former AC Milan, Juventus, Inter and Bayern Munich manager’s interest in taking the job. Once Trapattoni’s name was mentioned as a potential candidate it meant the FAI had ‘raised the bar’ in terms of quality and experience. The next challenge facing the FAI in obtaining such an experienced manager was meeting the inevitable higher wage demands. Enter billionaire Businessman, Denis O’Brien.
LOADS OF LIRA
John Delaney revealed the FAI had accepted an offer from Denis O’Brien to pay 50% of Giovanni Trapattoni’s salary as Irish manager at the press conference in the new FAI headquarters in Abbotstown last week. The donation (believed to be in the region of €1.25million) from the Irish billionaire provoked a huge debate on the national airwaves and mainstream media. It was revealed that O’Brien had written to the FAI the previous October, shortly before the exit of Steve Staunton, offering financial assistance to the association. It was an offer the FAI simply couldn't refuse as it helped to raise the bar in terms of the calibre of manager they could hope to attract to the managerial position.
The Chief Executive went to great lengths to stress that Mr. O’Brien did not want to influence any decision and just wanted to make it easier for the FAI to put up the type of package that would attract a top-class manager. His offer was put to the Board of Management in November and accepted, once it was made clear that he would have no interference or influence on the process.
At face value, this is a magnificent gesture from O’Brien, as it no doubt paved the way for the FAI to ratify Trapattoni’s eventual appointment. One possible issue with the ‘no-strings’ donation has been suggested in relation to the Association’s current sponsorship deal with Eircom which is due to expire shortly. Denis O’Brien is heavily involved with rival mobile-phone company, 02, so it will be interesting to see whom the FAI turns to in their future sponsorship deal(s).
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
"I always say that in addition to being a coach, I'm also a priest. I go into each player's room, tell them if they have been picked or they haven’t been picked and explain the reasons behind my decision. I talk and explain. It's a bit like confession."
The words of Giovanni Trapattoni, giving an insight into the type of man-management skills the Irish players can look forward to in the next two years. The Italian’s coaching will certainly mean a more organised defensive approach to matches and hopefully an end to the Republic’s poor International away record. Expect five man midfields with a lone striker to form the backbone of the new Trapattoni tactical approach. Many Irish players and fans may not be enamoured with this new defensive formation but would do well to heed how the Italian has previously dealt with criticism of his formations. While Trapattoni was in charge of the German Bundesliga outfit, VfB Stuttgart, his cautious defensive methods did not go down well with some of the Stuttgart squad. Two players came out and openly criticised their coach’s defensive tactics; they were immediately dropped. Outspoken internationals such as Stephen Hunt may well find himself in trouble if his recent penchant for outbursts is anything to go by.
"Ireland are not a second-rate team, they are supposed to be a first-rate team," insists Trapattoni. "Qualifying for the World Cup in 2010 will be hard, and playing against the Italian team will make me proud, but it should be possible for Ireland to come first." These are encouraging if hardly surprising words from the new Irish manager ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign. Let's hope this appointment heralds the dawn of a new era and a return to the top-table of international football for the Republic. This may well turn out to be the Italian's final job in international or club football so what better way to sign off than guiding the Republic of Ireland to the 2010 World Cup finals.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
MUCH TO PONDER FOR NEXT IRISH MANAGER
Brazil brought their flamboyant samba soccer to Croke Park on a wet and windy Wednesday evening recently. I sat in the magnificent Hogan Stand wondering what Giovanni Trapattoni and Terry Venables would make of proceedings. Brazil ran out deserved 1-0 winners but the Republic Of Ireland’s performance could best be described as hugely encouraging. The first 90 minutes of a long International campaign displayed an interesting insight into the raw talent available to whoever becomes manager of the Republic of Ireland in the coming weeks and months.
THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL
Shorn of the talents of AC Milan’s Kaka and Pato as well as Barcelona’s Ronaldiniho the South American aristocrats still managed to put on an impressive show. The highlight of the evening was Robinho’s match winning goal in the second half of a lively encounter. What made the goal extra special was the way the Brazilian’s effortlessly moved the ball from their penalty area to the Irish box with a rapier like counter attack. Gilberto found Luis Fabiano and his magnificent back heel released the industrious Diego. The diminutive Brazilian midfielder found Robinho on the edge of the box and the Real Madrid star simply passed the ball between Lee Carsley’s legs and the out-stretched arm of Shay Given to complete a sublime move. The goal encompassed all that is good about Brazilian football: simple one touch passing, wonderful skill and movement off the ball culminating in a marvellous finish. They make it look so easy and that is why Brazil still remains one of the most gifted teams in the World. Dunga has added new blood to an already astonishingly talented squad with the likes of Manchester United’s Anderson and Liverpool’s Lucas introduced as substitutes. Few would bet against Brazil claiming the one title that has eluded them throughout their illustrious history – the Olympic (under23) tournament- with the current pool of talent at their disposal.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Ireland competed manfully for the full duration of last Wednesday night’s friendly encounter. A dull opening 45 minutes was quickly forgotten after a second half full of passion and commitment. Ireland failed to breach the Brazilian defence creating only a handful of half-chances, yet there was no denying the quality of some of the home side’s play. The return of Damien Duff was one of the most important plus points on the night. The Newcastle winger - dogged by recent injuries - made a welcome return on the left wing. After a quiet first half, the blonde winger burst into life with a series of mesmerising dribbles. On the opposite wing, Celtic’s Aidan McGeady gave his most impressive performance in an Irish jersey to date. McGeady is far from the finished article but he continues to improve and could become a vital player in the months ahead. Up front Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle worked hard all night despite little or no possession. The back four had a busy outing with John O’Shea and Kevin Kilbane excelling. Ireland gave 100% commitment and spent long periods chasing the ball with their illustrious opponents enjoying the majority of possession. Care-taker manager Don Givens had every right to feel proud of his side’s efforts after the final whistle and the Irish players should take heart from such an encouraging performance against a strong Brazilian selection.
MANAGER’S TO-DO LIST
The incoming Irish manager will have plenty of work to complete before the International qualifiers begin in earnest away to Georgia in September this year. Top of the list must be to persuade the hugely talented Stephen Ireland to return to the international fold. The Manchester City midfielder would be a huge asset to the current Irish midfield with his surging runs and goal-scoring ability. Liam Miller, Lee Carsley, Andy Reid and Stephen Reid are all accomplished international midfielders but none offers the goal-scoring threat that Ireland does. Second on the list should be to try to persuade Steve Finnan to reconsider his decision to retire from international football. Liverpool’s right back has an abundance of experience and following Stephen Kelly’s poor display against the Brazilians, the Republic desperately need cover in this important position. The only alternative at the moment is the un-capped Kevin Foley.
Third on the list is to get the best out of the erratic Stephen Hunt. The Reading midfielder has been used as an impact substitute in recent internationals but deserves a run in the side based on his performances for Reading this season. Hunt’s determination and commitment energise the crowd and players around him. His exasperation at being left out of the starting eleven was clearly evident in a candid after match interview on Wednesday night. Curbing his over-enthusiasm will make Stephen Hunt an even better player but he needs to start internationals rather than feature in the last 20 minutes.
Former Irish rugby international, Donal Linehan, wrote recently about the potential catastrophe of losing Ronan O’Gara to injury for both Ireland and Munster. The same logic applies to Ireland’s number one net minder Shay Given. Neither Joe Murphy nor Colin Doyle has received any kind of game time recently and both reserve keepers must be used in the upcoming summer friendlies. Memories of Paddy Kenny’s performance having replaced the injured Given in the catastrophic away defeat to Cyprus should provide ample warning. Ireland needs a competent back-up goalkeeper to Shay Given with that player gaining as much international experience as possible.
The first match of the new international season has been completed with a 1-0 defeat to Brazil consigned to the history books. Despite the loss, the overall Irish performance was a positive one. The new Irish manager needs to build on this and structure his squad accordingly in preparation for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. While the Irish players clearly favour Terry Venables for his man-management skills, it is the potential appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni that has the whole of the football world talking. The appointment of the former Italian manager would really be a masterstroke for the FAI.
It could be months before the next Irish manager takes up his new position but an encouraging performance against the boys from Brazil points to better days ahead.
THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL
Shorn of the talents of AC Milan’s Kaka and Pato as well as Barcelona’s Ronaldiniho the South American aristocrats still managed to put on an impressive show. The highlight of the evening was Robinho’s match winning goal in the second half of a lively encounter. What made the goal extra special was the way the Brazilian’s effortlessly moved the ball from their penalty area to the Irish box with a rapier like counter attack. Gilberto found Luis Fabiano and his magnificent back heel released the industrious Diego. The diminutive Brazilian midfielder found Robinho on the edge of the box and the Real Madrid star simply passed the ball between Lee Carsley’s legs and the out-stretched arm of Shay Given to complete a sublime move. The goal encompassed all that is good about Brazilian football: simple one touch passing, wonderful skill and movement off the ball culminating in a marvellous finish. They make it look so easy and that is why Brazil still remains one of the most gifted teams in the World. Dunga has added new blood to an already astonishingly talented squad with the likes of Manchester United’s Anderson and Liverpool’s Lucas introduced as substitutes. Few would bet against Brazil claiming the one title that has eluded them throughout their illustrious history – the Olympic (under23) tournament- with the current pool of talent at their disposal.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Ireland competed manfully for the full duration of last Wednesday night’s friendly encounter. A dull opening 45 minutes was quickly forgotten after a second half full of passion and commitment. Ireland failed to breach the Brazilian defence creating only a handful of half-chances, yet there was no denying the quality of some of the home side’s play. The return of Damien Duff was one of the most important plus points on the night. The Newcastle winger - dogged by recent injuries - made a welcome return on the left wing. After a quiet first half, the blonde winger burst into life with a series of mesmerising dribbles. On the opposite wing, Celtic’s Aidan McGeady gave his most impressive performance in an Irish jersey to date. McGeady is far from the finished article but he continues to improve and could become a vital player in the months ahead. Up front Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle worked hard all night despite little or no possession. The back four had a busy outing with John O’Shea and Kevin Kilbane excelling. Ireland gave 100% commitment and spent long periods chasing the ball with their illustrious opponents enjoying the majority of possession. Care-taker manager Don Givens had every right to feel proud of his side’s efforts after the final whistle and the Irish players should take heart from such an encouraging performance against a strong Brazilian selection.
MANAGER’S TO-DO LIST
The incoming Irish manager will have plenty of work to complete before the International qualifiers begin in earnest away to Georgia in September this year. Top of the list must be to persuade the hugely talented Stephen Ireland to return to the international fold. The Manchester City midfielder would be a huge asset to the current Irish midfield with his surging runs and goal-scoring ability. Liam Miller, Lee Carsley, Andy Reid and Stephen Reid are all accomplished international midfielders but none offers the goal-scoring threat that Ireland does. Second on the list should be to try to persuade Steve Finnan to reconsider his decision to retire from international football. Liverpool’s right back has an abundance of experience and following Stephen Kelly’s poor display against the Brazilians, the Republic desperately need cover in this important position. The only alternative at the moment is the un-capped Kevin Foley.
Third on the list is to get the best out of the erratic Stephen Hunt. The Reading midfielder has been used as an impact substitute in recent internationals but deserves a run in the side based on his performances for Reading this season. Hunt’s determination and commitment energise the crowd and players around him. His exasperation at being left out of the starting eleven was clearly evident in a candid after match interview on Wednesday night. Curbing his over-enthusiasm will make Stephen Hunt an even better player but he needs to start internationals rather than feature in the last 20 minutes.
Former Irish rugby international, Donal Linehan, wrote recently about the potential catastrophe of losing Ronan O’Gara to injury for both Ireland and Munster. The same logic applies to Ireland’s number one net minder Shay Given. Neither Joe Murphy nor Colin Doyle has received any kind of game time recently and both reserve keepers must be used in the upcoming summer friendlies. Memories of Paddy Kenny’s performance having replaced the injured Given in the catastrophic away defeat to Cyprus should provide ample warning. Ireland needs a competent back-up goalkeeper to Shay Given with that player gaining as much international experience as possible.
The first match of the new international season has been completed with a 1-0 defeat to Brazil consigned to the history books. Despite the loss, the overall Irish performance was a positive one. The new Irish manager needs to build on this and structure his squad accordingly in preparation for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. While the Irish players clearly favour Terry Venables for his man-management skills, it is the potential appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni that has the whole of the football world talking. The appointment of the former Italian manager would really be a masterstroke for the FAI.
It could be months before the next Irish manager takes up his new position but an encouraging performance against the boys from Brazil points to better days ahead.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
ROAD TO SOUTH AFRICA 2010 MAPPED OUT FOR REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
The fixture list for the Republic of Ireland's World Cup 2010 qualifying matches in Group 8 took place in the Grand Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria, recently. Ireland was the only country present without a manager at the meeting so the football association sent a delegation containing Chief Executive John Delaney, FAI President David Blood and current caretaker-coach Don Givens.
THE CROKE PARK X-FACTOR
Final agreement on fixtures was signed off by John Delaney resulting in the Republic beginning with two tricky away ties in September and finishing off their campaign at home to World Champions Italy and then Montenegro in October 2009. The FAI was severely curtailed in their negotiations (with the Bulgarians in particular) due to the lack of availability of Croke Park as a home venue during the qualifiers. GAA headquarters was never going to be available to the FAI from June to September with the hurling and football Championships in full swing. It came as little surprise then when FAI was forced to agree to play their opening two fixtures away from home. This puts the new Irish manager, whomever that will be, under immediate pressure to deliver at worst, two away draws, before three crucial home games at Croker. The new manager currently has three friendly fixtures pencilled in before the qualifying campaign begins. Brazil will bring their samba football and carnival atmosphere to Croke Park on February 6th and Serbia visit on the 24th of May. The FAI has also rubber stamped an away trip to Oslo to face Norway on the 20th of August.
TBILISI HERE WE COME!
The Republic will travel to face Georgia in Tbilisi on September the 6th and then Montenegro on September the 10th in their opening two World Cup qualifying fixtures. Irish fans will have bitter sweet memories from the Republic's last visit to Tbilisi in 2003. Ireland won 2-1 thanks to a late Gary Doherty effort in a European Championship qualifier. The game is probably best remembered though for an incident involving a knife being thrown onto the pitch at the Irish players. The trip to Montenegro will be just as arduous. The Montenegrins begin their campaign at home to Bulgaria before the Irish visit four days later. The result of this historic opening game could prove pivotal to the Republic’s chances of qualification. Should Bulgaria slip up then the Irish will know a positive result will give them the upper hand in qualifying, albeit after only two matches.
Cyprus return to Croke Park on October the 15th where revenge will surely be on the minds of the Irish players and staff after the Cypriots previous visit to Croke Park last year. An abject Irish performance culminated in the sacking of Steve Staunton following one of the worst Irish displays in living memory. The return fixture with Georgia in February marks the first competitive fixture of 2009. Manchester City’s Martin Petrov and Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov will be just two members of a hugely talented Bulgarian squad set to face Ireland in Croke Park on the 28th of March. Without doubt this will be Ireland’s most important fixture in Group8 as victory here would go a long way to securing second place. The Bulgarians will no doubt view the Croke Park encounter with equal importance so a titanic battle is eagerly anticipated. Whatever the result, four days later Ireland will literally enter the lions den to face the current World Cup holders, Italy.
Unfortunately the FAI lost out to an unyielding Bulgarian FA in agreeing to fix the Bulgaria vs. Ireland return fixture in Sofia for June 6th 2009, three weeks after the Premier League season has finished. The new Irish head coach will have his work cut out to keep his squad fit, motivated and fully focused for potentially the most important match of the qualifying campaign.
REMEMBER ROME
The Republic’s two most glamorous Group8 qualifying fixtures will be the home and away ties with Italy. There is certain to be many nostalgic memories evoked from Ireland’s 1-0 World Cup quarter final defeat in Rome back in 1990 courtesy of a ‘Toto’ Schillaci effort. Expect replays of Ray Houghton’s dipping volley from the victory in USA 1994 to resurface in the days leading up to both Italian fixtures. Even at this early stage it is unlikely any other side will be able to prevent Italy from topping Group8. Current manager Roberto Donadoni is fortunate to have inherited a world class squad from Marcello Lippi prior to the 2008 European qualifiers. The former AC Milan winger managed to steer his country past France, Ukraine and a resurgent Scotland to qualify for this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Italy possess a wealth of talent at both senior and Under21 level so anything other than topping the Group would be a major surprise. Ireland's trip to Italian soil comes right in the middle of the Premiership's busy Easter period where injuries and even suspensions may become a factor. A single point garnered from this toughest of away assignments would be a tremendous result for any country let alone Ireland.
POSITIVE OUTLOOK
Let's face it, if all goes to plan in the early stages of the group then the Republic of Ireland will be (at best) playing Bulgaria for second place in Group8. Should Ireland achieve that coveted second position then a two-legged play-off against a runner up from another qualifying group would still have to be successfully negotiated before making it to South Africa in 2010. The most realistic (if not slightly optimistic) scenario will probably involve the Republic needing at least 4 if not 6 points from our final two group games at home to Italy on the 10th October and finally Montenegro four days later to secure second place from Bulgaria.
We should expect our new manager to provide Ireland with a fighting chance of claiming the runner-up spot in this group. Anything less would be a huge dissapointment especially when it comes to seeding for the European Championships in 2012. It might seem like a long time away but every single international in 2008 will have to be treated with the upmost importance to make sure the next generation of Irish soccer players have a fighting chance of representing their country at future World Cups. It all begins in earnest on the 6th of September away to Georgia. Let battle commence.
Group8 FIFA World Cup 2010 Qualifying Fixtures
6th September 2008: Georgia v Republic of Ireland
10th September 2008: Montenegro v Republic of Ireland
15th October 2008: Republic of Ireland v Cyprus
11th February 2009: Republic of Ireland v Georgia
28th March 2009: Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria
1st April 2009: Italy v Republic of Ireland
6th June 2009: Bulgaria v Republic of Ireland
5th September 2009: Cyprus v Republic of Ireland
10th October 2009: Republic of Ireland v Italy
14th October 2009: Republic of Ireland v Montenegro
THE CROKE PARK X-FACTOR
Final agreement on fixtures was signed off by John Delaney resulting in the Republic beginning with two tricky away ties in September and finishing off their campaign at home to World Champions Italy and then Montenegro in October 2009. The FAI was severely curtailed in their negotiations (with the Bulgarians in particular) due to the lack of availability of Croke Park as a home venue during the qualifiers. GAA headquarters was never going to be available to the FAI from June to September with the hurling and football Championships in full swing. It came as little surprise then when FAI was forced to agree to play their opening two fixtures away from home. This puts the new Irish manager, whomever that will be, under immediate pressure to deliver at worst, two away draws, before three crucial home games at Croker. The new manager currently has three friendly fixtures pencilled in before the qualifying campaign begins. Brazil will bring their samba football and carnival atmosphere to Croke Park on February 6th and Serbia visit on the 24th of May. The FAI has also rubber stamped an away trip to Oslo to face Norway on the 20th of August.
TBILISI HERE WE COME!
The Republic will travel to face Georgia in Tbilisi on September the 6th and then Montenegro on September the 10th in their opening two World Cup qualifying fixtures. Irish fans will have bitter sweet memories from the Republic's last visit to Tbilisi in 2003. Ireland won 2-1 thanks to a late Gary Doherty effort in a European Championship qualifier. The game is probably best remembered though for an incident involving a knife being thrown onto the pitch at the Irish players. The trip to Montenegro will be just as arduous. The Montenegrins begin their campaign at home to Bulgaria before the Irish visit four days later. The result of this historic opening game could prove pivotal to the Republic’s chances of qualification. Should Bulgaria slip up then the Irish will know a positive result will give them the upper hand in qualifying, albeit after only two matches.
Cyprus return to Croke Park on October the 15th where revenge will surely be on the minds of the Irish players and staff after the Cypriots previous visit to Croke Park last year. An abject Irish performance culminated in the sacking of Steve Staunton following one of the worst Irish displays in living memory. The return fixture with Georgia in February marks the first competitive fixture of 2009. Manchester City’s Martin Petrov and Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov will be just two members of a hugely talented Bulgarian squad set to face Ireland in Croke Park on the 28th of March. Without doubt this will be Ireland’s most important fixture in Group8 as victory here would go a long way to securing second place. The Bulgarians will no doubt view the Croke Park encounter with equal importance so a titanic battle is eagerly anticipated. Whatever the result, four days later Ireland will literally enter the lions den to face the current World Cup holders, Italy.
Unfortunately the FAI lost out to an unyielding Bulgarian FA in agreeing to fix the Bulgaria vs. Ireland return fixture in Sofia for June 6th 2009, three weeks after the Premier League season has finished. The new Irish head coach will have his work cut out to keep his squad fit, motivated and fully focused for potentially the most important match of the qualifying campaign.
REMEMBER ROME
The Republic’s two most glamorous Group8 qualifying fixtures will be the home and away ties with Italy. There is certain to be many nostalgic memories evoked from Ireland’s 1-0 World Cup quarter final defeat in Rome back in 1990 courtesy of a ‘Toto’ Schillaci effort. Expect replays of Ray Houghton’s dipping volley from the victory in USA 1994 to resurface in the days leading up to both Italian fixtures. Even at this early stage it is unlikely any other side will be able to prevent Italy from topping Group8. Current manager Roberto Donadoni is fortunate to have inherited a world class squad from Marcello Lippi prior to the 2008 European qualifiers. The former AC Milan winger managed to steer his country past France, Ukraine and a resurgent Scotland to qualify for this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Italy possess a wealth of talent at both senior and Under21 level so anything other than topping the Group would be a major surprise. Ireland's trip to Italian soil comes right in the middle of the Premiership's busy Easter period where injuries and even suspensions may become a factor. A single point garnered from this toughest of away assignments would be a tremendous result for any country let alone Ireland.
POSITIVE OUTLOOK
Let's face it, if all goes to plan in the early stages of the group then the Republic of Ireland will be (at best) playing Bulgaria for second place in Group8. Should Ireland achieve that coveted second position then a two-legged play-off against a runner up from another qualifying group would still have to be successfully negotiated before making it to South Africa in 2010. The most realistic (if not slightly optimistic) scenario will probably involve the Republic needing at least 4 if not 6 points from our final two group games at home to Italy on the 10th October and finally Montenegro four days later to secure second place from Bulgaria.
We should expect our new manager to provide Ireland with a fighting chance of claiming the runner-up spot in this group. Anything less would be a huge dissapointment especially when it comes to seeding for the European Championships in 2012. It might seem like a long time away but every single international in 2008 will have to be treated with the upmost importance to make sure the next generation of Irish soccer players have a fighting chance of representing their country at future World Cups. It all begins in earnest on the 6th of September away to Georgia. Let battle commence.
Group8 FIFA World Cup 2010 Qualifying Fixtures
6th September 2008: Georgia v Republic of Ireland
10th September 2008: Montenegro v Republic of Ireland
15th October 2008: Republic of Ireland v Cyprus
11th February 2009: Republic of Ireland v Georgia
28th March 2009: Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria
1st April 2009: Italy v Republic of Ireland
6th June 2009: Bulgaria v Republic of Ireland
5th September 2009: Cyprus v Republic of Ireland
10th October 2009: Republic of Ireland v Italy
14th October 2009: Republic of Ireland v Montenegro
2007 Annus Horribilis for the FAI
The 2007 International football season will be remembered as an 'Annus Horribilis' (a horrible year) by the FAI, the Republic of Ireland senior team and Irish football fans world wide. The year ends with the Republic of Ireland without an international manager and having failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championships under Steve Staunton. Public support for the FAI remains at an all time low and only the appointment of a suitable manager, with the correct international credentials and experience, will appease an already disillusioned public.
"Where It All Went Wrong"
The Republic’s faint hopes of qualifying for the European Championships ended with an appalling 1-1 draw at home to Cyprus in Croke Park back on the 17th October. The memory of an encouraging draw with the Germans only four days earlier was completely erased in what now ranks as one of the worst nights in Irish football history. It was a truly dreadful experience; the players looked devoid of ideas and inspiration against at best, an ordinary Cypriot side.
It was the last straw for the Irish football public. I along with thousands of other supporters simply ran out of patience with Steve Staunton and the FAI. It had 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 was the fact that even after a full European qualifying campaign we still lacked a basic style or pattern of play, still didn't know what our strongest starting eleven was and had a manager incapable of picking players in their correct positions. Staunton’s bizarre selection policies (Finnan at left back, Keogh on the right wing, O’Brien in midfield) 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 confirmed that his impact on the training ground had been minimal and he simply had to go.
The treatment of Joey O’Brien was 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. 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. In the space of two matches the former 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 2010 World Cup qualifiers. His inexperience in handling this situation clearly displayed he was never the right man for the job.
It is difficult to criticise Staunton, as the ex-Irish International who played with such distinction for his country during a golden period in Irish football. His pride and determination were evident every time he pulled on the green jersey during an illustrious international playing career. The Drogheda man’s lack of relevant qualifications should have been reason enough to prevent him from obtaining the top job in Irish football. It is for that fact alone the FAI still has a lot to answer for.
"The good, the bad and the ugly of the FAI"
FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney, should have shouldered more blame for Staunton’s appointment. 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 now find ourselves out in the cold and looking to qualify for the World Cup in 2010 as salvation. John Delaney still has an awful lot to answer for, 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.
The Chief Executive 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 is still untenable. If the Chief Executive fails to oversee the appointment of a suitable replacement for Steve Staunton then it will surely be time to go.
That is not to say the FAI is not overseeing great work at youth and underage level. Delaney has embarked on a thorough review of Irish football at grass-root level and this is a welcome development. I met with Mr. Delaney and Technical Director, Packie Bonner when the pair visited Clonakilty as part of their tour of West Cork League and West Cork Schoolboys League clubs recently. It was surreal experience. The dour, stone-faced individual who regularly speaks in monotone in television interviews is a very different person in real life. Mr. Delaney was bright, bubbly and full of good humour when he attended a presentation by Clonakilty AFC in O’Donovan’s’ Hotel. He spoke openly and candidly about his hopes for supporting the expansion of the game of soccer in rural areas such as West Cork.
The FAI invested almost 10 million euro this year into the development of the game. A big part of that job is ensuring that this money stretches as far as possible across the game under the guidance of the FAI Technical Development Plan. The FAI plans to run a series of support programmes for clubs and schools, the goal being to raise participation through quality schemes such as the Pepsi FAI Summer Soccer Schools, Futsal and Buntus Programme in West Cork in 2008.
"Back to the future"
The process of appointing a new Republic of Ireland manager is still on-going with Terry Venables the most likely candidate to take over. A three man committee of Don Howe, Don Givens and Ray Houghton have been given the task of identifying the best available candidate for the FAI to approach. Paul Jewell was an early contender but turned down the offer in favour of taking over at struggling Premiership outfit, Derby County. Venables is still the bookies favourite and has all the necessary credentials despite a notable lack of support in the Irish media. The decision to include Givens and Howe (former team mates and friend of Venables) on the selection panel was heavily criticised and may actually work against the former English manager. The FAI's decision to include Ray Houghton as part of the three man team to select the next Republic Of Ireland manager is a sensible one and adds credence to the selection process. His recent work as a pundit on RTE television highlights his in-depth knowledge of the English, Irish and European game and he should prove a valuable asset to the FAI.
I think the nationality of the next Irish manager is irrelevant as long as the person chosen ticks the following boxes: (a) he actually wants the job, (b) he has some experience of European or International football and (c) he will not use the Irish job as a stepping stone to a managerial position in the Premiership. Whoever is eventually appointed deserves the initial support of both the media and fans.
Let’s have a positive outlook for 2008. If the harsh lessons learned from the mistakes made in 2007 are adhered to then I am certain the Republic of Ireland has the ability to qualify for the next World Cup. As long as the new manager employs the correct organisation and tactics there is very good chance that the current crop of Irish players can make it to South Africa. After such a disappointing 2007 there is much to look forward to with the visit of World Champions, Italy and South American giants, Brazil to Croke Park.
"Where It All Went Wrong"
The Republic’s faint hopes of qualifying for the European Championships ended with an appalling 1-1 draw at home to Cyprus in Croke Park back on the 17th October. The memory of an encouraging draw with the Germans only four days earlier was completely erased in what now ranks as one of the worst nights in Irish football history. It was a truly dreadful experience; the players looked devoid of ideas and inspiration against at best, an ordinary Cypriot side.
It was the last straw for the Irish football public. I along with thousands of other supporters simply ran out of patience with Steve Staunton and the FAI. It had 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 was the fact that even after a full European qualifying campaign we still lacked a basic style or pattern of play, still didn't know what our strongest starting eleven was and had a manager incapable of picking players in their correct positions. Staunton’s bizarre selection policies (Finnan at left back, Keogh on the right wing, O’Brien in midfield) 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 confirmed that his impact on the training ground had been minimal and he simply had to go.
The treatment of Joey O’Brien was 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. 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. In the space of two matches the former 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 2010 World Cup qualifiers. His inexperience in handling this situation clearly displayed he was never the right man for the job.
It is difficult to criticise Staunton, as the ex-Irish International who played with such distinction for his country during a golden period in Irish football. His pride and determination were evident every time he pulled on the green jersey during an illustrious international playing career. The Drogheda man’s lack of relevant qualifications should have been reason enough to prevent him from obtaining the top job in Irish football. It is for that fact alone the FAI still has a lot to answer for.
"The good, the bad and the ugly of the FAI"
FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney, should have shouldered more blame for Staunton’s appointment. 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 now find ourselves out in the cold and looking to qualify for the World Cup in 2010 as salvation. John Delaney still has an awful lot to answer for, 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.
The Chief Executive 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 is still untenable. If the Chief Executive fails to oversee the appointment of a suitable replacement for Steve Staunton then it will surely be time to go.
That is not to say the FAI is not overseeing great work at youth and underage level. Delaney has embarked on a thorough review of Irish football at grass-root level and this is a welcome development. I met with Mr. Delaney and Technical Director, Packie Bonner when the pair visited Clonakilty as part of their tour of West Cork League and West Cork Schoolboys League clubs recently. It was surreal experience. The dour, stone-faced individual who regularly speaks in monotone in television interviews is a very different person in real life. Mr. Delaney was bright, bubbly and full of good humour when he attended a presentation by Clonakilty AFC in O’Donovan’s’ Hotel. He spoke openly and candidly about his hopes for supporting the expansion of the game of soccer in rural areas such as West Cork.
The FAI invested almost 10 million euro this year into the development of the game. A big part of that job is ensuring that this money stretches as far as possible across the game under the guidance of the FAI Technical Development Plan. The FAI plans to run a series of support programmes for clubs and schools, the goal being to raise participation through quality schemes such as the Pepsi FAI Summer Soccer Schools, Futsal and Buntus Programme in West Cork in 2008.
"Back to the future"
The process of appointing a new Republic of Ireland manager is still on-going with Terry Venables the most likely candidate to take over. A three man committee of Don Howe, Don Givens and Ray Houghton have been given the task of identifying the best available candidate for the FAI to approach. Paul Jewell was an early contender but turned down the offer in favour of taking over at struggling Premiership outfit, Derby County. Venables is still the bookies favourite and has all the necessary credentials despite a notable lack of support in the Irish media. The decision to include Givens and Howe (former team mates and friend of Venables) on the selection panel was heavily criticised and may actually work against the former English manager. The FAI's decision to include Ray Houghton as part of the three man team to select the next Republic Of Ireland manager is a sensible one and adds credence to the selection process. His recent work as a pundit on RTE television highlights his in-depth knowledge of the English, Irish and European game and he should prove a valuable asset to the FAI.
I think the nationality of the next Irish manager is irrelevant as long as the person chosen ticks the following boxes: (a) he actually wants the job, (b) he has some experience of European or International football and (c) he will not use the Irish job as a stepping stone to a managerial position in the Premiership. Whoever is eventually appointed deserves the initial support of both the media and fans.
Let’s have a positive outlook for 2008. If the harsh lessons learned from the mistakes made in 2007 are adhered to then I am certain the Republic of Ireland has the ability to qualify for the next World Cup. As long as the new manager employs the correct organisation and tactics there is very good chance that the current crop of Irish players can make it to South Africa. After such a disappointing 2007 there is much to look forward to with the visit of World Champions, Italy and South American giants, Brazil to Croke Park.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
MANAGERIAL MERRY-GO-ROUND
No less than three high profile managers have either lost or changed jobs in the past two weeks. With the European Championship qualifiers now complete the Republic of Ireland; Scotland and England are all in the hunt to appoint a new manager or coach. The FAI, FA and SFA have some serious deliberation to make in the coming weeks to decide who will be given the task of guiding the various nations to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Republic of Ireland
There isn't enough space on the Internet to cover all the shenanigans that have been going on in recent weeks surrounding the identity of the panel that are being charged with the task of finding a new Irish coach. Speculation is rife that Terry Venables will be offered the job but going by Eamon Dunphy's wild rant on RTE last night, that appointment would not be met with the wide-spread approval of Irish football fans. Venables is still clearly the current front-runner for the post since Paul Jewell moved to Derby County. The only other real contenders at the present time include Liam Brady - though not favoured by many in the FAI - or Graeme Souness, whose background in managing Rangers would stupidly be used as a reason to prohibit him from taking the job.
One thing is for certain, the decision as to who is going to eventually be offered the job will involve many more twists and turns before a final decision is reached. At the time of writing there is no apparent obstacle or reason as to why Terry Venables shouldn't be offered the post along with an Irish-born Number two to coach alongside him. As long as Venables is 100% focused on the job, why not give him a shot?
England
If you thought the tabloid frenzy in Ireland surrounding a new manager was bad then just take one look across the water. Every decent manager in either club or International football is being associated with the vacant English post. Respected names in the game such as Jose Mourinho, Louis VanGaal, Fabio Capello and Guus Hiddink have all been mentioned as well as bizarre suggestions such as Steve Coppell and even Harry Redknapp.
There is little doubt that the man who should be offered the job to replace the hapless Steve McLaren (probably the next Middlesbrough manager) is Martin O'Neill. Two reasons why this will not happen are (a) the F.A. chose McLaren head of O'Neill the last time around and (b) O'Neill is too committed to his new job at restoring Aston Villa to their former glory. The Northern Irish native would be perfect for the job such has been his success at getting the best out of average players at every club he has previously managed.
If it is not to be O'Neill then who should take over the poison chalice of the second most important job (just behind the Prime Minister) in England? Mourinho looks the most likely candidate from the names mentioned thus far but I believe the F.A. are too afraid to give the highest profile job in English football to such an outspoken and volatile character. Fabio Capello may come into the reckoning having just organised a major media interview in Italy to stake his claim for the job. The Italian task master would be a sensible appointment with his history of handling big ego's and even more difficult Chairmen. My money is on Guus Hiddink as he is currently stalling on signing a lucrative extended contract with the Russian football federation with a view to throwing his name into the hat for the English post.
Scotland
First Walter Smith and now Alex McLeish have substituted the Scottish international team's revival for the hot seats at Rangers and Birmingham respectively. Scottish football owes a huge debt to both managers for their recent upturn in fortunes on the international stage. Both Smith and McLeish have been instrumental in creating a club-like atmosphere off the pitch and a determined revival on the playing field which has seen Scotland record a string of impressive result over the past two years. Ironically, both men's success is the Scottish international side's loss as the Tartan Army goes in search of a new manager for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Billy Davies, George Graham and Graeme Souness have been the most prominent names bandied about in recent days as potential replacements for McLeish. I think the Scottish FA should cast their net over a wider range of candidates and not just native, experienced managers who are currently out of work.
Despite the disappointment of the Berti Vogts reign someone with the experience and calibre of Martin Jol should be sounded out about possibly taking over. The most likely outcome will be a Scottish native with ex-Derby boss, Davies, the current favourite.
There are almost 10 months until England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland's next competitive matches but a new manager is needed by each country as soon as possible to begin planning for that campaign. With the merry-go-round of managers currently swapping seats in the Premiership each country's association will have to act fast and not be afraid to offer a substantial contract to their new managers.
The Republic of Ireland
There isn't enough space on the Internet to cover all the shenanigans that have been going on in recent weeks surrounding the identity of the panel that are being charged with the task of finding a new Irish coach. Speculation is rife that Terry Venables will be offered the job but going by Eamon Dunphy's wild rant on RTE last night, that appointment would not be met with the wide-spread approval of Irish football fans. Venables is still clearly the current front-runner for the post since Paul Jewell moved to Derby County. The only other real contenders at the present time include Liam Brady - though not favoured by many in the FAI - or Graeme Souness, whose background in managing Rangers would stupidly be used as a reason to prohibit him from taking the job.
One thing is for certain, the decision as to who is going to eventually be offered the job will involve many more twists and turns before a final decision is reached. At the time of writing there is no apparent obstacle or reason as to why Terry Venables shouldn't be offered the post along with an Irish-born Number two to coach alongside him. As long as Venables is 100% focused on the job, why not give him a shot?
England
If you thought the tabloid frenzy in Ireland surrounding a new manager was bad then just take one look across the water. Every decent manager in either club or International football is being associated with the vacant English post. Respected names in the game such as Jose Mourinho, Louis VanGaal, Fabio Capello and Guus Hiddink have all been mentioned as well as bizarre suggestions such as Steve Coppell and even Harry Redknapp.
There is little doubt that the man who should be offered the job to replace the hapless Steve McLaren (probably the next Middlesbrough manager) is Martin O'Neill. Two reasons why this will not happen are (a) the F.A. chose McLaren head of O'Neill the last time around and (b) O'Neill is too committed to his new job at restoring Aston Villa to their former glory. The Northern Irish native would be perfect for the job such has been his success at getting the best out of average players at every club he has previously managed.
If it is not to be O'Neill then who should take over the poison chalice of the second most important job (just behind the Prime Minister) in England? Mourinho looks the most likely candidate from the names mentioned thus far but I believe the F.A. are too afraid to give the highest profile job in English football to such an outspoken and volatile character. Fabio Capello may come into the reckoning having just organised a major media interview in Italy to stake his claim for the job. The Italian task master would be a sensible appointment with his history of handling big ego's and even more difficult Chairmen. My money is on Guus Hiddink as he is currently stalling on signing a lucrative extended contract with the Russian football federation with a view to throwing his name into the hat for the English post.
Scotland
First Walter Smith and now Alex McLeish have substituted the Scottish international team's revival for the hot seats at Rangers and Birmingham respectively. Scottish football owes a huge debt to both managers for their recent upturn in fortunes on the international stage. Both Smith and McLeish have been instrumental in creating a club-like atmosphere off the pitch and a determined revival on the playing field which has seen Scotland record a string of impressive result over the past two years. Ironically, both men's success is the Scottish international side's loss as the Tartan Army goes in search of a new manager for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Billy Davies, George Graham and Graeme Souness have been the most prominent names bandied about in recent days as potential replacements for McLeish. I think the Scottish FA should cast their net over a wider range of candidates and not just native, experienced managers who are currently out of work.
Despite the disappointment of the Berti Vogts reign someone with the experience and calibre of Martin Jol should be sounded out about possibly taking over. The most likely outcome will be a Scottish native with ex-Derby boss, Davies, the current favourite.
There are almost 10 months until England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland's next competitive matches but a new manager is needed by each country as soon as possible to begin planning for that campaign. With the merry-go-round of managers currently swapping seats in the Premiership each country's association will have to act fast and not be afraid to offer a substantial contract to their new managers.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Republic of Ireland vs. Cyprus - A Fan's View
{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
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
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
Monday, April 16, 2007
CROKER NIGHTS
Strange...
I sat in a half-empty Croke Park shortly before the Republic of Ireland's European Championship qualifier with Slovakia trying to anticipate what the atmosphere would be like later in the evening. The previous Saturday had been a big disappointment both on and off the pitch with the non-event that was the 1-0 win over the Welsh. So would tonight be any different? Would the fans turn out in their droves at GAA HQ for the second time in a few days to cheer on a team short on confidence, ideas and hope?
The answer was a resounding yes.
The atmosphere generated was amongst the best I have ever experienced at a Soccer International, Rugby International or GAA Championship match. The singing began long before kick-off with "Stand Up For the Boys in Green". To a man, the crowd arose and belted out the song over and over until the two teams strode onto the pitch.
The singing continued throughout the game with familiar chants like "Come on ye boys in green" and "Ole, Ole" surfacing any time the tempo dropped during an entertaining game. The Irish team responded with a superb all round team performance that yielded a 1-0 victory.
So what were the good, the bad and the ugly memories from that Euro qualifier?
The Good
##########
Damien Duff
There is nothing to gladden the heart more of the most pessimistic Irish soccer fan than the sight of Damien Duff in full flight. It has been many years since Duff has had such a positive impact in an Irish International. This point is best emphasised in the fact that Slovakia doubled-up on the marking of Duff in the second period but failed to dampen his impact or enthusiasm.
Paul Mc Shane and Richard Dunne
Mc Shane and Dunne excelled at centre back. True, Mc Shane almost gave a penalty away late in the game but apart from that, neither he nor Dunne put a foot wrong. Whilst Mc Shane took the majority of the plaudits in the media the following day, Richard Dunne put in his most consistent 90 minute performance in an Irish jersey. Their partnership bodes well for the future.
Renewed Hope
Steve Staunton cut a relieved and happy figure in his media interviews and after match press conference. Moreover, why wouldn't he. 6 points in 5 days and the Germans defeat of the Czechs means the Republic of Ireland are still in with a realistic shout of qualifying for the 2008 tournament. If the players can repeat the level of performance demonstrated against the Slovaks in the two (crucial) away games in September then who knows where Staunton's side could yet achieve.
The Bad
##########
Aidan McGeady
The Celtic striker/ winger repeatedly cut in from the right wing and gave the ball away on far too many occasions. His substitution came mid-way through the second half and should have occurred long before then. His replacement, Stephen hunt, made more of an impact in his first 5 minutes after his introduction than McGeady did in the whole of first half time. Hunt simply must start the next two Irish qualifiers.
Steve Finnan and John O'Shea
I do not understand the logic behind playing both Steve Finnan and John O'Shea out of position in the two full back roles. Finnan in particular cut a forlorn figure for much of the game and his body language alone suggested he does not enjoy the left back position. His performance at right back for Liverpool in their recent Champions League win in Eindhoven is surely enough to convince Staunton that this is his best position. O'Shea did well at right back, but the Waterford man is happier on the left side as his performances for Manchester United have suggested this season.
The Ugly
##########
Mexican Waves
The kid's section in the Hogan stand were guilty for trying to start this annoying wave throughout the second half. Thankfully there was no repeat of the previous Saturday when the Mexican Wave ended up being more enjoyable spectacle than the match was.
So on a night that began with much trepidation, the outcome resulted in a complete mood swing and renewed hope amongst the thousands of Irish fans spilling out onto Jones’s road into the cold Dublin night. Chants of "Come on Ye Boy's In Green" resonated for miles from delighted Irish soccer supporters.
Hard to believe an international match at the same venue the previous Saturday could have generated such pessimism.
Thank God football fans aren't fickle...
I sat in a half-empty Croke Park shortly before the Republic of Ireland's European Championship qualifier with Slovakia trying to anticipate what the atmosphere would be like later in the evening. The previous Saturday had been a big disappointment both on and off the pitch with the non-event that was the 1-0 win over the Welsh. So would tonight be any different? Would the fans turn out in their droves at GAA HQ for the second time in a few days to cheer on a team short on confidence, ideas and hope?
The answer was a resounding yes.
The atmosphere generated was amongst the best I have ever experienced at a Soccer International, Rugby International or GAA Championship match. The singing began long before kick-off with "Stand Up For the Boys in Green". To a man, the crowd arose and belted out the song over and over until the two teams strode onto the pitch.
The singing continued throughout the game with familiar chants like "Come on ye boys in green" and "Ole, Ole" surfacing any time the tempo dropped during an entertaining game. The Irish team responded with a superb all round team performance that yielded a 1-0 victory.
So what were the good, the bad and the ugly memories from that Euro qualifier?
The Good
##########
Damien Duff
There is nothing to gladden the heart more of the most pessimistic Irish soccer fan than the sight of Damien Duff in full flight. It has been many years since Duff has had such a positive impact in an Irish International. This point is best emphasised in the fact that Slovakia doubled-up on the marking of Duff in the second period but failed to dampen his impact or enthusiasm.
Paul Mc Shane and Richard Dunne
Mc Shane and Dunne excelled at centre back. True, Mc Shane almost gave a penalty away late in the game but apart from that, neither he nor Dunne put a foot wrong. Whilst Mc Shane took the majority of the plaudits in the media the following day, Richard Dunne put in his most consistent 90 minute performance in an Irish jersey. Their partnership bodes well for the future.
Renewed Hope
Steve Staunton cut a relieved and happy figure in his media interviews and after match press conference. Moreover, why wouldn't he. 6 points in 5 days and the Germans defeat of the Czechs means the Republic of Ireland are still in with a realistic shout of qualifying for the 2008 tournament. If the players can repeat the level of performance demonstrated against the Slovaks in the two (crucial) away games in September then who knows where Staunton's side could yet achieve.
The Bad
##########
Aidan McGeady
The Celtic striker/ winger repeatedly cut in from the right wing and gave the ball away on far too many occasions. His substitution came mid-way through the second half and should have occurred long before then. His replacement, Stephen hunt, made more of an impact in his first 5 minutes after his introduction than McGeady did in the whole of first half time. Hunt simply must start the next two Irish qualifiers.
Steve Finnan and John O'Shea
I do not understand the logic behind playing both Steve Finnan and John O'Shea out of position in the two full back roles. Finnan in particular cut a forlorn figure for much of the game and his body language alone suggested he does not enjoy the left back position. His performance at right back for Liverpool in their recent Champions League win in Eindhoven is surely enough to convince Staunton that this is his best position. O'Shea did well at right back, but the Waterford man is happier on the left side as his performances for Manchester United have suggested this season.
The Ugly
##########
Mexican Waves
The kid's section in the Hogan stand were guilty for trying to start this annoying wave throughout the second half. Thankfully there was no repeat of the previous Saturday when the Mexican Wave ended up being more enjoyable spectacle than the match was.
So on a night that began with much trepidation, the outcome resulted in a complete mood swing and renewed hope amongst the thousands of Irish fans spilling out onto Jones’s road into the cold Dublin night. Chants of "Come on Ye Boy's In Green" resonated for miles from delighted Irish soccer supporters.
Hard to believe an international match at the same venue the previous Saturday could have generated such pessimism.
Thank God football fans aren't fickle...
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Republic of Ireland's future is bright...for now
So the first match of his new international managerial career is now over. It's the proverbial morning after the night before and I can only imagine how relived Steve Staunton must feel. Following months of hype and speculation, his new-look Irish management team completed their first 90 minutes and recorded a hugely impressive 3 - 0 victory. Goals from the electric Damien Duff, new captain Robbie Keane and a 25-yard thunderbolt from the enigma that is Liam Miller, secured a comfortable Irish victory, over a disappointing Swedish side.
He stood in the Irish dugout as manager for the first time last night, resplendent in his dark overcoat, ginger hair. I had to laugh as he struggled to keep his emotions in check throughout the game. Staunton couldn't help but jump for joy when Damien Duff opened the scoring. A nice touch too from the diminutive winger who made a point of sharing his goal celebration with his manager. The trend continued for the remainder of the game when the Sky cameras momentarily panned to him, only to show either a grit of the teeth and murmured expletive at a poor decision or his arms aloft, beaming smile, at yet another Irish goal.
It reminded me of another ex-player who recently became a manager, Stuart Pearce. Recent ex-pros such as Pearce and Staunton can't help themselves. They still kick every ball, make every tackle and scream at every poor decision against their team. It is simply the intoxicating football blood that still pumps through their veins. But it is this encouragement and reaction from a manager that should inspire the players on the pitch. It certainly did last night.
Since Staunton took over the reigns of the Irish team, the one attribute he has repeatedly referred to in his interviews with the media, is passion. Following last night's victory he is clearly well on the way to instilling this passion into his team. The Irish players produced the type of performance Staunton had craved and in doing so, delighted the Irish fans.
The movement and trickery of wing-wizard, Damien Duff, had the unfortunate Swedish right back in a spin for the entire game. Duff's performance represented a marked improvement from his previous games under Brian Kerr. Captain Keane (where have we heard that before!) also played with much more maturity and dropped deep and helped out midfield, whenever asked. I feel Staunton's decision to put the armband on the Tottenham striker could well prove to be a master-stroke. The excellent performance of Richard Dunne was also very encouraging. I feel Dunne will be the rock at the heart of this Irish defence for the next few years and his growing maturity and improved performances for Manchester city will hopefully help him fulfil his potential.
Now time for a little perspective. The pitch was awful and in poor condition following the RBS Six-Nations match the previous weekend. This fact, coupled with the freezing temperatures made any hope of attractive football, difficult, to say the least. I'd love to know what the Swedes thought of it in their pre-match warm-up as they proceeded to put in one of the most un-inspiring performances from a visiting Scandinavian country that I have ever seen at Lansdowne Road.
It is important the 3-0 rout be put into correct context and that is why I am highlighting the poor Swedish performance. It was after all, only a friendly and when Ireland face more illustrious opponents in a qualifying game they will need to be much more solid and cohesive than they were last night. I asked some friends who attended the game about the atmosphere being generated by the crowd. It appeared to me, whilst watching on TV anyway, that the crowd were apatheitc for much of the encounter and only roused themselves once the second goal went in.
I have been reliably informed that the atmosphere was OK, bearing in mind it was "fecking freezing". So as the temperatures were below zero, I shouldn't read too much into the fact the crowd may have been more interested in keeping warm than roaring on their country for 90 minutes. Following the match it seems most punters outside the ground were upbeat and very positive about the qualifying campaign ahead. Although in reality, it was only a friendly match so its hard for the corwd to get too worked up if qualification points aren't at stake.
Let's be optimistic. The overall performance last night was hugely encouraging and the emergence of new talents such as Doyle, Ireland and Henderson is great news for Irish football. Staunton passed his first test as the new Irish manager with flying colours. There was passion, creativity, good movement and above all, self-belief from his Irish players. More importantly, there was a renewed hunger from a team that has failed to qualify for a major football tournament for far too long.
The Republic of Ireland's future is bright... for now...
3 things to be cheerful about following last night's encounter:
* The players 'huddle' before the match and shared celebrations with the bench following their goal shows a togetherness and renewed team spirit amongst the Irish squad that I felt was sadly lacking during Brian Kerr's reign as manager. New captain Robbie Keane, thought differently: "The team spirit has always been here, it was here under Brian as well. You can't say it wasn't here under Brian because it was. But to have Mick Byrne come back has been nice. You've seen how much all the lads like Mick and that was just my way of saying 'welcome back'."
* Staunton playing down the win immediately after the match. I was delighted to hear the common sense spoken by the manager after the 3-0 victory. He put the result into perspective and made sure everyone's (media / squad / fans) feet remained firmly on the ground. Staunton: "It was a bit of a fairytale, but I am not kidding myself because I know we're going to face harder times." He was right to remind everyone that there are much more difficult tests ahead for this team.
* The superb performances of Richard Dunne, Damien Duff and each of the debutantes will have delighted the new Irish manager. Joey O'Brien, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ireland and Wayne Henderson all acquitted themselves well. Stephen Ireland in particular, is someone I would love to see get an extended run in midfield alongside O'Shea or even Reid. Staunton: "I was delighted with the four debutantes. They came in on what was a tricky pitch and I thought they tried to play the game the way we wanted. Only for a bobble here and there we might have nicked another one," said Staunton.
3 things to be worried about following last nigh's encounter:
* Ian Harte's defending and the unavailability of a quality (international) left back
* Andy O'Brien's indecisiveness and poor defending in general.
* Hype. We have been here before with new Irish managers. I sincerely hope Staunton succeeds, but how will we measure his success? Qualification for the next European Championships? A couple of 'plucky' performances against the Czech and Germans? Only time will tell, but for now at least, the debutante manager has Ireland on the right track.
Final Thought:
On a night of meaningless international friendlies across Europe, one result caught my eye. It was the Slovakian performance and subsequent victory over France. Slovakia recorded a 2-1 win in Paris, handing France their first defeat since Euro 2004. Nemeth and Valachovic scored for the Slovakians in the second half before a Sylvain Wiltord penalty pulled one back for Les Bleus.
Everyone has been speaking about the difficulties in facing the Czechs and Germans in our upcoming Euro2008 qualifying group. However, we would do well to realise that the Slovakians too, are a quality outfit and I feel our two games with them in the qualifiers will prove pivotal.
He stood in the Irish dugout as manager for the first time last night, resplendent in his dark overcoat, ginger hair. I had to laugh as he struggled to keep his emotions in check throughout the game. Staunton couldn't help but jump for joy when Damien Duff opened the scoring. A nice touch too from the diminutive winger who made a point of sharing his goal celebration with his manager. The trend continued for the remainder of the game when the Sky cameras momentarily panned to him, only to show either a grit of the teeth and murmured expletive at a poor decision or his arms aloft, beaming smile, at yet another Irish goal.
It reminded me of another ex-player who recently became a manager, Stuart Pearce. Recent ex-pros such as Pearce and Staunton can't help themselves. They still kick every ball, make every tackle and scream at every poor decision against their team. It is simply the intoxicating football blood that still pumps through their veins. But it is this encouragement and reaction from a manager that should inspire the players on the pitch. It certainly did last night.
Since Staunton took over the reigns of the Irish team, the one attribute he has repeatedly referred to in his interviews with the media, is passion. Following last night's victory he is clearly well on the way to instilling this passion into his team. The Irish players produced the type of performance Staunton had craved and in doing so, delighted the Irish fans.
The movement and trickery of wing-wizard, Damien Duff, had the unfortunate Swedish right back in a spin for the entire game. Duff's performance represented a marked improvement from his previous games under Brian Kerr. Captain Keane (where have we heard that before!) also played with much more maturity and dropped deep and helped out midfield, whenever asked. I feel Staunton's decision to put the armband on the Tottenham striker could well prove to be a master-stroke. The excellent performance of Richard Dunne was also very encouraging. I feel Dunne will be the rock at the heart of this Irish defence for the next few years and his growing maturity and improved performances for Manchester city will hopefully help him fulfil his potential.
Now time for a little perspective. The pitch was awful and in poor condition following the RBS Six-Nations match the previous weekend. This fact, coupled with the freezing temperatures made any hope of attractive football, difficult, to say the least. I'd love to know what the Swedes thought of it in their pre-match warm-up as they proceeded to put in one of the most un-inspiring performances from a visiting Scandinavian country that I have ever seen at Lansdowne Road.
It is important the 3-0 rout be put into correct context and that is why I am highlighting the poor Swedish performance. It was after all, only a friendly and when Ireland face more illustrious opponents in a qualifying game they will need to be much more solid and cohesive than they were last night. I asked some friends who attended the game about the atmosphere being generated by the crowd. It appeared to me, whilst watching on TV anyway, that the crowd were apatheitc for much of the encounter and only roused themselves once the second goal went in.
I have been reliably informed that the atmosphere was OK, bearing in mind it was "fecking freezing". So as the temperatures were below zero, I shouldn't read too much into the fact the crowd may have been more interested in keeping warm than roaring on their country for 90 minutes. Following the match it seems most punters outside the ground were upbeat and very positive about the qualifying campaign ahead. Although in reality, it was only a friendly match so its hard for the corwd to get too worked up if qualification points aren't at stake.
Let's be optimistic. The overall performance last night was hugely encouraging and the emergence of new talents such as Doyle, Ireland and Henderson is great news for Irish football. Staunton passed his first test as the new Irish manager with flying colours. There was passion, creativity, good movement and above all, self-belief from his Irish players. More importantly, there was a renewed hunger from a team that has failed to qualify for a major football tournament for far too long.
The Republic of Ireland's future is bright... for now...
3 things to be cheerful about following last night's encounter:
* The players 'huddle' before the match and shared celebrations with the bench following their goal shows a togetherness and renewed team spirit amongst the Irish squad that I felt was sadly lacking during Brian Kerr's reign as manager. New captain Robbie Keane, thought differently: "The team spirit has always been here, it was here under Brian as well. You can't say it wasn't here under Brian because it was. But to have Mick Byrne come back has been nice. You've seen how much all the lads like Mick and that was just my way of saying 'welcome back'."
* Staunton playing down the win immediately after the match. I was delighted to hear the common sense spoken by the manager after the 3-0 victory. He put the result into perspective and made sure everyone's (media / squad / fans) feet remained firmly on the ground. Staunton: "It was a bit of a fairytale, but I am not kidding myself because I know we're going to face harder times." He was right to remind everyone that there are much more difficult tests ahead for this team.
* The superb performances of Richard Dunne, Damien Duff and each of the debutantes will have delighted the new Irish manager. Joey O'Brien, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ireland and Wayne Henderson all acquitted themselves well. Stephen Ireland in particular, is someone I would love to see get an extended run in midfield alongside O'Shea or even Reid. Staunton: "I was delighted with the four debutantes. They came in on what was a tricky pitch and I thought they tried to play the game the way we wanted. Only for a bobble here and there we might have nicked another one," said Staunton.
3 things to be worried about following last nigh's encounter:
* Ian Harte's defending and the unavailability of a quality (international) left back
* Andy O'Brien's indecisiveness and poor defending in general.
* Hype. We have been here before with new Irish managers. I sincerely hope Staunton succeeds, but how will we measure his success? Qualification for the next European Championships? A couple of 'plucky' performances against the Czech and Germans? Only time will tell, but for now at least, the debutante manager has Ireland on the right track.
Final Thought:
On a night of meaningless international friendlies across Europe, one result caught my eye. It was the Slovakian performance and subsequent victory over France. Slovakia recorded a 2-1 win in Paris, handing France their first defeat since Euro 2004. Nemeth and Valachovic scored for the Slovakians in the second half before a Sylvain Wiltord penalty pulled one back for Les Bleus.
Everyone has been speaking about the difficulties in facing the Czechs and Germans in our upcoming Euro2008 qualifying group. However, we would do well to realise that the Slovakians too, are a quality outfit and I feel our two games with them in the qualifiers will prove pivotal.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
