liam Mackey in Examiner, very good in my view.
6 March 2007
Out of the frying pan, into the fire
By Liam Mackey
LAST WEEK, Bobby Robson raised a few eyebrows when, citing Ireland’s run of seven points from three games, he suggested that the team were now “on a roll”.
Bearing in mind six of those points had come against San Marino — and three of those by the narrowest of margins imaginable — it’s understandable that few were convinced by the great man’s attempt at positive spin.
After Saturday’s welcome but uninspiring win against Wales at Croke Park, the growing points tally looks even more respectable, but no-one is making bold statements to suggest that Ireland must now be on a jumbo roll — not with a much more severe test against Slovakia just two days away.
In truth, Ireland’s progress is less a matter of confident strides forward and more like that of someone negotiating a minefield. Relief that one hazard is out of the way is quickly replaced by a sharp intake of breath as the next step approaches.
Against that backdrop, the best that can be said about the 1-0 win against Wales is that it saw Steve Staunton and Ireland come out on the right side of a win or bust scenario. And considering the stakes — the pressure on the team and the man as well as the historic nature of the occasion itself — victory in itself was something to be prized.
But not the performance which, a couple of eye-catching cameos aside, failed to inspire any great confidence that Ireland can raise their game to the level required to beat a Slovakian side who came back from a goal down to put three past Cyprus.
For a while on Saturday, the home side at Croke Park seemed to be in the same boat, so isolated and uninvolved was the slight figure of Stephen Ireland out on the right. Staunton must take the criticism for so ill-advised an opening gambit but he also deserves the credit for putting it right — and to positive effect.
Stephen Ireland’s cooly taken goal, coming at the end of a quick and incisive move involving John O’ Shea and Robbie Keane, was the one moment when the game matched the occasion. But for most of the 90 minutes, it was a match to be endured rather than enjoyed, as Ireland dominated but, through a combination of sloppiness and inhibition, never threatened to destroy a shockingly bad Welsh side.
A midfield of Lee Carsley and Jonathan Douglas is never going to open up the opposition with lancing passes, so once more the burden of creativity was largely shouldered by the tireless Damien Duff. It’s become almost a cliche to knock the so-called marquee players but it’s sobering to think of what Ireland would be like without the Newcastle man’s thrilling ability to beat a player or two.
Other positives? Paul McShane was commanding at the back and, but for the blooper which almost opened the door to Craig Bellamy, Richard Dunne had a good game. Not for the first time, Ireland’s failure to exploit a one-goal advantage was spared the ultimate punishment thanks to the quick reactions of an otherwise under-worked Shay Given.
And then there was Stephen Hunt, whose arrival off the bench was such an immediate tonic for back-pedalling Ireland that not only did it panic the Welsh into three desperate fouls and two yellow cards, it also seemed to inspire Kevin Kilbane into finally having a go himself at running at the opposition.
All-action Hunt’s ability to inject forward momentum might seem to define the concept of an “impact sub” but Saturday’s cameo, on top of his proven record with Reading, should be enough to secure him a place in the starting eleven for Wednesday’s game against Slovakia. Better by far that the visitors be fearful of Ireland rather than the other way around.
Stephen Staunton certainly seems to be in no doubt that Slovakia will be coming to Croker anxious for much more than a share of the spoils. Asked after training in Malahide yesterday if the look of the Group D table after the weekend represents a boost for the Irish, the manager was not entirely taken in by appearances.
“I think it does,” he replied, “but we’ve played a game more than Slovakia and they’re only a point behind us, so from that perspective they’ll be thinking if they can beat us in Dublin we’re out of it. So that’s what we have to guard against us. They’re a big, strong athletic side. And we know what system they play since their new coach has come in.”
Staunton will know even more later today, after he studies the DVD and match report which his scout John Deehan was bringing back from Cyprus. And with one eye on the still distance vista of qualification, the Irish manager welcomed Germany’s significant 2-1 away win against the Czech Republic in the group’s other game at the weekend.
“Hopefully now, Germany go on and win every game — bar one,” said Staunton. “The only away game they’ve got is ourselves and you would fancy them in their own backyard to go and beat the rest. But it’s really down to ourselves what we do. The Slovaks are going to be a big test for us and there are other tough games in the group.”
And with a touch of the defiance that the team needs to show on the pitch, the manager added: “This young squad is growing stronger, day by day, week by week, month by month. And the more criticism they get, it’s making them stronger.”
While the setting was stupendous, the pitch was considerably less so? “It’ll be a lot better Wednesday night,” reckoned Staunton. “I’ve been assured by the groundsmen in Croke Park that they’ll get it to the best of their ability. A wee bit of rain, but not too much would be nice.”
And Staunton had one other comment to make on the weather.
“I don’t think anyone realised the strength of that wind on Saturday. There was a hell of a wind blowing straight down towards the Canal End.”
A quote worth recording; who among us thought we’d see the day when a soccer manager would include the phrase “the Canal End” in his comments about conditions at an Irish game.
Off the field then, all is changed, changed utterly. But on it? Staunton and this Irish team will need to produce much more on Wednesday under lights at the same venue if they are not to be consigned to a footnote in history.
