SAY WHAT YOU will about the value of international football friendlies, particularly at this time of the year, but there’s no denying that they do provide an opportunity for some interesting experiments.
Trap’s not normally much of a tinkerer but, when he took on his homeboys in Liège on Tuesday evening, he sent out what might best be described as an “experimental” side (I believe “reserve” might have been the term used by the Italian media the next morning after).
Whatever the reasoning, the plan worked as the Boys in Green, led by the much-maligned Paul McShane, hassled and harried their way to a deserved 2-0 victory in front of a stadium chock-full of disappointed Italian ex-pats.
Ireland’s next competitive game is a do-or-die qualifier at home to Slovakia on 2 September – but should Trap stick with McShane as captain or are we just being silly?
According to our “rigorous statistical analysis,” the answer’s pretty straightforward.
