ON TUESDAY, Robbie Brady made his first Ireland start in over a year, as the Boys in Green beat Armenia 3-2 on an emotional night at the Aviva Stadium.
The 1-1 friendly draw with Qatar in March 2021 was the last time the Dubliner played from the outset for his country, while it was his first competitive start since Ireland’s last Nations League campaign ended, in November 2020, amid a dour 0-0 draw with Bulgaria.
Issues with injury and form have subsequently kept the 30-year-old out of the Irish side for a lengthy period.
It was also just the second time in Stephen Kenny’s reign that Brady has completed 90 minutes — the other being just the manager’s second game in charge, a forgettable 1-0 defeat at home to Finland.
And the night ended in a fitting fashion for Brady on his comeback, as the Preston star scored a late penalty to win the match.
He endured a long wait as vehement protests from the Armenians delayed the spot kick considerably, but Brady says he was not fazed by all the extra time he had to think in the build-up.
“I actually felt alright. I was delighted to be back wearing the green jersey. It was a long 18 months off the pitch for me, it was a bit of a tough time but I got myself in a decent enough place and was delighted to get on the pitch and get the win, in the end, tonight, although we had a mad 10 minutes.
“It would have been a shame to come out of that with a draw or a defeat after dominating most of the game.”
So it was ultimately a bittersweet victory — the win, at least, ensured Ireland avoided relegation from the Nations League — but the hosts’ dramatic second-half collapse, with two goals conceded in the space of three minutes, arguably overshadowed the positive aspects of the performance.
Asked what he put this chaotic period down to, Brady said: “Just getting too greedy. We’re 2-0 up and committing too many bodies forward. When they get the ball we switch off for a split second, they cut us open in the middle of the pitch, the fella shoots into the bottom corner and then rinse and repeat again two minutes later. It was a mad game and we can’t be like that going forward, we’ll reassess that and get it right.
“I think when you are that comfortable you don’t even think that’s going to happen. But as players, especially some of us and some of the defenders, we need to organise that behind the ball and make sure that it doesn’t happen. It was five or 10 minutes of madness and it nearly cost us in the end.”
So while there were mixed feelings about Ireland’s performance in general, there was nothing ambiguous about Brady’s celebration following the goal — a memorable moment of unadulterated joy after so long out.
“It’s been a difficult time for me on and off the pitch, so all that just came rushing back [when I scored]. I’m delighted to get back into a green jersey and I think it probably got the better of me for a couple of seconds.
“I’m feeling alright, I’m not even too pleased with my overall performance. I did alright, at times we moved the ball well but I still think I could have been better and I don’t think it was my best game of the season so far. But I definitely have something to offer I feel, and for some of my performances, I’ll have to keep them up if I want to stay involved and I know that.”
At club level too, there is a sense that Brady has been rejuvenated. Already, he has made nine Championship starts for Preston, compared to just two for Bournemouth in the entirety of last season.
“I think pre-season is massive for a footballer nowadays, with the physical side of things and what it takes to play consecutive games.
“I had a nightmare with a couple of pre-seasons, but this season I worked hard before even pre-season came around, I was working through the summer so I felt fit, I felt strong and I knew if I got a full pre-season under my belt that I’d hit the ground running and I got the hard yards into my legs.
“Like I said I just took one game at a time and now I’ve got probably 10, 12, 13 games behind me, and I’m feeling really good.”
And did he ever consider international retirement as a means of prolonging his club career?
“No, to be fair when I did hurt myself for Ireland the last time [against Qatar], I was just desperate to play for Ireland.
“But it was never a doubt in my mind if it does jump into your head for two seconds, as soon as you get the sniff for coming back and playing for Ireland, that’s what you want to do more than anything else and that will never change.
“So if I’m needed, I’ll be here.”
