LIKE THE LIFFEY on St Patrick’s Day, the watercooler is tinged green today.
Tactics? Philosophy?
The Spanish journalist Guillam Ballague tweeted in the immediate aftermath of his country’s world cup win: ”Three years ago we decided to keep the ball and since then nobody has taken it off us”
They embraced a philosophy that suited them. Giovanni Trappotoni is doing the same with this Irish side. It is far from the Spanish pass masters. It is built on a solid defence, hard work and endurance. It isn’t pretty but check the group B standings.
4-4-2 is the system that Trap believes best fits this philosophy. We won’t bore you here with diagrams or infinite numbers. In the short sharp world of international football Trap believes 4-4-2 simplifies Ireland’s game and maximises our chances. Can anyone really argue against that?
Robbie still Keane
Was he match fit? Is the end coming? Robbie Keane played again and scored again. He equalled Andy Townsend’s caps total for an Irish skipper and his international scoring record stands up to anyone’s.
Is he the iconic figure in green that he should be? Why is a player who plays every game he can for Ireland, and continually scores vital goals, not a universally-loved figure?
Richard done for Skopje
Maybe he was turned too easily for the Macedonian goal right on half-time. But Richard Dunne gave another commanding performance at the heart of the Irish defence on Saturday night. He shepherded Darren O’Dea through his first competitive international and made a number of trademark interceptions. Then he pulled on Gordon Pandev’s shirt and earned a yellow card, ruling the Aston Villa man out of the return fixture in Skopje in June.
It leaves another selection problem for the manager. John O’Shea and Sean St Ledger will hopefully be fit for the game. Seamus Coleman? Ciaran Clark? A whole new back-four? Don’t count on it. Trap will make two changes max. O’Shea to come in on the right, St Ledger for Dunne.
Three wise men on form
Rail against their opinion; dismiss them as out of touch or plain potty. But half the reason people tune in to watch the boys in green on RTE is the three men and a Bill on the panel.
The boys were in good form on Saturday night. Gilesy was thinking about a career change from pundit to psychologist “I love hearing about the moody players Bill”. Maybe he’s been watching Dr Melfi on Sky Atlantic’s Sopranos re-runs.
Gilesy also did a U-turn on a previous bug-bear; stats. He wasn’t impressed with the Macedonians 57% of the ball at half-time. Let’s hope we never play Spain.
Brady must have gotten his studios mixed up as he seemed a man who was ready for Vincent Browne and not gentile Bill. When the host suggested that maybe the small crowd at the Aviva was a reflection on the poor standard of football on offer, Brady went into full pen-jabbing mode. People weren’t at the match because “The ordinary man in Ireland can’t afford his heating” Bill was “out of line” with his “populist” questions. Bill looked at little miffed and seemed to spend the rest of the night contemplating the price of a bag of coal.
James McCarthy plays for Ireland
Has there been a welcome like it for a player making his competitive debut? Sure, some of the applause that ringed around the Aviva was for the departing captain but the roar that greeted James McCarthy was one of the biggest of the night.
He is a fine young player, and will be a good player for Ireland but his impact on this qualification campaign will probably be small. One for the future, at least we know that future is green.
