Business as usual for the two Irelands
The Ireland manager will be at Eastlands today to see Manchester City play Wolverhampton Wanderers and, while there is no concrete plan for Trapattoni to meet with Ireland after the game, the Italian yesterday made it clear that any signal of a willingness to return on the part of the player would be eagerly reciprocated by the Irish management.
Announcing his squad for the games against Cyprus and South Africa, Trapattoni also hit back at critics who have argued that his adherence to a rigid system would make it difficult for him to accommodate Ireland.
“That is their opinion,” he said. “I have met him, I have spoken with him. The journalists’ work is difficult but let’s compare notes. I have played every system: 3-4-2-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-1-2-1. I have changed and, thank God, I have won a couple of matches.”
Even if, in the next breath, Trapattoni could declare that he is always on the look-out for players who can fit into his system, the underlying message was clear: the manager would have no problem in finding a place for Ireland, who turns 23 today, in his scheme of things.
“I know where he wishes to play,” Trapattoni added, “but the important thing is to work together, to play as part of a team. If he does come back, he will learn what the coach and the team requires of him. But when he comes, I say ‘no problem’. Maybe he has a lot of weight on his shoulders but he has to send a clear signal. So we wait.”
All of which amounts to one very big ‘if’, of course, and in the absence of such headline news, it’s very much business as usual for Trapattoni’s Ireland.
For the second squad announcement in succession, the Italian has stuck with the same 24 players – indeed, but for the withdrawals of Dean Kiely and Paul McShane back in May, the latest selection would be identical to the panel he chose for the last World Cup qualifier, the 1-1 draw with Bulgaria in Sofia.
With the Cyprus game now just two weeks away, Trapattoni will also be hoping that Kevin Doyle – who has been named in the Wolves squad for today’s game at Eastlands – continues his recovery from the injury setback he suffered in the 3-0 loss to Australia at Thomond Park.
Having since reviewed that game, Trapattoni said that, in the run-up to the game in Nicosia, he will be drumming home the lessons learned in Thomond Park.
“We didn’t start well,” he said, “and next week I will clarify with the players why. Our normal mentality was missing in the first half. In Cyprus, we can’t afford to do this. We know that they are fast and dangerous – a good, strong team. They are smart too, they look for fouls, they use provocation. It is good that we have had no red cards but you must always be aware of the little things that can make a big difference. We need to be careful, smart and mature.
“And we don’t forget that we lost in Cyprus. So that game and the game against Australia must be treated like an alarm bell. And our last three qualifiers must be treated like three World Cup finals – only with that mentality can we go to South Africa.”
Although he was not the manager at the time, Trapattoni needs no reminding that Ireland’s last trip to Nicosia produced one of the worst ever performances by the national team.
“That was a peculiar Ireland,” he said yesterday. “Some players were not in good positions. There were one or two injuries. I’m not going to name names but it was not an ideal team.”
But Trapattoni does believe the memory of that dreadful night can help to motivate his players this time around.
“Sure, sure,” he said. “We have to be proud. We have played well in very important games in Italy and Bulgaria. I think now that we can trust ourselves, have confidence in ourselves. The young players have to grow and believe in our possibilities. But it is important not lose concentration for even one moment. They must remember that a game of 90 minutes can change your life.”
Republic of Ireland squad v Cyprus and South Africa: Shay Given (Man City), Keiren Westwood (Coventry), Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe), John O’Shea (Man Utd), Kevin Foley (Wolves), Richard Dunne (Man City), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Kevin Kilbane (Hull City), Eddie Nolan (Preston), Sean St Ledger (Preston), Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Damien Duff (Newcastle), Darron Gibson (Man Utd), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Keith Andrews (Blackburn), Liam Miller (Unattached), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Andy Keogh (Wolves), Liam Lawrence (Stoke), Caleb Folan (Hull), Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Robbie Keane (Spurs), Shane Long (Reading), Leon Best (Coventry).
