Sunday, November 22, 2009 Previous editions
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Ireland’s World Cup play-off showdown with France holds no fears for Wolves striker Kevin Doyle, writes Liam Mackey
HE was the man of the hour who played just 20 minutes but Kevin Doyle had no complaints about his starring role being reduced to a walk-on part when Wolves beat Wexford Youths 2-1 in a friendly at Ferrycarrig Park on Monday night.
After all, there are somewhat bigger games looming on the horizon.
Inscribed in the small print of his move from Reading to Wolves, Monday’s match was Doyle’s way of helping to repay a debt to his old mentor and friend Mick Wallace, the man who has put football in Wexford on the map.
"These are tough times in the League of Ireland," says the former Cork City man. "Every penny Wexford Youths can get really counts at the moment. Mick has put all his own money into the place and this will help pay back a very small bit of that I’m sure."
Doyle says he enjoyed his homecoming, even if the visit to Ireland’s south-east put him in the way of the inevitable slagging from his Premier League mates.
"Yeah, I felt the pressure from the lads," he laughs. "I was getting plenty of stick about making sure they were looked after right. But it went well and everyone enjoyed it I think.’’
On the night, Doyle was forced to play second fiddle to his club and country colleague Andy Keogh, the latter on from the start and scoring the winner while the main man was restricted to a watching brief for most of the game.
"It was a pity that I couldn’t start but, you know, it was sensible," he reflects. "We had a tough game (a 2-2 draw away to Stoke) last Saturday, we play Arsenal at home next Saturday and then I’ve got two big Ireland games."
Ah yes, somehow we thought the conversation might come around to them.
"Everyone is asking me about them, family, friends," he smiles. "Ticket requests have been coming in and everything like that. They’re massive, the biggest games for me personally for my country and I’m sure for most of the lads. Two games to get to a World Cup – it’s exciting."
While many observers reacted with dismay to Ireland drawing France in the play-offs, Doyle takes a refreshingly optimistic view.
"To be honest, I didn’t mind who we got in the draw," he says. "I know we were giving out about the seeding but I didn’t mind.
"France, in a way, takes the pressure off a little bit because a lot of people will think, ‘oh well, it’s France and they’re former world champions and they’re all world class players’.
"But I think they’re in the play-offs for a reason – they haven’t been playing as well. So I fancy our chances against them. I think if we’d got a so-called lesser team, like Greece, more pressure would have been on us. People would just have us expected us to win. So I think it’s good, we usually do better as a slight underdog."
Not that Giovanni Trapattoni will have his charges believing that they are anything other than equal partners going into the qualification decider.
"Yeah, yeah," Doyle nods. "It’s just another team and a lot of it is in our heads. Our mentality – he uses that word a lot. And he’s right, y’know? You see it in the Premier League this season, everybody’s beating everybody, you can go anywhere and beat anyone. And I think we’re starting to believe that."
The first objective in the play-off, says Doyle, has to be keeping a clean sheet at Croke Park.
"Yeah, get a 0-0 draw at home and I think everyone will be very, very happy. I know people say it’s better to be away first but I don’t agree. If you can keep a clean sheet at home, then it’s a massive bonus going away from home because, realistically, you just have to score and it makes it very difficult for them. I’m happy the way it’s worked out for us."
Still, he’s not about to underestimate the French threat, citing Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema as the striker who impresses him most in the French ranks.
And then, at the other end, are the defensive household names – the likes of William Gallas and Patrice Evra – that he knows well from club duty.
"They’re strong, fast, quick," he observes, "everything that most defenders are in the Premier League. It’s good to have that experience. Hopefully that will help me as well. It’s not going to be easy but it’s doable I think."
Doyle might be as soft-spoken as ever but there’s no disguising the solid core of confidence behind his words.
"I think all the players are (confident)," he says. "It’s not a whole qualifying campaign, it’s down to two games now. And it’s sort of a relief in that way. Everyone will know. It will be over. It seems like it’s been a long campaign. We’ve gone through it unbeaten and, now, if we can go unbeaten in the next two games, we’ll know in three weeks’ time whether we’re going to a World Cup or not. We’ve been talking about it a long time so I’m just looking forward to finding out."
Of course, he might have to wait until a penalty shoot-out for his answer.
"Haven’t thought about that," he admits. "You don’t see too many internationals going to penalties when it’s not a World Cup or Euro Championship so that would be strange. I’d prefer it not to, I don’t think it’s a fair way to do it. If you get beat, you get beat, but if you go to penalties and you don’t make it, then I think it’s an extra kick in the proverbial nuts. No, I want to get it out of the way in 180 minutes."
But if it does go to penalties, would he volunteer? He has no hesitation.
"I’d take one. Although, if I start, whether I’d make it all the way through 90 plus another 30 is a question – as a striker you’re usually the first to be taken off to freshen things up. But penalties are a pressure situation and you just have to take your chances and take one.
"If you get to a World Cup in November you’re just itching for months to the end of the season, wanting to get there, wanting to get to the World Cup.
"But," he adds with his widest smile, "I won’t mind that."
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