Alan Judge’s verdict is that he’s ready
Martin O’Neill has long talked about promoting the uncapped Brentford playmaker to his team and, with the second half of 2015 consumed by salvaging Euro qualification, a couple of Easter friendlies affords the boss leeway for experimentation.
It would be disrespectful to bracket Judge in risk territory. Having spearheaded their unlikely charge to the play-offs last season, this time around his 14 goals will be crucial in keeping Brentford in the Championship.
Though a club renowned for upselling their recruits, the Bees have rebuffed bids from promotion-chasers Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday to ensure their star turn completes the term at Griffin Park.
All of which amounts to a player ripe for inclusion.
O’Neill has confirmed his intention to blood some of the supporting cast during the double-header against the Swiss and Slovakians and, with Harry Arter ruled out through injury, Judge is foremost in the manager’s thoughts.
“Maybe this [my debut] has been coming,” he says with a combination of relief and excitement.
“I seem to be getting closer each time. Firstly, I was in the squad for the England game last summer and then got on the bench last time [against Bosnia-Herzegovina].
“It will be great if it happens. The manager has said that when players do get their chance, they’re not to go out there trying to do things you wouldn’t usually do. I plan to play my normal game.
“He goes a lot on how you’re doing at your club and I’m doing okay at Brentford, myself.”
As a regular visitor to the homely venue in west London, O’Neill has witnessed first-hand the strides made by a player who heeded Sam Allardyce’s advice in 2011 when cut loose by Blackburn Rovers on the first of two occasions during his career.
“I wasn’t ready for the Premier League and Sam was straight up with me,” Judge recalls. “I just came back from a loan deal at Plymouth and I hadn’t done my best.
“It was best to go down to League One with Notts County and get kicked around by a few six-foot-six centre halves.”
That he did, and the trajectory has been upward since, bar a brief and disappointing Rovers return. He excelled at Brentford, firstly under Mark Warburton and then Lee Carsley this season before his compatriot stepped out of the spotlight to concentrate on cutting his teeth at coaching.
“Lee won manager of the month, but wanted to go learn somewhere else,” reveals Judge. “He had really got the manager thing down to a tee — a really funny man, but knowing when to be serious. I’m very thankful to him, he gave me the confidence to push on.”
Sadly, Carsley’s successor, Dean Smith, has pushed the team only one way — towards the drop zone. Judge will see the season out, before taking his leave, either to a bigger Championship club or up another tier to the top-flight.
“I’ve another year left on my contract, but I think most likely I will be moving in the summer,” he confirms.
Clinching the transfer of his choice would certainly be enhanced by figuring at the European Championships this summer.
“It would be great, but I see my chances of making the squad as 50/50 at the moment,” he points out. “Yeah, they [the Euros] could be a showcase, but I have to keep doing what I am doing and see what the manager thinks.
“I can’t be getting ahead of myself. I was always told that good things come to those who wait and, in my career, I’ve just had to wait a bit longer.
“Not everything gets handed out; you have to work hard and keep digging. I feel I’ve done that in recent years and am starting to see the rewards.”
His dad, Dermot, whom Alan acted as mascot for when he captained Bray Wanderers to the FAI Cup final success over St Francis before 30,000 fans in 1990, will be back at Lansdowne Road tomorrow to share in his son’s pay-off. He’ll have every right to be proud.
