Forty-five years after making my Ireland debut, 55 years after watching my country play for the first time, I’m struggling to think of a week when we produced back-to-back performances as poor as these.

Ireland's all-time leading goal scorer will captain his country once more in a Sean Cox fundraiser.

“Behave yourself. Keep your head down. Stay out of his way.”

It was seven years ago that Liam Lawrence expressed his reservations about players like Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O’Hara “juggling” between declaring for Ireland and England.

His first Ireland call-up may have cost Harry Arter the chance to relax in the Dubai sun, but the Bournemouth midfielder’s left foot wand could prove a potent weapon in Sunday’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland.

It was a case of no pain, no gain for Daryl Murphy this weekend as the Republic of Ireland striker broke his nose scoring Ipswich’s opening goal in their 2-1 Championship win at Fulham.

How the Irish fared:

As in politics, a week can be long time in soccer. Just ask Darren Randolph.

Capital One Cup Fourth-Round

Shrewsbury 1 Chelsea 2

England suffered a bizarre disruption during their World Cup opener against Italy on Saturday night.

Portsmouth could yet face liquidation after former owner Balram Chainrai withdrew his bid to buy the troubled npower League One club.

Portsmouth will not go into liquidation today after Liam Lawrence, the last remaining senior player on the books at Fratton Park, agreed to leave the club.

Portsmouth could be liquidated today after 114 years as a football club - although administrator Trevor Birch remains "cautiously optimistic" they will survive.

Kevin Foley is back home with his family in England, having left Ireland’s Euro 2012 training camp in Italy.

For Irish football, this is the calm before the storm.

Glenn Whelan believes too much expectation is being heaped on James McClean’s young and inexperienced shoulders ahead of the Republic of Ireland’s appearance in next month’s European Championships.

West Ham 3 Cardiff 0 (West Ham win 5-0 on aggregate)

Cardiff 0 West Ham 2

Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton remained downbeat about his side’s chances of npower Championship survival after they relegated Doncaster with a 4-3 win at the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday.

Barnsley 0 Cardiff 1

West Ham have completed the loan signing of Irish international goalkeeper Stephen Henderson as the player drain from npower Championship rivals Portsmouth continues.

Keith Andrews has labelled James McClean the ‘‘most talked about youngster in the Premier League’ and says the Sunderland winger has instantly settled into life as an international footballer.

Liam Lawrence insists his exclusion from the Republic of Ireland’s squad for last week’s friendly against the Czech Republic hasn’t dampened his Euro 2012 hopes.

Striker Shane Long is backing the Republic of Ireland's wingers to give manager Giovanni Trapattoni a major selection headache ahead of the Euro 2012 finals.

The good ship Republic of Ireland will sail for Poland with captain Giovanni Trapattoni firmly at the helm.

Shay Given insists the Ireland players are not at loggerheads with the FAI over the issue of bonus payments for qualification for the Euro finals.

With the announcement in Waterford yesterday of a 24-man panel for the friendly against the Czech Republic later this month, Giovanni Trapattoni showed his hand and effectively named his squad for the European Championship finals.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has promised James McClean he has an international future despite missing out on a first senior call-up today.

WE ALL knew Giovanni Trapattoni wouldn’t want to look at any new players before Euro 2012, but it was still a little disappointing to hear him confirm it on Friday.

Chelsea 4 Portsmouth 0

ROBERTO Di Matteo cannot see Frank Lampard leaving Chelsea, describing the England midfielder as part of the fabric of the club.

A FINANCIAL WINDFALL FORTHE FAI

Giovanni Trapattoni has warned his Republic of Ireland players they can take nothing for granted as they prepare for their Euro 2012 showdown with Estonia.

AS feared, Shane Long is definitely out of Ireland’s two European Championship play-off games against Estonia, having failed to recover in time from a knee injury.

HAVING impressed in the summer games which concluded with that memorable defeat of Italy in Liege, Stephen Hunt was dismayed to find himself back on the bench again when Ireland returned to the serious business of Euro qualification against Slovakia in September.

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has warned his players to ignore events in Slovakia as they attempt to snatch automatic qualification for Euro 2012.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has recalled James McCarthy, Jon Walters and Seamus Coleman to his squad for next month’s decisive Euro 2012 qualifiers against Andorra and Armenia.

West Ham 4 Portsmouth 3

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI began his traditional eve of match press conference in the by now predictable manner, extolling the virtues of his team during their performances over the summer which saw them score 10 goals and concede none over five games.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI’S ultimatum to what he called the ‘disappeared’ appears to have had the desired effect, with all the squad players communicating clearly with the Irish camp ahead of this week’s friendly game against Croatia at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

TALK about tempting fate.

HE was in, he was out, then he was in and now he’s out again.

Giovanni Trapattoni has named a final 26-man squad to face Croatia on August 10.

PAUL MCSHANE will captain the Irish team against Italy in Liege tonight, making it a doubly emotional couple of days for the Wicklow boy.

Hull defender Paul McShane will captain the Republic of Ireland in tomorrow night’s friendly clash with Italy in Belgium.

Republic of Ireland 1 Scotland 0

Giovanni Trapattoni made his promised four changes with Darren O’Dea, Keith Fahey, Liam Lawrence and Stephen Hunt featuring in the team to take on Scotland in tonight’s Carling Nations Cup decider against Scotland.

Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane has warned players to commit fully to the nation’s cause or not play at all.