John Fallon: So you're telling me there is a chance?

PREP: Manager Stephen Kenny speaks to his players during a Republic of Ireland training session at the Aviva Stadium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

NEED not worry if World Cup cold turkey syndrome is kicking in, for the hot version this weekend coincides with the club chassis cranking up again.

Try as Sky Sports has to convince us that the midweek Carabao Cup is “starting to get serious”, it’ll more be the series of St Stephen’s Day Premier League fixtures which restores familiarity.

What the hamster wheel’s return won’t change is the Irish presence at the business end of the table, nor even the top half.

The sight of Galway teen Alex Murphy featuring for Newcastle United recently caused a frisson of excitement, yet was tempered by the realisation Eddie Howe was plugging gaps in friendlies until his array of stars return from Qatar.

No, it will be March before Ireland does anything except orbit the big time, gazing longingly into stages deprived of their number for a worryingly extended period. Caoimhín Kelleher shares Obi-Wan Kenobi status as our only hope.

When the club circuit does next pause for breath in 12 weeks, Ireland will embark on a mission to tumble the natural order of the game.

The objective is to bely their reputation of midrange muddlers against a pair of nations whose personnel inhabit not just the heights of England’s hierarchy but similarly feted leagues across Europe.

In stark terms, Ireland must split France and the Netherlands — two of the eight highest finishers at the World Cup — for a place at the European Championships to be snared from the group.

Otherwise, it’s the lottery of two playoff ties lodged between Stephen Kenny’s side and Germany in June 2024.

Greece are in there too, lest we forget, and given the unpredictability of Gus Poyet’s side, don’t rule out them acting as an ally rather than enemy in distorting the projected flow of points.

Notwithstanding that unlikely fallback, points against the pair of powerhouses remains Ireland’s minimum priority if they’re to cause an upset.

Although four were extracted from Germany during the 2016 campaign, Martin O’Neill’s side still finished third in the table — retrieving their fate in the playoffs — yet the arithmetic for snaffling the necessary top-two finish is clear and obvious.

If the quality of both wasn’t evident enough recently, Kenny, his players and fans will gain a glimpse into the early 2023 versions of the opposition before they kick a ball in qualifying.

France welcome Netherlands to Paris on March 24 — the same day Ireland are due to have a low-key home friendly, likely against Latvia — illustrating the disparity in levels.

That run-out against the another minnow, following Malta last month, is the final preparation before the back-to-back World Cup finalists rock up to Aviva Stadium three days later for Ireland’s introduction to the campaign.

Since the draw in Frankfurt on October 9, their itinerary has been plotted. Arguably, what the world witnessed from the duo over the past month has only hardened the task but neither looked faultless throughout.

For the purposes of balance, here’s a debrief from both, replete with an eye on what’s lurking during Ireland’s eight-game bloc of qualifiers till next November.

NETHERLANDS

• Reasons to be fearful: Only missed out on a semi-final place by losing on penalties to winners Argentina, the Dutch have added a layer of steeliness to their undisputed Quality.

That elimination signalled the end of Louis Van Gaal’s third and final spell as manager and he was within his rights to classify the 20-game run of competitive matches undefeated as he didn’t lose in open play — recording 14 wins and six draws.

Virgil van Djik, at 31, is sticking around to captain a young side and new boss Ronald Koeman has the likes of Matthijs de Ligt (23), Frenkie de Jong (25) along with striker Cody Gakpo (23) hitting their peak.

Reasons to be cheerful: Inconsistency has dogged the Dutch over the years and there’s a fear domestically that Koeman’s arrival as Van Gaal’s successor triggers another identity crisis. We’ll see the Oranje facing the French, plus two of Spain, Italy or Croatia in the June Nations League finals before locking horns in September and November’s Amsterdam finale.

Regularly during the easiest group of the World Cup, especially the 1-1 draw against Ecuador, their turgidity was there to be exploited. From Memphis Depay to the gangly Wout Weghorst, despite his madcap heroics against Argentina, their attacking options are limited. They have goalkeeping constraints too. A fairytale late bloomer Andries Noppert may be, but he’s vulnerable from crosses — once Ireland can fashion a few.

FRANCE

• Reasons to be fearful: Mmmm, where to start? For a nation which has reached the final in three of their last four major tournaments, it’s frightening to think better is expected from what’s to come.

Bar Hugo Lloris and Oliver Giroud being 36 and Antoine Griezmann just turned 32 by the March duel, the core of Les Bleus will be 26 or under.

Kingsley Coman and Eduardo Camavinga, peripheral figures in Qatar, will assume greater responsibility, particularly if, as is anticipated, Didier Deschamps, remains in charge fuelled by motivation of completing his trophy Haul.

Sunday’s World Cup final defeat won’t halt their ascent, nor check the gallop of Kylian Mbappé.

Reasons to be cheerful: Not many but don’t let that stop us trying to pick holes. Counterbalancing that youthful exuberance is an inexperience that cost them in the shootout while there’s every chance the return of Paul Pogba from injury will disrupt the team dynamic. They’re by no means invincible, as Tunisia proved by toppling them in their World Cup opener and earlier in the year they were twice beaten twice by Denmark, drew with Austria and failed to beat Croatia in two matches of their dreadful Nations League campaign.

An overreliance on Giroud as the focal point of attack is another drawback as heirs Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani don’t possess the international pedigree or club standing in the Bundesliga midriff to justify the tag of goalscoring hopes.

Mere imperfections ahead of a year Ireland must master the act of Perfection.

Granny rulers here to stay – whether we like it or not

Major tournaments are opportune for the elasticity of the granny rule to grate with Irish fans but it will be curious to see the reaction if it works the opposite way in the Women’s World Cup.

Cruel enough was watching Declan Rice and Jack Grealish in England colours for a second tournament in a row before Martin O’Neill tried rewriting history with his excuses for the pair’s defection. Back to that another time.

Global showpieces are a magnet for those with international options and so it was inevitable the queue would form once Ireland broke their qualification duck.

After Vera Pauw flagged the sudden interest by dual-eligible players at the October draw in Sydney, it appears Aoife Mannion is the first willing to jump aboard as the clock ticks towards July.

The Manchester United defender was ironically a schoolfriend of Grealish at St Peter’s School Catholic school, proud of her Irish roots by gracing the Birmingham GAA fields. England has been her focus but failing to get off the bench for the seniors leaves open up the switch.

Like others before her, she’ll be welcomed with open arms but the gold medal winner for brazenly working the system must go to Jay McEvoy.

Also a United player, he’s been in the squads of Northern Ireland, Republic and his native England – and it’s not even halfway through the season!

Johnny Kenny chooses the Green Rovers over Red

Shamrock Rovers were already a touch light in the forward department before Aidomo Emakhu’s move to Millwall last week but Johnny Kenny seems on his way in.

Kenny moved to Celtic 12 months ago for €150,000 having burst onto the scene with Sligo Rovers and in a quirk of fate could make his competitive return to the league against his hometown club at the Showgrounds on the opening weekend in February.

It’s been a tough introduction to life in Scotland for the 19-year-old striker, whose loan move to Queen’s Park didn’t go to plan.

Numerous LOI clubs offered him a haven, including Shelbourne — through Damien Duff’s Celtic links — and Sligo but he has settled on the champions, with confirmation imminent.

Prolific forwards are a precious commodity in the League of Ireland and Kenny will ease the burden on Rory Gaffney, yesterday nominated alongside Blackpool-bound teammate Andy Lyons for the annual SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Ireland Personality of the Year award.

Their boss and current holder Stephen Bradley made the shortlist too, alongside Derry City manager Ruaidhrí Higgins, Duff and Colin Healy, manager of First Division champions Cork City.

Also to be announced at a banquet on January 14 is the Women’s Personality of the Year. A pair apiece from Shelbourne (Pearl Slattery and Jessie Stapleton) and Athlone Town (Tommy Hewitt and Emily Corbet) are joined on the list of contenders by Shamrock Rovers recruit Áine O’Gorman and Wexford’s Ellen Molloy.