Keane front and centre for Ireland
Yet again.
It was Steve Staunton who first tossed Keane the armband in 2006 and, though O’Neill declared that no conclusions should be drawn from Keane’s presence on the podium last night, it seems unlikely the striker will not be centre stage again this evening.
Shane Long had his backers for this race, but it will still make for a momentous occasion when an Ireland manager leaves out the LA Galaxy striker at a time when he is fit and, like now, banging in the goals again for club and country.
“I wouldn’t assume anything at the moment,” O’Neill cautioned. “Robbie has been really splendid as a player for the Republic of Ireland for some time. He is up there now with a third hat-trick, which is really terrific.
“He was captain when I stepped in and I didn’t see any reason to change it. He is a fine player, as my assistant manager [Roy Keane] mentioned [on Sunday]. He is the best goalscorer we have, but I haven’t picked the team yet. He is up here because he is our captain and he’s an excellent influence on the squad.”
Short version: Keane will start.
The player himself does a fine line in ‘I’m not bovvered’ impressions, his shrugging shoulders saying more than his mouth usually does, and he toed the party line again here when talking about doing whatever he is asked for the good of the team.
If that’s a sub’s role, then so be it.
Keane has missed the last two games — the 6-1 shellacking in Dublin and the 3-0 beating in the return during the last campaign — against the world champions and he believes those experiences are as irrelevant to those who played in them.
“I don’t think the players are thinking too much about what happened in the past, to be honest,” he said. “We have to concentrate on the now. This is a different team to a few years ago.
“Certainly, none of the players have mentioned it to me. They shouldn’t, to be honest. It’s a completely different game. We’re on a good run and we have a lot of confidence, as the manager said.”
Keane spoke about players knowing their jobs, but about enjoying the experience as well, and he was adamant he had never taken to a field not believing that chances were there to be sniffed out and capitalised upon.
It will be no different tonight, he said.
It is, however, a side likely to be relatively light on big-time international experience and, as a result, one that may lean heavier on the veteran shoulders of men like Keane and John O’Shea, who is set to earn his 100th cap in Gelsenkirchen.
Fifa beg to differ, pointing out that the friendly Ireland played against Hungary in Budapest prior to Euro 2012 was stripped of its status as a full international due to the dubious qualifications of one of the assistant referees.
Be that as it may, O’Shea will still be taking to the pitch for the 100th time against Germany and Keane was predictably fulsome in his praise for the defender as he becomes just the fifth Republic of Ireland player to reach the three-digit figure.
“He wouldn’t have played for Manchester United for so long and won trophies if he wasn’t a good player. He has been great for his country and to get 100 caps says it all. He has been great for us since the start.
“These are the types of games where people will be looking to guys like John and he has been great off the pitch as well. When he talks he makes a lot of sense. Sitting around the hotel he is good with the younger players and helping everyone to come through. He is a proper leader.”
Ireland will need more than one tonight.
