Finnan a lynchpin of Ireland’s success

By Liam Mackey, Chiba.

WHEN galloping Spurs full-back Stephen Carr was ruled out of Ireland’s World Cup squad by injury, it looked like a severe blow to Mick McCarthy’s hopes of fielding his strongest possible team.

But the silver lining soon emerged in the shining form of Steve Finnan, whose performances for Fulham in the domestic campaign just ended were so consistently convincing, that they earned him a deserved place in the Premiership’s team of the season.

Ironically, the player who might have given even a fully fit Carr a run for his money, and who was himself carrying a minor knock last week, eventually lost out to Gary Kelly for a starting place on Saturday against Cameroon.

It came as no surprise, however, to most observers that his appearance at the start of the second half, after Jason McAteer’s withdrawal, coincided with the beginnings of a stirring Irish recovery.

The softly-spoken 26-year-old, whose clean-cut boyish appearance has more than a touch of Tim Henman about it, confesses that, with Ireland a goal down and struggling, he was both daunted and excited at the moment of making his debut in the finals of the World Cup.

“I was a bit nervous to get the shout at half-time,” he says, “but I was glad to be coming on then rather than while the match was being played because it was easier to get into the game. Warming up, you’re thinking ‘will I get on?’”

Then Ian Evans gives me the shout and you’re walking back into the changing room thinking, well, this is what you’re here for, you’re playing in the World Cup. And, of course, you’re nervous.”

Indeed, what was virtually Finnan’s first touch, saw him surging deep into the Cameroon half, the kind of purposeful statement of intent which signalled that Ireland were ready, at last, to take the game to the opposition.

“I was happy with the way things went,” the Limerick-born Londoner agrees. “It was a bit cooler in the second half, the game opened up a bit, and with the chances that we had, we might have gone on to win it.

“Getting forward is naturally in my game, and because the game opened up, we were pushing forward and creating lots of chances. Hopefully, if we can do that again on Wednesday, we can create a few more.”

Right on cue, Nick, from Germany, invokes a ghost, wanting to know if the manager is under pressure and whether or not the team is committed to playing for him.

“Of course, there’s been big pressure on the manager for a number of years, wanting to qualify for a major tournament,” Finnan coolly replies. “We’ve done that, but what happened last week created even more pressure. But we’ll always play for the manager, no matter who it is, and want to do the best for him, for ourselves and for the country.

“It was disappointing what happened but we’ve had to look ahead and go out and play the games. That’s all we’ve got to concentrate on. The team spirit stays the same, we always want to play for the manager, no matter what the situation.”

And the situation now is that, thanks to the rival claims of Kelly and Finnan, the same manager is faced with the kind of headache which, for a pleasant change, won’t be keeping him awake at night.