Coffey keeps the faith ahead of trip to Tipp

One week was all that separated the appointments of Tom Coffey in Offaly and Roy Hodgson by England in late April and both men have experienced just how difficult it is to play catch-up in two of the year’s major sporting tournaments.

Hodgson’s summer is already over after last Monday’s Euro 2012 quarter-final defeat to Italy on penalties but Coffey’s limps on, for now, despite the 13-point defeat suffered against Kildare two weekends ago.

Appointed, for the second time, as interim manager, Coffey inherited a squad in crisis.