Ireland know the score for Albania

IRELAND’s players will today receive a first-hand account of Albania’s surprise weekend win over Russia in Euro Group 10 from former Scotland international Joe Jordan.

The former striker was recruited because of his relationship with goalkeeping coach Packie Bonner.

Said assistant manage Chris Hughton: "Brian has spoken to Joe Jordan a couple of times since Albania's match against Russia and we are waiting for his report to be faxed to us. Joe has spoken about the formation and the way they played.

"They are a good side which we already knew, and a lot of their players are playing at good levels throughout Europe, and in the end it was a result they deserved."

Hughton specified the unexpected climate surrounding the match now in view of both sides having won difficult matches. He said: "If I was the Albania manager I would be using the fact they got a tremendous result going into our game on Wednesday.

"But it is about us and how we approach the game. Irespective of their result, our approach going into Wednesday wouldn't be any different and we would be telling the players exactly the same as we told them here about the conditions, the crowd and the quality of the players they have."

The expanding role of video analysis was further underlined when Kerr and his coaching staff reviewed Ireland's Tbilisi victory in the cauldron of hate that was the Lokomotiv Stadium.

Tralee man, Brian McCarthy, a member of the FAI's coaching staff, produced a collection of CDs highlighting individual players performances in recent internationals to enhance Kerr's programme in the build-up to the match. It is an extension of the work that was begun during the World Cup campaign in Japan and South Korea. And it is intended that each player will have the opportunity to assess his individual contribution to this latest success as Ireland step up their preparations for the match against Albania.

One of the areas the coaching staff will look at in the company of Ireland's defence is, of course, the free-kick that produced Georgia's equalising goal early in the second half. How was it that Shay Given was beaten at the near post?

"I haven't had a chance yet to see the game again because there was a problem with one of the tapes," said Hughton. "It would be unfair of me to criticise anyone until we have seen the game again."

Kerr's response was similar when Ireland began their preparations by going through a session in the swimming pool a "recovery session" in the description of the manager. As a by-product of McCarthy's knowledge of modern technology and the computer systems he travelled with, Ireland's staff was last night able to follow the fortunes of Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke in the TPC at Sawgrass through pictures that are not available on the TV services here.

Ireland will travel to Tirana today and look forward to welcoming Robbie Keane to the squad. "We are certainly looking forward to Robbie joining the squad, it will be a major boost," said Hughton. "It says something about the Irish squad that we have missed him and have gone through with him of course not as dramatically as he has the difficulty of losing his father.

"The fact he is prepared to jump on a flight and come and join the squad speaks volumes for him. First and foremost is the fact he is coming, and any decision with regard to his selection is one for the manager."

Hughton, of course, works with Keane and Gary Doherty as coach to 'Spurs first team. He said: "Robbie is a wonderful player. You really only get to know a player when you see him at close hand. Having seen Robbie play for his respective clubs and for Ireland before he joined 'Spurs I knew he was a good player, but when he came to Spurs it didn't take me long to realise he was even better than I thought."

Asked to specify, he responded: "The area which I was most pleased with is his movement. He is regarded as a player who plays off a target man, but at Spurs he has played with Teddy Sheringham who likes to drop a bit deeper. Robbie has held the line together and performed well as the most forward player, holding things up and bringing others into the game.

"He can play anywhere along the front line, his ability and sharpness are there for all to see and of course he has an eye for goal. Robbie is the type of player who can play with anybody."