Players ‘deserve credit’ for win over Italy
McCaffrey’s talented teenagers completed their campaign unbeaten in the four-team qualifying group in Cork, beating Northern Ireland, Moldova and, most notably, Italy.
The Italians were crushed 4-1 at Turners Cross on Thursday as Ireland put on an outstanding display of skilful, passing football which belied atrocious weather and pitch conditions.
Yet McCaffrey, who has also guided the U17s to the UEFA Championship elite phase in the last few weeks, refuses to accept the plaudits.
“It’s not all about tactics,” the Monaghan man said.
“Now people are giving me a lot of the credit and that’s what happens ... managers and coaches get too much credit when teams are playing really well and too much of the blame when they’re not.
“We’ve a great coaching staff but 90% of what happened here this week was down to the players’ ability, their enthusiasm to listen, their enthusiasm to learn, their enthusiasm to work, the team spirit that was built up, and I think they deserve all the credit and hopefully they will get their reward as the season goes on.”
Having won their group Ireland go into the draw as seeds and will come out of the hat with one fellow group winner and two runners-up. Only one team will progress from that group for the finals in Poland next summer but McCaffrey was understandably bouyant after his side’s defeat of Italy.
Two goals from Ipswich forward Billy Clarke and one apiece from defenders Darron Gibson and Edward Nolan were complemented by great work in midfield from Ian Morris, captain John Paul Kelly and Jonathan Hayes while Arsenal striker Anthony Stokes led the line brilliantly and unselfishly.
“We scored four very good goals, created lots of chances and played lots of attacking football,” McCaffrey said.
“It’s a great approach and philosophy when you have the goods to back it up and those players did.”
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