We’re not all doom and gloom you know!

THERE was a moment in Cyprus a few weeks back when Eoin Hand pulled up a seat at a table of journalists in a Limassol hotel.

Under discussion at the time was the enigma that is John O'Shea, an obviously talented footballer who hasn't managed to consistently hit the heights expected of him at either club or country. Various theories and opinions were bandied about but it wasn't so much the debate itself as its subject matter which struck Hand. "Do you know something," the former Irish manager asked. "This is the first time since I got here that I've heard a bunch of football journalists actually talking about football."

Which was hardly too much of an exaggeration, such was the extent of the media focus in the run-up to the game on Brian Kerr, his contract, his agent, his relationship with the FAI and whatever else helped to generate headlines. Indeed, at one point that week among the Irish press corps there seemed to be more anticipation of the eve of match press conference than of the match itself. (Which, considering how the latter panned out, may not have been a bad thing).