Honeymoon draws to a close

PERHAPS Steve Staunton should retire. Happy players, happy media, happy FAI officials, even a happy Robbie Keane.

If the man they call Stan stepped down right now, he'd do so with an unblemished record and the cheers of just about everyone ringing in his ears.

But tonight, Staunton will have to leave the cosy honeymoon suite and head out into a wintry Dublin night for the first serious test of his management reign - and on a Lansdowne pitch whose condition goalkeeper Shay Given yesterday described as "shocking".

A February friendly against Sweden is hardly a life or death affair, but with at most four games on offer between now and the European Championship opener against Germany next September, Staunton's debut as manager comes freighted with added significance.

And the new man has chosen to go with a new-look side, although he admits that, having agreed with a couple of Premiership managers to give their players no more than 45 minutes of action, we can expect to see changes at half-time.

It's also Staunton's ambition to use the friendly games to give as much football as possible to various members of the squad, especially those lacking in experience at this level.

Certainly, his starting 11 for the game against Sweden is a bold one, as much for his redeployment of familiar personnel as the introduction of new faces.

Steve Finnan was forced to return to Liverpool with a neck injury yesterday but Staunton revealed that, even if Finnan had been fit, Bolton's Joey O'Brien was always going to start at right-back, while Kevin Doyle's reward of a first cap for his sparkling form at Reading was only ever likely to be threatened by a calf-strain.

At the back, Richard Dunne, Andy O'Brien and Ian Harte are all established internationals, while, in the attacking area, Damien Duff and new captain Robbie Keane were always going to be automatic starters. But, aside from Duff, the rest of the midfield has a novel look, with John O'Shea, Steven Reid and, most surprising of all, Stephen Elliott on from the start.

Staunton was cagey about revealing how his starting 11 would shape up.

Just recently returned to full fitness at Sunderland - where he has featured on the right side of midfield this season - striker Elliott's inclusion would seem to offer Staunton the option of going 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, but the most the manager would give away was that he planned to be 'flexible' during the game.

"Very flexible," he emphasised. "We've got enough bright players there that they can go express themselves, and that's what I want to see."

Much attention will be focused on the performances of John O'Shea and Steven Reid.

However, Staunton has no doubts about either players' ability to shoulder their midfield responsibilities.

"I've always seen John in that role," he confessed. "Steven Reid has come on in leaps and bounds. I think he's been outstanding this year. He's got every attribute going for him and this is a great opportunity for him."

Similarly, Staunton was happy to talk up the new boys.

"It's a great opportunity for Kevin [Doyle]. He's done fantastic this year at Reading and this is a chance for him to come onto the next level. I think he's well able to handle it. Joey [O'Brien], I've seen play a few times and spoken to Sam Allardyce and he's fully confident he's ready for it."

And the manager expects him team to face a tough test tonight.

"Sweden are a very good side, well-organised, very hard-working and quick on the counter-attack."

So tonight, then, is all about work in progress, although Staunton understands better than most the fans' desire for victory, even in a game in which the quality of the display rather than the scoreline will come under most scrutiny.

"Results are important but more important in a competitive game," he said. "I've told you before, I'm a winner, but against Sweden I want to see the performance. I want to see my players excite me and excite the fans and give them something to look forward to."