Will Stan answer Ireland’s call?

IRELAND appeared to create a little history on Wednesday night in San Marino. They became the first side to lose a game despite scoring more goals than the opposition.

Despite manager Steve Staunton’s assertions to the contrary, getting three points in San Marino was not the main thing. Decades of seeing their sportsmen as the underdogs meant many Irish people felt for the Sammarinese when they had the greatest result in their history stolen away by Stephen Ireland’s late intervention.

The fact that it was a scuffed goal after the ball pinballed around the area was apt enough, as was the nervous glance from Robbie Keane at the linesman, though the Spurs man was level with the last defender.

Scraping home against San Marino isn’t good enough.

After all, several eircom League clubs have more full-time professionals than the side put out against Ireland during the week. The fact that it isn’t good enough was clear from the reaction of the Irish fans who travelled to the little republic, and by putting their money where their mouths are, they were entitled to criticise.

They had plenty of targets. FAI promises of a world-class manager following Brian Kerr’s departure now ring hollow, though edging out the 195th-best team in the FIFA rankings suggests that assurance may be partly correct. If Ireland’s plan B when San Marino equalised was simply to lorry the ball into the box from the left wing, then we may have a third-world-class manager.

It’s not enjoyable to attack Steve Staunton. Taking potshots at him for the last couple of days has been an irresistible bloodsport for many, like shooting fish in a barrel. Or taking shots against San Marino (see just how irresistible it is?).

His supporters may argue it’s not easy to find a way past ten or eleven players defending their own goal. If Jose Mourinho dubbed defending like that ‘parking a bus’ across the 18-yard line, then San Marino had the equivalent of the entire JJ Kavanagh (Urlingford) fleet stationed in their own half.

But that’s where a manager earns his keep – in finding a way past obstacles. That’s what makes top-class sports management a tough, precarious career. At the 2002 World Cup final Spain collapsed in extra-time against Ireland and were playing with nine fit men at one point, but Ireland’s then-manager Mick McCarthy failed to exploit the opposition weakness.

At least McCarthy could argue, convincingly or otherwise, that such a development was unexpected in the context of that game. In the case of San Marino it wasn’t even a case of improvising to overcome the unusual: it’s surely not the case that before kick-off someone piped up in the Ireland dressing-room to say: “Does anyone think that San Marino are likely to defend in depth because they conceded 13 to Germany?”

Others should shoulder some of the blame as well, mind.

Yesterday’s newspapers showed plenty of photographs of a large ‘Delaney out’ banner at the game, and the FAI chief executive came in for his fair share of abuse at Wednesday night’s game. Staunton is in the firing line, but Delaney was among those who appointed him, and when the manager said after the game that there was “no question” about having the full backing of the FAI, then the clear inference is that they’re happy with the manager.

Chew on that for a while.

Then there are the players. The manager said on Wednesday he had warned before the game that “it might take until the last kick to win it”. Not a glowing endorsement of the talents of his players, and remember that Duff, Finnan, Dunne, Carsley, Kilbane, O’Shea and Keane are hardened professionals in one of the world’s most competitive leagues. Harte has vast experience player in that league and in the Spanish top flight, while Long and Ireland are up and coming talents in the Premiership also.

Look again. Duff and O’Shea are marginal figures at their clubs. Keane has been injured. Carsley’s holding role was largely redundant against the gun-shy Sammarinese. Dunne’s concentration has never been what one might call laser-keen. Harte’s free-kick contribution was negligible. Kilbane has always been limited – but honest: it was fitting he scored the first goal.

Significantly, Ireland suffered because our one consistently world-class player, Shay Given, was missing. It’s difficult to imagine Given allowing the comedy of errors that led to the San Marino goal to develop. But then again, before the game it would have been difficult to imagine depending on a 95th-minute winner from one of the new boys.

Staunton owed his job to Ireland yesterday. Stephen, that is. Does another Ireland want Staunton to continue?

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