Hoops living Europa dream
Tonight at the hallowed old ground in north London, the glory can only belong to Shamrock Rovers because anything less than a comfortable victory for the Premier League side will invite ridicule in these parts.
For the visiting supporters, whose ranks will be swelled this evening by the London Irish diaspora, the chance to roar on the Hoops in competitive European action in one of the most famous grounds in English football is, in itself, a dream come true.
But reality will only bite for Rovers when the whistle blows at 8.05pm. Then the order of the night will be to ensure that the dream doesn’t curdle into a nightmare; that, whatever the final outcome, the men in green and white will be able to leave the field with heads held high.
The outstanding sequence of displays which Rovers have served up over the course of their adventures in European wonderland — both this season and last — offer one good reason for believing that the Irish champions will do their supporters, and their country, proud.
Another is that, although in with the big boys now, it will be something more like the big boys’ little brothers Rovers will be facing tonight.
Back in February of this year, when Spurs were still chasing a second successive Champions’ League spot, manager Harry Redknapp made his jaundiced view of the Europa League witheringly clear: “I think everyone that gets in it wants to be out of it,” he said then. “They put reserve teams out in every game.”
Fast-forward eight months, and for ‘they’ read ‘he’.
With the north London derby against Arsenal coming up on Sunday, Redknapp will rest his first XI tonight, including the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric.
Asked yesterday if he’d be keeping one eye on Sunday’s game, the manager smiled and replied “both eyes”. But, this being a wealthy Premier League club we’re talking about, the Spurs team to face Rovers will still contain some household names, with fit-again England winger Aaron Lennon, Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko and former Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar all likely to feature.
“I won’t be putting my first XI out, but we want to win the game,” said Redknapp at the club’s training ground yesterday. “We will put out a strong, experienced team, with seven or eight internationals, although I won’t risk those who have to play on Sunday.”
Other absentees will include Tottenham captain Ledley King, who can only play once a week because of his knee problems, William Gallas, who has a calf injury, and Tom Huddlestone, who will have surgery next week on a recurring ankle problem.
Bigging up the opposition, Redknapp said that his assistant Joe Jordan had submitted a positive scouting report on Rovers.
“Joe went to watch them and was very impressed,” said Redknapp. “He said they worked really hard, were very solid and well coached. Joe said it will not be easy for us — after all they had to go to Belgrade and they won.
“It’s a game we should win, especially at home, but it will be a big game for them and I am sure they will rise to the occasion.
“I expect them to set up so as not to concede, and then try to hit us on the break whenever possible. We are not underestimating them at all.”
For Rovers, Craig Sives has been passed fit, Gary O’Neill is out with a thigh strain and a decision will only be made today on whether Ryan Thompson is ready to resume his position between the posts.
The visitors got their first taste of the Lane when they trained on the pitch last night and, for Cambridge-born Dan Murray, a clash with the club he supported as a kid is something to be relished.
“Personally, it’s always been a dream to play in a Premier League ground and to get the chance now is great,” he said. “To be honest, since I’ve been playing in Ireland I never thought it would happen, and certainly not in the context of a European game.”
Rovers expect to have the backing of some 4,000 supporters inside White Hart Lane tonight for what has long been regarded as the glamour tie of the campaign. But, battle-hardened as his team is on European soil, manager Michael O’Neill is confident that the big occasion won’t get to his men.
“All along, our message to the players has been to embrace these games,” he said yesterday. “To enjoy them, not fear them, individually and collectively. And to be fair, away from home, they’ve done that. The performances they gave in Modena, in Copenhagen and in Belgrade were of such a high calibre that I don’t think that fear factor will exist.
“Listen, our lads don’t get the opportunity to come and play in stadiums like this on a regular basis. You don’t want to let an opportunity like this pass you by and I’m sure that’s the mindset that they’ll take into the game.”
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