The hope that dare not speak its name

WITH a few weeks to go, I feel we are still at a safe enough remove from the European Championship play-offs for your (admittedly nervous) correspondent to make an unusually bold prediction: Ireland will qualify for the 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.

There, I’ve said it. And, now, of course, there will be hell to pay.

You could argue, as even I am prone to do in my weaker moments, that logic supports a feeling of optimism about Ireland’s chances against Estonia: man for man, we’re better and more experienced; the team is well set-up to keep clean sheets; even allowing for the absence of Doyle and the possible absence of Keane, our other options up front are in flying form; we have home advantage in the decisive leg; and we have a manager who knows a bit about getting his charges over the line.