Sean all business despite diversions

As the Irish squad prepare to leave Tuscany for Hungary, Sean St Ledger reflects on an eventful week in camp

Headlines suggesting mutinous discontent in the Irish camp this week might have been overstating things a tad but it turns out that there was one big split after all — between those who opted for the golf course and those who chose a trip to Florence on the players’ day off on Tuesday.

There is no denying that, for some players more than others, feelings ran high regarding the unhappy fate suffered by their friend and colleague Kevin Foley. No one was unsympathetic to his plight and those especially close to the Wolves man were genuinely upset, yet footballers as a breed are accustomed to abrupt comings and goings in their professional lives and, as a consequence, have developed a reliable ability to roll with the punches. Because, whatever happens, there is always a new day, a new game and, in special times, a new tournament to look forward to.