Irwin: Getting to Rio massive ask for Trap
Trapattoni came under fire after Ireland’s chastening Euros experience and the pressure on the 73-year-old increased following the laboured last-gasp 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan and James McClean’s subsequent Twitter outburst.
The nature of Friday’s performance led some calls for a change of management but former Ireland and Manchester United defender Irwin feels people have to be realistic about the strength of the current team.
“I think he did an unbelievable job in getting us to the Euros,” said Irwin, who received an honorary doctorate from UCC on Friday in recognition of his services to sport.
“We are what we are. It’s hard to compare eras but I don’t think there’s as many players playing in the Premier League as there was in my era. We didn’t perform at the Euros at all and the [World Cup] group is tough. Germany and Sweden are in the group and there’s one or two tricky ones in there as well. He’ll do very well to get us to Rio. He sets us up so we’re hard to beat and sometimes that’s a road you have to take.”
Damien Duff and Shay Given retired after the Euros and the 56-timed capped Irwin admitted both will be missed.
“You’re losing experience. Duffer and Shay are big losses. They’ve been through these kind of games before and these groups before and I’m not so sure there’s that many young players coming through that are as good as them. We’ve have to see on that but they’ll be big losses, they’ve been great servants to their country.”
On the plus side, Richard Dunne and Robbie Keane have opted to stay on, a significant boost in Irwin’s view. He said: “[It’s] very important because you want experience. Richard would have been a big loss because he’s been a main player for us for however long he’s been playing. It’s important you keep your experience because they’ve played in big games before, they’re used to it and know what’s needed to get points that matter and can show the young lads how it’s done.”
One of the players who could be part of the new Ireland is Everton midfielder Darron Gibson but the former Manchester United man refused to play in the game against Kazakhstan because he did not get any game-time in Poland. Gibson’s stance surprised Irwin but the Corkman is confident the 24-year-old has a future at international level.
“Obviously he was disappointed he didn’t have a bigger role to play in the Euros particularly after the last two or three months of the season where he played really well at Everton. The fact Ireland didn’t do so good at the Euros meant he probably felt he should have played more. [I’m] disappointed but I’m sure the door is still open for him. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Meanwhile Irwin’s former employers, Manchester United, recovered from an opening day defeat to Everton to record back-to-back victories before the international break with new signing Robin van Persie making an instant impact, scoring four times. Irwin believes the Dutchman and Japanese playmaker Shinji Kagawa, another new signing, can help inspire United to success this season.
“He [van Persie] is a proven goalscorer, he will score goals. He’s shown that already and there’s good competition up front now. [Wayne] Rooney took on the bulk of the pressure last year, scored a lot of goals, so I think the manager will be looking for other players to chip in as well. The Japanese lad, Kagawa, when he settles, because it will take him a while, because it’s a lot more physical than the German league, will be a big player.
“Van Persie and Rooney can score goals and you know Chicharito [Javier Hernandez] will score goals and Danny Welbeck’s improving as well so there’s four there. The manager alluded to the fact he wants four but it’s sometimes not as easy as that because they all want to play so we’ll have to see how that pans out. It’s a long season and it’s just started so we’ll just have to wait and see.”
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